how to get to Salzburg from Krakow
 

Hi there all!
Well it seems its not such a short trip... or am I reading something incorrectly

We need to get to Salzburg 19th june next year from Krakow
to fly is about 350 aud each...and the flight goes through frankfurt
I was hoping the train would be a fast option but its still 9hrs or more

so it appears we will indeed lose a big chunk of a day
unless we cancel one nights accommodation in Krakow and try to get an overnight train...thatd be the sensible option if it is available...
Has anyone done this>
I welcome all suggestions
not so keen on getting a bus
unless you talk me into it
cheers!

Greeting all!
We are definitely locked into Krakow ..bought the flights today (and will be flying in from Berlin)

but if its ridiculously hard we don't have to go Salzburg ..although we were really keen...
just didn't think itd be such a chore to get to from Krakow with all our luggage ( and we cant pare down terribly since we also have the Greek isles to sail after the German/Poland legs)

so...just in case youre all thinking that it is a difficult trip from Krakow to Salzburg then Id be open to suggestions for another side trip (not keen on Prague...been there and to Cesky krumlov)
before we have to be in munich on the 23rd june

Budapest? would that be easier?
we have to get to Munich after that and that's not a problem from Salzburg

Thanks for any suggestions, folks...im a bit stumped and I didn't think to check with the travel agent today...she merely said that it was too early to look for train schedules for june next year


if we are to waste a day in travelling from Krakow to Salzburg id rather not waste another two...ie Krakow to Budapest and then Budapest to Munich

IME, good guide books can be really helpful for decisions like these.

You might also find some useful, if imperfect, information on rome2rio.com

Good luck!

What about the overnight train (sleeping cars, couchettes, reclining seats; runs from March 3rd until November 11th 2017):
EN 402, Krakow dp 22.00 - Vienna ar 6.55
connecting train (dining car, minibar):
RJ 560: Vienna dp 7.30 - Salzburg ar 9.52

BTW: there are about 5 daily direct flights between Krakow and Munich (for about 300 EUR).

Thanks Kja
I'll check Rome to rio


Neckervd...that sounds good..if the train leaves at 10 pm Sunday night that will shave off one nights accommodation in Kraków ...I've booked the orlowska townhouse ...refundable booking so I can change that hopefully without a price hike...sometimes they end up charging u more for fewer days because the price has gone up...

That seems like a sensible way to spend a night and the trip from Vienna is quite short and maybe scenic?

Thank you ...I'll look into it
What website does that schedule come from ?

"What website does that schedule come from ?"

http://www.oebb.at/en/angebote-ermaessigungen/nightjet

Night trains ain't for everyone - especially light sleepers - always noise from inside and outside train but I've taken literally hundreds and have had no problems - others report otherwise- for lots on night trains check www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com.

Save money on hotel and about as quick as flying consider you travel at night. Plan a day in Vienna before the night train maybe.

Both Momondo and Skyscanner show 1 stop flights with total travel time of 3:35 (assuming of course all flights are on time) for about $280US. You have a choice of leaving early (6:25) or in the evening (18:30). The Salzburg airport is not that big and looking at last year's schedule there were never any non-stops from Krakow. In our experience the smaller airports such as Krakow and Salzburg are user friendly and easier to navigate.

look at the site seat61.com for all train travel suggestions from Krakow.

You may want to consider taking a day or overnight train to Vienna, and then take a train from Vienna to Salzburg. you could stop in Vienna too if you are so inclined.

Thanks all!
Thanks necker wood
I think we won't want a stay over in Vienna
I mean, we will if that's the way the cards play out but our preference is to conserve that time in Salzburg

...4 whole days and that travelling remnant of a Monday..
So if we travel o/n from Kraków to Vienna and get the next train to saksburg that'd be great

I can sleep on trains...at least I did on the Moscow to st Petes


Never done much train travel overnight

I'll read over all the tips carefully

I do now realise how much train travel varies in price!


Anyone have any trouble receiving paper tickets in mail?

I'm guessing March is when I should purchase? Travelling in June...

I'm guessing March is when I should purchase? Travelling in June...>

If it's a discounted ticket sold in limited numbers buy ASAP - full fare you can pretty much even wait just before the train IME.

Krakow and Salzburg are really far apart and there are about 3 countries in-between, plus mountains, and Salzburg is rather small, so you would never find a direct high-speed train line between them. Even by car, that's 725 km in distance.

Salzburg is a small city, Krakow much much larger. So you aren't going to find many flights to Salzburg from other countries. Salzburg just isn't particularly easy to get to from most places except in Austria.

The easiest way to get to Salzburg would actually be from Munich and you can get nonstop flights from Krakow to Munich on LOT/Lufthansa that only take 1:20. You can get a train from Munich to Salzburg that is only a couple hours. If you have no interest in staying in these other places (Vienna), I don't see the point of taking a train such a long distance and transferring train lines.

