Anyone know if I can purchase a ticket from Vienna to Salzburg in advance from the US? I just tried on the OBB website and it rejected my card. Not sure if it's because of my card or if I have to wait to buy tickets until I'm over in Europe.

Thanks!

Go here and scroll down to "How to Buy Tickets":

https://www.seat61.com/Austria.htm

Thanks, but that didn't work either.

I bought a ticket just the other day with my MasterCard. What card did you use?

And have you tried telling your card issuer that you are making a foreign purchase?

Visa. I'll call my bank. That's gotta be it.

In any case lots have done it here and in other posts- yes see www.seat61.com for esocteric tips on booking your own online tickets on all European web site. For general info I like www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com (if all else fails I recommend this RE agency -I have used them for years for railpasses - personal attention) -but try and try as you will usually save significant (sometimes a lot of) money by booking your own thru OBB website and also their competitor (and subsidiary!) www/westbahn.com - trains over same rails -consistently dirt-cheap fares.

Folks here like those above are always ready to assist IMO.

A Vienna - Salzburg ticket cost around 30 EUR. Not worth the time for any research about discounts by booking ahead.
https://westbahn.at/en/ticket-shop/single-ticket/

1. www.oebb.at, the OBB website, should accept all cards, but can struggle with the odd one. Try different cards.

2. But consider rival operator Westbahn. They run hourly trains from Vienna Westbahnhof which need no prior booking. In fact, you can just get on and pay a cheap €27 fare on board (though you can save €1 by buying from a Westbahn machine at the station). So easy and cheap, I'd go with Westbahn. And their double decker 'KISS' trains are excellent.

So no need to ever pre-book with Westbahn - always always get on? Way to go IMO.

But book seats or maybe face SRO?

And their double decker 'KISS' trains are excellent.>

Riding up top would be sweet with better views from that elevated level - but the sunken level would be worse IMO on such double-deckers so if booking a seat book up top IMO.

I just traveled from Vienna to Salzburg 4 days ago by train. I had bought the ticket in advance using Rail Europe before leaving the states. I don't know if this is the right way to do it, but I do know it works. I did it because I wanted to be on an early morning train.

Salzburg is wonderful by the way, my favorite on a multi city trip.

I called my bank and got it sorted out. Tickets are purchased. €19 each. I like the idea of the double decker bus though. May have to research that for next time!

I like the idea of the double decker bus though>

That's a double-decker train! And maybe OBB runs them too?