spanish riding school performance

Hi would appreciate advice on purchasing tickets for the Spanish Riding sch performance. Will be in Vienna first week or so of June.

I checked Vienna ticket office website and there are Kat 1 tickets costing 80 Eu and Kat 2 tickets for 43 Eu. Could anyone advice if it is worth paying double for Kat 1 ?

Is it free seating based on first come first serve on that day or can we get preassigned seats at time of booking ?

Any advice on which is better - Fri nite show at 1900 hrs or Sun show at 1100 hrs ?

Thanks in advance

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Rather than buying your tickets through an agency, with the associated 20%+ markup, it%26#39;s worth buying the tickets direct from the School itself. They have a facility for online booking on their website - have a look at this page:

http://www.srs.at/index.php?id=353

The button %26quot;online bestellung%26quot; on the lower left side will take you to a ticket ordering site where you can order tickets online with your credit card, for collection at the School on the day of the show. Alternately, you can ring the School and make your order by telephone, which is the easiest way to do it (they speak English). The ticket office number is +43-1-533 90 310

I guess you are thinking of going 8 June or 10 June, from the schedule. The evening performances are considerably cheaper, though the show is exactly the same on Friday and Sundays. The Friday evening shows are nice - quiet with an older audience than the Sunday shows which can be a bit of a scrum.

The website shows a number of seats available on the Friday show - category 4, at 65.00 euros, will give you a very good view and is a bit of a saving on the ticket agency website (I suspect this is the category of ticket they sell for 80 euros). However, on the Sunday, this category of ticket costs 85 euros - so maybe best to go on the Friday night! I like the Friday night shows anyway - the horses are more relaxed then.

Seats are assigned for the shows when you buy your tickets (unlike morning training) so you won%26#39;t get to pick your seats - so best to get one in the best category you can afford.

I hope that helps!

Rol

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We are scheduled to arrive in Vienna airport on Sunday March 11th 8:00am. The only performance at the Spanish Riding School during our stay is on the same day at 11:00am. We will be staying at the Bristol Hotel.

Do we really have time to go to this performance without needing to be in a rush. Let%26#39;s assume that our flight will be on time. We will get a cab to the hotel.

8am at the airport; 9am in the cab; 10am done checking in; 10:30 on our way to the performance? It%26#39;s a bit tight but it would be a great start!

Thanks.

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I doubt you will be an hour in the airport! Even with checked luggage, I can collect my suitcase and be out the door in 15 mins! Vienna airport is incredibly efficient - and it%26#39;s small, so no huge distances to walk. And the ride to town in a cab will only take 20 mins on a Sunday morning. I think you will make it comfortably - you should be out the door of the hotel on the way to the Hofburg by 10am, without having to rush unduly.

I usually take public transport, but even so there have been occasions when I arrive on a flight at 9.30 and I make it to the riding school by 10.30! (ahem, you see where my priorities lie!)

rol

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You can easily walk from the Bristol to the Riding School in about 10 minutes- After travel and transfer , it may give you some needed fresh air but also provide a nice introduction to some sights of the city.

Ask for directions at the hotel - easy to find it.

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Thanks Roley for the great advice on purchase of tickets. It is a great help.

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Thanks much for the advice.

One last question on the Spanish Riding School? Regarding best seats and prices.... I know this is a subjective thing but let me ask anyway. Looking at prices, there is not much of a difference between Kat 2 and say Kat 4 prices (100 vs.85 Euros). So I am thinking if I want to buy any of these tickets I will buy the best seats I can get. But there are much cheaper seats as well (50, 45, and even 22 Euros). Are they significantly less desirable? I would guess yes; then why is that? Are they far from the action and you may miss the details, etc?

Thanks again for the advice.

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Ah, a technical question! (she warms up her typing fingers)

The difference in categories reflects the design of the hall and the %26quot;direction%26quot; of the movements (particularly the quadrille, which is oriented to be watched best from the top end of the hall - though you can certainly enjoy it from all angles!)

Here is the seating plan:

https:/…

My personal preference is either to go for the topmost category so you are sitting in the front row of lower or upper box at the top end of the hall, or to sit on the first gallery longside (Cat. 4). I prefer the Cat. 4 long side to Cat. 2 and 3. which don%26#39;t seem worth the extra expense to me since they view is not a lot better (though the category 3 seats which are 2nd row of the parterreloge, the box on the ground, are pretty good). In the Cat. 4 long-side seats you can see the legs well, if you have a technical interest in dressage. And also their sweet hairy little faces!

Of the other categories, no. 5 is the fourth row of the parterreloge (the box on the ground) or third row of Hofloge (box level with first gallery). Good angle and reasonably close to the horses - of the cheaper categories, this is the one I would consider the best value - provided you don%26#39;t get a hugely tall person sitting in front of you. Category 7 is top and bottom ends of the upper second gallery. A clear view but it is very high up so you are a bit too distant IMO - you%26#39;ll see the horses from above, bird%26#39;s eye view, but not their legs. Category 8 is the long side of the upper gallery - probably a comprehensive view, but still from high above. In Categories 7 and 8 you will have a clear view of the movements but not be able to see a lot of detail (at least, if you%26#39;re as shortsighted as me!)

I think category 4. is a good compromise between expense and view. If you ring to book seats in this category, ask them if you can be placed near the middle of the long side - this gives you the best overall view of the school (seat nos. 20-40 or 120-140 approx) in the first gallery. These sell first because they have the best view.

Hope that helps!

rol

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Now, that%26#39;s a great explanation! Thanks Much.

I tried several times to purchase the tickets through their web interface but the transactions failed at the end each time. So I just called them and bought the tickets.

Thanks again for your help.

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