How to take a train journey from Wien/Vienna to Zagreb

On this route via Graz, the now required connection allows 10 mins to change trains.
So ShowMeTheJourney is assuming that this connection will be guaranteed, as it will be fairly pointless for the train on to Zagreb to depart from Graz on time, if this train from Wien / Vienna is running late.
An alternative is to depart Wien Hbf on a train to Graz, which will be leaving an hour earlier.

Book early and save: Yes*

Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date

Note that despite this currently being a two train journey with a connection in Graz, the Austrian booking service OBB, manages the ticket booking as though it is still a direct service, so its terms apply to both trains.

Discounted tickets

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.

We found that they tend to be available fairly randomly on this route Vienna/Wien to Zagreb, which matters as you can save more than €50 compared to the standard price.
So try and be flexible re: your travel dates.
Unfortunately booking early, doesn't seem to guarantee that the discounted will be available on the day, that you want to make the journey.

If you wait and book on the day of travel at Wien Hbf, then you will have to pay the full 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.

Refunds / Exchanges

• Sparscheine tickets = cannot be refunded or exchanged at all.
• Sparscheine Komfort tickets = can be cancelled free of charge up to 15 days ahead of the journey, but if you cancel it with 15 days left to go, you'll receive up to* 50% of what you paid for it
• 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.

Seat reservations / Using rail passes

Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets, but rail pass users will need to be pay a reservation fee prior to boarding.
And there won't be time to arrange this in Graz.

Child tickets

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

This routing is around 2hr 30mins longer than the journey via Graz, but if you take the train which typically departs from Wien Hbf at 08:18, you can be in Zagreb shortly after 17:00 - the train on from Graz isn't usually scheduled to arrive in the Croatian capital until 20:45.

Though the connecting time between trains in Villach will be 10 minutes, so won't allow time for contingency in the event of a delay.

Book early and save: Yes*

Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date