How to take a rail journey from Wien/Vienna to Salzburg

Travelling by Railjet trains managed by the Austrian national rail operator, OBB.

These faster Railjet services on this route are branded as 'Railjet Express' or 'RJX' services.
These RJX services only make three station calls between Wien/Vienna and Salzburg.
The slower 'IC' services make 10 station calls.

Final destination
Bregenz or Innsbruck, or Munchen or Zurich

Departing from Wien/Vienna:

The Railjets depart from Wien Hbf and Wien Meidling stations.

If your journey in Vienna is commencing in the south west corner of the city, or the area on the ring road around the Opera House - then it's likely that you'll have a faster and more convenient journey if you join the train at Wien-Meidling station.

Wien Meidling is connected to line U6 of the Vienna Metro, which serves the western side of the city centre.

Some of these RJX trains, particularly the afternoon departures, also commence their journeys at Wien Flufghagen/Vienna Airport station.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date

The discounted tickets are the 'Sparscheine' tickets and they can be booked online up until the day of departure, but they CAN'T be booked at stations, so booking last minute at the station is always more expensive.

Though you'll usually need to book the 'Sparscheine' tickets at least a couple of days ahead to obtain them at the cheapest possible price.

Book a Sparschiene ticket and it will be specific to the departure you selected when making a booking and it can't be refunded at all if you subsequently change your travel plans and it also can't be exchanged to an alternative, later departure.
Though when an adult book a Sparschiene ticket, up to four children age 14 and under can be included at no additional charge.

Trains departing at different times can also be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares

It can pay off to take a look at the guide to Austrian train tickets - it should help you save time and money and confusion.

Exchanges and Refunds

Book a Non-Flex ticket or a Semi Flex Ticket and it will be specific to the departure you select when making a booking
Meaning that if you arrive at a station too late to board a train because your taxi got stuck in traffic, or there was a fault on the tram etc, you will have to pay the full price at the station for a replacement ticket.

The only scenario in which these ticket types can be used for an alternative, later departure is IF your journey involves more than one train AND a delay to an OBB train causes you to miss the departure you were booked on to.

Non-Flex and Semi Flex Ticket tickets also can't be exchanged to an alternative departure pre-travel.
However, if post-booking you subsequently change your travel plans, you can cancel a Semi Flex ticket and receive 50% of your payment, but Non-Flex tickets can't be refunded at all - And that is the key distinction between the two types of ticket!

These terms also apply if you want to use Semi Flex and Non Flex tickets to travel in First Class!

If you will want to have the freedom to both refund your ticket and take any train on your travel day, you will need to pay extra for a Flex ticket.

Seat reservations

Reservations are available, but optional for journeys for journeys within Austria by Railjet trains.

Therefore, seats on the train you will be travelling are NOT absolutely guaranteed if you haven't reserved.
Though the OBB online booking service now indicates whether a specific departure is proving to be exceptionally busy.

Reservations in both 1st class and 2nd class cost €3 per person when booking Non-Flex and Flex tickets, but are included as a complimentary benefit when booking Semi-Flex tickets

Reservations for travel in Business Class cost €15 regardless of the type of ticket booked.

Note that reservations will also be required any children aged 5 to 15 - children aged 4 and under don't require tickets, but the expectation is that they will be travelling in the adult's lap.

Child tickets

When booking 'Sparschiene' tickets each adult (aged 15 and over) can take up to four children aged 14 and under for free!
These children will still require tickets, but there will be no charge for them.

When not booking 'Sparschiene' tickets;

• Children aged 5 and under travel for free
• Children aged 6 – 14 travel at half-fare

Bike tickets

You will need purchase both a bike ticket AND a reservation for your bike prior to boarding; more info on how to do this is available on the [bikes on trains guide](/travel-info-and-tips/taking-a-bike-on-a-european-train/).

Dog tickets

If your dog is too large to be taken in a pet carrier you will need to add a dog ticket when making your booking;

Using rail passes

If you have a valid Eurail or Interrail pass you can opt to make reservations for this journey, but you can simply board with a pass and hope that seats will be available.

However, in SMTJ's experience, it's a good idea to reserve when:

• departing between 08:00-10:00 and 16:00 -18:00 Monday to Thursday
• on Fridays
• Saturday mornings
• Sunday afternoons/evenings.

Differences with the ticketing for the Westbahn trains

• Seat reservations are included when booking Westbahn tickets up to three hours before departure
• The cheapest type of Westbahn tickets can be cancelled up to a day before departure with 75% of the price returned.
• Up to four children aged 14 and under can travel for a flat fee of €2 per child when travelling with an adult.

These are the trains operated by OBB which make four station calls between Wien and Linz.

Departing from Wien/Vienna:

These trains depart from Wien Hbf and Wien Meidling stations.

These trains commence their journeys at Wien Flufghagen/Vienna Airport station.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date

The train service between Wien/Vienna and Linz is split between trains operated by OBB and
other trains operated by WestBahn.

Trains departing at different times can also be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.

Tickets for the trains operated by Westbahn are not available on the OBB ticket booking site and vice versa, while tickets for these trains operated by OBB are not available on the Westbahn site. but both services can be directly compared on the Trainline website (see below).

Last minute tickets booked at the station are more expensive than booking the discounted tickets in advance online.
Though if you want to leave booking tickets until the day of travel, it's highly likely that you'll save by taking the Westbahn trains.

