Wien / Vienna to Hamburg by train

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

Despite the distance it's a very simple journey by train from Wien/Vienna to Hamburg, thanks to direct rail connections between these two fabulous cities, both during the day and overnight.

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Routes

Option 1: travelling by day

Travel Information

Final Destination: Hamburg-Altona

This train also calls at: Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe and Hannover

Departing from Wien/Vienna:

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.

Though we particularly recommend opting to make reservations on these trains if you want to join this train at Wien-Meidling.

Arriving in Hamburg:

Check the location of your final destination in Hamburg before booking.

This train will call at Hamburg Hbf, the main station in the city, but it will travel on beyond Hamburg Hbf to also call at Hamburg-Dammtor station and then at Hamburg-Altona.
So leaving the trains at either of those stations, could give you easier access to your final destination in the city.

1 x direct train per day

Tickets

Book early and save: Yes

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

This train is usally scheduled to depart from Wien Hbf at 13:15 so hone in on that time when looking up this journey.

It can be worth comparing prices on the different ticket agents, the cheapest 'Europa Spezial' tickets can still be available on DB, the German railways website, when the most heavily discounted 'Sparschiene' tickets are sold out on OBB, the Austrian railways website.
And the reverse can be true, cheaper Sparschiene tickets can still be available on OBB, meaning that DB can be more expensive.

Seat reservations:

Book 1st class ticket journey tickets on DB 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.

If you will be travelling 2nd class we highly recommend opting to add a reservation when booking, the ICE trains to Germany from Austria are always comparatively busy.

So if you don't reserve, being able to remain in the same seat all the way from Vienna to Hamburg, is something you definitely can't take for granted.

Note that if you opt to book 1st class tickets on OBB, your seat reservation WON'T be automatically be included, so you will need to be proactive and add it to your booking.

Alternative Connections:

There are also usually up to 4 x alternative options available per day that involve a change of train; making a connection at Wurzburg Hbf from the Wien-Frankfurt/Koln trains into ICE trains on to Hamburg from Wurzburg.
And these options with a connection, tend to be cheaper than this direct train.

However, the trains on to Hamburg (that will be sold by DB and the other ticket agents) depart Wurzburg only 5 mins after the arrival of these trains from Wien.
So ideal IF the train from Wien is on time, but if it's too late to make the connection, you'll have to visit the Reisezentrum desk in Wurzburg Hbf station to re-book any train specific tickets/reservations for the train on to Hamburg.
There is generally 1 x train per hour from Wurzburg to Hamburg.

You won't have to re-purchase, tickets/reservations can be swapped free of charge, but it's a hassle to be avoided if possible.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
DB from €39.90

DB Guide

DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.

It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.

On journeys within Germany and on most international journeys from and to Germany on trains operated by DB:

  • For journeys by the express trains, EC. IC and ICE trains an adult (on German railways an adult is a person aged 15 and over) can take up to four children aged 6 - 14 with them at no additional charge.
  • Tickets need to be booked for children aged 0 - 5, but there is no charge for them.
  • Those aged 65 and over can take journeys at a discounted rate.
  • Dogs, which are too large to be placed in pet carriers, require tickets which cost 50% of the adult rate.

When booking both types of the discounted 'Sparpreis' tickets seat reservations are an optional extra, so need to be added when booking if you want an assigned seat(s).

OBB from €39

OBB Guide

OBB is the national rail operator and its booking service offers journeys by express trains within Austria, as well as international journeys which don't involve making a connection outside of Austria.

It pays off to book online, as the discounted 'Sparscheine' tickets are only ever made available on the website, and when making international journeys to and from Austria, these Sparscheine tickets tend to be cheaper.
OBB can offer particularly good value for money when travelling with children on international rail journeys, but something to watch out for when travelling between Austria and Germany on daytime trains, is that reservations are an optional extra; but if you book 1st class tickets with the Germany railways website DB, the reservations are complimentary.

OBB often takes a unique approach to its booking path, but a key thing to keep in mind is that the first price you will see for any journey is that of a Second Class seat.
The costs of upgrading to first class, a reservation, or a sleeping cabin etc, is then added to this price.

Trainline from €39

Trainline Guide

Save A Train from €39.90

Save A Train Guide

Happy rail from €39.90

Happy rail Guide

Happy Rail is a Netherlands rail ticket agency which sells tickets for both national and international journeys within a range of countries including Belgium France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland.

HappyRail doesn't charge booking fees in the conventional sense, but if you're not Dutch you can expect to pay additional transaction fees, which will be added to the total cost.
That's because the most common form of online payment used in The Netherlands is 'iDEAL' and HappyRail doesn't charge a transaction fee for 'iDEAL' payments, but only Dutch residents can sign up to 'iDEAL'.
Other forms of payment include Visa debit cards will incur a fee.

On this journey

Journey Features

Scenic - YesRiver viewsHigh Speed (partial journey)

Good to Know

This is train is suspended from April 1st to Dec 9th due to maintenance work on the the high-speed line in Germany between Fulda and Kassel.
During this time connections will be available at Wurzburg from the ICE trains which head to Frankfurt (Main) and a direct train service to Hamburg will be available thanks to an extension of the daily ICE train to Berlin, though that train will have a journey time of 10hr 2mins.

Journey description:

From Wien/Vienna until Wels the train will travel at up to 230 km/h (close to the high speed threshold) on the main Western Railway which crosses Austria.

