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How to take a train journey from Wien/Vienna to München/Munich
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Wien / Vienna to München / Munich by train
Despite the comparatively short distance it's possible to travel by day or night when taking the train from Wien/Vienna to München/Munich.
The first daytime train of the morning, is usually scheduled to arrive in München/Munich around 10:00, but the overnight train will take you there in time for breakfast, with an arrival before 06:30.
There are also now two options for travelling during the day by train as Westbahn services now provide an alternative to travelling on the Railjet trains and they also depart from a different station in Wien/Vienna.
Routes you can take to go from Wien / Vienna to München / Munich
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?
Route Information
Option 1: travelling by Raijet
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
4hr 15min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
7 x trains per day
Trains depart every other hour
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
Other Ticket Providers
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 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).
Save A Train Guide
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.
Travel Information
Final Destination: Munchen Hbf (or Frankfurt)
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.
These trains heading to Munchen are usually joined to other trains heading for Bregenz on departure from Wien Hbf.
The two trains are then separated from each other on arrival at Salzburg.
So if you haven't reserved, take care that you're boarding the part of the train which will be heading to Munchen.
These trains also call at: Salzburg
Arriving in München / Munich
These Railjet trains do not call at Munchen Ost station.
They are also now scheduled to arrive in the part of München Hbf station designated München Hbf Gl.5-10, which is a 2 - 3 minute wall away from the main station concourse.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
The Railjet trains used on this route are branded 'Railjet Express' and can be listed as 'RJX' services on departure screens and timetables.
Though travelling on these trains is no different to travelling by any other Railjet.
ShowMeTheJourney has seen multiple reports that border checks are being carried out on these trains at Freilassing station, which is the first station over the border in Germany, shortly after departure from Salzburg.
Fifteen minutes is usually assigned for these border checks, but the reports state that they are often taking more than an hour, which is leading to late arrivals into Munchen - so keep this is in mind if you will be making onward connection from Munchen Hbf.
This is a pleasant rather than wonderful journey, the best of the views are between Linz and Salzburg - so you won't miss out on a fabulous travel experience if you opt to take the overnight train.
Tickets
Online bookings open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date
This booking period tends to be shorter when looking up journeys between mid August and mid October.
It can be worth comparing prices on the different ticket agents, the cheapest 'Europa Super Sparpreis' 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.
Booking on the OBB website
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.
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.
Seat reservations are optional, but they're particularly recommended for this journey.
Booking on the DB website
Three types of tickets are always available: Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa and Flexpreis Europa.
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
- Super Sparpreis tickets are cheapest, but they can't be refunded at all.
- Sparpreis tickets can be refunded for a fee, but the refund will be in the form of travel vouchers to be used for alternative / future journeys.
- Flexpreis tickets can be refunded at no additional charge.
The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but the Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.
Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
When travelling to and from the major cities, the Sparpreis and Flexpreis tickets also include 'City tickets', which can be used on public transport on from Munchen Hbf.
To see all the combinations of trains and journey options, some of which may be cheaper, take off the 'fastest connections' default.
1st Class tickets
No matter what type of ticket booked, if you choose to travel 1st class, you will have access to the same seating areas on the train, ICE trains do not have Business or Executive lounges.
Though only those who have booked 1st class Flexpreis or Flexpreis Plus tickets can access the DB Lounges at the major stations.
Seat reservations
Seat reservations are optional on ICE trains.
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 when first booking, 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.
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.
Child tickets:
Adults (aged 15 and over) booking discounted 'Sparscheine tickets' can take up to four children aged 14 and under with them at no additional cost.
Route Information
Option 2: travelling by Westbahn
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
4hr 3min
Frequency
3 - 6 x trains per day (see the notes below)
Travel Info
Until Aug 1st:
Mon - Friday = 4 x trains per day
Saturday = 3 x trains
Sunday = 4 x trains
From Aug 2nd:
Mon - Saturday = 6 x trains per day
Sunday = 5 x trains
Purchase Tickets
Travel Information
Final Destination: Munchen Hbf
These trains also call at: Munchen Ost
The alternative Railjet services do not call at Munchen Ost, but if your final destination is located by Marienplatz or Isator stations in Munchen/Munich city centre, you will save around 20 mins by making a connection into local cross-city trains at Munchen Ost instead of at Munchen Hbf
Departing from Wien/Vienna:
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.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Tickets
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:
- For these cross-border journeys Westbahn offers complimentary seat reservations when booking online
- Tickets can be cancelled/refunded up to one day before the travel date
- Book any ticket and you can take up to four children who are family members and aged 14 and under for €1 per child.
Route Information
Option 3: travelling by EuroNight
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
7hr 17min
Frequency
Nightly
Travel Info
1 x train per night
Purchase Tickets
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 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.
Travel Information
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Wien Hbf at around 23:30 and arrive in Munchen Hbf at 06:10 - note the exceptionally early arrival time.
Final Destination: Stuttgart Hbf
This train also calls at: Munchen Ost
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
On departure from Wien Hbf, this train heading to Munchen/Munich will usually be attached to another train which will be heading to Zurich.
There's no need to be concerned about this as your reservation will be in the correct part of the train, but if you see Zurich as a destination on the departure info at the station, then the info will almost certainly also apply to the Munchen train.
Tickets
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 have commenced its journey in Budapest.
OBB Nightjets are not used on this route.
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)
The first price you will see on the OBB ticketing site will be for the compartment seats.
Click the train info below for more info including the rail pass reservation fees:
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 Austria, the best option is to pay a booking fee and use the Eurail or InterRail reservation services.
If you would rather not do this, 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.
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