Train travel Switzerland to Austria etc
#1
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Train travel Switzerland to Austria etc
Hi, we are a family of 4 travelleing on December 19 from Interlaken to Innsbruck. What is the quickest way to get there? If I type in Interlaken Ost to Innsbruck I get an option via Bern an Zurich. I'm not sure how to check for other shorter or cheaper options.
Then if I type in "buy" I choose "half fare" for my husband and I, but what do I choose for the kids (both under 16) if we are getting the Half Fare and Family Card and they are supposed to travel for free? I don't know what some of the options mean. Do I choose junior or what?
Do we get half price travel for 2 adults and free (kids) up to the Swiss border then pay full for all 4 from the border to Innsbruck?
Please I need advice urgently.
Is it advisable to buy the tickets now already so that we don't end up waiting in long queues to buy tickets and to maybe have more options or cheaper tickets availiable than on the actual day?
Thank you
ALSO: I need advice on our other train routes too please. We are travelling from Innsbruck to Munich, Munich to Salzburg, Salzburg to Vienna and Vienna to Prague. What would the cheapest way be to do this? We are travelling between December 19 and January 8. We are two adults and two kids aged 10 and 15.
If we need to look at fares - do we have to use the starting or "from" destination to determine the operator eg. Austrian www.oebb (Innsbruck to Munich) etc?
I am so confused right now and we are leaving soon. Would appreciate any help - where I come from we use private cars because our public transport system is not of the same standard as in Europe.
Then if I type in "buy" I choose "half fare" for my husband and I, but what do I choose for the kids (both under 16) if we are getting the Half Fare and Family Card and they are supposed to travel for free? I don't know what some of the options mean. Do I choose junior or what?
Do we get half price travel for 2 adults and free (kids) up to the Swiss border then pay full for all 4 from the border to Innsbruck?
Please I need advice urgently.
Is it advisable to buy the tickets now already so that we don't end up waiting in long queues to buy tickets and to maybe have more options or cheaper tickets availiable than on the actual day?
Thank you
ALSO: I need advice on our other train routes too please. We are travelling from Innsbruck to Munich, Munich to Salzburg, Salzburg to Vienna and Vienna to Prague. What would the cheapest way be to do this? We are travelling between December 19 and January 8. We are two adults and two kids aged 10 and 15.
If we need to look at fares - do we have to use the starting or "from" destination to determine the operator eg. Austrian www.oebb (Innsbruck to Munich) etc?
I am so confused right now and we are leaving soon. Would appreciate any help - where I come from we use private cars because our public transport system is not of the same standard as in Europe.
#2
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Highly discounted tickets are only available for the Zurich - Innsbruck leg. You would then have to add standard half fare tickets for the Interlaken - Zurich leg. This solution wouldn't got much cheaper than standard fare.
http://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and...l/austria.html
I recommend to buy standard fare tickets, available at any somewhat important Swiss railway station (at Interlaken for sure). That costs about 154 CHF for 2 adults with Swiss Half Fare Cards and 2 kids (6-16 years old) with Family Card/Junior Card.
You might economize a few cents if you visited Munich before Innsbruck: Berne - Munich by Flixbus 17 EUR/pax (total 68 EUR), Munich - Innsbruck by Flixbus 8 EUR/pax (total 32 EUR). But train travel is much more comfortable than travel by Flixbus.
http://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and...l/austria.html
I recommend to buy standard fare tickets, available at any somewhat important Swiss railway station (at Interlaken for sure). That costs about 154 CHF for 2 adults with Swiss Half Fare Cards and 2 kids (6-16 years old) with Family Card/Junior Card.
You might economize a few cents if you visited Munich before Innsbruck: Berne - Munich by Flixbus 17 EUR/pax (total 68 EUR), Munich - Innsbruck by Flixbus 8 EUR/pax (total 32 EUR). But train travel is much more comfortable than travel by Flixbus.
