To check train times & fares in Austria, see www.thetrainline.com (easiest) or www.oebb.at.   Hotels in Salzburg - hotel suggestions

I want to go from Salzburg to...

     Select your destination... ----------- Most popular ----------- Amsterdam Athens Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg Brussels, Bruges Budapest Cesky Krumlov Hallstatt Innsbruck Munich Paris Prague Venice, Florence, Rome & Italy Vienna Zurich, Geneva & Switzerland ---------- All destinations --------- Somewhere else in Austria... Amsterdam Athens & Greece Avignon Barcelona Basel (Basle) Belgrade Berlin Bern (Berne) Bled (Lesce-Bled, Lake Bled) Brasov Bratislava Brussels Bruges (Brugge) Bucharest Budapest Cannes Catania Cesky Krumlov Cologne Copenhagen Dortmund Dresden Dubrovnik Dusseldorf Faro Florence Frankfurt Geneva Gothenburg Hamburg Helsinki & Finland Innsbruck Interlaken Istanbul Kiev & Ukraine Krakow Lake Bled (Lesce-Bled) Lausanne Leipzig Linz Lisbon Ljubljana London & UK Luxembourg Luzern (Lucerne) Lviv Malmo Marseille Milan Monaco - Monte Carlo Montenegro - Podgorica, Bar Montreux Moscow Munich Naples Nice Nuremberg Oslo & Norway Palermo Paris Porto Prague Rome Rothenburg ob der Tauber St Moritz St Petersburg Sicily Siracuse Sofia Split Stockholm Stuttgart Thessaloniki Venice Verona Vienna Warsaw Zagreb Zermatt Zurich

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This page explains how to travel by train from Salzburg to cities across Europe, and how to buy tickets the cheapest way.  Train information is current for 2020.

Before you buy your tickets...

Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets.  It answers all the usual questions, "Must I book in advance or can I just buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or just buy a €35 point-to-point ticket online?".  Click here to understand how far ahead you can buy train tickets.

European train travel FAQ...

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Salzburg to Vienna:  See the Vienna to Salzburg page...

Salzburg to Hallstatt from €9...

• Trains link Salzburg and Hallstatt every hour through the day in around 2h35, consisting of 45 minutes from Salzburg to Attnang Puchheim on either an ÖBB railjet train or comfortable double-deck Westbahn train then 75-95 minutes on an ÖBB regional or regional express train from Attnang Puchheim to Hallstatt.

• Fares start at €9 if you book in advance and commit to a specific train with a cheap sparschiene fare on ÖBB trains.  The full-flex Standardpreis fare you pay on the day is around €29 if you use ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) trains or just €22.10 if you use a Westbahn train between Salzburg & Attnang Puchheim and then an ÖBB train.  These full-flex fares cannot sell out, they are always available.

• I recommend using www.thetrainline.com to buy tickets because it's quick, easy, international credit cards accepted and it can book both ÖBB and Westbahn trains.  You print your own tickets.

• The train arrives at Hallstatt railway station (Hallstatt Bahnhof) on the east side of the Hallstatter See (Hallstatt Lake).  Hallstatt town is on the west side of the lake, so you need to take a small local ferry called the Stefanie from Hallstatt Bahnhof (to Hallstatt town, this sails shortly after most train arrivals and takes 15-20 minutes, see www.hallstattschifffahrt.at for a timetable.  You pay for the ferry separately at the quayside before boarding, around €3 per crossing, children under 4 free, children under 14 at a reduced fare.

Salzburg to Innsbruck, Graz & other Austrian destinations from €9...

• You can now book Austrian Railways ÖBB tickets online at www.thetrainline.com which is quick, easy, international credit cards accepted and it has the advantage over oebb.at that it book both ÖBB and Westbahn trains on the Vienna - Linz - Salzburg route.

  Alternatively, ÖBB's (Austrian Federal Railways) own website is www.oebb.at - for ticket sales use https://tickets.oebb.at and switch it to English by clicking Menu then changing Deutsch to English. 

  Whichever site you use, you print your own ticket or for Austrian domestic journeys you can show it on your smartphone screen.

• Seat reservation is optional on most Austrian internal trains, you can always just turn up, buy a standard price ticket at the station, hop on the next train and sit where you like, trains cannot 'sell out'.  But if you want to be 100% sure of a reserved seat on a specific train you can make an optional seat reservation on InterCity, EuroCity and railjet trains for a small additional charge, around €3. 

• But for cheaper tickets, book in advance... Until a few years ago there was no price advantage in pre-booking, there was just one fixed standard price.  But in 2011 ÖBB introduced yield-managed dynamic pricing which means you can now save money by pre-booking a Sparschiene (saver) fare in advance and committing to a specific train on a limited-refunds, no-changes-to-travel-plans basis.  ÖBB's Sparschiene fares between Austrian cities start from just €9 upwards and vary with demand and according to how far ahead you book.

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Salzburg to London from €59.90...

• See the London to Austria page for full details of times, fares and how to buy tickets in either direction, including Salzburg to London in a single day from a remarkable €59.90 in 2nd class or €109.90 in 1st class.

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Salzburg to Paris from €39.90...

Option 1, Salzburg to Paris in a single day via Germany - the fastest & cheapest option...

• You can travel from Salzburg to Paris in one leisurely chill-out day from just €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  There are various departures with just 1 or 2 changes, for example...

  Leave Salzburg Hbf at 08:15, change Munich & Stuttgart and arrive Paris Gare de l'Est at 16:53.

  Leave Salzburg Hbf at 10:00, change Stuttgart and arrive Paris Gare de l'Est at 18:05.

  Leave Salzburg Hbf at 12:00, change Mannheim and arrive Paris Gare de l'Est at 20:41.

  Leave Salzburg Hbf at 14:00, change Stuttgart and arrive Paris Gare de l'Est at 22:05.

• To check times & buy tickets, simply use the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the DB Navigator app to show on your smartphone.  Tip:  To specify this route it can help to click Add intermediate stops & enter Munich, leaving duration zero.

• Most of these journeys involve an impressive 200mph TGV Duplex between Stuttgart or Mannheim and Paris with cafe-bar, all seats with power sockets.  I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views.  If you'd like a stopover in Stuttgart or Munich, simply click Add intermediate stops, enter Munich and a stopover duration in the hh:mm box, and you'll still get a sparpreis fare from €39.90 upwards, but with a stopover included.  You can add up to 2 stopovers each of up to 48h with sparpreis (savings) fares.

• This route via Munich is fastest & cheapest, consider the scenic route via Zurich in option 2 below for the superb scenery on the Arlberg route.  Also consider breaking up the journey with an overnight stop in Munich or Zurich, see options 3 & 4.

Option 2, Salzburg to Paris in a single day via Switzerland - the scenic Arlberg route!

• This takes an hour or two longer than going via Germany and often costs a little more, but it's the route to take for the superb Alpine scenery through the lovely Arlberg Pass, see the photos, video & travel tips on the Arlberg Railway page.  An overnight stop in Zurich breaks up the journey nicely (that's option 4 below), but if you want to travel from Salzburg to Paris in a single day with superb scenery on excellent trains, here's how...

  Leave Salzburg at 07:56 arriving Zurich HB at 13:20, have lunch in Zurich, leave Zurich HB at 15:34 and arrive Paris Gare de Lyon 19:39.

  Leave Salzburg at 09:56 arriving Zurich HB at 15:20, leave Zurich HB at 17:34, change at Basel SBB, arrive Paris Gare de Lyon 21:38.

  For lunch in Zurich, the Brasserie Federal inside the station is great for steak-frites & a beer, see suggested restaurants near the station.

• Step 1 takes you from Salzburg to Zurich on a modern Austrian railjet train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi via the beautifully scenic Arlberg pass.  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class, €44 in 1st class or €59 in business class (= premium 1st class, a real treat).  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, overseas cards no problem) or www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly).  You print your own ticket.

• Step 2 is from Zurich to Paris on a 200mph TGV-Lyria high-speed train with cafe-bar & power sockets at all seats, taking just 4 hours 3 minutes.  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €51 in 1st class.  Buy tickets for this train at either www.thetrainline.com or Raileurope.com, again you simply print your own ticket.  See the TGV-Lyria information page.

Option 3, Salzburg to Paris with overnight stop in Munich - same as option 1, but an overnight stop breaks up the trip nicely...

• Day 1, catch an evening train from Salzburg to Munich Hbf, these leave every hour at least.

• Stay overnight in Munich.  Good hotels include the Sofitel Munich Beyerpost, Eden Hotel Wolff, InterCity Hotel or (budget) the Pension Locarno, all right next to the station with good reviews.

• Day 2, take the direct TGV Duplex leaving Munich Hbf at 06:46 (06:22 some dates, 06:23 on Sundays) arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 12:33 (12:05 on Sundays).

