Train Ticketing Vienna to Budapest
 

The OBB Travel site tells me "Home Printing: not possible" when I looked into purchasing 2 Online-Tickets traveling from Vienna-Meidling station to Budapest-Keleti in July. The Man in seat 61 blog does not account for not being able to print tickets at home. If we were to proceed with the purchase, what is the procedure to obtain the tickets once at the station on the day of travel?

Also, since we are traveling as a couple and would like to be seated together, is it recommended to reserve seats as well if traveling in first class?

The price quoted for the tickets are: 39EUR for 2nd class; 58EUR for 1st class. Thanks for all your advice!

Vienna to Budapest is a short trip and not expensive, less I think than what you've been quoted. Just wait until you get there and buy them at the station. 2nd class is fine.

2nd class is fine but first class IME of decades of European rail travel is even finer - usually lots of empty seats so reservation in first class is usually a waste of money - in 2nd class I would reserve if you want seats together.

First class often have lots of empty seats and thus easier to stow luggage - I always find an empty seat adjoining me to put my bags on - in 2nd class you may have to fend for space in an overhead luggage rack.

Anyway for lots of great info on trains and the difference between first and second class check out yes www.seat61.com (a self-described in past Fodor's post as 'an aficiondo of first class - see his site for the very real differences in classes - other neat sites - www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

OK, home printing is not possible so you simply collect the tickets from the ticket machines at the station, as www.oebb.at says.

You can buy tickets in advance from 19 euros 2nd class or 29 euros 1st class (no refunds, no changes to travel plans, specific train, or you can buy on the day for around 38 euros 2nd class full-flex.

PalenQ, I've got worse - I'm an afficionado of Railjet business class, paying the 15 euro surcharge over regular first class (admittedly a 29 euro cheap deal) last time I did Budapest-Vienna with my wife, perhaps barely justifiable for a 3 hour trip!

The Railjets are often pretty packed, so reservations are a good idea. Especially in high season and very much on weekends. And especially since you plan to board at Meidling which is one stop after Vienna Westbahnhof where the majority of passengers from Vienna to Budapest will board. So there is a greater risk that the empty seats on a well packed train will already be taken at Westbahnhof.
Is there a reason you have chosen Meidling over Westbahnhof as the latter is better connected with public transport and the Railjets stay in Westbahnhof for a longer time (10-15mins) so you have more time to find the proper car and board.

Picking up tickets at the vending machines is very simple.

It appears I do not know how to properly navigate the OBB travel portal. I selected Vienna-Meidling because that is all that was offered to me for my date/time (Sun 13 July at 10:00am). I would prefer Westbahnhof since it is closer to the city center and therefore a shorter taxi ride. Also would appreciate the extra time boarding.

The price I quoted is the SparScheine online ticket price. I do not see the 19 euros 2nd class or 29 euros 1st class that Man_In_Seat_61 mentions. Is there another ticket category I should be looking at?

www.oebb.at defaults to Meidling when you enter 'VIENNA' ('WIEN')

If you want Vienna Westbahnhof, just specify when booking.

Although as it's the same price and nobody checks tickets on the short hop between the two Vienna stations, I don't suppose it's any problem to board at Westbahnhof with a ticket technically booked from Meidling.

The price I quoted is the SparScheine online ticket price. I do not see the 19 euros 2nd class or 29 euros 1st class that Man_In_Seat_61 mentions. Is there another ticket category I should be looking at?>

Man always says 'from xx euros' because those tickets are sold in limited numbers and can sell out at times way before the train I think.

Thanks PalenQ, I will proceed knowing the lower fares are not being offered at this time.

Thanks Man61 for your clarifications. I will select Westbahnhof i/o Meidling. I very much enjoyed your detailed website.

Thanks Cowboy for the cautionary note about trains filling up in high season which, I suspect, we'll be in.

Any experience with Polrail? I purchased a 2 sleeper compartment Krakow - Prague through them and they are holding the tickets until the day before my arrival in Krakow and will then deliver to my hotel. Any reason to doubt this procedure?

But keep checking - in some countries they release more cheapie tickets as the train dates approach and seats look like they will not be sold at full fare.