From Vienna to Salzburg by Train
There is an excellent train connection from Vienna to Salzburg, making it the best way to travel between these two magnificent Austrian cities.
Below, you can see what travelling by train from Vienna to Salzburg is like and how to book tickets.
Train travel in Austria
Austria is a fantastic country to explore by train, as I have discussed at length in my Substack on Austrian train travel.
Trains are modern, services run frequently, on-board comfort is excellent, and you can reach almost every corner of the country.
When travelling from Vienna to Salzburg, taking the train is clearly the best option, as it takes you directly from the heart of the Austrian capital to the city renowned for Mozart and the Sound of Music.
The modern and fast Railjet, the flagship tarin of ÖBB, the Austrian Federal Railways. ©AndyBTravels
Vienna to Salzburg by train
The rail distance from Vienna to Salzburg is 311 kilometres (193 miles), with the fastest trains covering the route in 2 hours and 25 minutes.
For travel between Vienna and Salzburg, you can choose between train services operated by ÖBB, the Austrian Federal Railways, and its private competitor, Westbahn.
ÖBB runs both its premium high-speed Railjet trains and InterCity services on the route, while Westbahn operates modern double-deck InterCity trains.
If you are travelling with ÖBB, your journey will begin at Wien Hbf, Vienna’s main railway station, which has excellent transport connections by metro, tram, bus, or suburban train to all parts of the city.
Westbahn trains, on the other hand, use Wien Westbahnhof as departure station, which is also centrally located and has excellent public transport links.
Trains between Vienna and Salzburg generally stop at St Pölten and Linz.
Salzburg Hbf is the city’s main railway station and your arrival point.
From there, Salzburg’s old town is just a 20 to 30-minute walk away.
A Westbahn train at Salzburg Hbf stands ready to depart for Vienna. ©Paliparan
Book tickets
A handy website for comparing departure times and fares for both ÖBB and Westbahn trains is Omio.
This reliable booking site can also book all your Austrian tickets, as well as tickets for other rail journeys across Europe.
Use the search tool below to find the best connection for your travel date.
Interrail or Eurail
Interrail and Eurail passes are accepted by both ÖBB and Westbahn.
For ÖBB trains, making a seat reservation is optional, but recommended if you travel on Fridays or Mondays, during the high summer season, or around national holidays.
It is also recommended if you are travelling as a family or small group and want to ensure you are seated together.
You can do this on the ÖBB website by clicking “seat reservation only” when booking your ticket.
For Westbahn trains, a seat reservation is also optional.
Note that Interrail or Eurail first class passes are valid only for Standard Class (2nd class) on Westbahn, as a surcharge is required to upgrade to Comfort or First Class.
You can make a seat reservation or pay the Interrail/Eurail upgrade fee for Westbahn trains here.
Conclusion
The train is the best way to travel from Vienna to Salzburg, with the fastest Railjet services taking just over 2 hours.
ÖBB, the Austrian Federal Railways, operates most trains on this route, but the private competitor Westbahn also runs services and may be worth considering too.