• Buy a ticket from Salzburg to Paris from €39.90 at the German Railways website www.bahn.de, but click Add intermediate stops, enter the city you want to stop in with a suitable stopover duration in the hh:mm box.  With DB's sparpreis fares you can pre-book up to 2 stopovers each of up to 48 hours and still benefit for a Salzburg-Paris ticket from €39.90.  Bargain!

  I have set up this special link to book Salzburg to Paris with a stopover in Munich and the early direct TGV to Paris, just enter your date of travel.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone or laptop.

Option 4, Salzburg to Paris with overnight stop in Zurich - same scenic route as option 2, but an overnight stop breaks up the trip nicely...

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Zurich in 5h24 from €29 in 2nd class, €44 in 1st class or €59 in business class (= premium 1st class, a real treat) on a modern railjet train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi via the scenic Arlberg pass, see the Arlberg Railway page.

  You can leave Salzburg Hbf as late as 17:26 arriving Zurich HB 23:20, but check the hours of daylight - you really want it to be light through the Arlberg Pass and past the Zürichsee, so you're better off taking the 15:56 or (in winter when it gets dark early) the 11:56, and having an evening in Zurich.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, accepts overseas cards) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly).  You print your own ticket.

• Stay overnight in Zurich...  For somewhere special, look no further than the superb five-star Hotel Schweizerhof just across the road from Zurich HB.  One of my favourite hotels, they'll even send a uniformed commissionaire to meet you at the station and carry your bags from the train.  For something cheaper but also near the station, try the Hotel du Théatre or Hotel St Gotthard.  If you're on a budget you can book budget private rooms in a one-star hotel or backpacker hostel near the station using www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2, travel from Zurich to Paris by 200mph TGV-Lyria high-speed train in just 4h04 from €29 in 2nd class or €51 in 1st class, booked at either Raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, again you simply print your own ticket.

  You can leave Zurich HB at 09:34 arriving Paris Gare de Lyon around 13:38, but there's usually also an earlier 07:34 or various later trains.  TGV-Lyrias have a cafe-bar and all seats have power sockets, see the TGV-Lyria information page.

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Salzburg to Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Marseille, Avignon..

By day trains with overnight stop in Verona - the scenic route, mountains & coastline...

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Verona from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class booked at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, accepts overseas cards, you print your own ticket) or Austrian Railways' own site )www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly, you print your own ticket).

  You can leave around 15:00 by swish modern railjet train, changing at Innsbruck onto a comfortable EuroCity train through the wonderful Brenner Pass to Verona Porta Nuova, arriving 20:56 - see the Brenner Pass scenery video here.

  All these trains have an waiter-service restaurant car, so treat yourself to dinner as the mountains roll by!  By all means take an earlier train for an afternoon or evening in Verona, they leave every couple of hours through the day.

• Stay overnight in Verona.  Hotels & B&Bs near the station with good or great reviews include the Corte Merighi Rooms & Breakfast, Novo Hotel Rossi, Guesthouse Verona or (a little closer to the centre but with great reviews) the Relais Empire.

• Day 2, travel from Verona to Monte Carlo & Nice leaving Verona Porta Nuova around 09:30, one easy change in Milan's magnificent Centrale station, arriving Monte Carlo at 15:37, Nice at 15:53, Antibes 16:13, Cannes 16:26 & Marseille St Charles at 18:31.  Book this from €24.90 at www.thetrainline.com.  It's ticketless, you just quote the reference on board.  It's a lovely scenic ride along the Italian Riviera between Genoa and Nice, through Savona and San Remo.

• Change in Nice for Marseille, Avignon, Montpellier, Perpignan.  Allowing at least 45 minutes between trains in Nice book an onward ticket at www.thetrainline.com.

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Salzburg to Brussels & Bruges from €39.90...

Option 1, using the time-effective Munich-Cologne sleeper train...

• Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Munich by train.  Trains leave regularly, for example a EuroCity train leaves Salzburg at 20:00 arriving Munich Hbf at 21:42.  But by all means take a slightly earlier train and have dinner in Munich - For a Bavarian dinner & beer near the station before boarding, try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, on the north side of Munich Hbf.  Fares from €19 at www.bahn.de.

• Step 2, travel from Munich to Cologne by Austrian Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Munich Hbf at 22:52 and arriving at Cologne Hbf at 08:15 next morning.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3-berth compartments with washbasin, plus three deluxe compartments with 1, 2 or 3 beds with private shower & toilet), couchette cars (4 & 6 berth compartments) & ordinary seats.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee in the morning.

  In the morning the train runs all along the Rhine Valley between Mainz & Koblenz (06:05-07:05), past river boats, mountains, castles, vineyards and the legendary Lorelei Rock - well worth waking up and lifting the blind for!

  Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper.  Deluxe sleepers with en suite toilet & shower are also available.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.

  Book this train using the German railways website www.bahn.de or www.thetrainline.com.  I recommend checking both sites as prices can differ.  You print your own ticket.

  NEW!  Starting 19 January 2020, ÖBB Austrian Railways will extend this Munich-Cologne Nightjet sleeper train through to Brussels twice a week, leaving Munich on Wednesdays & Sundays, arriving Brussels 10:55 with no need to change in Cologne on those days.  Note that it won't be extended to Brussels from 2 July to 29 August 2020.  Advance information:  From 13 December 2020 this train will run direct to Brussels 3 days per week, leaving Munich on Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays.

• Step 3, travel from Cologne to Brussels by luxurious ICE train leaving Cologne Hbf at 09:43 and arriving Brussels Midi at 11:35.  Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class booked at www.bahn.de.

Option 2, by day trains in a single chill-out day...

• You can travel from Salzburg to Brussels by train in a single leisurely day from just €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  There are various departures with just 1 or 2 changes.  For example,

  Salzburg Hbf depart 08:00 by EuroCity train, change Frankfurt (Main) Hbf onto an ICE train, arrive Brussels Midi at 17:35.

  Salzburg Hbf depart 10:00 by EuroCity train, change Frankfurt (Main) Hbf onto an ICE train, arrive Brussels Midi at 19:35.

  Salzburg Hbf depart 13:00 by railjet, change at Munich & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf onto ICE train, arriving Brussels Midi 21:35.

• To check times & buy tickets, simply book Salzburg Hbf to Brussels Midi at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket or can simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

• Tip:  Take the Rhine Valley scenic route...  If you don't mind taking an extra hour, you can travel from Salzburg to Cologne via the scenic and curvaceous Rhine Valley route through Koblenz, past mountains, castles, vineyards, river boats and the legendary Lorelei Rock, see the Rhine Valley page for photos & tips.  A treat!  Just click Add intermediate stops and enter Koblenz, with stopover duration left as zero.  Anything via Koblenz takes the Rhine Valley route.  You'll usually find two good options:

  Salzburg depart 06:40, change Stuttgart & Cologne, arriving Brussels Midi at 17:35.

  Salzburg depart 08:00, change Stuttgart & Cologne, arriving Brussels Midi at 19:35.

  Salzburg depart 10:00, change Stuttgart & Cologne, arriving Brussels Midi at 21:35.

Option 3, by day trains with an overnight stop in Cologne, also from €39.90...

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Cologne.  You can leave Salzburg as late as 16:00 arriving Cologne Hbf around 23:05 with one easy change in Mannheim, but by all means take an earlier train for an evening in Cologne.

  The cathedral is right next to the station, for dinner try the excellent Brauhaus Sion (www.brauhaus-sion.de), 5 minutes walk from Cologne Hauptbahnhof, or the Malzmuehle restaurant (www.muehlenkoelsch.de), 10-15 minutes walk from Cologne Hauptbahnhof.

• Stay overnight in Cologne.  The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, with an entrance to the left of the main station entrance - many of its rooms have a cathedral view.  Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.

• Day 2, travel from Cologne Hbf to Brussels Midi by Thalys or ICE train in just 1h50.  Change in Brussels for half-hourly trains to Bruges, you can book Cologne to Bruges as one transaction.

• To buy tickets, simply book Salzburg to Brussels at the German Railways website www.bahn.de from €39.90, but click Add intermediate stops and enter Cologne Hbf and a stopover duration of, say, 11:00 in the hh:mm box.  I've set up this link to bahn.de for you with the necessary parameters - just adjust the departure time and stopover duration to get trains that suit you. 

  You can only book journeys involving the ICE Cologne-Brussels this way, for a greater choice of Cologne-Brussels trains book Salzburg-Cologne at www.bahn.de then book Cologne to Brussels or Bruges separately at www.thetrainline.com.

• The Rhine Valley scenic route...  If you don't mind taking an extra hour, you can travel from Salzburg to Cologne via the scenic and curvaceous Rhine Valley route through Koblenz, past mountains, castles, vineyards, river boats and the legendary Lorelei Rock.  A treat!  Just click Add intermediate stops and enter Koblenz, with stopover duration left as zero.  Anything via Koblenz takes the Rhine Valley route.  Re-jig as necessary to get Koblenz as stopover 1, Cologne as stopover 2, obviously.  In fact, you'll usually find a direct Salzburg-Cologne EuroCity train leaving Salzburg at 12:00 via the Rhine Valley, arriving Cologne around 19:43.

