Train From Zurich To Austria
 

I'll be in Austria 9 days and I can only get there through Zurich, Never been there before!

I'll be visiting Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. So Should I take the train from Zurich to innsbruck, train to Salzburg, train to Vienna then fly back home from Vienna through Zurich? or should I fly into Vienna(through Zurich) then take the train west to the other cities? then fly out of Zurich?

By the way, I can only arrive/leave through Zurich (just in case you haven't noticed yet!)

Also I can't find a website where I can book the trains. and finally, do you know how long it takes to travel between those cities on the train?

Thanks so much!

Those will be fun train rides! I did a Zermatt to Zurich train ride last year that was spectacular, and I bet Austria is also excellent. I don't think the order of your trip matters; you might consider whether you will want the longer flight time on the front or back-end of your trip. As for places to book trains, I've done tickets through a travel agency, but www.raileurope.com is as good or better than the travel agents. I think this is the main site for eurail tickets. Raileurope.com might be able to tell you the length of the train ride (I have no idea). Regardless, it sounds like a wonderful trip. Zurich is a good city for travelers (the Swiss seem to do a good job running efficiently and on-time). Have a blast!

Use the GermanRail site for checking times (it is more than comprehensive enough to check train times in both Switzerland and Austria)

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

You can do the itinerary in either order you wish.

You cannot use the rail site above to book international journeys and, frankly, I think you could easily wait and buy your tickets after you arrive.

The Zurich airport has its own rail station where you could buy all your tickets and get seat reservations, if needed, as well.

Check for online tickets the swiss railway page

www.sbb.ch

and the austrian railway page
www.oebb.at

Thanks everyone!

I just tryied to book my tix on www.sbb.ch but it wouldn't show my the price of the ticket first! it says that AFTER I enter my credit card information, a "binding quotation will be displaid"!!

Does that mean that I would only know how much I'd paid for my ticket AFTER I pay for it?!! that doesn't sound right!

Maybe I should just book my tickets at the Zurich airport train station.. even though I always book everything in advance just to make sure everything will go as planned!

I don't have any experience with trains in this area as we chose to rent a car when we were in Austria last month. I just wanted to mention that while we loved both Salzburg and Vienna, we were very unimpressed with Innsbruck. The city was in a beautiful setting but, with the exception of the historic center, was just a big city filled with billboards and people. If you are looking for a scenic place to visit and stay in, I would consider elsewhere. I have seen many others give the same advice and, after having visited Innsbruck myself last month, can see why. However, you may have specific reasons to visit so that is just my opinion.

Anyhow, Austria is a beautiful country and the train rides should be very scenic. I'm sure you will have a wonderful time.

Tracy

mnss,

I've taken this train several times, from Zurich through to Vienna. It's about nine hours (six to Salzburg) for the EuroCity train, which has "sleeper chairs" for napping. In September, you might get an entire cabin to yourself, like we did -- twice.

The segment from Sargens (an hour out of Zurich) to Innsbruck is spectacular scenery, as fine as anywhere in the Alps.

I'm one of those early planners as you are...actually rather compulsive about it. But please be aware that unless you are making overnight journeys there is enough rail service between these cities that you will have no problem at all if you wait and book your tickets in Zurich. Besides, you may even pay a bit less if the Dollar continues to rise against the Swiss Frank and the Euro.

Did you have a good trip? We are flying into Zurich too on Dec 13 and have the same deliema,(we also have a 4 year old), any suggestions now your trip is complete? We also want to go skiing in nice village. Thanks!

Hi macswim,

I actually decided to save that trip for next year when I have a few more days to include a couple of Swiss towns on my itinerary, and went to Paris instead!

Have a great vacation!