Smoking in Vienna

There’s no doubt that Vienna is a smoker’s city. Although banned on all public transport, up until recently many locals openly flouted the rules at U-Bahn stations (including the potentially catastrophic smoking of cigarettes on subway escalators). And, while smoking at Vienna Airport has now been restricted, many other public places including restaurants and bars still permit the habit. Indeed, in the densest coffee market in the world, one of the few non-smoking places in which you’re guaranteed a non-smoking cappuccino is Starbucks (although going to a Starbucks, in Vienna of all places, is not really immersing yourself in the local coffeehouse culture). Even in the foyers of theatres and cinemas, patrons light up and puff with gay abandon!! So, as loathed as we are to say it (and despite smoking bans being introduced elsewhere in Europe) get used to the omnipresence of smoke in Vienna. It’s not leaving anytime soon…