Train Travel in Austria
Sit back, relax – and enjoy the (green) ride

Sit back and relax as you glide past some of Austria’s most scenic routes, leaving behind the stress of busy roads, and the noise of airplanes up above, all while minimising your carbon footprint. Train travel becomes more popular by the year. A 2025 survey by rail manufacturer Hitachi Rail found that almost half the respondents in Europe and North America intend to travel more by train and less by plane in the next five years.

Luckily, Austria makes a great destination for rail holidays. It’s easily reachable many major European and British travel hubs, and once holidaymakers have arrived, Austria’s rail system will conveniently and comfortably take them through the country. Austrians are among the keenest rail travellers worldwide. According to Eurostat, they travelled 1,513 km per inhabitant in 2024, putting them on top of the scoreboard along with Hungary and France.

We invite you to discover rail travel in Austria - here's how to make the most of a train holiday!

How to get to Austria

Austria is reachable by various connections from Europe and the UK, with many trains taking travellers through other countries, allowing them to break up the journey and let them enjoy the ride even more. Direct trains are available from Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Zurich and Rome among other cities, with most of them offering both day and nighttime travel. Brits (or those visiting the UK) can hop on the Eurostar and make their way to the mainland, then continue their journey to Austria.

A range of connections can be found online.

How to get around Austria

Once travellers set foot in Austria, getting around can often be done entirely by rail, with many trains leaving you directly in the city centre while also running along the countryside. Austria has two main train companies: ÖBB Austrian Railways and Westbahn, with the first going all around the country and the second focusing on the main routes.

Trains are known to be one of the easiest and most convenient ways to travel between Austria’s major towns. The journey from Vienna to Salzburg is less than 2.5 hours, with trains departing up to four times an hour. Travelling from Salzburg on to Innsbruck will take you less than 2 hours. Vienna to Graz takes 2 hours and 38 minutes, and Graz all the way to Innsbruck approximately 6 hours. These journeys are undertaken in a comfortable seat that often includes Wi-Fi and other perks. The frequent train times allow flexibility on your holiday, with Austrian trains having an average punctuality rate of 94.1%.  

To make travelling more affordable, many regions in Austria offer guest cards and passes that often include free or discounted use of public transportation. Alternatively, you can book a Sparschiene (ÖBB), offering travel through Europe and Austria at a discounted rate, or a WESTsuperpreis ticket (Westbahn) for journeys within the country. Travellers following the Interrail trend, can book the Interrail Austria pass to travel the country for a month, or the global pass, which includes a visit to Austria anyway.

Scenic train routes you need to know

Train allows for a local view of some of Austria’s finest regions. Secure yourself a window seat for scenic views and step off at cities and towns along the way to experience the culture and beauty that each individual region has to offer. Here are some ideas:

Vienna to Graz via Semmering
This journey takes approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes and leads across the Semmering mountain pass, revealing stunning views of the mountains, valleys, and villages around every corner. Equally famous are the route’s historical engineering feats, including tunnels, bridges, and viaducts – you definitely won’t get bored along the way. The train runs once an hour on average and lands you in Graz, a UNESCO world heritage site.  

Arlberg train ride
Connecting Tirol’s Innsbruck and Bludenz in Vorarlberg, this journey takes travellers through stunning Alpine scenery, lush valleys, and chocolate box villages, and includes the famous Arlberg Pass (a 10 km / 6 mile long tunnel). Other highlights are the 200 m long and 90 m high Trisanna bridge and the Paznaun region, a holiday hub surrounded by three-thousanders. Sit on the right side for the best views! The journey time is 2 to 3 hours depending on the train.

Salzburg to Innsbruck via Bischofshofen

Passengers on this route (3 hours to 3 hours 30 minutes) are treated to postcard-perfect mountain vistas, ancient bridges, glittering rivers, hilltop monasteries and picturesque towns like Zell am See, getting on and off the train on a UNESCO heritage site. While there's a faster direct connection via Germany (less than two hours), but this one's definitely worth it for the scenery.

Zell am See to Krimml

Both Zell am See and the Krimml Waterfalls are well worth visiting and this scenic train journey through the Salzach River valley connects them both. The route takes 1.5 to 2 hours, runs along the northern edge of the Hohe Tauern mountains, past alpine meadows, villages, and forested valleys, and ends near Europe's highest waterfalls (380 m).

Schafberg Railway

Short but sweet, the Schafberg Railway runs from St. Wolfgang on Lake Wolfgangsee up to the Schafberg summit (1,783 m) in the Salzkammergut region in 35 minutes and is Austria's steepest cog railway. The views shift from lakeside village to stunning mountain panorama. At the top, you get a 360° lookout, including Lake Wolfgangsee, Mondsee and Attersee, the Dachstein massif, and the Salzkammergut lake district.

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