250,000 visitors: Anniversary of the legendary 3rd man tour in Vienna

250,000 visitors: Anniversary of the legendary 3rd man tour in Vienna

On June 15, 2025, the “3rd Man Tour” in the Vienna sewers celebrated a remarkable anniversary: ​​the 250,000th guest was welcomed. Climate City Councilor Jürgen Czernohorszky personally presented an award to the lucky visitor, while 20 other guests were presented with free tickets and Viennese Mannerschnitte from the sewer workers. The famous tour, based on the classic film “The Third Man,” attracts around 19,000 tourists annually and is an integral part of Vienna’s cultural heritage.

The one-hour guided tour through the Viennese underworld begins at the star cover directly opposite the Café Museum in the Esperanto Park on Karlsplatz. The sewer workers who lead the tour vividly talk about their everyday work and share exciting stories about the city's sewage system. Since the tours take place primarily from May to October, reservations are highly recommended and possible via the tour website.

Insight into the history of the sewer system

The Vienna sewers are not only known for “The Third Man”, but also for their impressive history and technical developments. With a total length of around 2,500 kilometers, it transports half a billion liters of wastewater every day. What is astonishing is that 99.8% of Viennese households are connected to this modern sewage system. Early measures for wastewater drainage in Vienna date back to the Middle Ages, when wastewater still flowed into open watercourses such as the Danube Canal.

The first legal requirements for sewage systems date back to 1706, when the government demanded the connection of cesspools to city sewers. When Maria Theresia commissioned the construction of main canals in 1753, a comprehensive development began, which was also accelerated by the cholera epidemic of 1831/1832. As a result, essential collection channels were created to improve hygiene in the city. In the decades that followed, the canal network was continually expanded.

The popular tour and its times

Tours of the “3rd Man Tour” take place from Thursday to Sunday between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., with the last tour starting at 7:00 p.m. English-language tours are offered at 3 p.m. and by appointment. The minimum age for participants is 12 years. Before the tour, a visit to the BURGKINO, where the film is shown regularly, is recommended. In addition, the DRITTE-MANN-MUSEUM at Pressgasse 25 has the largest private collection of films and highlights Vienna's post-war history.

While the tours are well attended, access to tickets is only possible on site during opening hours. Interested guests can also find information about terms and conditions, safety instructions and house rules in the menu on the tour website. Therefore, the “3rd Man Tour” not only remains a unique experience, but is also a living piece of history of the city of Vienna, which was immortalized by Carol Reed’s film.