Need Help from Train Experts for the area from Munich to Salzburg and then on to Venice
 

We are talking about a trip at Christmas where we spend Christmas in Salzburg then train to Venice on Christmas day or the day after. Do any of you know if there is a good connection from Salzburg to Venice and approximate costs and travel times. Thanks in advance.

This should probably be a separate post but I would also appreciate any comments on whether Venice will be closed down for the Christmas to New Year period,

Let me refer you to the Austrian national rail web site: www.oebb.at
There is a version with English captions.

Right now your best travel time can be obtained by leaving Salzburg at 7:04 with a change in Villach. The travel time is 6 hours, 22 minutes.

The schedule right now does not extend to Christmas. I suggest you look at the schedule now to get an idea, but check again in a couple of months to see if there have been any changes.

When you input the name of your destination, don't use the name Venice. It will not be recognized. Use the German or the Italian names - Venedig or Venezia.

Also the current schedule cautions about possible changes in December.

The reference library of as city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable. Table 88 confirms the connection Salzburg 0704, Villach 0948 to 1037, Venice Santa Lucia 1226. Both trains have restaurant cars, and he travel time is 5 hours, 22 minutes. Christmas will not affect the train, except that it will be worth the trouble to reserve seats, in case everybody is visiting their family.

I am sorry I do not know how far Venice will be closed, or at risk of flood.risk.

Ben Haines, London
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Venice is actually very busy between Christmas and New Year and everything is open. The shops & museums etc are closed Christmas Day and New years Day - but all open apart from that. You should note that the vaporettos do not run on the Grand Canal from around 3pm New Years Eve until around 10am New Years Day