How to travel from Berlin to Linz by train

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Berlin to Linz by train

The German capital and the charming city on The Danube are now linked by a daily direct ICE train, so taking this journey is super easy, despite the distance.

Routes you can take to go from Berlin to Linz

When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.

Choose one of the following options:

Looking for connections?

Journey guides for travel to Berlin

Route Information

Station Guides

Some of the escalators that link the multiple levels in Berlin Hbf

Berlin Hbf Rail Station Guide

Looking up at the concourse at Linz Hbf from the main passage way beneath the platforms/bahnsteigen

Linz Hbf (Linz/Donau Hbf) Rail Station Guide

Travel Time (approx)

6hr 19min

Frequency

Daily

Travel Info

1 x direct train per day

Is the journey from Berlin to Linz direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route - though there are multiple other daily journey options available which involve making connection

Is this journey scenic?
Not particularly overall, but the two most scenic sections of the journeys are:

South of Erfurt where the high speed line travels through the Thuringian Highland.
Between Regensburg and Wels there are a series of river views on the left-hand side of the train

What other tourist locations are along this route from Berlin to Linz ?
Erfurt and Nuremberg and Regensburg and Passau

How easy is it to travel on from the station in Linz?
The station is connected to the heart of the city by a frequent tram service - all four lines in the city (1 - 4) connect Linz Hbf to the city centre.

How easy is it to get to the station in Berlin?
Berlin Hbf is linked to other areas of the city by

frequent local (S-Bahn) trains
trams
the metro line, U5
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in its neighbourhood.

Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Berlin to Linz trains?
Yes, and they can be purchased from a choice of booking agents - see below.
Click on the 'Good to know info' to access guides to how rail tickets are managed in Germany, plus step-by-step guides on how to make a booking.

How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Berlin to Linz trains?
It can be up to 3 months ahead of the travel date; though the booking period will be typically be shorter when looking up journeys for travel after the second Sunday in December; and when looking up summer travel in March to May.

Does the ticket for these Berlin to Linz trains include assigned seats?
Only when booking the most expensive types of ticket = Flexpreise tickets for travel in 1st class.
So they are not included when booking tickets for travel in 2nd class, or any other type of ticket valid for travel in 1st class
They are available, so they can be added for an additional cost, when booking those types of ticket.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.

Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Berlin to Linz trains?
Yes - between June 1st and Sept 1st
At other times of the year they are available, but are not mandatory, though they are recommended for this route.
See the rail pass guide for details of the booking options.

Is catering available on the Berlin to Linz train on this journey option?
Yes, there is a bar/bistro car and a restaurant car
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.

What else is good to know about German rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in Germany

What else is good to know about Austrian rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in Austria.

Travel Information

Final Destination: Wien Hbf

This train is named the 'Berlonia'.

This train also calls at: Berlin-Sudkreuz; Regensburg and Passau.

This train does not call at Wels.

The alternative connections:

When looking up the train journey from Berlin to Linz, you will likely see alternative connections available, which involve changing trains.
Of these options target those that have '1' and 'ICE' displayed; as they involve what should be a straightforward connection in Nurnberg.

They can be cheaper than taking this direct train from Berlin to Linz and are a viable alternative if the timings of this direct train don't suit; it is usually scheduled to arrive in Linz at 16:24.

The new overnight train from Berlin to Wien/Vienna takes a different route and does not serve Linz.

This is a direct journey

You will be travelling on one of these trains...

ICE T (Germany) Train Guide

Journey Features

High Speed (partial journey)Scenic - YesRiver views

Good to Know

On departure from Berlin this train heading to Wien will usually be joined to another train that will be going to Munchen.
So if you don't have a reservation, take care to check the departure information to ensure that you'll be boarding into the correct part of the train.

Journey description:

This is a journey of seven distinct phases:

Between Berlin and Halle the journey is on a conventional railway line
After departure from Halle the train will move on to the high speed line.
It will then spend around 80 minutes travelling at speeds of up to 290 km/h until it switches back to the conventional railway just to the north of Bamberg.
On to Nurnberg the train will be on conventional railway tracks.
Between Nurnberg and Regensburg the train travels across a rolling landscape of hills.
Between Regensburg and Passau the railway line is beside the River Danube, which can be seen on the left.
The highlight of the journey comes to the south of Passau, between there and the Austrian border, the railway line is by the banks of the River Inn, but on this part of the journey the river is over to the right.
Between Wels and Vienna the train will race across the Austrian countryside either side of Linz, this railway isn't a high speed route, but it has been straightened so that trains can travel at around 200 km/h

The river Danube comes into view after Regensburg

North of Passau the river is over on the left

The scenic highlight of the trip comes after Passau

The River Inn can be seen on the right

Between the Austrian border and Wels

The general guide to German rail travel Discover what's good to know about riding the trains, taking popular journeys, using the major stations, booking tickets and travelling with rail passes

The general guide to Austrian rail travel Discover what's good to know about riding the trains, using the major stations, booking tickets and travelling with Eurail and InterRail passes

Tickets

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date

This train is usually scheduled to depart daily from Berlin Hbf at around 10:04.

So target this departure time when looking up tickets; though travelling on indirect trains from Berlin to Linz (connecting in Nurnberg or Hannover) tends to be cheaper.
It's already clear that the most heavily discounted tickets are selling out months ahead on this direct train.

Seat reservations:

For ticket holders seat reservations are always optional on this route, but if you will be using a rail pass they are now mandatory when travelling between mid-June and mid-August - check the Train guide for the exact dates.
Regardless of whether you will be using tickets or rail passes they cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class.
When a journey involves two or more trains on which seat reservations are available, the fees cover all trains.
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans - you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.

They are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets and both 1st and 2nd class Flexpreis Plus tickets.
Though despite seats being automatically assigned when booking these three types of ticket - and these tickets being valid on any departure, you will need to pay to re-book the reservations, if you subsequently decide to travel on an alternative train.
So because you won't save by booking these types of tickets in advance, it can be a good idea to wait until you are sure when you will want to travel.

When booking Super Sparpreis, Sparpreis and 2nd class Flexpreis tickets, you have the option of purchasing seat reservations later.
It can be worth re-looking up a journey a week or two ahead of travel, because the DB website will indicate how busy a departure will be.

Rail pass users:

As explained on our guide to using rail passes on German trains, a tick in the box for travelling by ICE trains, is that you won't HAVE to make a seat reservation.

However, irrespective of whether you will be travelling with a 1st class or 2nd class pass, we recommend opting to make the reservation on this train, if you want to enjoy a stress-free journey.

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