Prague to Vienna by Train
From Bohemia to the Imperial Capital

The journey begins at Praha hlavní nádraží, Prague's grand main station - a handsome building with an Art Nouveau hall by Josef Fanta, right in the centre of the city and directly on metro line C, so it is quick to reach from anywhere. It is the hub of Czech international rail, and both the Railjet and RegioJet to Vienna leave from here. Boarding is relaxed: there is no airport-style check-in, so arrive 15 to 20 minutes ahead, watch the boards for your platform and find your coach.

Pulling out of Prague, the train heads south-east and the city gives way quickly to open country. This is the start of a steady, comfortable run rather than a dramatic one - the appeal is the ease of it, settling in with a coffee as the Bohemian countryside begins to roll past the window and the journey between the two capitals gets under way.

The first half of the journey crosses Bohemia and into Moravia. The line runs through gently rolling farmland - fields, woods, ponds and small towns with their church towers - calling at Pardubice, the old horse-country town on the Elbe, and Česká Třebová before threading the low hills that divide the two historic lands. It is quiet, pastoral country rather than dramatic scenery, and it slips by comfortably at speed.

Brno, roughly the midpoint, is the capital of Moravia and the Czech Republic's second city - a lively university town with a handsome centre, the Spilberk castle on its hill and a strong cafe culture, and a worthwhile stop in its own right. Almost every fast train calls here, and it is the junction where routes fan out across Moravia and toward Slovakia. Beyond Brno the character of the land begins to change as the train turns south toward the border and the vineyards.

This has been a road between Prague and Vienna for centuries; the modern Railjet simply makes the crossing between the two capitals in an afternoon.

South of Brno the train runs down through South Moravia, the warmest and greenest corner of the Czech Republic and its wine country - a landscape of low vine-covered hills, orchards and villages that feels a world away from the Bohemian plains. The last Czech town is Břeclav, an important railway junction close to the point where the Czech, Austrian and Slovak borders meet, set among the vineyards and the wetland forests along the Dyje and Morava rivers.

Here the train crosses from the Czech Republic into Austria, and in practice you would hardly notice. Both countries are in the Schengen area, so there are normally no passport controls and the train does not stop at the border for checks - the clearest sign of the crossing is the switch in station signs and the language of the announcements. It is worth knowing, though, that temporary checks can occasionally be introduced on this corridor, so carry a valid passport or national ID card and keep it reachable, just in case.

Across the border the line runs down through the Weinviertel - literally the "wine quarter" - the gently rolling wine country that fills the north-east corner of Lower Austria. It is open, agricultural country of vineyards, cellars and small market towns, the kind of quiet, comfortable landscape that makes for easy travelling as the journey enters its final stage. The train calls at Gänserndorf and runs on across the Marchfeld plain toward the capital.

As Vienna approaches, the country gives way to suburbs and the railway threads in toward the city, crossing the Danube's side channels and joining the busy approaches to the Hauptbahnhof. After the long, calm run down from Prague, the arrival into one of Europe's great capitals feels like a fitting finish - and Wien Hauptbahnhof puts the whole city within easy reach.

Wien Hauptbahnhof is Vienna's main station, a bright modern hub opened in 2015 just south of the historic centre, and one of the best-connected stations in central Europe. It is fully equipped and step-free, and it makes arriving easy: U-Bahn line U1 runs directly beneath it into the heart of the city, trams and S-Bahn lines stop outside, and there are direct trains to Vienna Airport. Whatever you are doing in Vienna, the Hauptbahnhof is a simple place to start.

The city opens up quickly from here. The Belvedere Palace and its gardens are only about a 10 minute walk from the station; the U1 carries you in a few minutes to Stephansplatz, in the middle of the old city beneath the great spire of St Stephen's Cathedral; and the grand Ringstrasse, with the opera, the museums and the Hofburg, circles the historic core a short ride or a 20 to 25 minute walk away. Vienna is a city built for walking once you are inside the Ring, and the tram and U-Bahn network handles everything else.

This corridor is served by two good operators, both direct between the main stations. The ČD/ÖBB Railjet is the joint flagship of Czech Railways and the Austrian national operator: a modern, quiet train with Economy, First and Business classes, a dining car, wifi and optional reservations, running up to around nine times a day. RegioJet is the well-known private operator, running frequent trains with its own distinctive style - tiered classes from low-cost to Business, included refreshments and at-seat service, and compulsory seat reservations. Journey times are close, so the choice is less about speed than about frequency, class and the onboard experience you want.

Railjet may suit you if you want a national-operator train with a dining car, an optional (not compulsory) reservation, or a straightforward onward ÖBB connection in Vienna. RegioJet may suit you if you like its cabins and included refreshments, or its timetable lands better for your day. For pass holders, both accept Interrail and Eurail - but note the reservation difference: none required on the Railjet, compulsory and paid on RegioJet. Neither is universally better; pick on your timetable, your budget and your taste.

It is honest to set expectations here: Prague to Vienna is a comfortable international corridor rather than a scenic railway. This is not an Alpine route - there are no mountains or river gorges - but a steady run across gently rolling country. What you get through the window is a quietly changing landscape: the farmland, woods and small towns of Bohemia, the city of Brno, and then the vineyards of South Moravia and the Weinviertel in Lower Austria, greener and warmer as you head south.

The pleasure is in the ease and the sense of crossing from one country and one great capital to another, not in dramatic views, and there is no strongly preferred side of the train - the countryside is much the same to left and right. Travel by daylight if you can, enjoy the gentle scenery of the wine country in the second half, and treat the journey as a relaxed, civilised way to travel rather than a sightseeing ride in itself.

Vienna is one of the most important railway hubs in Europe - the historic meeting point of routes between west and east, north and south, and the centre of the Austrian network. From Wien Hauptbahnhof, where you arrive, frequent trains fan out across Austria and the continent, which makes carrying on simple. Most onward services leave from the same Hauptbahnhof, so connections are easy, though it is worth checking whether an international train needs a reservation.

Reach Vienna and central Europe opens up: Bratislava and Budapest to the east, Salzburg and Innsbruck to the west, and the Alps and Italy beyond.

Reservations depend on the operator. On the ČD/ÖBB Railjet a seat reservation is optional - worth adding on busy weekends and holidays, but not required to travel. On RegioJet a reservation is compulsory, and every ticket comes with an assigned seat. For pass holders, Interrail and Eurail are accepted on both: no reservation needed on the Railjet, while RegioJet requires a compulsory paid seat reservation even with a pass, bookable online, at the station or from the onboard crew. For the wider picture, see the rail passes and seat reservations guides linked below.

Luggage is easy on both: there is no strict weight limit for normal bags - you carry them aboard yourself and use the overhead shelves and the larger racks near the doors - so board a few minutes early on busy departures and keep valuables with you. Bikes need more planning: a full bicycle needs a bike ticket and a reservation for one of the limited spaces on both operators, while a folded or bagged bike travels as luggage. On the border, remember that both countries are in Schengen, so there are normally no passport checks, but carry valid ID in case of occasional temporary controls.

On accessibility, both Praha hlavní nádraží and Wien Hauptbahnhof are large, well-equipped stations with lifts and step-free routes to the platforms, and the Railjet and RegioJet trains have accessible spaces and toilets. Even so, do not assume every train and platform is equally straightforward - for guaranteed boarding help, ČD, ÖBB and RegioJet all offer assistance that should be booked in advance. Accessibility depends on the specific train, platform and station, so arranging help ahead is the reliable approach.