Stefanie Molnar
Getting started in a whole new city is an incredible adventure – new people, new places, new experiences! Still, getting settled can be quite challenging. To help you with your first steps, we've collected some insider-tips that make the experience ahead of you even better. Have fun!
Before even arriving in Vienna, you'll probably have to ask yourself: "Where will I live?" Depending on your preferences there are many different options to choose from.
Living
For the social butterflies: the clusters
Whether you came here alone or with friends – a shared flat is a good place to start. The rent for a room is much cheaper than for a whole apartment and you save on appliances since they’re already there. Beyond that, a cluster is a great way to meet new people and beat the loneliness that often comes with moving to a new city. If you’re lucky you will make life-long friends and your stay will feel like an everyday sleepover with your besties. Especially at the start of the semester, when everyone is looking for, finding a room can be hard – don't give up and keep checking sites like Willhaben or WG-Gesucht.
For the brave: the twin room
The prices in student accommodations don't always match what you're going to get – not when it comes to the very cheap option of double-rooms though. Admittedly, sharing a small room isn’t for everyone, but if you’re out for an adventure (and if Tinder isn’t your favourite app), it’s definitely an option. Who knows, your roommate could turn out to be your very best friend and who needs all that privacy anyways?
For exclusive globetrotters: YOUNIQ TRIIIPLE Vienna
You haven’t had the chance to bring any of your furniture with you? No reason to panic, we have the ideal solution! YOUNIQ Vienna TrIIIple provides everything you need on your Vienna-adventure. From kitchen to bathroom: the apartments come with high quality and super stylishly furniture and fully equipped – the only thing missing is you! The rent covers heating, water and high-speed internet so no need to worry about different providers, annual check-ups or pesky contracts! You have access not only to your personal apartement but also several, truly pinterest-worthy, community-zones and even an in-house gym! When you don’t feel like enjoying your privacy, venture out into the communal kitchen or the sunroof and connect with like-minded people from all around the globe!
YOUNIQ Vienna TrIIIple is located right next to the Donaukanal and the U3 Station Schlachthausgasse. While you can enjoy your time off wandering around Prater, you also reach the city center within less than 15 minutes. If you prefer to stay in the neighbourhood, there are many different cafés and restaurants to discover just around the corner – no time for boredom!
How to get around
From "Bim" to Subway: The Public Transport
When you arrive in Vienna, you’ll need a way to get around the city. Since you probably haven’t taken your car with you, public transport is your safest bet. The Public Transport System (or as Austrians call it: "die Öffis") is reliable, punctual and takes you everywhere you could possibly need to go! There are five underground-lines (with a sixth in construction), several tramway-lines and a seemingly endless amount of bus routes. If you want to know how to get from A to B, apps like WienMobil or Scotty help you out quite a lot. Oh, and of course you need a valid ticket - otherwise, it could get expensive. The "Semester-Ticket" for students costs 75€ for Vienna-residents and 150€ for everyone else. It’s valid 24/7 throughout the whole semester - you can buy it online or at one of the Wiener-Linien-counters.
Finding your way around
Whether you study at FH, TU, WU or Universität Wien – there are many different faculties all throughout the city. Before your semester starts, make sure to know where you need to go and check out the buildings in advance. Some are quite far apart – does your timetable work with possible commutes? Especially in the beginning: Always take half an hour more than you think you’ll need into account. You will thank yourself later! :-)
A useful friend: The Facebook-Revival
Even if it seems like nobody really uses it anymore, Facebook is your new best friend. There are Facebook-Groups for just about anything. Once you've found the right ones, you can look for cheap accommodation, used books and insider-tips. Sometimes you’ll even stumble across old exam-questions and papers, which can be very helpful once exam-season nears. ;-)
and last but not least: we always say: communication is key, so here is a little comprehension aid, so that you also understand the Viennese dialect
Once you’re settled in and out exploring the city, you’ll come to notice: understanding the locals can be a challenge. Even with Google Translate and a German-dictionary – the Viennese have developed their very own way of talking. Fear not: We’ve prepared a little overview to help you out. Challenge excepted or not?
"Bim": More often than not you’ll hear your local friends talk about taking the Bim. This isn't some inside joke - it actually lovingly refers to the Trams. The term originates from the ringing of the warning-bells the Bims use up to this day!
"Oida": Oida is love, oida is life! But what does it stand for? Everything and nothing! The Viennese use it to express excitement, anger, annoyance and about everything else you could think of. "Oida, my Bim is running late!", "I’m so happy for you, oida", "Oida, don’t look at me like that!" Accurately translated it means "Old one", however, it has lost that meaning a long time ago. Now you know: in times of doubt - "Oida"!
"Mahü": Another term to refer to famous shopping-street Mariahilfer Straße. You might also hear "Hilfer".
"Grätzl": A Grätzl is the Viennese Term for "Quarter". It’s not quite the same as the districts - similar to the Berliner Kiez, a Grätzl usually counts only a few blocks. The Viennese love their Grätzl - if you want to know more about yours, check out our Grätzl-Guides!
"zwidemu": Zwidemu comes from the German words "Zwischen den Museen" which means "between the museums". It refers to the park between the Kunsthistorische and Naturhistorische Museum. It’s extremely popular with local teenagers who use the location to hangout or party in the evenings. Sometimes you'll even find huge public raves there.
"Spritzer": By far the most important word for your time in Vienna, you’ll see ;-). A Spritzer is white wine mixed with soda water, a drink nobody can get enough of. It’s cheap and always tastes amazing. Also try: Kaiser G’spritzten - the same drink with added elderflower syrup.
Learn more about the city an the activities you can do, and we promise: it's a lot! Check our page next week for the continuation!
