From Vienna to Salzburg and back

How cheap and comfortable ride between Vienna (Center or Airport) and Salzburg? Trains, airplanes, shuttle service, car rental – which important nuances have every way? What is the most cheapeless way? Read the answers in this article.

Distance between Vienna and Salzburg

Distance between cities – 300 kilometers. Card with a route on the vehicles, see the right, click on the map to enlarge.

Distance in a straight line – 250 kilometers.

Cities connect the federal route "West AutoBahn" (A1). This is the first autoban in Austria, he began to build him immediately after the Austria of the Nazi Germany (1938), and opened the construction then Adolf Hitler. Finished building only in 1967.

Despite the loud name "Autoban", the track A1 is not as high-speed as the autobahn in Germany. Speed ​​limit – 130 kilometers per hour.

Vienna-Salzburg Railway Branch is called "Westbahn", it passes in parallel highway A1.

Unfortunately, Westbahn Railway is still low-speed. In many areas there are only two gates. Now there is a completion of two more and updating paths. After the update, high-speed trains will be able to walk here (up to 250 kilometers per hour), and time in the way of Vienna Salzburg will be reduced to 1.5 hours. When it will be? Exactly unknown. However, it is known that in March 2019, the Austrians declared the intention to buy for Westbahn new high-speed compositions in China (CRRC Company), delivery time – 2021.

The train is the cheapest and popularity of tourists a way to get there, so with him and start.

Option 1 – train

This is the most convenient and affordable way, but provided that you will buy the right tickets to the right train and in advance. There are a lot of nuances, so we will tell in the most detailed.

&# 214; BB – Austrian Federal Railways

From Vienna Trains depart from Wien Hauptbahnhof (Main Vienna Station), located next to the station of the Vienna Metro "Hauptbahnhof" ("Hawbahnhof") on a branch U1 (Red). Look at the metro scheme in Russian Language in our article "Metro Vienna".

From Salzburg Train depart from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (Salzburg Train Station) in the city center.

There are many trains – more than 20 per day, go from 5-30 am and until midnight. Tickets are best to buy on the official website of the railway Austria www.OEBB.AT. The site has no version in Russian, use a roadbliver in the browser, will be more or less clear.

If you are traveling from Vienna airport

There are direct trains from Vienna Airport (Flughafen Wien Bahnhof) to Salzburg. There are many such trains. When buying tickets on the site, enter the place of departure of Flughafen Wien Bahnhof.

From the airport building there is a direct passage to the railway station, just go by signs.

But remember that the aircraft may be late. Buy non-return tickets in this case risky. Better buy ticket Flexibilit&# 228; T (with an open date) or buy a regular ticket in place at the checkout. In any case, the price is less than 50 euros do not wait.

Tickets are several types

The cheapest is called "ReserveVierung". Such a ticket simply reserves the place, but does not allow the right to go on the train. For travel, it will be either you will need to buy a ticket to the ticket office, or you need a passroad Eurail Pass or a similar.

An ordinary ticket is called "Sparschiene". This is an economy class ticket, it is non-returnable, and from this most affordable.

Attention! The remaining more expensive tickets are the same, but only with the possibility of returning and (or) open dota or time.

If you want to travel with comfort, then you need to buy options, usually on the site they immediately shown below. Reservation of space – 3 Euros, place of business or first class – from 40 to 60 euros.

What train to choose

Express RJX is the best option. Travel time: 2 hours 25 minutes.

Normal RJ is also acceptable. Travel time: 3 hours.

EXPRESS ICE 90 (Intercity Express Vienna Hamburg), ICE 92 (Vienna Berlin), ICE 28, 228 (Vienna-Frankfurt) are bad options. They take away only to Linz, and then you need to transplane the usual train. Travel time: more than 4 hours.

Prices for tickets

Ticket price – from 19 to 100 euros. Prices are formed dynamically, and also depend on the time of departure.

The most important principle! To go to RJX for 19 euros, you need to buy tickets on the site and in advance, better in 2 weeks.

If you buy at the checkout (or automatic) before serving the train or on the site today or tomorrow, it is unlikely to get the price below 40 euros, and most often 50-60.

Children under 6 years old – free.

Children from 6 to 15 years – Half prices.

Discounts in &# 214; BB VorteilScard

&# 214; BB Vorteilscard is a special discount card at which you can buy train tickets for 50% of the price. Price of the card itself – from 66 euros.

Profitable will buy it or not? A difficult question depends on how many times you will enjoy trains in Austria. For one trip Vienna-Salzburg is definitely not profitable, even for a trip there is still not profitable.

If you ride a lot and decided to buy VorteilScard, then register on the OEBB website.AT and buy.

Alternative options

Westbahn trains walk from Vienna with Wien Westbahnhof (Vienna Station), which at Westbahnhof station (Westbahnhof) at the intersection of branches U3 (orange) and U6 (brown).

There are many trains – about 30 a day. Travel price – from 19 euros. Tickets can be bought on the official website of Westbahn.AT

Flixtrain does not work in Austria. However, they sell tickets on the route Vienna Salzburg on their website Flixtrain.Com. These are tickets on Westbahn trains.

Option 2 – plane

Despite the distance of only 300 kilometers, Austrian Airlines flies between Vienna and Salzburg. Flight time – 50 minutes. Flight price – from 200 euros.

These flights exist for transfers to Salzburg. They are for those tourists who cannot fly to Salzburg direct flight, it is more convenient to fly with a transfer than to go out in Vienna and get to the train.

Option 3 – taxi or transfer

Travel price – from 200 euros. Austria employs a lot of transfer companies. Search on the Internet, and if you find the price of 200-230 euros, then this is a good price.

Option 4 – bus

Direct buses no. Looks like the train won a unconditional victory.

Option 5 – rented car

Car rental price in Austria – from 40 euros per day.

If you want to take the car in Vienna and return to Salzburg (or vice versa), you will still have to search the company that is possible. Many maybe, but subject to rent at least 3 or 5 days.

Travel time – about 3 hours. The route is very simple – by the federal highway A1.

The trip Vienna Salzburg has an important nuance. Travel on the highway A1 paid. Be sure to ask the auto-land company, whether there is an auto pass on the paid track (Vignette). If not, buy yourself on any refueling, the price is 9.2 euros for 10 days. Next stick this sticker on the windshield from the inside. What does Vignette look like, look at the photo next, click on the photo to enlarge.

If the police caught on the track without stickers, then fine – 120 euros. If you bought, but not stuck, then fine – 120 euros. Such rules.

Several important tips

– Westbahn has tickets even by 13.99 euros. But this is an advertising move to write "Tickets from 13.99" everywhere. In reality, they exist, but only when booking through the site, only in advance, only a few uncomfortable trains;

– if you travel your family or company, then &# 214; BB is a convenient group ticket "Einfach-Raus-Ticket". The price depends on the number of passengers, for example, 46 euros for 5 people. Carefully read the terms of use!

– In some holidays, trains can be crowded. List, calendar, description and features of the holidays, read in our article "Holidays in Austria";

– Vienna to the station can be reached by metro. But in Salzburg, most likely have to move on a taxi. Exact tariffs See our article "Taxi in Austria".

Have a good holiday in Austria, and read our interesting articles about this country (List of articles below).