Travel from Vienna to Salzburg by train on a sightseeing tour

Austria is approximately 660 kilometers long from west to east. Vienna is on the country's eastern edge, while Salzburg is in the north-central part. The distance between Vienna and Salzburg is about 300 kilometers (190 miles) and it takes around 2 hours and 40 minutes by train or 3.5 hours by car. Vienna is the most popular destination for visitors due to its status as Austria's cultural, historical, and business center and the country's central transportation hub. 

Looking to get from Vienna to Salzburg? The easiest and most affordable way is by train. There are two companies in Austria that provide rail transportation: the state-owned ÖBB and the private Westbahn Railways. The ÖBB Rail Jet departs from Vienna's central station, Wien Hauptbahnhof. The carriages are colored red and divided into classes 1 and 2. You can reserve seats for an additional fee of 8 euros, and there is a restaurant car and free Wi-Fi throughout the train. If traveling with children, you can choose a family carriage, which shows cartoons and provides free board games. Trains travel at speeds of 200-230 km/h and usually take an average of 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach Salzburg. 

Tickets can be purchased in advance on oebb.at, at the train station ticket office or at ticket machines. You can also purchase tickets directly on the train, but they will be more expensive. The discount offered on ÖBB tickets is called Sparschiene. You can receive a discount of up to 50% on the ticket price, but you must travel on a specific train at a particular time and cannot refund such a ticket. You can take any train on the same day with a regular ticket. The earlier you book your ticket, the greater your chance of receiving a discount on Sparschiene. The ticket price from Vienna to Salzburg varies from 40 to 130 euros depending on the type of train, carriage class, and Sparschiene discount. The train departs from Vienna Airport SCHWECHAT and stops at Vienna's central station, providing a direct connection between Vienna Airport and Salzburg.

The Westbahn, also known as Western Railways, departs from Wien Westbahnhof's west station. The trains have a distinctive white-blue-green coloring and offer clean and comfortable carriages. On-board amenities include Wi-Fi, power sockets, and USB connectors. Tickets for Westbahn can be purchased online at westbahn.at, and purchasing directly on the train will cost an additional 5 euros. Reserving seats costs an extra 8 euros. There are ticket machines and one Westbahn ticket office at Vienna West Train Station (Westbahnhof). A one-way ticket from Vienna to Salzburg with Westbahn costs 60 euros if purchased on the official website of westbahn.at (prices as of 2024). If purchased from the conductor on the train, the cost is 65 euros. A train ride from Salzburg through Linz to Vienna takes approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes. After a stop in Salzburg, Westbahn trains go nonstop to Munich. The journey from Vienna to Munich costs 105 euros (price as of 2024) and takes 4 hours.

Tourists often visit Salzburg from Vienna for just one day, leaving little time to explore the city. To help visitors make the most of their short stay, I offer an exciting sightseeing tour of Salzburg starting directly from the central station, where we can meet at the entrance to the SPAR grocery store in the main hall.

There are several options for one-day visitors:

1. A 2-2.5 hour classic walking tour of Salzburg, which is light and informative, providing everything needed for a first-time visit to Salzburg.

2. For those interested in a more detailed exploration of Salzburg, the city tour can be extended with a visit to Mozart's birthplace and Fortress Hohensalzburg, lasting a duration of 3.5-4 hours.

3. I can take you on a car & walking tour where we first drive around the historic sites outside the city center and then explore the old town on foot for 1.5 hours. During the tour, I will share some interesting facts about Salzburg's history. We will explore Hellbrunn and Leopoldskron palaces, and visit Hangar-7, where the Flying Bulls aircraft exhibition is held. If you're a fan of the Sound of Music movie, I will highlight some of the locations featured in the film. The entire tour will take approximately 3.5 to 4 hours.

4. The Tour of Salzburg + Lake District of Salzkammergut takes an entire day and includes a trip to Hallstatt, which can end at the nearest train station on the way to Vienna.

The cost of each tour depends on the program, duration, and number of participants. Please send me your request, and I will provide you with a description and price proposal as soon as possible.

 Tags: Sightseeing transfers SALZBURG - VIENNA, Munich - Salzburg by train to the sightseeing tour,