train from munich airport to vienna
 

we will be taking the train from munich airport to vienna. for the life of me, i can't figure out the online schedules. do we take bus or train from the airport to a connecting point ? i will be with my 90yr old Mother and want to make this as simple as i can for her. will appreciate any guidance !!

Take the train from the airport to the main station then take the ICE from the main station to Wien.

It would help if you gave a date and times ;)

there are 2 different S-Bahn (commuter train) routes from Munich's airport to the main Munich Hauptbahnhof where trains to Vienna leave from - take either route - about the same time and same destinaion.

check www.bahn.de/en for schedules and fares - there are discounted fares if you book far enough in advance to get them as they are sold in limited numbers but those tickets are train-specific and non-refundable non-changeable so if doing that leave lots of fudge factor time in between planes scheduled landing and train departure - expect about an hour max from airport via S-Bahn to the Hauptbhanhof.

For lots of good info on European trains check these IMO superb sources: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. You can always buy full-fare tickets upon arrival in Munich - at the airport train station - a thru ticket airport to Munich Hbf (Hauptbahnhof) to Vienna, changing of course at the Hbf but to save a lot of money book mnon-changeable trains far in advance and leave plenty of time - lots of restaurants, cafes, etc in the sprawling Munich Hauptbhnhof - large shopping plaza underneath.

looking at schedules on www.bahn.de/en (German Railways site) you may change from the S-Bahn train also at Munich-Ost station or other stations and not have to go into the sprawling Hauptbahnhof for trains that would go probably right back out thru Munich-Ost station or other stations.

No need to go the Hauptbahnhof though that is where I think Munich-Vienna trains originate so if you have no seat reservation (option can do at time of booking or once in Munich with a discounted ticket or if buying full fare ask for seat reservations - but sans reservations boarding at the Hauptbahnhof may be better as you'll have more empty seats as the train (probably) starts there.

Actually if it were my 90-year-old Mom I would pay the extra for first class - lots more relaxed IME - bigger seats, more empty seats - easier to stow luggage, etc. for the trip of her lifetime and yours IMO spend extra for the benefits of first class.

While you might not need to catch the train at the Hbf, catching it at the Hbf might be a good idea because since that is where the train begins, it will be there for some time before it departs and you can get all of your stuff situated before other people start getting on. That's what I do anyway.

First of all, you can buy your train ticket for the trip to Vienna at the Bb Bahn kiosk in the airport. Then you can take the S-8 line to the Munich East station and change for your train to Vienna. This allows you to avoid the main Munich rail station entirely if you wish to do so.

With a 90 year old mother - and assuming you will have to deal with the luggage for both of you - I would head for the largest station that will give you more time to change trains. You don;t want to be rushing your mom around - esp when you have all the luggage to deal with.

Well in some ways a much smaller station can be easier to navigate and IME this is true of Munich-Ost than the humungous Hauptbahnhof with zillions of tracks - just see what platform the train will come in on and easy boarding - plus overall less time on the train as Ost is closer to Vienna than the Hbs.