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Salzburg to Amsterdam from €39.90...

Option 1, using the time-effective Munich-Cologne sleeper train...

• Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Munich by train.  Trains leave regularly, for example a EuroCity train leaves Salzburg at 20:00 arriving Munich Hbf at 21:42.  But by all means take a slightly earlier train and have dinner in Munich - For a Bavarian dinner & beer near the station before boarding, try www.augustinerkeller.de at Arnulfstrasse 52, on the north side of Munich Hbf.  Fares from €19 at www.bahn.de.

• Step 2, travel from Munich to Cologne by Austrian Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Munich Hbf at 22:52 and arriving at Cologne Hbf at 08:15 next morning.

  This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3-berth compartments with washbasin, plus three deluxe compartments with 1, 2 or 3 beds with private shower & toilet), couchette cars (4 & 6 berth compartments) & ordinary seats.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee in the morning.

  In the morning the train runs all along the Rhine Valley between Mainz & Koblenz (06:05-07:05), past river boats, mountains, castles, vineyards and the legendary Lorelei Rock - well worth waking up and lifting the blind for!

  Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper.  Deluxe sleepers with en suite toilet & shower are also available.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.

  Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, overseas payment cards no problem) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (same prices but more fiddly).  You print your own ticket.

• Step 3, travel from Cologne to Amsterdam by luxurious ICE train leaving Cologne Hbf at 08:41 and arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 11:28.  Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class booked at www.bahn.de.  See suggested hotels in Amsterdam.

Option 2, by daytime trains in a single day - the leisurely daytime option...

• You can travel from Salzburg to Amsterdam by train in a single leisurely day from just €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class...

• There are various departures with just 1 or 2 changes, for example...

  Salzburg depart 06:15, change at Munich Hbf & Hannover, arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 17:00.

  Salzburg depart 08:15, change at Munich Hbf & Hannover, arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 17:28.

  Salzburg depart 10:00, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 20:28.

  Salzburg depart 12:00, change at Mannheim, arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 21:58.

  Salzburg depart 14:00, change at Munich Hbf & Düsseldorf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 23:28.

  All of these journeys involve comfortable EuroCity, Intercity or ICE trains with bistro or restaurant car and power sockets at all seats.

• To check times for your date of travel & buy tickets online, simply use the German Railways website www.bahn.de to book Salzburg Hbf to Amsterdam Centraal.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the DB Navigator app and show it on your smartphone.  See suggested hotels in Amsterdam.

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Cologne - comfortable & time-effective... 

• Stopping overnight in Cologne breaks up the journey nicely, with fares from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Cologne on any departure you like.  For example, leave Salzburg at 15:00 arriving Cologne Hbf at 21:21.

  But by all means catch an earlier train from Salzburg and have dinner in Cologne.  For dinner try the excellent Brauhaus Sion (www.brauhaus-sion.de), 5 minutes walk from Cologne Hauptbahnhof, or the Malzmuehle restaurant (www.muehlenkoelsch.de), 10-15 minutes walk from Cologne Hauptbahnhof.

• Stay overnight in Cologne.  The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, with an entrance to the left of the main station entrance - many of its rooms have a cathedral view.  Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.

• Day 2, travel from Cologne to Amsterdam on any train you like, for example leaving Cologne Hbf at 06:41 weekdays arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 09:28, or 07:39 weekends arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 10:44, but by all means book a later train and have a leisurely breakfast in Cologne.

• The cheapest way to book this is to use www.bahn.de to book Salzburg to Amsterdam, but click Add intermediate stops  and put Cologne Hbf in the via box with your desired stopover duration in the hh:mm box.  I've set up this special link for you, just enter your date of travel. 

  Why not allow time for a wander round Cologne, visiting the cathedral right next to the station, you can add a stopover of up to 48h duration.  Adjust the departure time and stopover duration to get earlier or later trains for each part of the journey with a longer or shorter overnight stop in Cologne.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

• Top tip, take the scenic Rhine Valley route...  By default, the bahn.de journey planner will put you on the high-speed line to Cologne.  But by clicking Add intermediate stops and adding another stopover with zero duration in Koblenz, it'll route you along the old curvaceous Rhine Valley route, past mountains, river boats, castles, vineyards and the legendary Lorelei Rock.  It takes an hour or so longer but it's worth it.  In fact, you'll usually find a direct Salzburg-Cologne EuroCity train leaving Salzburg at 12:00 via the Rhine Valley, arriving Cologne around 19:42.  Just have a play with www.bahn.de.

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Salzburg to Luxembourg from €49...

• You can travel from Salzburg to Luxembourg by train in a single day from just €49.90.  For example, Salzburg depart 07:15, change at Munich Hbf & Mannheim, arrive Luxembourg 16:24.  Or Salzburg depart 12:00, change once at Koblenz, arrive Luxembourg 21:31.

• Check times and buy tickets at the German railways website www.bahn.de.  In the search results, look for journeys involving just 1 or 2 changes.  Take care to avoid journeys involving a bus.

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Salzburg to Zurich, Basel, Geneva & Switzerland from €29...

• Smart modern railjet trains link Salzburg with Zurich HB in Switzerland several times every day in 5h24, with a restaurant car, 1st & Business class passengers served at their seat, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi, see the railjet information here.  The scenery through the Tirol via the Arlberg pass is superb, see the Arlberg Railway page & watch the Arlberg Pass scenery video.

• Fares start at just €29 in 2nd class, €44 in 1st class or €59 in deluxe Business Class.

• Buy tickets from Salzburg to almost any Swiss station you like at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, accepts overseas cards, you print your own ticket) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly, you print your own ticket).

  I'll spell it out:  That's Salzburg to Zurich or Luzern or Interlaken or Zermatt or Geneva or Lauterbrunnen or anywhere in Switzerland from €29 upwards, on one ticket for one inclusive price.  The ticket covers both the railjet train from Salzburg to Zurich and the onward Swiss train(s) to your chosen destination, be that Zermatt, Geneva, Lauterbrunnen, Interlaken, Luzern or wherever.  It's far cheaper to buy a through ticket this way than to buy separate Swiss domestic ticket from Zurich onwards.  Indeed, you can often travel from Salzburg to (let's say) Zermatt on one of these through tickets from €29 more cheaply than a normal Zurich-Zermatt ticket alone!

  Incidentally, I get a lot of people who think they will save money by using their Swiss Pass for the Swiss part of the journey.  But if (let's say) oebb.at gives you a price of €29 from Salzburg to Zurich and exactly the same price, €29, from Salzburg to Lucerne (as budget train fares are no more related to distance than budget air fares are), then using up an expensive day on a Swiss Pass to cover the Zurich-Lucerne part of the trip is potentially saving you a big fat zero!  So check prices before wasting a Swiss Pass day!

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Salzburg to Venice, Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples & Italy from €29...

Option 1:  By direct sleeper train from Salzburg to Milan, Florence, Rome...

• There's now an excellent direct Nightjet sleeper train from Salzburg to Italy every night, departing Salzburg at 22:02 for Bologna Centrale arriving 05:20, Florence SMN 06:19 and Rome Termini 09:22, with a portion for Milan Porta Garibaldi arriving 08:10.

• The train has a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, 1, 2 & 3 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, couchettes in 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.

• Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper.  Deluxe sleepers with en suite toilet & shower cost a bit more.  There is a shower & toilets for standard sleeper passengers at the end of the corridor.  A light breakfast is included for sleeper & couchette passengers, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet sleeper page for more photos & information.

• Buy tickets using www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, accepts overseas cards, you print your own ticket) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly, you print your own ticket).

• Change in Rome for Naples, southern Italy & Sicily.  Buy a separate Rome-Naples ticket from €19.90 at either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, a small booking fee applies) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, their €3.50 booking fee will be refunded if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your PNR) or Italian Railways own site www.trenitalia.com (more fiddly to use, requires Italian language place names, no booking fee, read this advice on using it first).  Both sites are ticketless, you simply quote your booking reference on board the train.  I'd allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Rome.

Option 2, by sleeper train from Salzburg to Venice...

• There's a direct Nightjet sleeper train from Salzburg to Venice arriving Venice Santa Lucia on the banks of the Grand Canal at 08:34. 

  Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper.

  Now for the bad news:  This sleeper train starts in Vienna and leaves Salzburg at around 01:40, well after midnight.  Ouch!  But there's a simple solution for a more civilised departure time and a good night's sleep...

• Simply go to www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, accepts overseas cards, you print your own ticket) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly, you print your own ticket) and book the Nightjet sleeper from Linz to Venice, it leaves Linz at the more civilised hour of 23:00.  Just look in the search results for the direct NJ (Nightjet) overnight train with 0 changes.  You print your own ticket.  It's usually the same price whether you book it from Vienna, Linz or Salzburg.

  Then simply hop on an hourly Westbahn train from Salzburg to Linz paying the €14 fare to the conductor on board, no prior reservation necessary.  You can check times & prices at www.thetrainline.com - buying online saves €1!

