Statia

We are trying to decide whether to travel by train during the day or at night from Salzburg to Venice. Suggestions? Would we be missing great scenery if we travel under the cover of darkness?

corilow

True you'll miss the scenery at night, but you'll waste a good day if you do it otherwise!! I would recommend night travel.

Castleton

I disagree. The scenery is absolutely spectacular. To miss that would be a real waste.

Thomas_Milligan

A quick check of bahn.de shows no direct night train between Salzburg and Venice. You would have to change somewhere in the middle of the night.

Mthomp77

Another vote for day train. We traveled from Venice to Verona to Salzburg & on to Vienna, via Innsbruck. The change was at Innsbruck. The best scenery was from just north of Innsbruck to Verona.

vmcg

Absolutely don't miss the scenery unless you are saving time. We took the train from Venice to Vienna, took a little lunch, sausage, grapes, cheese...enjoyed the lunch and the scenery. Was one of the most memorable parts of the trip!

ben_haines_london

Author: StatiaDate: 08/19/2004, 09:53 amMessage: We are trying to decide whether to travel by train during the day or at night from Salzburg to Venice. Suggestions? Would we be missing great scenery if we travel under the cover of darkness?
Author: corilowDate: 08/19/2004, 04:12 pmMessage: True you'll miss the scenery at night, but you'll waste a good day if you do it otherwise!! I would recommend night travel.
Author: CastletonDate: 08/19/2004, 07:20 pmMessage: I disagree. The scenery is absolutely spectacular. To miss that would be a real waste.
Author: Thomas_MilliganDate: 08/19/2004, 09:07 pmMessage: A quick check of bahn.de shows no direct night train between Salzburg and Venice. You would have to change somewhere in the middle of the night.
Author: Mthomp77Date: 08/19/2004, 10:31 pmMessage: Another vote for day train. We traveled from Venice to Verona to Salzburg & on to Vienna, via Innsbruck. The change was at Innsbruck. The best scenery was from just north of Innsbruck to Verona.


As Mr Milligan says, there is no through train. The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. Tables 70, 88 and 951 show the connections.

Salzburg 1113, buffet car, Villach 1347 to 1352, restaurant car, Venice 1643. 5 ? hour trip
Salzburg 2118, Villach 2348 to 0020, train with 1, 2 and 3 berth sleepers, Venice 0855

Salzburg 0623, restaurant car train, Innsbruck 0830 to 0926, restaurant car train, Verona 1259 to 1342, buffet car train, Venice 1509
Salzburg 0859, restaurant car train, Innsbruck 1047 to 1126, restaurant car train, Verona 1459 to 1542, restaurant car train, Venice 1709
Salzburg 1030, train with panorama car in the first class, and restaurant car, Innsbruck 1230 to 1326, Venice 1831. 8 hour trip.
Salzburg 1230, train with panorama car in the first class, and restaurant car, Innsbruck 1430 to 1526, restaurant car train, Verona 1859 to 1953, buffet car train, Venice 2122. 9 hour trip.
Salzburg 1430, restaurant car train, Innsbruck 1630 to 1726, restaurant car train, Verona 2059 to 2142, Venice 2309 (but on Saturdays 2339).

By day the connection from Salzburg at 1113 is much the fastest, but trains via Innsbruck give you better catering and splendid views. You see these by choosing a train with a panorama car, or in a normal train by sitting in a saloon coach (not a compartments coach) at the end of the coach farthest from the engine. Apart from the panorama car, second class is comfortable, with good views. By day I should take the panorama car at 1030, wine in Innsbruck station, and lunch, facing the engine, on the 1326 from Innsbruck

By night you sit from 2348 to 0020 in Villach, no great pleasure, but you have a sleeper for the rest of the night, and save a day s travel and a hotel bill. Ask for an upper berth, and you can snooze through to 0830 while passengers below you move around. For more on getting the best from sleepers and couchettes please see my note at http://www.geocities.com/rexbickers/tipsnighttrains.htm

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TopMan

Just to add a bit: the connection vis Innsbruck and Verona will take you over the Brenner Pass route and down through the Dolomites through Bolzano and Trento to Verona where you usually change for Venice.

While this route isn't as "spectacular" as some of the others in Europe, it does offer some very interesting views, especially near the Brenner Pass.

Have a great trip.

Statia

Thanks for all the advice. Since we are not particularly trying to save time by traveling at night, and certainly don't want to have to change trains at that time, it looks like it will be the day train. I thought that Eurostar offered overnight nonstop service, but perhaps I was wrong. We also don't want to miss any spectacular scenery, so that's another plus for the day train.

Depending on which train service we use, do you think that we can get off the train at a halfway point, then resume our trip about an hour or two later? I know this is usually not a possiblity with Eurostar, but what about other trains? If so, which city do you recommend a brief stop in for some leg stretching and lunch?

Thanks again!

ben_haines_london

Fodors. Salzburg to Venice. You can indeed break your journey as often as you choose, since normal international tickets, as against Eurostar, are valid for two months. On the route via Innsbruck breaks would usually be two hours or a multiple of two. You can make your stop in a town as well as a city. I am afraid I do not know the area s towns, so cannot suggest a place for beauty, but two places that are about halfway are called Fortezza and Bressanone in Italian. You mention a city, and the obvious choice (you have to change there anyway) is Innsbruck, and that does indeed offer a god break of two or four hours

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Statia

Thanks, Ben! I'll look into that.