It can pay off to take a look at the guide to Austrian train tickets - it should help you save time and money and confusion.

Exchanges and Refunds

Book a Non-Flex ticket or a Semi Flex Ticket and it will be specific to the departure you select when making a booking
Meaning that if you arrive at a station too late to board a train because your taxi got stuck in traffic, or there was a fault on the tram etc, you will have to pay the full price at the station for a replacement ticket.

The only scenario in which these ticket types can be used for an alternative, later departure is IF your journey involves more than one train AND a delay to an OBB train causes you to miss the departure you were booked on to.

Non-Flex and Semi Flex Ticket tickets also can't be exchanged to an alternative departure pre-travel.
However, if post-booking you subsequently change your travel plans, you can cancel a Semi Flex ticket and receive 50% of your payment, but Non-Flex tickets can't be refunded at all - And that is the key distinction between the two types of ticket!

These terms also apply if you want to use Semi Flex and Non Flex tickets to travel in First Class!

If you will want to have the freedom to both refund your ticket and take any train on your travel day, you will need to pay extra for a Flex ticket.

Seat reservations

Reservations are available, but optional for journeys for journeys within Austria by Railjet trains.

Therefore, seats on the train you will be travelling are NOT absolutely guaranteed if you haven't reserved.
Though the OBB online booking service now indicates whether a specific departure is proving to be exceptionally busy.

Reservations in both 1st class and 2nd class cost €3 per person when booking Non-Flex and Flex tickets, but are included as a complimentary benefit when booking Semi-Flex tickets

Reservations for travel in Business Class cost €15 regardless of the type of ticket booked.

Note that reservations will also be required any children aged 5 to 1

Child tickets

When booking 'Sparschiene' tickets each adult (aged 15 and over) can take up to four children aged 14 and under for free!
These children will still require tickets, but there will be no charge for them.

When not booking 'Sparschiene' tickets;

• Children aged 5 and under travel for free
• Children aged 6 – 14 travel at half-fare

Bike tickets

You will need purchase both a bike ticket AND a reservation for your bike prior to boarding; more info on how to do this is available on the [bikes on trains guide](/travel-info-and-tips/taking-a-bike-on-a-european-train/).

Dog tickets

If your dog is too large to be taken in a pet carrier you will need to add a dog ticket when making your booking;

Using rail passes

If you have a valid Eurail or Interrail pass you can opt to make reservations for this journey, but you can simply board with a pass and hope that seats will be available.

Final Destination: Salzburg or Munchen

The Westbahn trains leave from alternative station in Wien/Vienna to those used by the Railjets, they commence their journeys at Wien Westbahnhof.
Unlike Wien hbf the Westbahnhof is served by line U3 of the Vienna Metro which calls at city centre stations with no direct link to the main hbf station including Volkstheater

The Westbahn trains also call at Wien Hutteldorf a station not served by the Railjets, which has an interchange with line U4 of the Vienna Metro, which makes multiple stops on the southern side of the city centre, including at Karlsplatz.

Book early and save: Yes

The train service between Wien/Vienna and Innsbruck is split between Raijet trains operated by OBB and these trains operated by Westbahn.

The two train services have similar journey times*, the difference is generally less than 10 mins compared to OBB's fastest services), but the Westbahn trains depart from a different station in Wien/Vienna

Tickets for the trains operated by Westbahn are not available on the OBB ticket booking site and vice versa, tickets for the trains operated by OBB are not available on the Westbahn site, but both services can be looked up and booked on Trainline.

Differences with the ticketing for the OBB trains

• Seat reservations are included when booking Westbahn tickets up to three hours before departure
• The cheapest type of Westbahn tickets can be cancelled up to a day before departure with 75% of the price returned.
• Up to four children aged 14 and under can travel for a flat fee of €2 per child when travelling with an adult.

The potential to save money

The limited numbers of discounted 'Sparpreis' Westbahn tickets are typically cheaper than the discounted 'Sparschiene' tickets, which are made available by OBB for the Railjet trains.

Like those ''Sparschiene' tickets, the 'Sparpreis' tickets for these Westbahn trains, are specific to the departure you select when making a booking.
However, these Westbahn 'Sparpreis' tickets can sell out faster than the 'Sparschiene' tickets, so the taking the Railjets can be the cheaper option

Last minute tickets booked at the station are more expensive than either of these discounted tickets.
Though if you want to leave booking tickets until the day of travel, it's highly likely that you'll save by taking the Westbahn trains.

Seat reservations

In contrast to the taking the Railjet trains, specific seats are automatically when assigned booking tickets.

Using Eurail/Inter Rail passes

Users of 2nd class Eurail and Interrail passes can board into the 2nd class seats on the Westbahn trains without paying a seat reservation fee.

However, holders of 1st class Eurail and Interrail passes should avoid the Westbahn trains, as reservation fees aren't mandatory when travelling in First Class on the alternative Railjet trains
That's because to travel in First Class on the Westbahn trains, users of 1st class class rail passes need to pay a comparatively expensive €9 supplement.

To avoid paying this fee on the Westbahn trains, users of 1st class Eurail and Interrail passes can travel in 2nd class, but the clear better value for money option is to travel in 1st class on the alternative Railjet trains.