  You could even consider doubling back all the way to Vienna, the Westbahn fare to Vienna Hbf is only €26 or so, or ÖBB fares to Vienna Hbf start at €19 if pre-booked.  Perhaps have dinner in Vienna?  The sleeper leaves Vienna Hbf at 21:27.

Option 3, by daytime trains from €29, if you're heading to Venice...

• You can book from Salzburg to Venice as one transaction at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, accepts overseas cards, you print your own ticket) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly, same prices, you also print your own ticket).

  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class, €44 in 1st class or (on railjet trains) €59 in business class (= premium 1st class, a real treat). 

  Look for these specific departures:

  (a)  the 08:12 railjet train from Salzburg, changing at Villach onto another railjet train arriving Venice Santa Lucia 14:05, with bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi or...

  (b)  the 10:56 railjet train changing at Innsbruck onto the EuroCity train arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 18:25, which goes via the scenic Brenner Pass, also a lovely run, see the Brenner Pass scenery video here.  The EuroCity train has elegant Austrian restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch as the mountains roll by.

  Tip:  If you can't see this 10:56 departure with a change at Innsbruck in the search results, only an 11:00 with a change at Rosenheim, re-run the enquiry, this time clicking the little VIA button to the right of the from & to boxes, enter Innsbruck as a via station and a duration of (say) 10 minutes.  This works on www.oebb.at, may not work on www.thetrainline.com, try both.

  (c)  the 14:12 EuroCity train from Salzburg, changing at Villach onto a railjet train arriving Venice Santa Lucia 20:05, with bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Option 4, by daytime trains, if you're heading to Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples or anywhere else in Italy...

• Book from Salzburg to Verona Porta Nuova at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, accepts overseas cards, you print your own ticket) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly, same prices, you also print your own ticket).  The 08:56 from Salzburg connects with a EuroCity train that goes through to Bologna arriving 16:20, so if you want that one you should book as far as Bologna Centrale.

• Then book from Verona Porta Nuova (or from Bologna Centrale, if leaving Salzburg at 08:56) to your final Italian destination at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, a small booking fee applies) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, the small booking fee will be refunded if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your PNR) or Italian Railways own site www.trenitalia.com (more fiddly to use, requires Italian language place names, no booking fee, read this advice on using it first).  Both sites are ticketless, you simply quote your booking reference on board the train.  I'd allow at least 40 minutes in Verona or Bologna between trains in case of any delay.  The reason for splitting the booking is that Austrian Railways cannot access Trenitalia's ticketing system so cannot sell Italian domestic tickets.

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Salzburg to Sicily

• Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Rome by Nightjet sleeper train as shown in Salzburg to Italy section above, leaving Salzburg at 22:02 and arriving Rome Termini at 09:22 next morning.  Buy tickets as shown above.

• Step 2, travel from Rome Termini to Messina, Taormina, Catania, Siracuse, Cefalu or Palermo on the 11:26 Intercity train arriving in the evening, as shown on the Trains to Sicily page.  This train is shunted onto a ferry to cross the Straits of Messina, one of the few places in the world that trains go onto ships, and a unique experience, see the video here.  Buy tickets as shown on the Trains to Sicily page.

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Salzburg to Barcelona & Spain from €79...

Option 1, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Paris - the easiest route...

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Paris from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class booked at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

  Leave Salzburg Hbf at 10:00, change Stuttgart onto a superb ICE train arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 18:05.

  Leave Salzburg Hbf at 12:00, change Stuttgart onto an impressive TGV Duplex arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 20:41.

• Stay overnight in Paris.  See suggested hotels near the Gare de l'Est or Gare de Lyon.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 10:14 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 16:53 with fares from €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.

  If you fancy a morning in Paris, there's also a 15:08 from Paris arriving Barcelona at 21:46.

  From late May to late August there's also an earlier 07:14 TGV from Paris arriving Barcelona at 13:40. 

  Book this at Raileurope.com (can be used by anyone from any country, you print your own ticket, a small booking fee applies) or www.thetrainline.com (anyone from any country, a small booking fee applies, choice of upper or lower deck, you print your own ticket).

  What's the journey like?  See the photos & video on the Paris to Barcelona page.  You'll pass flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Montpelier and Perpignan, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks, with great views of the massive Mt Canigou in the Pyrenees, visible all the way from Perpignan to Girona.

• Step 4, book onward high-speed trains from Barcelona to Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Alicante etc, using either Raileurope.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, a small booking fee applies) or www.petrabax.com (in $, with small mark-up) or www.renfe.com (much more fiddly to use, in €, but no booking fee).  You print your own ticket.  From late May to late August the 07:14 from Paris allows a same-day connection with the 15:50 AVE from Barcelona Sants to Cordoba, Malaga & Seville.  At other times you'll need to stay overnight in Barcelona and take the 08:30 AVE from Barcelona Sants to Cordoba, Malaga & Seville next day.

Option 2, by comfortable daytime trains with overnight stop in Munich - as option 1, but with the overnight stop in Munich...

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Munich Hbf on any evening train you like, journey time 1h42, you can leave as late as 21:00 but I'd suggest an earlier train for a pleasant evening and good night's sleep in Munich.  Book this train from €19.90 at German Railways www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone or laptop.

• Stay overnight in Munich.  Suggested hotels include the Sofitel Munich Beyerpost, Eden Hotel Wolff, InterCity Hotel or (budget) the Pension Locarno, all right next to Munich Hbf with good reviews.

• Day 2 morning, travel from Munich to Paris by impressive 200 mph TGV Duplex leaving Munich Hbf at 06:46 (06:22 on some dates, 06:23 on Sundays) arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 12:33 (12:05 on Sundays).  Book this train from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class at German Railways www.bahn.de and print your own ticket or show it on your smartphone or laptop.  I recommend an upstairs seat for the best views on this 200mph double-deck express - any seat number >60 is upper deck. 

  Cross Paris by taxi or metro to the Gare de Lyon and perhaps have lunch at the celebrated Train Bleu Restaurant.

• Day 2 afternoon, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex from €59, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 15:08 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 21:46.  It's a scenic and very comfortable journey, see here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona - see suggested hotels near the station.

• Day 3, book onward high-speed trains from Barcelona to Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Alicante etc, using Raileurope.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, recommended), www.petrabax.com (in US$, easy to use, small mark-up) or Spanish Railways' own site www.renfe.com (fiddly to use, in €, may reject some payment cards).  There are regular trains to Madrid and to Valencia and Alicante.  You'll find a convenient AVE leaving Barcelona around 08:30 for Malaga, Cordoba & Seville arriving at lunchtime with fares from around €45.  Or there's an afternoon AVE to Malaga, Cordoba & Seville at 15:50 if you fancied a morning in Barcelona.

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Geneva - the scenic route...

• Step 1, take a smart Austrian railjet train from Salzburg to Zurich HB through the wonderfully scenic Arlberg Pass, with restaurant car available, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Change at Zurich HB onto a comfortable Swiss domestic train to Geneva.  There are several departures to choose from, but the best is arguably the 11:56 from Salzburg, change once at Zurich HB arriving Geneva at 20:18.  Put your feet up and enjoy the ride, have dinner in the restaurant car, watch the Arlberg Pass video & see the Arlberg Railway page.  Book from Salzburg to Geneva as one transaction at either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at from €39 in 2nd class, €54 in 1st class or €69 in business class (= premium 1st class, a treat).  You print your own ticket.

• Step 2, stay overnight in Geneva.  Hotels with good reviews near the station include Hotel Cornavin Geneve, Hotel Les Arcades, ibis Styles Geneva Gare.

• Step 3, travel from Geneva to Barcelona by train.  Usually you'll find a TER regional train leaving Geneva at 11:30, change trains at Lyon Part Dieu (arrive 13:25, depart 14:28) onto a direct AVE-S100 high-speed train arriving Barcelona Sants at 19:33.  Fares start at around €69 in 2nd class.

  Book this at Raileurope.com (can be used by anyone from any country, a small booking fee applies) or www.thetrainline.com (anyone from any country, a small booking fee applies).  You usually print your own ticket.

  What's the journey like?  Between Lyon & Barcelona you'll follow the same interesting route taken by the Paris-Barcelona TGVs, see the photos & video on the Paris to Barcelona page.  You'll pass the Chateau de Montfaucon, Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes in the South of France between Montpelier and Perpignan, the historic Catalan-built Fort de Salses right by the tracks, and get great views of the massive Mt Canigou in the Pyrenees, visible all the way from Perpignan to Girona.

• If you're going further into Spain, stay overnight in Barcelona.  Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews:  Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Step 3, take a high-speed train from Barcelona Sants to any Spanish destination next morning, check times & book at Raileurope.com.

  For Madrid:  AVE-S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants with Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30 from €35.

  For Cordoba, Seville & Malaga:  An AVE-S112 high-speed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 08:30 arriving Cordoba 13:12 & Seville Santa Justa at 14:02 with a separate portion going to Malaga Maria Zambrano arriving at 14:30.

