Traveling by Train in Austria

If you come from the UK then traveling by train in Austria should be a welcome change to what you are used to since here the trains run more or less on time, the network is extensive and you are almost guaranteed a seat. This is especially impressive considering the Austrian rail network has to contend with the Alps being in the way and the British rail system does not.

Traveling by train in Austria is the best way to see the country if you do not have a car, but it is also quite expensive. The bus services tend to be slower, much less comfortable and not much cheaper. A complicated system of rail passes operates throughout the country which can greatly reduce the amount spent on train tickets and it operates in both national and regional varieties. It is worth investigating at the station or tourist information office for which pass suites your particular needs.

It is also worth noting that if you are making a long journey but breaking it into stages it is cheaper to buy one ticket since this will work out cheaper than buying several tickets for short journeys. You can simply jump off the train wherever you want and continue when you are ready. However, be sure to have the ticket stamped for the section of the journey only.

As with most countries, if you are traveling a long distance it is worth checking that you are on an express train because a stopping train will make the journey take twice as long as it otherwise would. This can be great for seeing the scenery in the Alps but sheer hell if you just want to get to your destination.

Trains with a letter C in the designation are the express trains. The C stands for city and is usually accompanied by an I for intercity, S for supercity or E for Eurocity. Trains with other letter designations will be moderately fast trains but with several stops, trains with no letter designation will stop anywhere and everywhere.

In Austria the rail network is divided into state owned and operated lines and private lines. Private lines are the small minority, usually branch lines such as the Jenback to Mayrhofen line. Usually this would make little or no difference to travelers but private lines often do not accept certain rail cards or passes. Check at the station to find out if your pass is valid for branch line routes.

For those inter-railing through Europe, Austria has very good connections with its neighbors. Prague can be reached either directly from Vienna or via Brno on a line that also runs to Warsaw. There are numerous lines into Germany, the fastest connection being the hourly Munich to Salzburg express. Travelers heading into the Balkans also have numerous choices southwards into Slovenia or through Italy.

Travelers looking for the more obscure European locations can also take a trip into Lichtenstein on the line running from Feldkirch to Zurich.

Photo of Austrian train at Graz train station originally posted by theowl84

Topic:  General Travel | 1 Comment
Tags:  Austria, transportation

About the author

Will Joce is a recent graduate from the London School of Economics who has a morbid fear of working in an office. As well as travelling and writing he has worked in the UK Parliament and as a press monitor. Refusing to follow advice and get a real job he will soon be beginning a Masters degree at St Petersburg State University