Vienna to Salzburg by Train
Austria's Classic Westbound Journey

The single most useful thing to know about this route is that Vienna has two main stations on it, and your train uses one or the other depending on the operator. Wien Hauptbahnhof is the city's principal long-distance station, opened in 2015 south of the centre, and it is where ÖBB Railjet services to Salzburg generally start. Wien Westbahnhof is the older station west of the centre, the historic head of the Westbahn line, and it is where most WESTbahn trains to Salzburg begin - although some WESTbahn services also call at Wien Hauptbahnhof and other city stations along the way.

The practical point is simple: check the station printed on your ticket before you set off, because the two stations are a genuine journey apart, not a same-platform transfer. Both are well connected to Vienna's public transport - Wien Hauptbahnhof sits on U-Bahn line U1 and many trams and S-Bahn lines, and Wien Westbahnhof is on U3 and U6 - so reaching either is easy, but allow time if you find yourself at the wrong one. Boarding is relaxed either way: there is no airport-style check-in, so arriving 15 to 20 minutes ahead is plenty to find your platform and coach.

Out of Vienna the fast trains take the modern high-speed line, dropping into the long Wienerwald tunnel and emerging in the Tullnerfeld, the wide farmland north-west of the city. Within about 25 minutes they reach St Pölten, the capital of Lower Austria and the first main stop - a compact provincial city that most Salzburg services pause at briefly before pressing on. The pace here is quiet and quick: this is the new, straightened alignment built for speed, and the landscape slides past at up to 230 km/h.

Beyond St Pölten the line runs on across open, gently rolling Lower Austria - fields, market towns and church spires, with the low hills of the Alpine foreland building away to the south. WESTbahn trains call at Amstetten and other towns along here; the fast Railjets run straight through. It is not dramatic scenery so much as a calm, spacious prelude, the country steadily opening out as you head west toward the Danube and Upper Austria.

This is the everyday spine of Austria - the line that has carried travellers west from Vienna since the age of the emperors, now covered before you have finished your coffee.

Roughly the midpoint of the run is Linz, the capital of Upper Austria and the country's third-largest city, set on the Danube where the river swings through its broad valley. Almost every fast train stops here, and the corridor draws close to the great river on the approach - Linz is a working industrial and cultural city, home to the Ars Electronica centre and a lively riverside, and a worthwhile stop or interchange in its own right. From its Hauptbahnhof there are connections south into the Alps and north toward the Czech border.

West of Linz the line continues through Wels, an old Roman town and a busy junction, and on across the flat, fertile country of Upper Austria. WESTbahn services call at Wels, Attnang-Puchheim and Vöcklabruck along here - Attnang-Puchheim in particular is the junction for the Salzkammergut lakes and for Hallstatt. The fast Railjets keep going, but the geography is telling you something: the land is beginning to lift, and the first real hills of the Alpine foreland are closing in ahead.

The last stretch is the one that changes the mood. As the train runs west of Attnang-Puchheim the flat farmland gives way to rising, wooded country, and on a clear day the wall of the Alps builds along the southern horizon - the Salzkammergut peaks and, closer in, the mountains that ring Salzburg itself. The line curves toward the Salzach valley, and the sense of arriving somewhere scenic, at the edge of the high country, grows with every few minutes.

Then Salzburg Hauptbahnhof slides alongside and the journey is done. You have crossed most of Austria, from the flat Danube basin of the capital to the foot of the mountains, and the difference is written on the landscape outside the window. For the best of the approaching view the southern side of the train - on your left travelling west - tends to face the mountains, though scenery, direction and weather all vary by service, so treat it as a preference rather than a promise.

This is one of the few major European routes with real head-to-head competition, and both options are good. ÖBB Railjet (and the faster RJX) is the national operator's flagship: modern, quiet, with Economy, First and Business classes, a dining car, wifi and quiet zones, running from Wien Hauptbahnhof. WESTbahn is the independent challenger, running distinctive double-deck trains mostly from Wien Westbahnhof, with open seating, onboard WESTcafés, power and wifi, and a simple, friendly feel. Journey times are close - both take roughly 2h 25m to 2h 30m direct - so the choice is less about speed than about where you start and what you value.