  Alternatively, or why not spend a morning in Barcelona and take the afternoon 15:50 AVE S112 high-speed train to Cordoba, Seville & Malaga arriving in the evening?  Fares for all these trains start at €45. 

  For Granada:  A direct AVE S112 high-speed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 06:50 arriving Granada at 13:15.

  For Valencia & Alicante:  EuroMed trains link Barcelona with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 08:15 Mondays-Fridays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:55 & Alicante 12:45 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 12:55 & Alicante 14:48.  Fares from €23.

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Salzburg to Lisbon, Porto, Faro & Portugal...

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Paris by high-speed train in a single day from €39.90 as shown above.

• Stay overnight in Paris - see suggested hotels near the stations.

• Day 2, take the 12:52 TGV from Paris to Hendaye on the Spanish border connecting with the overnight Sud Express sleeper train to Lisbon, arriving 07:30 on day 3.  For details of this journey and how to buy tickets, see the London to Lisbon page and simply disregard the London-Paris part.  Book this at Raileurope.com.

• Change in Lisbon for trains to Faro, Albufeira and Porto, book these at www.cp.pt.

The Sud Express, about to leave Irun on the Franco-Spanish frontier, bound for Lisbon...  Courtesy of Ron Baker.  See panorama photo...		Gran Clase sleeper, in evening mode with the seats folded out...		....return from the bar to find the beds made up...		Gran Clase private toilet & shower...

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Salzburg to Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne & Germany from €29.90...

• Regular trains link Salzburg with stations all over Germany, Salzburg to anywhere in Germany starts at either €19.90 or €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 or €69.90 in 1st class, depending on the destination.

  For example, Salzburg to Berlin takes as little as 6h23 from €29.90 with one easy change in Munich, city centre to city centre on smart Austrian railjet train then a superb high-speed ICE train with bistro-restaurant car and power sockets at all seats.  Sit back and see Europe!  I recommend the weissbier on the ICE, by the way, served in a tall Erdinger glass.

• To check train times and buy tickets use the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket or can simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

  Tip:  I recommend also checking www.thetrainline.com as this connects to the Austrian ÖBB ticketing system and sometimes shows cheaper fares for the same train!

• Tip, for Cologne, take the scenic Rhine Valley route...  By default, the bahn.de journey planner will route you via the high-speed line to Cologne.  But by clicking Add intermediate stops and adding another stopover with zero duration in Koblenz, it'll route you along the old curvaceous Rhine Valley route, past mountains, river boats, castles, vineyards and the legendary Lorelei Rock.  It takes an hour or so longer but it's worth it.  You'll usually find a daily direct Salzburg-Cologne EuroCity train leaving Salzburg at 12:00 which goes via the Rhine Valley.  See the Rails down the Rhine page for photos & video.

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Salzburg to Munich from €19.90...

• Regular trains link Salzburg with Munich, but there are two distinct types:  Express trains and regional trains.

Option 1, by express train in 1h28...

• The express trains are either smart Austrian railjet trains (RJX) with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, or older Austrian EuroCity trains (EC) with restaurant car, taking just 1h30.  They have dynamic pricing from €19.90 if you book in advance and commit to a specific train, or around €38 standard flexible price bought on the day and valid on any train.

• Check times & buy tickets at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket or can simply show it on your smartphone or laptop screen.

Option 2, by slower Meridian regional train in 1h46...

• The regional trains are called Meridian and they run every hour, shown in the search results on bahn.de as M.  These take almost 2 hours, but they have one fixed price, around €32, good on any train that day with no prior reservation necessary or possible.  Turn up and go!

• Save money with a Bayern Ticket:  In practice you'd never buy a €32 ticket for the Meridian train unless you need to travel before 09:00 on weekdays.  At all other times it's cheaper to buy a Bayern Ticket which gives a day's unlimited travel on regional trains (including Meridians) across the whole of Bavaria including Salzburg, after 09:00 weekdays or any time at weekends.  This costs just €25 for the first traveller + €7 for each additional traveller in your party up to maximum 5 people.  For details & online sales see www.bahn.de/en/view/offers/regional/regional-day-tickets.shtml.  You can buy the Bayern ticket on the day at Salzburg station using the DB ticket machines or at the ticket office.

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Salzburg to Rothenburg ob der Tauber from €25.90...

• Simply use the German Railways website www.bahn.de to find train times and tickets from Salzburg to the much-visited medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria. 

• There are departures through the day, journey time varies, typically 4h50.  Avoid any journey shown as including a bus or which involve 4 changes.  Most journeys involve 3 changes, one or two good options have only 2 changes, at Augsburg and Steinach.

• Fares from €25.90 if you pre-book.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the DB Navigator app to show on your smartphone.

• How about a stopover in Nuremberg?  Most journeys route you via Nuremberg.  Nuremberg has a pleasant old town, a railway museum and the historic Party Rally Grounds.  You can stop for several hours and still do the journey in a day, or stop overnight and have a more leisurely look round.  No reservation is necessary for either IC, RB or RE trains on the Nuremberg-Rothenburg route, so you can simply stop off and use any train combo onwards to Rothenburg whenever you're ready to move on.  How flexible is that?!  Or use the Add intermediate stops feature to pre-programme a stop into a cheap Sparpreis ticket.

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Salzburg to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg & Scandinavia...

Option 1, by daytime trains:  Salzburg to Copenhagen in a day from €39.90!  Salzburg to Stockholm or Gothenburg from €39.90!

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Copenhagen in a single day, by Meridian regional train, then luxurious ICE train with bistro-restaurant car then Danish IC3 intercity train from just €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Take a good book, put your feet up and enjoy the ride...

  You can leave Salzburg 08:15, change Munich Hbf & Hamburg Hbf and arrive Copenhagen at 21:33.

  Times vary, so check times online for your date of travel at www.bahn.de.

• Stay overnight in Copenhagen...  Hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Bou]tique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star)

• Day 2, if travelling to Stockholm:  Travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by 125mph X2000 train in around 5h11, there are regular departures.  For example there's usually one leaving Copenhagen around 08:20 arriving Stockholm Central 13:35, or have a leisurely breakfast and a later train.

• Day 2, if travelling to Gothenburg or Oslo:  Travel from Copenhagen to Gothenburg (= Goteborg Central) on any of the hourly Öresund trains, journey time 3h53 - you must alight at Kastrup for passport control.  For Oslo, take the 09:27, change at Gothenburg and arrive Oslo Sentral (= Oslo S) at 17:51.

• How much does it cost? 

  Although Salzburg is in Austria, it's considered an extremity of the German rail network, so you can buy German Railways' sparpreis tickets from Salzburg to Copenhagen, Gothenburg or Stockholm for as little as €39.  The fare varies, so book early for the best prices.

• How to check times & buy tickets...

  If travelling to Copenhagen, simply go to www.bahn.de and book from Salzburg to Copenhagen.  You print your own ticket.  As I said above,  I'd change Duration of transfer standard to at least 30 minutes.

  If travelling to Stockholm or Gothenburg, go to www.bahn.de and book from Salzburg to Stockholm or Goteborg Central with a morning departure selected, but to see these cheap fares you must click Add intermediate stops , enter Copenhagen in the via box and a time of (say) 12:00 in the hh:mm stopover box.  I have set up this special link to bahn.de for you, just enter your travel date.  Adjust the departure time and overnight stopover duration as necessary to get the trains you want.  It may take a bit of trial and error!

  If travelling to Oslo, go to www.bahn.de and book from Salzburg to Gothenburg with a morning departure selected, but to see the cheap fares you must click Add intermediate stops  enter Copenhagen in the via box and a time of say 12:00 in the hh:mm stopover box.  I have set up this special link to bahn.de for you, just enter your travel date.  Adjust the overnight stopover time as necessary to get the trains you want.  Now add a connecting ticket from Gothenburg to Oslo S ticket using either www.nsb.no or www.sj.se.

Option 2, by daytime trains with an overnight stop in Hamburg...

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Hamburg Hbf with 1 easy change in Munich.  There are regular departures until 16:00, arriving after midnight.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg.  The Hotel Reichshoff Hamburg is just 200m from the station, features art deco-based design and gets great reviews.  Other hotels next to Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.  If you're on a budget, private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf start at around £33 for one person or £49 for two people booked at www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2, Travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:53 by Danish IC3 intercity train arriving Copenhagen at 13:33.

• For Stockholm, now take a 125mph X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm, leaving Copenhagen at 14:10 and arriving Stockholm 19:38.

• For Malmo or Gothenburg, Öresund Link trains run hourly from Copenhagen to Gothenburg in 3h53 and every half hour or better from Copenhagen to Malmo in 39 minutes.

• For Oslo & Norway, travel as far as Copenhagen, then take the overnight cruise ferry with bars, restaurants and en suite cabins to Oslo, she sails from Copenhagen daily around 16:30, arriving in Oslo around 09:45, see www.dfds.co.uk for times, prices & online tickets.