#3
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Before you do anything else, check Interlaken Ost to Innsbruck at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at
Fares from €29, bargain.
That includes Interlaken to Zurich and Zurich to Innsbruck on one ticket, for one inclusive price.
Heck, those cheap through fares can actually be cheaper than a normal domestic SBB ticket from Interlaken to Zurich on its own!
You certainly don't need to buy a Zurich to Innsbruck ticket then add a domestic ticket, that usually costs much more.
But PLEASE, don't fuss about 'senior' or 'passes' or 'half fare cards'. If you get the €29 rate for the whole thing, don't look a gift horse in the mouth by expecting any further reductions!
Fares from €29, bargain.
That includes Interlaken to Zurich and Zurich to Innsbruck on one ticket, for one inclusive price.
Heck, those cheap through fares can actually be cheaper than a normal domestic SBB ticket from Interlaken to Zurich on its own!
You certainly don't need to buy a Zurich to Innsbruck ticket then add a domestic ticket, that usually costs much more.
But PLEASE, don't fuss about 'senior' or 'passes' or 'half fare cards'. If you get the €29 rate for the whole thing, don't look a gift horse in the mouth by expecting any further reductions!
#4
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Innsbruck to Munich you can pre-book from €19 on a direct EuroCity train OR use the regional scenic route via Garmisch, buying on the day.
Munich to Salzburg you can use Railjet expresses from €19 pre-booked at www.bahn.de/en OR www.oebb.at, but cheaper to use regional Meridian trains with a Bayern Ticket (valid after 0900 weekdays, any time at weekends) costing €23 for one passenger + €5 for each additional passenger. Buy at the station on the day.
Salzburg to Vienna from €19 pre-booked at www.oebb.at by OBB Railjet OR just hop on any hourly double-decker Westbahn train and pay €25-odd per person to the conductor on board. These go to Vienna Westbahnhof, see www.westbahn.at for times.
Munich to Salzburg you can use Railjet expresses from €19 pre-booked at www.bahn.de/en OR www.oebb.at, but cheaper to use regional Meridian trains with a Bayern Ticket (valid after 0900 weekdays, any time at weekends) costing €23 for one passenger + €5 for each additional passenger. Buy at the station on the day.
Salzburg to Vienna from €19 pre-booked at www.oebb.at by OBB Railjet OR just hop on any hourly double-decker Westbahn train and pay €25-odd per person to the conductor on board. These go to Vienna Westbahnhof, see www.westbahn.at for times.
#5
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Wow, thanks for the great advice!
I'm going to see what prices I get now and try to book. We are limited to travel at a certain time of the day because we have to leave the accommodation at a certain time and we want to be in the next city before it is dark.
Yesterday this was what was available if I searched correctly:
Interlaken to Innsbruck €87
Innsbruck to Munich €77
Munich to Salzburg €96 - so is the price of the Bayern ticket fixed and I'll get it for €23 plus 5 p.p? Because that would be a real bargain. Do I just look for a sign that says Meridian at the station?
Salzburg to Vienna €77
And Vienna to Prague €97
These prices are for 3 adult tickets (2 adults plus 15-year old.
Are you THE Man in seat 61? I have spent HOURS and HOURS on that site and it is great!
Am I correct that my 10-year old daughter will travel for free on all these routes?
I am sorry about all the uncertainty. It is just a big responsibility to make everything work and we don't have a proper train system in our country. So this is all new to me.
I'm going to see what prices I get now and try to book. We are limited to travel at a certain time of the day because we have to leave the accommodation at a certain time and we want to be in the next city before it is dark.
Yesterday this was what was available if I searched correctly:
Interlaken to Innsbruck €87
Innsbruck to Munich €77
Munich to Salzburg €96 - so is the price of the Bayern ticket fixed and I'll get it for €23 plus 5 p.p? Because that would be a real bargain. Do I just look for a sign that says Meridian at the station?
Salzburg to Vienna €77
And Vienna to Prague €97
These prices are for 3 adult tickets (2 adults plus 15-year old.
