Top Tips on How to Travel by Train in Austria

The Beginner’s Guide on How to travel by Train in Austria

Our Austria Train Travel Guide includes all the essential information and tips for buying tickets, how to save money and take the confusion our of taking trains in Austria.

1. The main central train stations are known as Hauptbahnhof or Hbf.

Vienna’s Main train station is called Wien Hbf. Salzburg Main Train Station is Salzburg Hbf.

2. There are two train companies in Austria. Österreichische Bundesbahnen (ÖBB) is the National Train company. 

Click HERE for more information on ÖBB.

Westbahn is a private train company, connecting Vienna, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Bregenz, Rosenheim and Munich  

Click HERE for more information on Westbahn trains. 

3. Train tickets can be bought online or at the station. Tickets are typically cheaper if you book online before your travel date.
Tickets can be booked directly on the ÖBB website or the WESTbahn Website.

** We recommend not using a third party booking service such as Trainline, Omio etc- but to book directly with either ÖBB or Westbahn.

4. Make a seat reservation on ÖBB Trains (if possible).

Seat reservation are optional for long-distance and intercity ÖBB trains in Austria. You can travel without a seat reservation, but the risk is that you may have to stand at busy times.

• Seat reservations are from 3€ and can be made when you book your ticket or can be purchased later. Select ‘Seat only (no ticket)’ if you purchase your seat reservation later.
• Railjet (RJX and RJ) and Intercity (IC and EC) trains can reserve seats.
• Regional trains such as REX and R or S trains do not have seat reservations

5. Children travel cheaper on Trains.

On ÖBB trains: children 5 years and younger travel free; children 6-14 years travel at half price when accompanied by an adult.

On Westbahn Trains: accompanied children under the age of 6 travel free of charge; children up to the age of 15, you pay 2 euros per child per journey.

6. Discounts

Both ÖBB and Westbahn have various discount tickets.  The yearly Klimaticket is valid for both.  On ÖBB you can buy a yearly Vorteilscard (regular, youth and senior) to receive 50% discounts on train travel on both ÖBB and Westbahn. ÖBB Einfach Raus Tickets allow unlimited travel day ticket rail passes for groups of two to five passengers travelling together on local and regional trains.
Check the ÖBB website and the WESTbahn Website for the discount offers.

7. Bicycles You can take a bike on ÖBB and  WESTbahn trains.

ÖBB railjet  bicycle zone is in 2nd class of the ÖBB Railjet.You can buy your bicycle ticket up to six months in advance. On regional trains you can take your bicycle along if enough free spaces are available. On these trains, it is not possible to reserve a space for your bicycle.

Each WESTbahn train has 20 bicycle spaces, 16 of which can be reserved in advance. Bike reservations start at 4.90€ if booked online at least 3 hours before departure.    

8. The signs at the train stations, as well as the screens and announcements on the train, are in German and English. Most of the train staff can also speak English. Announcements in the station tend to only be in German .

9. There is no check-in and no barriers. You walk into the station, go to your track/platform and board your train. The train conductor will eventually check your ticket at your seat.

10. How do you find your platform? Check the main screens at the train station for train arrival times and platform numbers. In German Platform is Bahnsteig or Gleis.

11. How to find your train carriage. Check the booked carriage number on your ticket. You will also find this number on the electronic message boards at the entrance doors of the train.

At many stations, you can the “carriage position indicator” (information board) which tells you where (A-F) your carriage number will stop for each train.

HOWEVER do not worry if you get on the wrong carriage- you can walk through the train until you find your correct carriage and seat.

12. Luggage

There is no limit on the amount or weight of luggage that you can take on a train.  If you can carry it- you can bring it.
BUT there is limited luggage space on trains. For larger suitcases, luggage racks are generally at the ends and middle of the train compartment. Smaller luggage can be put in the overhead racks above or under your seat.

13. Connection times

Switching trains is relatively quick.

1. Monitor the onboard screens for your arrival. The screens will advise what platform your train arrives at and the departing platform.
2. At least one stop before your arrival, collect your luggage and go and stand in the vestibule ready for departure
3. Note: The train normally only stops for a few minutes at each station (unless at an Hbf), so be ready!
4. Disembark from the train, find your next platform (which may require walking down and upstairs) and step onto your next train.

It is recommended to have at least a minimum of 15-30 minutes between connections.

14. Passport Control on international trains will occur at the border (or slightly after) on board the train. Have your passport or European Union ID ready to show the border guards.

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