All venues · Bregenz Festival on the Lake Stage
Bregenz Festival on the Lake Stage seating plan 2027. Which seat suits you?
Which category should I book at the Bregenz lake stage? For most visitors category 1 or 2 is the best choice, because these tickets are also valid in the Festspielhaus if it rains. Category 1plus adds 20 cm of extra legroom. Category 3 puts you in the front rows close to the water, but is valid outdoors only. Categories 4 to 8 are much cheaper and, according to the seat plan, are at the sides and at the very back.
Last checked: 2 November 2026, against the organiser's own information.
Location: The Lounge seats are in a separate covered section that the seat plan calls “Lounge – Ebene 3” (level 3).
Rows: The seat plan shows 2 rows with 62 seats in total.
Seat: You sit on a padded seat under a roof and get a blanket, a programme and binoculars on loan.
View: The festival does not describe the view from these seats. Binoculars on loan are part of the package.
2027 price: €535 Sunday to Thursday, €552 on Friday and €570 on Saturday (as of 2 November 2026).
Entrance: The Lounge team welcomes you inside the Festspielhaus. The programme starts at 5.30 pm.
Tip: The package includes a reserved parking space, an aperitif, a backstage tour and a four-course dinner with drinks.
Location: The Premium seats are in three small covered sections that the seat plan calls “Premium – E 2” (level 2).
Rows: The seat plan shows 2 rows in each section, 52 seats in total.
Seat: You sit on a padded seat under a roof and get a blanket, a programme and binoculars on loan.
View: The festival does not describe the view from these seats.
2027 price: €400 Sunday to Thursday, €418 on Friday and €436 on Saturday (as of 2 November 2026).
Entrance: The Lounge team welcomes you at 8 pm in the Festspielhaus with an aperitif and a short introduction.
Tip: Premium is the Lounge experience without dinner and without the tour. A reserved parking space is included.
Location: According to the seat plan, category 1plus is the first row of the three central blocks behind the front section. You reach it via stairways A and B.
Rows: The seat plan shows one row with 40 seats.
Seat: The festival says you get 20 cm more legroom than in category 1.
View: According to the seat plan you sit in the centre facing the stage. There is no official description of the view.
2027 price: €235 Sunday to Thursday, €253 on Friday and €271 on Saturday (as of 2 November 2026).
Entrance: Aufgang A, Aufgang B
Tip: Pick this category if you have long legs and want to be sure of a performance if it rains.
Location: According to the seat plan, category 1 is the middle part of the stand. The seats are in the blocks at stairways A, B, D and E, plus a few at stairway H.
Rows: The seat plan shows 932 seats.
Seat: You sit on a fixed seat in the open air. You may bring a cushion and a blanket.
View: According to the seat plan you sit in the centre at a medium distance from the stage. There is no official description of the view.
2027 price: €200 Sunday to Thursday, €218 on Friday and €235 on Saturday (as of 2 November 2026).
Entrance: Aufgang A, B, D, E, H
Tip: Category 1 is the obvious choice if you travel from far away and want to keep the risk of a rained-off evening small.
Location: According to the seat plan, category 2 is in the centre behind category 1. Most seats are at stairway K and in the rear part of the blocks at stairway E.
Rows: The seat plan shows 429 seats.
Seat: You sit on a fixed seat in the open air.
View: According to the seat plan you sit in the centre, but further back than category 1. There is no official description of the view.
2027 price: €187 Sunday to Thursday, €205 on Friday and €222 on Saturday (as of 2 November 2026).
Entrance: Aufgang E, Aufgang K
Tip: Category 2 is the cheapest ticket that still gets you a performance in the Festspielhaus if it rains.
Location: According to the seat plan, category 3 has two main areas. One is the front rows close to the stage, which are labelled with the letters A to H. The other is the large block at the front right by stairway H, plus parts of the blocks further back at stairways E and F.
Rows: The seat plan shows 1,521 seats.
Seat: You sit on a fixed seat in the open air.
View: According to the seat plan the front rows are very close to the water and the stage. There is no official description of the view.