Are you THE Man in seat 61? I have spent HOURS and HOURS on that site and it is great!
Am I correct that my 10-year old daughter will travel for free on all these routes?
I am sorry about all the uncertainty. It is just a big responsibility to make everything work and we don't have a proper train system in our country. So this is all new to me.
#9
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Hi clever people, a few days ago the train from Salzburg to Vienna cost 77 Euro on OBB Railjet. Today it shows closer to 150 Euro for the same journey. (2 adults, 2 kids 15 and 10). Did the prices increase?
I would then rather opt for the Westbahn ticket which is cheaper. Should I buy the it online today or will it be the same price on the day - December 30? Is there a chance that it might be sold out?
I would then rather opt for the Westbahn ticket which is cheaper. Should I buy the it online today or will it be the same price on the day - December 30? Is there a chance that it might be sold out?
#11
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Michelhuebeli I started this thread - see first message. If you can't help a person with an answer to their question - rather don't say anything. Especially if you have your facts wrong.
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Are you THE Man in seat 61? I have spent HOURS and HOURS on that site and it is great!>
Yes indeed he is - his commercial site www.seat61.com is stupendous, especially at info on discounted tickets- others sites I like (as mentioned on your other thread) for Switzerland www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
so is the price of the Bayern ticket fixed and I'll get it for €23 plus 5 p.p? Because that would be a real bargain>
Yes fixed and that ticket also comes in first class for not all that much more and on regional trains that you are restricted to on the Bavarian Ticket I suggest first class as they can always be crowded, especially at commuting time or when school kids mob aboard as they trains can also act as school buses IME- but first class will always IME have seats. Not all regional trains may have 1stclass so check on that before buying. But no need to buy in advance -just use machines at any German station or ticket windows where it may cost a few euros more perhaps?
Regional trains are not as comfy and take significantly longer as they stop a lot. Check www.bahn.de/en for those 29 euro p.p.fares to see if they may pop up again.
Yes indeed he is - his commercial site www.seat61.com is stupendous, especially at info on discounted tickets- others sites I like (as mentioned on your other thread) for Switzerland www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
so is the price of the Bayern ticket fixed and I'll get it for €23 plus 5 p.p? Because that would be a real bargain>
Yes fixed and that ticket also comes in first class for not all that much more and on regional trains that you are restricted to on the Bavarian Ticket I suggest first class as they can always be crowded, especially at commuting time or when school kids mob aboard as they trains can also act as school buses IME- but first class will always IME have seats. Not all regional trains may have 1stclass so check on that before buying. But no need to buy in advance -just use machines at any German station or ticket windows where it may cost a few euros more perhaps?
Regional trains are not as comfy and take significantly longer as they stop a lot. Check www.bahn.de/en for those 29 euro p.p.fares to see if they may pop up again.
#15
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> Interlaken to Innsbruck €87
www.oebb.at, the web site of Autrian railways, shows prices from 29E per person for Dec. 19, e.g. for the 10:30 train.
www.oebb.at, the web site of Autrian railways, shows prices from 29E per person for Dec. 19, e.g. for the 10:30 train.
#18
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Hi Man in seat 61 - regarding the Bayern ticket - I wanted to check the timetable to plan for the checkin at our accommodation. I went to the official Salzburg website, but if I want to check the available departure times, everything is German only. I also want to check the duration of the journey and from which station. Any advice please.
#19
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Vanessa- use www.bahn.de/en - German railways website for schedules for schedules of all trains in Europe- in English.
You are restricted to regional trains with the Bavarian Card and they take about 2.5 hours I believe vs about half that with higher speed trains. They leave all the time.
which trains are you worried about - between Salzburg and Munich?
You are restricted to regional trains with the Bavarian Card and they take about 2.5 hours I believe vs about half that with higher speed trains. They leave all the time.
which trains are you worried about - between Salzburg and Munich?