Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 months ahead of the travel date
The national rail website of Austrian railways, OBB, usually sells the cheapest advance tickets for this journey, as these trains are operated by OBB
Though it can be worth comparing prices on the OBB website with the other websites on which this journey can be booked
Booking with OBB
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
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.
- Sparscheine tickets = cannot be refunded or exchanged at all.
- Standard-Ticket = can be cancelled and obtain a full refund at any time pre-travel date.
Instead of an Exchange policy the idea is that once a Standard ticket has been refunded, an alternative ticket can then be purchased.
Booking with Trenitalia
The discounted tickets are the 'Europa 1 tickets', but they cannot be exchanged and refunded.
The more expensive 'Standard tickets' can be refunded.
Seat Reservations:
When booking tickets online on OBB a €3 price will be added to the shopping basket and you need to accept this price.
It is the cost of the mandatory seat reservation that is required when travelling by these trains from Austria into Italy.
Child tickets - booking with OBB
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
Note that when booking with Trenitalia, there is seemingly no cheaper child rate on its discounted Europa tickets.
Its more expensive Standard Tickets will be discounted by 50%, so booking with OBB is the cheaper option.
Bike tickets - booking with OBB
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 - booking with OBB
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
When travelling in on the Brenner route taken by these trains over the Italy / Austria border paying a 'supplement' is required [when using 'global' Eurail or InterRail passes]https://www.interrail.eu/en/plan-your-trip/reservations/trains-with-additional-supplements).
The fees for the supplement are €15 in 1st class and €10 in 2nd class.
However, the supplement is not a seat reservation.
You can purchase the supplements on the Eurail reservation service or the InterRail reservation service and the seat reservation will also be included - though you will be charged a €2 booking fee per reservation, per person.
In Verona Porta Nuova, it's best to book these supplements at the Reisezentrum travel desk - because won't be charged a booking fee, but will also have to pay seat reservation charges of €3.50 in both 1st class and 2nd class.
Booking at a Trenitalia ticket desk is a more expensive option, as in addition to the supplement costs you will also have to pay a €2 booking fee for using the ticket desk + the seat reservation will cost an additional €3.50 - as per the info on this page.
The supplements are not available from the Trenitalia ticket machines.
OR if you book the supplement on the OBB website, the instructions are here,, you will need to proactively also add the seat reservation when booking- and pay the additional cost of €3.50 in both 1st class and 2nd class.