On departure from Wells the train will head towards the border with Germany and to the south of Passau, the railway takes a charming route on the east bank of The River Inn, which can be seen on left.

Then between Passau and Regensburg the River Danube is on the right.

Between Regensburg and Nurnberg the train rushes across a delightful rolling landscape and then until Wurzburg the train remains on the conventional railway.

On departure from Wurzburg comes a part of the journey with a wow factor, because between the stations until Hannover, the train will be travelling at more than 270 km/h for around 2hr 30mins.
The first high speed line in Germany was blasted through dozens of tunnels, but between many of them, the train will whizz across viaducts, so keep your eyes peeled to see the views.

Between Linz and Passau on the left #1 Between Linz and Passau on the left #1
Between Linz and Passau on the left #2 Between Linz and Passau on the left #2
Between Passau and Regensberg on the right #2 Between Passau and Regensberg on the right #2
Between Passau and Regensberg on the right #1 Between Passau and Regensberg on the right #1

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Option 2: Travel through the night on a Nightjet

Travel Information

This train is usually scheduled to depart from Wien Hbf at 20:13 and arrive in Hamburg Hbf at 08:47.

This train also departs from: Wien Meidling, St Polten and Linz (at 21:36)

This train also calls at: Hannover (arrives 06:49) and Hamburg-Dammtor

This train terminates at: Hamburg-Altona

1 x train per night

Tickets

Book early and save: Yes

This train is usually scheduled to depart from Vienna/Wien at 20:12 so target that time when looking up this journey.

Online bookings open:
6 months ahead of the travel date on OBB
3 months ahead of the travel date on DB Bahn

The choice of accommodation - summary:

  • Compartment Seats (Sitzwagen)
  • Couchettes (Liegewagen); 4 berths AND 6 berths
  • Standard sleeping cars (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins
  • Deluxe sleeping cars with showers (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins

Click the train guide below for more info including the rail pass reservation fees:

The first price you will see on the OBB ticketing site will be for the compartment seats.

Travelling with a rail pass:

Rail pass users must reserve before boarding this train.

However, these rail pass reservations can NO longer be booked online the DB website, but you can now book rail pass reservations without paying booking fees on the OBB website (OBB operates these trains).
Though the process for doing so isn't particularly obvious, hence the step-by-step guide.
If you'd rather not do so, rail pass reservations can be arranged and paid for at the ÖBB Reisebüro desk in Wien Hbf; ideally do this when you first arrive at Wien Hbf on the preceding train on your itinerary.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
Nightjet *

Nightjet Guide

Booking places in the sleeping cabins

When entering 2 travellers as 1 male and 1 female, you will automatically be given the option to book a 3-bed cabin for the sole use of the two of you - the 'double' cabin option.
So you will be in the cabin together with no other travellers.

3 men + 2 women or 3 women + 2 men = three beds in a triple cabin + two beds in a double cabin is what you will be offered, though the cabins will then be male and female only.
So if the combination of travellers is 1 male/female couple + 1 male/female couple and a child, you will need to make two separate bookings so that the two couples can each share a cabin.

When 4 Adults are travelling together you will be given the option of booking double or triple cabins.
If you select 'Double' you will automatically be assigned 4 beds in two double cabins.
Because the Triple cabins are segregated into male and female, when two women + two men are in the travel party, the two men will be sharing a triple compartment with another traveller, as will the two women
When 3 men + 1 woman or 3 women + 1 man are the travel party, the fourth person will then be sharing a three bed cabin with two other people.

OBB *

OBB Guide

OBB is the national rail operator and its booking service offers journeys by express trains within Austria, as well as international journeys which don't involve making a connection outside of Austria.

It pays off to book online, as the discounted 'Sparscheine' tickets are only ever made available on the website, and when making international journeys to and from Austria, these Sparscheine tickets tend to be cheaper.
OBB can offer particularly good value for money when travelling with children on international rail journeys, but something to watch out for when travelling between Austria and Germany on daytime trains, is that reservations are an optional extra; but if you book 1st class tickets with the Germany railways website DB, the reservations are complimentary.

OBB often takes a unique approach to its booking path, but a key thing to keep in mind is that the first price you will see for any journey is that of a Second Class seat.
The costs of upgrading to first class, a reservation, or a sleeping cabin etc, is then added to this price.

DB Bahn *

DB Bahn Guide

DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.

It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.

A key feature of DB website worth keeping mind is that it offers 1st class ticket purchasers complimentary seat reservations on journeys both within and to/from Germany.

Seat reservations for daytime in both 1st and 2nd class can also be booked separately from tickets.

On this journey

Journey Features

Night

Good to Know

On departure from Wien Hbf the coaches heading to Hamburg will be joined to another train heading to Amsterdam, so if you see 'Amsterdam on the departure screens, then the info will also be for this train.

Don't be concerned about joining the wrong part of the train, your reservations will be in the part of the train that will be heading to Hamburg.
And the train conductor will greet passengers travelling in the sleeping cabins.

Travelling on to Denmark by train:

A train on to Kobenhavn/Copenhagen is usually due to depart Hamburg at 08:55, just eight minutes after this train is scheduled to arrive.
Though outside the summer months, seat reservations aren't mandatory on that train, so if you'll be heading on to Demark and the train from Wien arrives on time, you can dash to make the connection.
Alternatively there is usually a train heading to Aarhus in Denmark, which is typically scheduled to depart from Hamburg shortly before 11:00; and this train offers a good connection at Kolding station into a train on to Kobenhavn.

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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.

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