ÖBB Railjet may suit you if you are connecting through Wien Hauptbahnhof, travelling on an ÖBB through-ticket, continuing onward within the ÖBB network, or want a reserved seat and a proper dining car. WESTbahn may suit you if you are closer to Wien Westbahnhof, like its double-deck layout and cafés, or simply find its departure lands best for your day. Crucially for many readers, Interrail and Eurail passes are accepted on both, with no compulsory reservation on either - so a pass holder can take whichever train comes next. Neither is universally better; pick on your Vienna station, your pass, and your timetable.

Salzburg Hauptbahnhof is the city's main station, handsomely rebuilt behind its historic iron trainshed, and it sits north-east of the historic centre rather than right in it. It is a comfortable arrival - staffed, step-free, with lifts to the platforms, shops and left-luggage - and it is the hub for connections across Austria and into neighbouring Germany. The Old Town is close but not on the doorstep, so it is worth knowing your options for the last stretch into the centre.

On foot, the Mirabell Gardens are about a 10 to 15 minute walk, and the heart of the Old Town around Getreidegasse - Mozart's birthplace - is roughly 1.6 km, about a 20 minute walk down Rainerstrasse and through the gardens, a pleasant route that takes in the Mirabell parterres on the way. If you would rather not walk, the city's trolleybuses (Obus) stop right outside: lines such as 1, 2 and 3 run into the centre and toward Mirabellplatz and the river in a few minutes. The Salzach river, which divides the newer town from the Old Town beneath the fortress, is a short way south of the station.

Salzburg is far more than the end of the line - it is one of the best-placed hubs in the eastern Alps, and much of what makes the region reachable passes through its Hauptbahnhof. Some connections are fast, frequent and direct; others, especially into the Salzkammergut lakes, need a regional train and sometimes a bus or ferry, so it is worth checking each before you set out. The table below is a practical starting point rather than a promise of a direct train to every destination.

For Hallstatt in particular, do not expect a Vienna-style intercity train from the city centre: the usual routing is a regional service, commonly changing at Attnang-Puchheim, to Hallstatt station on the eastern shore, followed by the short ferry across the lake to the village - scenic, but a project of a couple of hours each way. A seasonal Postbus alternative also runs. Either way, treat Hallstatt as a full day out from Salzburg rather than a quick hop.

Reservations are relaxed on this route. On ÖBB Railjet a seat reservation is optional - never required to travel, but worth adding on busy summer weekends and around holidays for peace of mind. WESTbahn uses open seating, so you simply board and sit where you like. For pass holders it could hardly be simpler: Interrail and Eurail are accepted on both ÖBB Railjet and WESTbahn, with no compulsory reservation on either, so you can take whichever train comes next. For the wider picture, see the rail passes and seat reservations guides linked below.

Luggage is easy: there is no strict weight limit for normal bags on either operator - you carry them aboard yourself and use the overhead shelves and the larger racks near the doors. Board a few minutes early on busy departures to find space, keep valuables with you, and try not to block the aisles or doorways. Bikes need a little more planning and the rules differ by operator: ÖBB Railjet carries full bicycles in a small number of dedicated spaces (around six per train) that need a bike ticket and a reservation, while WESTbahn carries them with a bike ticket - cheaper booked in advance than paid on board - in limited spaces. A folded or bagged bike counts as luggage on both.

On accessibility, both stations are modern and step-free with lifts to the platforms, and both operators run largely level-access trains - WESTbahn's double-deckers are low-floor with wide doors, and ÖBB Railjet has accessible spaces and toilets. Even so, do not assume every train and platform is equally straightforward: for guaranteed boarding help, ÖBB's mobility service should be booked in advance (typically several hours ahead for domestic journeys, more for the busiest stations), and WESTbahn can arrange assistance too. Accessibility depends on the specific train, platform and station, so arranging help ahead is the reliable approach.