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Schönbrunn round trip
Nature and history in Schönbrunn's imperial palace park — always from March to October. Off the ring road, there is a place that was created for strolling. In Schönbrunn Palace Park, time seems to have stood still since the era of Empress Sisi and Emperor Franz. Our approximately 30-minute tour offers you the exclusive opportunity to experience the extensive area as it was once reserved for the imperial family.
The prelude: The trip starts in the imposing courtyard of honor, right in front of the castle's main façade. While the crowds of tourists wander on foot, you glide gently through the avenues. The expanse of baroque gardens opens before you, lined with perfectly cut hedges and mythological statues and hidden ruins.
Botanical Wonders: We will take you past architectural jewels such as the Palm House — one of the largest glass houses in the world. The scent of flowers and the cool air under the old avenues make this trip an experience for all senses. We pass the Neptune Fountain, which is majestically enthroned at the foot of the Gloriette.
Historical backdrops: During the trip, you will see the Roman Ruins and the Obelisk Fountain, symbols of the Habsburgs' claim to eternal permanence. The coachman steers the horses safely through the curved paths while you enjoy the expansive panorama.
The final passage: We return to the castle, accompanied by the sound of the fountains and the chirping of birds. This half hour in the “Garden of the Emperors” gives you peace and grandeur that will carry you through the rest of the day.
Ihre Reservierung gilt für die gewählte Dauer. Der Preis versteht sich pro Kutsche und ist unabhängig von der Personenanzahl (bis zu 4 Erwachsene und 2 Kinder). Für weitere Details beachten Sie bitte unsere allgemeinen Geschäftsbedingungen.
Dogs are very welcome at Fiaker Paul. Your four-legged companions are welcome to ride with us and enjoy the experience together with you, as long as there is enough space.
To make it easier for you to get started, all of our historic carriages have low-level intermediate stages. Our coaches/staff is also very experienced and will be happy to help you get on and off. Collapsible wheelchairs or strollers can usually be easily carried at the front of the coachman. Guests who are dependent on an e-wheelchair can store it in lockable metal boxes at the horse-drawn carriage stands.
No — carriage rides in compliance with all legal requirements cannot in fact be described as animal cruelty, even on warm summer days in Vienna, according to independent institutions such as the “Veterinary Office of the City of Vienna” and the “University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.”
This claim is supported in particular by a statement from the Veterinary Office Vienna in a Court case against an NGO clearly. In it, the Vienna Veterinary Office claims that since records of accidents/incidents involving fiaker horses began around 20 years ago, it has been proven that not a single horse has collapsed due to “heat.”
The city's veterinary office is required to check every incident involving horse-drawn carriage. In general, the Veterinary Office is increasing the intensity of health checks on fiaker horses on particularly warm days, above 30 degrees.
In addition, the VetMed University of Vienna 2025 has the result of a 2024 self-financed study entitled”Study on heat stress and heat tolerance in Viennese fiaker horses“published. In the study, a total of 58 horse-drawn carriage (including many of our horses active in the city) were accompanied for one year and 764 scientific surveys were carried out.
In particular, the following parameters were collected (morning + afternoon at the warmest time of the day):
- Respiratory rate
- pulse rate
- body surface temperature
- Stress hormones in faeces
- general behavior
Key findings:
The results provide important data on the individual heat tolerance of fiaker horses in Vienna.
The horses showed no clinical signs of heat stress over the course of the entire study.
The documented reactions to temperature differences support the assessment that fiaker horses are physiologically well adapted to heat.
Further studies and expert opinions:
- A similar study was also published in 2009:”Heat measurements in fiaker horses“— Here too, the study came to a similar overall conclusion. However, the study was criticized by NGOs in the past as “out of date.”
- Another study on heat compatibility in carriage horses was also carried out in Mexico:”Study on the effect of heat on carriage horses (Mexico)“(English)
- Dr. med. vet. Hans Christ:”No danger for horse-drawn carriages“
- Dr. Kaun:”Only horse expertise can help“
-”How do the horse-drawn carriages do in the heat“
- Dr. med. vet. Isabella Copar:”Even after a warm day, 90 percent of the animals are not wet from sweat even in the area of the reins“
Vienna has some of the strictest animal welfare laws in Europe. From a temperature of 35 °C (Innere Stadt measuring station), there is a legal driving ban, the so-called “heat-free”. If the measurement value is reached, all horse-drawn carriages must leave the city center and go home. Carriage rides that began before reaching 35 degrees Celsius may be completed by law. If your trip is cancelled due to heat, we offer free cancellations or refunds.
If the heat regulations are not complied with, entrepreneurs and coachmen face severe fines of several thousand euros.
We strictly comply with these guidelines and are guided by scientific studies from relevant areas, such as the study by the Vetmeduni Vienna, which show that horses do not suffer from heat stress when taking breaks and taking water supply. In addition, our coachmen regularly check our animals and know them very well. Should a horse's health be affected in any way for unexpected reasons - this can be identified early on by our expert staff and appropriate measures can be taken quickly.
For us, cleanliness is a sign of respect for the city of Vienna and its residents. Since 2004, we have been using “pooh bags” (collection devices) developed by ourselves, which collect horse apples directly. Disposal is carried out professionally at the Fiaker stands in the specially provided horse manure containers provided by the City of Vienna. This keeps the cityscape clean.
