a courtyard of a building with a clock tower

Graz

Austria's second city, with a UNESCO-listed old town below the Schlossberg, is a good base for walking, Styrian food and modern architecture.

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Graz is the capital of Styria, in southeastern Austria, and the country's second-largest city. Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, laid out around the Hauptplatz and the Schlossberg, a wooded hill above the Mur river. You can walk up to the hill or take the funicular, and the clock tower at the top is the best-known sight in the city.

Go for the food: Styrian pumpkin seed oil, wine from the hills around the city, and cafés in the old town. The Kunsthaus Graz is a contemporary art museum in a curved modern building, and the Murinsel is a steel island in the Mur river. The city suits a two- to three-day stop between Vienna and Carinthia, or a base for the Styrian countryside. Late spring through early autumn is best for walking and outdoor terraces, and winter brings Christmas markets to the old town.

Graz in five

Price the Graz Card against your day planThe 2026 Graz Card costs €32, €42 or €47 for 24, 48 or 72 hours and covers transit in zone 101 plus the Schlossberg lift and funicular. The Light version at €24, €30 or €35 leaves out transit.Are city passes worth it?
Plan museums around Monday closuresThe Universalmuseum Joanneum locations are closed on Mondays, and the Folk Life Museum at Paulustor and the History Museum also close on Tuesdays. Winter hours are partly shorter, so check before building a day around one.
Arrive on the Koralm line from CarinthiaGraz Tourismus lists the new Koralm railway at 42 minutes between Graz and Klagenfurt, and a direct Vienna service at 2 hours 36 minutes. Graz Hauptbahnhof is a few minutes from the old town by public transport.Klagenfurt
Use the free Old Town Tram for the coreThe Old Town Tram is free between Hauptplatz and Jakominiplatz, with one extra stop each way, so the center needs no ticket. The Schlossberg lift and funicular are the way up to the Clock Tower.
Start with the historic-centre walking tourFrom May to October 2026 the tourist office lists a daily walk at 10:30 in German and at 16:30 in German or English. It fits the first afternoon before the museums.

Things to do in Graz

See all attractions in Graz

Museum · GrazKunsthaus Graz

Church · GrazMariahilferkirche

Park · GrazSchlossbergThe steep front stairs are the hardest way up. The route round the back of the hill climbs more gradually, so many visitors go up that way and come down the front.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to GrazPut the places you like in Graz on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Graz (GRZ); a station about 300 m from the terminal, inside zone 101
Getting there: Vienna direct in 2 h 36 min; Klagenfurt in 42 min on the Koralm line
Getting around: Walk the old town; tram and bus in zone 101; free Old Town Tram
Best base: The old town, or streets between it and the station
Time needed: 2 days; 3 with Schloss Eggenberg and a countryside day

Weather by month

Rainy days
Snowy days
Days with storms
Festival

Best
Good
Mixed

JanuaryPartly cloudy7 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh4°Low-3°Cold, quiet
FebruaryPartly cloudy6 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh8°Low-1°Cold, dry
MarchPartly cloudy7 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh12°Low2°Cool, early spring
AprilPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh16°Low5°Mild, blossom
MayRain15 rainy daysHigh19°Low10°Warm, green
JuneRain14 rainy daysHigh25°Low14°Warm, long days
JulyRain14 rainy daysHigh27°Low16°Hot, storms
AugustRain13 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh27°Low16°Hot, storms
SeptemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°Warm, wine harvest
OctoberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh16°Low7°Mild, autumn color
NovemberPartly cloudy9 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh9°Low3°Cool, foggy
DecemberPartly cloudy7 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh5°Low-1°Advent markets

Average daily high and low in Graz, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Festivals: Sep Steirischer Herbst · Oct Steirischer Herbst

Right now in Graz

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 5°
Humidity: 77%
Wind: 4 km/h
Chance of rain: 88%

Graz

09:36 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+1

Today10°6°88%Monday: Rain. High 10°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 88%.
Tue7°5°28%Tuesday: Rain. High 7°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 28%.
Wed8°6°10%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 8°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 10%.
Thu9°4°0%Thursday: Fog. High 9°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
Fri9°2°2%Friday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 2%.
Sat8°-1°7%Saturday: Fog. High 8°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 7%.
Sun9°0°13%Sunday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 13%.

Updated 06:26 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.8961 EUR

Amount

Converted to

EUR · Euro

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Graz

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Coming up

Stadthalle Graz · concertSabaton The Legendary Tour Part 2Apr 30, 2027 · Rooms near the venue

Every year

Sep–OctSteirischer HerbstGraz

Day trips by train

Klagenfurt and Wörthersee42 minutes by Koralm trainA lake city with boat trips, easy to add to a loop through Carinthia.Read the guide
Austrian Sculpture Parkabout 10 minutes by carGraz Tourismus lists it in the Region of Graz, alongside themed hiking trails.
Vienna2 hours 36 minutes by direct trainBetter as a destination than a day trip, with the capital a straight ride away.Read the guide

Before you go to Graz

Graz Card or single ticketsMuseums, Schlossberg and transitCompare city passes

Trains to GrazVienna and Klagenfurt run directRead the guide

eSIM for AustriaTimetable apps and e-tickets at the gateRead the guide

Insurance for AustriaCover for a missed rail connectionRead the guide

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Rules for Graz, checked

Graz Card 2026: €32 (24 h), €42 (48 h), €47 (72 h) with zone 101 transit. Graz Card Light: €24, €30, €35 without transit.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source
Universalmuseum Joanneum sites are closed Mondays; the Folk Life Museum at Paulustor and the History Museum also close Tuesdays.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source
The Old Town Tram is free between Hauptplatz and Jakominiplatz, plus one extra stop in both directions.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source

Plan around Graz

Klagenfurt and Wörthersee

The lake city, 42 minutes south by train

Read the guide Linz

Danube city with a media-art museum, on the same rail map

Read the guide Vienna

The capital, a direct train away

Read the guide Are city passes worth it?

How to test a Graz Card against single tickets

Read the guide Trains in Europe

Point-to-point tickets or a rail pass for Austria

Read the guide All of Austria

A southern loop in the context of the whole country

Read the guide

Graz FAQ

How many days do you need in Graz?

Two days cover the old town, the Schlossberg and two or three museums. Add a third day for Schloss Eggenberg or a trip to the Region of Graz, and plan around museum closures on Mondays.

Is the Graz Card worth it?

It pays if you ride transit and visit several museums, since the 24, 48 and 72-hour cards cost €32, €42 and €47 in 2026 and include zone 101 travel. If you already hold a transit ticket, the Light version is the one to price.

How long is the train from Vienna to Graz?

Graz Tourismus lists direct services from Vienna at 2 hours 36 minutes since the Koralm railway opened. Check ÖBB for the exact departures on your date.

Are museums in Graz open on Mondays?

The Universalmuseum Joanneum locations are closed on Mondays, and the Folk Life Museum at Paulustor and the History Museum also close on Tuesdays. Use Mondays for the Schlossberg and the old town.

Is Graz or Salzburg better for a short Austria trip?

Salzburg is the more compact postcard city and sits closer to the Alps and lakes. Graz suits travelers building a southern loop with Carinthia or Slovenia, or those who want a quieter city.