2027 price: €139 Sunday to Thursday, €155 on Friday and €171 on Saturday (as of 2 November 2026).
Entrance: Aufgang A, B, D, E, F, H
Tip: Category 3 is the most expensive lake ticket. If you want to be close to the action, this is where the front rows are.
Location: According to the seat plan, category 4 is the largest group. It covers mainly the side blocks on the left at stairways B and D and on the right at stairways H and F, plus parts of the rear rows.
Rows: The seat plan shows 1,691 seats.
Seat: You sit on a fixed seat in the open air.
View: According to the seat plan you look at the stage at an angle from the side. There is no official description of the view.
2027 price: €105 Sunday to Thursday, €121 on Friday and €137 on Saturday (as of 2 November 2026).
Entrance: Aufgang B, C, D, E, F, G, H
Tip: From Sunday to Thursday, category 4 costs about half as much as category 1.
Location: According to the seat plan, categories 5 to 8 are on the edges. You find them on the far left at stairway C, on the far right at stairway G, at the outer ends of some front rows and in the very top rows at the back.
Rows: The seat plan shows about 900 seats in category 5, about 670 in category 6, about 240 in category 7 and about 200 in category 8.
Seat: You sit on a fixed seat in the open air.
View: According to the seat plan you look at the stage from far out to the side or from the very top. There is no official description of the view.
2027 price: From Sunday to Thursday, categories 5 to 8 cost €31 to €81. On Friday they cost €47 to €97 and on Saturday €63 to €113 (as of 2 November 2026).
Entrance: Aufgang B, C, E, F, G, H
Tip: At €31 in category 8 from Sunday to Thursday, this is the cheapest way onto the lake stand.
The stand faces north onto Lake Constance, so the stage is in front of you to the north. In summer the sun sets ahead of you on the left, in the north-west over the lake. On 22 July that is around 9.08 pm, on 23 August around 8.21 pm. So performances start just after or after sunset.
You hear the singers through a sound system called BOA, short for Bregenz Open Acoustics. It plays each voice from loudspeakers where the singer is standing, so according to the festival even the last row can tell where a voice is coming from. The orchestra and chorus perform in the Festspielhaus next door and are transmitted to the stand. There are 270 loudspeakers built in under the seats.
Wheelchair spaces are in the first row of the two central blocks and can be reached step-free via stairway H. Depending on availability you can book a house ticket or a lake ticket. Wheelchair users pay 75% less and one companion 50% less. There is an accessible toilet at stairway H. For people with hearing aids, the audience service lends small receivers with headphones or an induction loop. Walking aids may not stay on the stand during the performance. It is best to book by phone on +43 5574 4076.
Frequently asked questions about Bregenz Festival on the Lake Stage
Which category should I book at the Bregenz lake stage?
For most visitors category 1 or 2 is the best choice, because these tickets are also valid in the Festspielhaus if it rains. Category 1plus adds 20 cm of extra legroom. Category 3 puts you in the front rows close to the water, but is valid outdoors only. Categories 4 to 8 are much cheaper and, according to the seat plan, are at the sides and at the very back.
What happens if it rains at the lake stage?
Performances often go ahead in the rain, and the decision is only made shortly before the start. If the show is cancelled or runs under 90 minutes, house ticket holders (categories 1plus, 1, 2, Lounge, Premium) see a semi-staged version in the Festspielhaus. Lake ticket holders (categories 3 to 8) are only refunded if less than 60 minutes were played.
Can you see and hear well from the upper rows?
You can hear well even at the top: the festival says the BOA sound system lets even the last row tell where a voice is coming from. The festival gives no information on the view from individual rows. In the centre the stand goes up to row 45 according to the seat plan, so binoculars help if you want to see faces.
Is the lake stage grandstand covered?
No, the stand has no roof. Only the Lounge and Premium package seats are covered and padded.
What time does “La traviata” start in Bregenz and how long is it?
In July 2027 the opera starts at 9.15 pm and from 1 August at 9 pm. It lasts 2 hours with no interval.