Despite the distance it's super easy to travel from München/Munich to Wien/Vienna by train.
The daytime trains are smart and comfortable, the stations at both ends of the trip are very passenger friendly and the journey is easy on the eye.
Or if you need to be in Wien/Vienna before breakfast there is an overnight train, but note that it isn't a Nightjet train.
Final Destination: Budapest or Wien
These trains also call at: Linz, St Polten, Wien-Meidling*
*Check the location of your final destination in Wien/Vienna.
If you're heading to 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 leave 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.
7 x trains per day
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
It can be particularly worthwhile comparing prices on the national ticket agents for this journey, becasue when the cheapest tickets have sold out on the DB (German railways website), they can still be available on the OBB (Austrian railways wesite) and vice versa.
The OBB website also tends to offer additional, generally cheaper options, which involve changing trains.
Trains departing at different times can 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.
On the DB booking site look for journeys that have:
Use the earlier/later buttons to search for the cheapest ticket prices.
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets on DB Bahn and your seat reservation is included - but they're optional when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
DB | from €18.90 | |
OBB | from €19 | |
Omio | from €18.90 | |
Save A Train | from €18.90 | |
Trainline | from €18.90 | |
Happy rail | from €18.90 |
Note that these trains do not call at Munchen Ost station.
The final direct daytime train of the day departs from Munchen Hbf at around 17:30.
We may have been a tad generous with the scenic rating for this journey as this is a pleasant, rather than spectacular train ride, the views of the mountains will be distant ones.
The prettiest part of the journey by train from Munich to Vienna is between Salzburg and Linz, though we lack the images to prove it, as on the most recent two occasions we came this way, it was pouring with rain!
So this is a route when taking the alternative overnight train means you won't lose out on seeing spectacular views!
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
Final Destination: Wien-Westbanhof
Note that these trains arrive at a different station in Wien/Vienna to that used by the Railjets.
These trains also call at Wien Hutteldorf 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.
Departing from Munchen/Munich:
These trains also call at: Munchen Ost
The alternative Railjet services do not call at Munchen Ost, but if your starting point is located by Marienplatz or Isator stations in Munchen/Munich city centre, you will save around 20 mins by making a connection from these local cross-city trains at Munchen Ost instead of at Munchen Hbf
Until Aug 1st:
Mon - Saturday = 4 x trains per day
Sunday = 3 x trains
From Aug 2nd:
Mon - Saturday = 6 x trains per day
Sunday = 5 x trains
Book early and save: Yes
The daytime train service between Wien/Vienna and München/Munich is now split between Railjet 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.
Though on this route when travelling on Monday to Thursday limited numbers of WESTsuperpreis tickets will be available for €23.99, they must be booked in advance and are only valid when travelling on the selected departure.
Last minute tickets booked at the station are more expensive than booking in Advance.
Differences in ticketing terms to travelling by Railjet:
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
Westbahn | from €23.99 | |
Trainline Österreich | * |
The only metro interchange available at Wien Hbf, which is where the Railjets arrive, is with line U1.
However, Wien-Westbahnhof has a connection with line U3 and line U6 of the Vienna U-Bahn/Metro.
These two lines don't call* at Wien Hbf so if the end point of your journey in the city is located along them it's likely that you'll have a faster and easier end-to-end trip, if you target these Westbahn trains.
*=Though the Railjet trains also call at Wien-Meidling which has connection with line U6.
Final Destination: Budapest
This train also calls at: Munchen Ost
1 x train per night
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open:
6 months ahead of the travel date on OBB
3 months ahead of the travel date on DB Bahn
'Kalaman Imre' is the name given to this train that is provided by Hungarian Railways (MAV) - the train will is heading to Budapest.
It comprises
- Compartment Seats
- Couchettes ; 4 berths AND 6 berths
- Sleeping cars with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins (there are no deluxe sleeping cars with showers in the cabins available on this route).
Click the train button above for more info including the rail pass reservation fees:
Using rail passes:
Rail pass users must reserve before boarding this train.
However, these rail pass reservations can NO longer be booked online the DB website.
If you want to reserve seats, berths in couchettes or beds in the sleeping cabins before you arrive in Germany, the best option is to pay a booking fee and use the Eurail or InterRail reservation services.
Or you can avoid the booking fees by arranging the reservations when you arrive in Germany, by purchasing them at a Reisezentrum travel desk, which you will find in any hauptbahnhof.
Though it's best to do this at the first hauptbahnhof (city centre station) that you will arrive at, the later you leave booking your accommodation, the more likely it is that your preferences will be sold out.
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
OBB | * | |
DB Bahn | * |
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Munchen Hbf at 23:35 and arrive in Wien Hbf at 06:34 - note the exceptionally early arrival time.
*At Munchen Hbf the coaches heading to Wien/Vienna, and on to Budapest, will be joined to other coaches heading to Zagreb and Venezia/Venedig.
The train will be separated during its journey.
Also OBB Nightjet trains are not used on this route.
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please consider saying thank you.
This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.