• How to check times & buy tickets:  If you want to keep things simple, you can book the straightforward way.  Go to www.bahn.de and book from Salzburg to Hamburg on day 1, from €39.90.  then use www.bahn.de again to book from Hamburg to Gothenburg or Stockholm from €39.  But this means buying two separate sparpreis tickets and it is often cheaper to buy just one sparpreis ticket from Salzburg to Stockholm, Malmö or Gothenburg from €39, which you can easily do if you programme in the overnight stop in Hamburg like this:

  Go to www.bahn.de and enter Munich to Stockholm (or Malmo or Goteborg Central).  Select a mid-afternoon departure time, click Add intermediate stops , enter Hamburg in the via box and a time of say 12:00 in the hh:mm stopover box.  This will give you a 12-hour stopover in Hamburg.  Click here for a link to bahn.de which I've set up for you.  Adjust the overnight stopover time as necessary to get the trains you want. 

  If you're going to Norway, add a connecting Gothenburg to Oslo S ticket using either www.nsb.no or www.sj.se.

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Salzburg to Oslo & Norway...

Option 1, via Hamburg & Copenhagen - by train all the way...

• See the section above.

Option 2, Salzburg to Oslo via the Kiel-Oslo Color Line cruise ferry - the most comfortable way to Oslo...

• Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Kiel on any suitable train from €39.90, for example leaving Salzburg around 09:15 arriving Kiel around 18:32 with two easy changes.

  Check times & buy tickets at the German Railways site www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

• Stay overnight in Kiel.  In Kiel it's just a 5-6 minute walk from Kiel Hbf to the Color Line ferry terminal, but allow several hours between trains and ferry for the ferry check-in and in case of any delay.

• Step 2, sail from Kiel to Oslo by luxurious overnight Color Line ferry, with a full range of en suite cabins, suites, bars, restaurants and lounges.  The m/v Magic or m/v Fantasy normally sails at 14:00 arriving Oslo at 10:00 next morning. 

  Check times & buy tickets online at the seat61 Ferry Shop or www.colorline.com.

  Make sure you're on deck next morning as the ship sails through spectacular scenery up Oslo Fjord.  The ship docks at the modern Color Line terminal about 2 km from the city centre.  Color Line provide transfer buses to Oslo Sentral station costing 55 krone, or there are plenty of taxis.  If you have little luggage it's possible to walk.  See map of Oslo showing ferry terminal.

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Salzburg to Helsinki & Finland...

• You can travel from Salzburg to Stockholm as shown above then take a ferry to Helsinki as shown here, but you'll probably find it easier to take a direct ferry from Germany to Helsinki.

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Travemünde on any suitable train from €39.90, for example leaving Salzburg around 09:15 arriving Travemünde in the evening - check times & buy tickets at the German Railways site www.bahn.de.  Allow plenty of time in Travemünde for the ferry check-in.

• Day 2, sail from Travemünde to Helsinki by luxurious Finnlines ferry arriving day 3 or in the morning on day 4, check times & sailing dates and book online at www.finnlines.com.

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Salzburg to Prague from €19:  Click here for details...

• It's easy to travel from Salzburg to Prague by comfortable air-conditioned train from just €19 in 2nd class or €39 in 1st class, city centre to city centre in 5h45 with one easy change in Linz, see the Salzburg to Prague page for full details...

• You can buy tickets at either www.thetrainline.com or Czech Railways www.cd.cz, I recommend checking prices on both.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone.

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Salzburg to Cesky Krumlov from €17...

• Several times a day, a fast Austrian railjet train with bistro-restaurant car & free WiFi runs from Salzburg to Linz in about 1h10 and connects with a comfortable air-conditioned Czech express from Linz to Ceske Budejovice taking 2h16.

  A little branch line train run by private operator GWTR then runs from Ceske Budejovice to Cesky Krumlov every hour or two taking around 44 minutes.

• See the timetable from Salzburg to Ceske Budejovice here.

  Then look up connecting train times from Ceske Budejovice to Cesky Krumlov at jizdnirady.idnes.cz/vlaky/spojeni.  Allow at least 10 minutes between trains in Ceske Budejovice, although you might well make even a 3-minute connection if your train is on time.

  Incidentally, Ceske Budejovice might sound more familiar by its former Germanic name, Budweis. That's right, where the name of the beer comes from! The town is worth a look around in its own right. Why not take an earlier train and have a wander into the old town?

• How much does it cost?

  Salzburg to Ceske Budejovice costs as little as €15 if bought a little in advance from either www.thetrainline.com or Czech Railways www.cd.cz.  You print your own ticket.

  Ceske Budejovice to Cesky Krumlov by local train costs 40 CZK, around €1.55.

• To buy tickets...

  Step 1, book from Salzburg to Ceske Budejovice at www.cd.cz and print your own ticket or show it on your smartphone.

  Step 2, buy a ticket for the Ceske Budejovice to Cesky Krumlov local train on the day, either from the distinctive green & orange GWTR ticket office at Ceske Budejovice station or from the ticket machines on board the GWTR local train which accept cash or contactless Visa/MasterCard.

• You'll find  more information about Cesky Krumlov, the GWTR local train, taxis between station and old town, and how to travel from Cesky Krumlov on to Prague, on the Cesky Krumlov page.

Take a smart Austrian railjet from Salzburg to Linz to connect with a Czech express train like this from Linz to Ceske Budejovice & Prague.  These trains usually have a refreshment trolley for part of the journey, but why not take a picnic and maybe some wine or beer?  Change in Ceske Budejovice for the little branch line train to Cesky Krumlov.

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Salzburg to Bratislava from €29...

• You can travel from Salzburg to Bratislava in 3h36 from just €29 pre-booked at either www.thetrainline.com (easiest, overseas payment cards no problem) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

• A direct ÖBB railjet train leaves Salzburg every day at 18:08, direct to Bratislava Hlavna arriving 21:51.

  If these timings suit you this is clearly the easiest option.  Advance-purchase fares start at €29 in 2nd class, €44 in 1st class or €59 in business class, buy at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at and print your own ticket.

• If the timing of the direct train doesn't suit you, simply take any of the regular Austrian railjet trains from Salzburg to Vienna Hbf in around 2h25, then the hourly Regional Express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna (the main station, closest to the city centre) taking 1h06.  The cheap sparschiene fares are only valid on the specific departure you book.

• Tip:  When using www.oebb.at, if you select the generic city name BRATISLAVA as your destination you may only see journeys with 1 change at Vienna Meidling and arrival at Bratislava Petrzalka station, which is not the main or best-located station in Bratislava.  I recommend selecting the specific destination station Bratislava hl.st. as you will then see journeys with 1 change at Vienna Hbf and arrival at Bratislava's main Hlavna station which is closer to the city centre.

• You can break the journey up in Vienna if you like.  In fact, without any pre-booking you can hop on any hourly Westbahn train from Salzburg to Vienna Hbf paying €29 or so to the conductor on board (see www.westbahn.at), then buy an unlimited-availability €11.20 local ticket at the station for the next hourly Regional Express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna.  This way, no pre-booking is necessary and you have complete freedom.

• You might also consider taking a train from Salzburg to Vienna, then a river trip along the Danube to Bratislava.  Vienna-Bratislava fast ferries and hydrofoils runs at least once a day in winter, up to 5 times a day in summer, 80 minutes.  At least two companies operate, see www.twincityliner.com or www.lod.sk.

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Salzburg to Budapest from €39.90...

Option 1, by direct railjet train - the fastest & most frequent option...

• Smart Austrian railjet trains link Salzburg with Budapest Keleti every two hours with fares from €39.90 in 2nd class, €54 in 1st class or €69 in business class, city centre to city centre with power sockets, free WiFi and a restaurant car for meals - although food orders are taken and served at your seat in 1st & business class.  Fares are dynamic, increasing as departure date approaches.

• Departures from Salzburg at 07:08, 09:08, 11:08, 13:08, 15:08, 16:08, journey time 5h11.

• Buy Salzburg-Budapest tickets online at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, accepts overseas cards, you print your own ticket) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly, same prices, you print your own ticket).

Option 2, by competing Westbahn train to Vienna and Regiojet train to Budapest - cheapest option, with easy online booking...

• Private open-access operator Westbahn run regular trains from Salzburg to Vienna.  Open-access operator Regiojet then runs two trains per day from Vienna Meidling to Budapest Deli station.  These two operators have teamed up to offer cheap through tickets from Salzburg to Budapest with low fares that stay low even at short notice.  In fact, even on the day of travel.

  Departures from Salzburg main station are at 05:12 & 13:12.

  Salzburg-Vienna takes 2h46, you have an hour and a half for coffee in Vienna, then Vienna-Budapest takes 2h32.

  See photos of Westbahn's comfortable double-deck trains here.  See photos & a description of the 4 classes on RegioJet trains here.  I highly recommend Business class, with complimentary sparkling wine, Illy coffee and bottled water, or Relax class with complimentary Illy coffee and bottled water.  Regiojet offers excellent at-seat service.