I don't know where you live, but if outside Europe, I can't imagine you are going to get any rail company to mail you tickets. If you are in UK, they probably will but it may cost you a lot. You should get e-tickets if you can. I suspect you can get an e-ticket from Krakow to Vienna from Polrail, but you may not be able to get a ticket from Vienna to Salzburg from them. But there shouldn't be any problem with that, just buy it from Austria Rail. Ideally that may be an eticket also.

Haven't searched individually but here are some options:
aireuropa
easyjet
Germanwings
condor
wizzair
vlybe
jet2
flylc

airberlin flys the route but $571US each
and just to clarify: rome2rio.com

www.skyscanner.net and www.whichbudget.com clue you into any two airlines flying between any two airports.

With discounted airlines or any really ask about all the various charges -like baggage, reserved seats on some, etc.

from Vienna to Salzburg from them. But there shouldn't be any problem with that, just buy it from Austria Rail. Ideally that may be an eticket also.>

If full fare just wait until in Vienna as there are so so many trains - rarely any problem getting on if ever. And Westbahn sells cheap tickets right up until the train if any remain. Can book a few days out and get the cheapest fare around.

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge-
really do appreciate it!

Christina...didn't think of going to Munich..I did entertain going back to Berlin ...
We are going to be in berlin then flying to Krakow so I thought we could return ...
We are going to Munich after Salzburg so it feels weird to fly to Munich and then train it out to Salzburg only to return to stay in Munich..but I guess thatd be the same for going back through Berlin

I will see how much the airfares are...doesn't matter too much..we aren't on a shoestring budget but itd be nice to have to incur a huge fare for a flight
I know that train fares bought from Australia can be very expensive...we bought rail tickets from a travel agent for close to 250aud each....back in 2009 from Moscow to st petes
and we could've and should've bought tickets when we got to Moscow...would've cost us 80aud each

I have been thinking about the Vienna suggestion...
we have four nights booked in Salzburg...Monday to Thursday night
so really we could get to Vienna early..around 6am and have a day there...but luggage may be a problem
We will have a bag each and a carry-on each as well

That's a lot of locker space..and I don't even know if railway stations have locker storage anymore...
Do they?
we stowed bags in Moscow for a day cos our train going to st petes was leaving at 10pm or so we had the whole day sightseeing but I don't know if Vienna has storage..will have to check

the train will probably be cheaper than any flight...if we get fares early
I only said March cos the travel agent told me I should look about two months before I go

as for the mailing of tickets..i inquired through a railway site and that's what they wrote back
I'm a bit nervous about tickets in the post...

Palenq ..thanks for the tip about getting tickets from vienna..I also thought that might be the case...its practically a day trip to Salzburg so I figured thered be a few trains

thanks jan for the list of airlines

it does seem we will lose almost a day getting from Krakow to salzburg...but it is a five week trip so I guess we can afford to lose a day here and there

honestly...it didn't look that far on the map when I gave it a cursory glance...
an 8year old could've planned it better I'm afraid :( :(

okay...just checked ...seems like we could leave our luggage at the railway station and have a day to poke around Vienna before catching a later train to Salzburg

I know its not a lot of time in Vienna but we wouldn't be doing the opera or the Spanish horses...probably just walk up to the graben... show the kids that pedestrian area...have some sachertorte (probably find that in Salzburg lol)

maybe do a bus tour...

last time..husband and I went up to grunzig and beyond but I doubt we would have the time...its nice up there with the view of the danube canal and the gorgeous forest

anyway..its a nice problem to have
see what the kids want to do
I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here...apologies

"We are going to Munich after Salzburg so it feels weird to fly to Munich and then train it out to Salzburg only to return to stay in Munich2

Why? It's the shortest itinerary (by time and distance) and the fares of the 2 serious companies who do this flights are probably not higher than the standard railway fare.

Neither Salzburg nor Krakow are important airports. Many Salzburg people have to do a 2 1/4 hr train ride to Munich airport in order to board their plane.

show the kids that pedestrian area...have some sachertorte (probably find that in Salzburg lol)>

How about the Prater and a ride on the Big Wheel, an icon of Vienna since the late 1800s.

you can check flights on google flights. However, the train may well be cheaper. You should pay for the tickets in the local currency, not aud. check with your credit card company and see if they charge a fee for transactions in foreign currency, If they do see if you can get a card that does not charge and fee, and use it for this trip.
train tickets like airline tickets that are purchased online are e-tickets, so they wont be mailed to you.

you can also purchase train tickets from Krakow to Vienna, from the Polish site, its in zlotys, same train as the Austrian site but the price may well be lower.

depending on the age of your kids, there may be youth fares on the train.