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A Westbahn train to Salzburg at Vienna Westbahnhof.
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A choice of two train operators
You can travel from Vienna to Salzburg with either of two competing operators, the State-owned ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) and private operator Westbahn. This page explains which operator to choose and how to buy tickets.
What are the Westbahn trains like?
What are the
ÖBB railjets like?
Travel tips: Luggage, WiFi, food & drink...
Travel tip: The scenic route via
Leoben
Vienna
to other European cities by train
Salzburg to other European cities by train
Hotels in Salzburg - hotel suggestions
Which operator to choose?
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ÖBB runs 2 swish modern railjet trains every hour between Vienna Hbf & Salzburg Hbf, with advance-purchase Sparschiene fares from €19.90 as you can see from the fares table below - but only if you commit to a specific train weeks in advance and nail your plans to the floor. If you want flexibility and/or to buy on the day, you have to pay €56.60 each way for a full-flex Standardpreis ticket.
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Westbahn runs smart double-deck trains between Vienna Westbahnhof & Salzburg Hbf usually twice an hour, with advance-purchase Superpreis fares for a specific departure from €19.99. The full-flex price is €56.60 which can be bought on the day and allows you to use any Westbahn train.
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Both operator's trains are excellent, see the photos below, and both offer power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. A key consideration is the station in Vienna: ÖBB uses Vienna Hbf which is Vienna's main station with some trains extending to/from Vienna Airport. WESTbahn runs to & from Vienna Westbahnhof, which may be less convenient for onward connections. In Salzburg, both operators use the main Salzburg Hbf.
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One more option, the scenic route: If you don't mind a much longer but very scenic trip via the famous Semmering Railway, click here.
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Vienna Hbf to Salzburg Hbf is 312 km or 194 miles by train via the direct route.
How to check times
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Check train times between Vienna & Salzburg at www.thetrainline.com, this sells tickets for both Westbahn & ÖBB. There's a small booking fee.
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WESTbahn runs once every hour between Vienna Westbahnhof & Salzburg Hbf. You can check WESTbahn train times at www.westbahn.at. Westbahn's service to/from Vienna Hbf was discontinued from 1 January 2020.
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ÖBB run twice an hour between Vienna Hbf & Salzburg Hbf, also calling at Vienna Meidling. Both trains are swish modern railjet trains, one per hour fast with minimal stops, one slower with more stops. You can also check ÖBB train times at www.oebb.at.
How much does it cost?
Children on WESTbahn: Children under 6 go free, no ticket required. Children under 15 pay only €1 if accompanied by a parent or guardian paying any type of adult fare. However, children pay the full adult supplements to travel in 1st class or comfort class.
Children on ÖBB: Children under 6 go free, no ticket required. Children under 15 also go free if accompanied by an adult with a Sparschiene fare as long as the child was included in the booking so mentioned on your ticket. If you buy a full flex ticket on the day, children under 15 pay half the adult full-flex fare.
How to buy WESTbahn tickets
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com, easy to use, overseas credit cards no problem, you print your own ticket or show it on your phone, small booking fee. Advance-purchase fares are only good for that specific departure, standard-price tickets are good for any train that day. You can also buy tickets at www.westbahn.at.
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You can add a reserved seat if you like, for an additional €2.90 per seat. Reserving a seat is not normally necessary except at busy times such as Friday afternoons or around major holidays.
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Comfort class costs an additional €7.90, seat reservation included, it's a seat at a table for four with a little more legroom.
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First class costs an additional €24.90, seat reservation included, wider seats and more legroom, complimentary tea or coffee & newspaper.
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Alternatively, if you're happy paying the standard full-flex price, you can simply board any hourly Westbahn train and pay the conductor when he comes round. Simples! No reservation is necessary, sit where you like. There's a euro or two fee for paying on board.
How To buy ÖBB tickets
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Buy online at www.thetrainline.com and print your own ticket. There's a small booking fee.
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Sparschiene fares are ÖBB's cheap advance-purchase fares only good for the specific train you book, limited or no refunds, no changes to travel plans. You can also buy at www.oebb.at, a bit more fiddly but no booking fee.
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Standardpreis fares are good for any train that day or the day after, you can buy them online or at the station on the day, they cannot sell out.
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Seat reservation is optional. If you want a reserved seat you can add this to your booking for around €3. If you choose not to reserve, you can sit in any empty unreserved seat. A seat reservation is a good idea at busy times such as Friday afternoons or major holidays, but usually unnecessary at quieter times as there are hundreds of seats on each train.
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Business class (premium 1st class) costs an extra €15 on top of any 1st class ticket, reserved seat & complimentary 'welcome drink' included.
Westbahn double-deck trains
WESTbahn trains are smart modern electric double-deckers, with 2nd class, comfort class and 1st class. There are both upper & lower deck seats in all three classes. There's free WiFi & all seats have power sockets. For more information on these trains and amenities, see www.westbahn.at.
ÖBB railjets: See the railjet page
Also with free WiFi and power sockets at all seats, railjets have economy, first and business class seats and a restaurant.
Route map
Highlighted = Vienna-Salzburg main line. Green = scenic routes. Red = new high-speed line.
Reproduced from the excellent European Rail Map with kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people. I recommend buying the European Rail Map for your travels and a copy of the European Rail Timetable, www.europeanrailtimetable.eu with shipping worldwide.
Travel tips
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Boarding your train
There's no check-in, just be on board the train a minute before departure time when the doors close.
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Luggage
Like any European train, you take your luggage in with you and stick it on any suitable rack near your seat. Nobody weighs or measures it, so however large a suitcase you have, no worries.
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Food & drink
WESTbahn trains have four catering areas in each trainset with vending machines for tea & coffee. On-board staff can serve you snacks. In WESTbahn first class, food & drink orders are taken and served at your seat.
ÖBB Railjets have a restaurant car and also offer at-seat service in 1st & business class where food and drink orders from the restaurant car menu are taken and delivered to your seat.
You are of course free to bring your own food and drink along, even a beer or bottle of wine if you like.
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WiFi & power sockets
ÖBB Railjets and Westbahn trains both have free WiFi & power sockets at seats in all classes.
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Bicycles
You can take a bike on WESTbahn for €5 booked in advance or (if space is available) for €10 paid on the train, see www.westbahn.at. ÖBB's railjets now also take bikes, 6 spaces per railjet, it costs €8.50 to add a reserve bike space to your booking at www.oebb.at.
Or take the scenic route via Leoben
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The scenery on the fast direct route between Vienna & Salzburg is pleasant, but not spectacular. If you're not in a hurry there's another option between Vienna & Salzburg using the longer southerly route over the famous Semmering Railway through the Austrian hills - see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semmering_railway - then through Leoben, Selzthall & Bischofshofen, a lovely scenic line.
You can see this alternative route on the route map above, it's the one with all the green highlighting scenic sections.
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Going via Leoben takes 5h19 versus 2h22 via the direct route, and it involves a simple cross-platform change of train at Leoben. So stick to the direct route if you have limited time. But the route via Leoben is scenic, leisurely, and can all be booked in advance from just €19 at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at. The trick is simply to spot the via button and add Leoben as a via station. You print your own ticket.
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If you take this route, was it worth the extra time? Let me know what you think!