• Regiojet offers special through fares in partnership with Westbahn from €34.90.

• Buy an e-ticket online at www.regiojet.com.

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Salzburg to Sighisoara, Brasov & Bucharest from €58...

Option 1, by railjet to Vienna and Dacia Express sleeper train to Sighisoara, Brasov & Bucharest...

• Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna by railjet train leaving Salzburg at 15:08 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 17:30.  Or take an earlier train for some time in the Austrian capital, just don't risk any tight connections in Vienna.

  Fares start at €19 booked at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Romania on the Dacia Express, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:42 every day arriving Sighisoara 11:22, Brasov 14:05 & Bucharest Gara de Nord at 16:35.

  It has a modern air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, plus several deluxe compartments with en suite shower & toilet.  It has a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments.

  A Hungarian restaurant car operates between Vienna and Budapest, treat yourself to dinner.  A bar-bistro is then attached in the morning between Arad & Bucharest, serving drinks, snacks and breakfast.  There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a real treat...

  You can book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at from as little as €49 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, €89 with a bed in a 2-berth sleeper or €149 with a bed in a single-berth sleeper, all to yourself.

  In the search results, look for the direct train marked D with no changes.  You collect tickets from  an ÖBB ticket machine in Vienna.

Option 2, by railjet to Budapest & sleeper train Ister to Brasov & Bucharest...

• Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Budapest by smart Austrian railjet train, leaving Salzburg around 11:08 and arriving Budapest Keleti at 16:19.  Fares start at €29 in 2nd class, €39 in 1st class or €54 in business class.  To check train times & fares and buy tickets online at either www.thetrainline.com (easiest) or www.oebb.at.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 2, take the EuroNight sleeper train Ister leaving Budapest Keleti at 19:10 and arriving Brasov at 09:53 & Bucharest Gara de Nord at 12:30 next day.  This comfortable train has 4 & 6 berth couchettes and a modern air-conditioned sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, also deluxe sleepers with 1 or 2 beds and shower/toilet.  Fares start at €39 with a couchette or €59 with a bed in a sleeper.  There's no restaurant car so take a picnic and bottle of wine.

• To book the Budapest to Bucharest train, use the Hungarian railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, clicking EN for English top right.  You collect your tickets from the yellow self-service machines at Budapest Keleti station.

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Budapest...

• Day 1, take any railjet train you like from Salzburg to Budapest Keleti in 5h11 from €29, booked at either www.thetrainline.com (easiest) or www.oebb.at (same prices, a bit more fiddly).  You can leave Salzburg as late in the day as 16:08.

• Stay overnight in Budapest.  For an inexpensive hotel with great reviews right next to Keleti Station, try the Royal Park Boutique Hotel or the inexpensive Baross City Hotel just across the road or the Elit Hotel two minutes walk away.  More hotels in Budapest

• Day 2, take a comfortable air-conditioned Intercity train from Budapest Keleti to Cluj, Timisoara, Sibiu, Sinaia, or Brasov, check times & buy tickets from €29 at Hungarian Railways www.mavcsoport.hu, see advice on using mavcsoport.hu.  It's an all-day daytime run right across Transylvania, see the Trains from Budapest page for photos & more details.

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Salzburg to Ljubljana, Zagreb, Split & Dubrovnik from €29...

Option 1, all year round...

• Comfortable air-conditioned EuroCity trains link Salzburg with Lesce-Bled on Lake Bled, Ljubljana & Zagreb every day:

  Leave Salzburg at 10:12, make one easy cross-platform change at Villach, to Lesce-Bled, Ljubljana & Zagreb.

  Leave Salzburg at 14:12 by direct EuroCity train Mimara to Lesce-Bled, Ljubljana & Zagreb.

  Leave Salzburg at 16:12 change in Villach, to Lesce-Bled & Ljubljana.

  Journey time from Salzburg to Lesce-Bled is around 3h40, Salzburg to Ljubljana 4h20, Salzburg to Zagreb 6h40.

  This is a really lovely scenic journey through the mountains across Austria and along the beautiful River Sava between Ljubljana and Zagreb. Have your camera ready!

• Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €39 in 1st class.

• Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, overseas cards no problem, you print your own ticket) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly, you print your own ticket).  Look for a cheap sparschiene fare and print your own ticket.  Avoid any departure marked BUS as this isn't a train.

• Tip:  I've seen a cheap €29 Sparschiene fare available from Salzburg to Zagreb but only standard price €50+ available on the same date and train from Salzburg to Ljubljana.  And nothing stops you buying a €29 Salzburg-Zagreb ticket and getting off in Ljubljana, that's perfectly legitimate!

• Onwards to Split & Dubrovnik...  There are daytime trains and a sleeper between Zagreb and Split, from where buses run to Dubrovnik, for details see the Trains from Zagreb page.

Option 2, to Split & Dubrovnik using the Budapest-Split sleeper train Adria, runs in summer June-September...

• Step 1, take the 11:08 railjet train from Salzburg to Budapest Keleti from €29 booked at www.thetrainline.com.  You print your own ticket.  Make sure you allow at least an hour in Budapest between trains to be on the safe side.

• Step 2, travel from Budapest to Split by direct sleeper train called the Adria.  This runs from mid-June to early September, leaving Budapest Keleti around 18:53 every evening arriving Split around 08:56 next morning.  It has a comfortable Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments and a couchette car with 4 & 6 bunk compartments.

  The fare is around €79 with couchette or from €92 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper.

  Check to see if it is bookable online at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu.  If not, you will need to book at the station or by phone with a ticketing agency in your home country.

• For Dubrovnik, take a bus from Split.  There are buses every hour or even every half hour, run by several companies.  Journey time between 3h45 and 4h35, fare around €13-€17.  Buy a ticket at the bus station in Split.

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Salzburg to Belgrade, Sofia & Montenegro...

Salzburg to Belgrade by day trains with overnight stop in Zagreb - a scenic route...

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Zagreb on either the 10:12 or 14:12 departures from €29, as explained above.  A lovely scenic ride!

• Stay overnight in Zagreb.  The Esplanade Hotel, Palace Hotel or Central Hotel are all near the station with good reviews.

• Day 2, take the daily train from Zagreb to Belgrade.  Until 4 October 2020 it leaves Zagreb at 11:03 and arrives Novi Beograd at 18:00 & Belgrade Centar at 18:07.  From 5 October 2020 onwards it leaves Zagreb at 13:04 and arrives Novi Beograd at 20:17 & Belgrade Centar at 20:25.  Fare around €29 bought at the station.  It cannot be booked online.  There are always places available.

if you're going to Sofia...

• Stay overnight in Belgrade.  I recommend the historic Hotel Moskva at the start of the main pedestrianised street through the old centre.

• Day 3, take a daytime train from Belgrade to Sofia, see the Belgrade to Sofia page for timetable, fares, tips & photos.

If you're going to Montenegro...

• A daytime and overnight train link Belgrade Topcider station with Podgorica and Bar over one of the most scenic lines in Europe, fare around €22 paid at the station on the day.  For train times, fares & photos see the Belgrade to Montenegro page.  Change at Podgorica for a bus to Budva or Kotor.

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Salzburg to Warsaw & Krakow from €39...

Option 1, by daytime train...

• Salzburg to Warsaw or Krakow in a day...

  Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna by smart modern railjet train leaving Salzburg at 10:12 arriving Vienna Hbf 13:05, or at 11:08 arriving 13:30.  Personally, I'd take the earlier train to be on the safe side.

  Step 2, then travel from Vienna to Warsaw on the afternoon EuroCity train leaving Vienna Hbf at 14:10 arriving Warsaw Centralna at 21:24.  The EuroCity train has comfortable air-conditioned carriages and a restaurant car.

  Change in Katowice for Krakow, arriving 22:20.

  I recommend allowing no less than 40 minutes between trains in Vienna in case of delay.  To make sure of this, book from Salzburg to Warsaw at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at, but (and this is important) click the cogwheel icon at the top of the search results page and then click Comfortable connection time.  If you don't do this, you may end up with a risky 5-minute connection.  You collect tickets from the ÖBB self-service machines at any main Austrian station.

• Salzburg to Krakow with overnight stop in Prague...

  Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Prague using any train you like from €19, see the Salzburg to Prague page.  You can leave as late as 17:08, or leave earlier for more of an evening in Prague.

  Stay overnight in Prague - hotels with good reviews next to the station include the Esplanade Hotel, Falkensteiner Hotel Maria, Chopin Hotel.

  Day 2, travel from Prague to Krakow by EuroCity train Cracovia from €19, leaving Prague Hlavni around 10:24 and arriving Krakow Glowny at around 17:24, see the Prague to Krakow page for full details & photos.  You book each journey at Czech Railways www.cd.cz and print your own ticket.

• Salzburg to Krakow with overnight stop in Vienna..

  Day 1, travel Salzburg-Vienna on any train you like in 2h25, they leave regularly through the day.  Fares start at €19, book at www.oebb.at and print your own ticket.

  Stay overnight in Vienna - hotels near the station with good reviews include the Motel One Vienna Hbf,  GraetzlHotel, Hotel Schani Wien.

  Day 2, a EuroCity train leaves Vienna Hbf at 08:10 arriving Krakow Glowny at 15:05, final destination Przemysl.  Fares start at €29.  Book at www.oebb.at, you collect tickets from the ÖBB self-service machines at any main Austrian station.

Option 2, by sleeper train.  The safe, comfortable & time-effective option...

• The EuroNight sleeper train Chopin leaves Vienna Hbf at 22:10 and arrives Krakow at 06:22 & Warsaw Centralna at 09:40.

  The Chopin has economical couchettes (4 & 6-bunk compartments) and a comfortable and safe air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, see the photos below. 

  There are plenty of connecting trains from Salzburg to Vienna, journey time around 2h25, I'd allow over an hour between trains in Vienna just in case of delay.

• You can book from Salzburg to Krakow or Warsaw as one transaction at either www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, overseas payment cards no problem) or Austrian Railways own website www.oebb.at (a little more fiddly, same prices) with cheap fares if you pre-book:  Vienna to Krakow from €39 plus €26 supplement for a bed in a 3-bed sleeper or €39 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper (per person, berth sold individually).  Look for options with 1 change in the search results.  It may be better to split the booking into Salzburg-Vienna and Vienna-Krakow if you'd like to spend time in Vienna or would prefer a safer connection.

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Salzburg to Kiev, Lviv & Ukraine...

• Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna using any train you like.  I'd allow an hour or two between trains in Vienna, so take a train around 12:22 to arrive in Vienna around 14:52, but by all means take an earlier train and see something of Vienna.  Book at www.oebb.at and print your own ticket.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Lviv or Kiev by direct Ukrainian sleeping-car, leaving Vienna Hbf at 16:42 every day and arriving next day (day 3) at Lviv at 10:14 & Kiev at 17:21.  This train has a Ukrainian sleeping-car with comfortable 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, see the photos below.  At Chop on the other side of the border the through sleeping-car is jacked up to have its wheelsets changed from European standard gauge (4'8½") to Russian gauge used in Ukraine (5').

  Book the train from Vienna to Lviv or Kiev online at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.  This will only book one-way or round trip starting in Vienna because tickets need to be collected from an ÖBB station in Austria.  They cannot be collected in Ukraine.  Booking this way you pay no fee or mark-up, just the official fare.  The sleeper has become popular, it can sell out.

  If you have any problems or want a one-way ticket starting in Ukraine, you can also book the Vienna-Kiev train via reliable agency www.polrail.com, with tickets posted or couriered to you for a small fee.  Polrail are based in Poland so charge in zlotys, but as they have access to Ukrainian ticketing system they are good for booking this train.

  Booked through oebb.at:

  Vienna to Kiev costs €80.50 in a 3-berth sleeper, €90.50 in a 2-berth sleeper or €152.90 in a single sleeper.

  Vienna to Lviv costs €62.10 in a 3-berth sleeper, €70.10 in a 2-berth sleeper or €119.30 in a single sleeper.

  Booked through Polrail:

  Vienna to Kiev costs around €138 in a 3-berth sleeper €149 in a 2-berth sleeper, or €241 in a single-berth sleeper.

  Vienna to Lviv costs around €120 in a 3-berth sleeper €129 in a 2-berth sleeper, or €207 in a single-berth sleeper.

  Booked at the station in Ukraine, Kiev to Vienna costs around €80, Lviv to Vienna around €60, in both cases with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper.

Boarding the Vienna to Kiev sleeping-car at Vienna Hbf.  Photo courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.

The Vienna-Kiev sleeper about to leave Vienna Hbf... Courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.		The sleeper corridor.  Courtesy Helmut Uttenthaler.		1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper compartment.

The Vienna-Kiev sleeping-car at Kiev Pass.  Photos courtesy of Helmut Uttenthaler.

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Salzburg to Moscow, St Petersburg & Russia...

Option 1, via Kiev, avoiding Belarus...

• Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna and take the sleeper to Kiev as shown above.

• Step 2, take one of the various Kiev to Moscow sleeper trains, for example train 6 leaves at 19:36 arriving Moscow Kievskaya station at 10:09 the next morning (= day 3 from Salzburg).

  The fare is around €92 with a bed in 4-berth kupé or €180 with a bed in a 2-berth spalny vagon.

  You can ask www.polrail.com to book this for you too, or you can book tickets from Kiev to Moscow at the Ukrainian Railways site https://booking.uz.gov.ua/en/ booking from Kyiv to Moskva Kievskaya.  You collect tickets at the station in Kiev.  Feedback appreciated!

Option 2, via Warsaw.  This goes via Belarus, remember you'll need a Belarus transit visa.

• Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Warsaw as shown above.

• Step 2, a Russian Railways train with sleeping-cars with 1, 2 & 4 bed compartments with washbasin links Warsaw with Moscow every day, see the Warsaw to Moscow section for details.  Book as shown in that section.

These modern sleeping-cars run from Warsaw to Moscow...

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Salzburg to Athens, Corfu & Greece...

Option 1, Salzburg to Athens by train & ferry via Italy - the leisurely option with an Adriatic cruise thrown in...

• The best and most comfortable option is to pick up a ferry in Bari.  The whole scenic and relaxing journey from Salzburg to Athens will take around 2 nights & 3 days, depending how the connections work out on your particular date.

• Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Rome Termini in a single day as shown above.

• Stay overnight in Rome.

• Day 2, take a morning train from Rome Termini to Bari Centrale from €29.90, there's a Frecciargento train around 08:05.

• Day 2, then sail across the Adriatic from Bari to Corfu, Igoumenitsa or Patras in Greece aboard a luxurious cruise ferry booked at www.superfast.com.  She normally sails daily except Sundays at 19:30 arriving 13:00 next day (day 3).  There are bars, restaurants, sun decks, lounges and en suite cabins.  It's a lovely crossing, see the photos below.

• Day 3, Patras is a few hours bus ride from Athens.  If you hunt for it, there's a bus/train combined timetable from Patras to Athens on www.trainose.gr but it's pretty hard to find.  The Bari to Athens part of this journey is covered in more detail on the London to Greece page, just disregard the London to Bari part of the journey!

2 or 4-berth cabin with private toilet & shower.		Relaxing on deck...

At sea, passing Cephalonia & Ithaca.  This is what travel to Greece should be like!

Option 2, Salzburg to Athens overland by train via Munich & Belgrade - a rail adventure across the Balkans...

• You can also travel overland by train from Salzburg to Athens via Belgrade & Thessaloniki.  It'll take 3 nights, with the romance and adventure of an epic train ride through the Balkans.

• Travel from Salzburg to Belgrade as shown above.

• In Belgrade you pick up the train to Thessaloniki for Athens explained in detail on the Trains from Belgrade page.

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Salzburg to Istanbul & Turkey...

• You can pick up the London-Istanbul route suggested on the London to Turkey page in Vienna or Budapest. 

• This journey cannot all be booked online, at least the final leg needs to be booked by phone, but see the London to Turkey page for details of how to buy tickets.  Just disregard the London to Vienna section!

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Hotels in Salzburg

Suggested hotels in Salzburg...

For a stay of a few days I'd choose a hotel in the old town near all the sights.  For a brief one or two night stay, especially if you were leaving on an early train, I'd go for a hotel near the station, so you can walk across the road and leave your bags, there's no time wasted in taxis and it's an easy stroll across the road to the station when it's time to leave.  Salzburg isn't huge, so it'll still be an easy walk to the old town and all the sights.

Hotels near the station...

• Try the H+ Hotel (4-star), across the road from the station with great reviews.

• The Adlerhof Hotel or Hotel Hohenstauffen are both 3-star, also with great reviews and a short walk from the station.

Hotels in or near the old town...

• Try the Boutique Guesthouse arte vida, in a town house just 100 yards from Mozart's residence, or Gästehaus im Priesterseminar. 

• Going upmarket, the Hotel Elefant is a stone's throw from Mozart's birthplace, and the Radisson Blu Hotel Altstadt is in the old town with river views, located in a historic building dating from 1377.

My favourite hotel search site: www.booking.com www.booking.com is my favourite hotel booking site and I generally prefer booking my hotels all in one place here.  You can usually book with free cancellation - this allows you to confirm your accommodation at no risk before train booking opens.  It also means you can hold accommodation while you finalise your itinerary, and alter your plans as they evolve - a feature I use all the time when putting a trip together.  I never book hotels non-refundably.  I have also come to trust their review scores - you won't be disappointed with anything over 8.0. Tip:  It can pay to compare prices across multiple hotel sites:  HotelsCombined.com is a price comparison site which compares hotel prices on Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, Accor, Agoda and many others.  Though if there's not much in it, I prefer keeping all my bookings together in one place at www.booking.com.

Other hotel sites worth trying...

www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

Backpacker hostels: www.hostelworld.com...

www.hostelworld.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.

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