Hello. I booked 4 reserved seats in 2nd class compartment for travel this August. Because of the language barrier, I could not determine if you can sit anywhere in 2nd class compartment. I ask this question because we have another party we are travelling with and requesting that we get seated next to them was a nightmare!

Has anyone travelled using the Austrian railway OBB in 2nd class? Is it open seating? It would be great if we get to sit with our relatives coming from Canada as it is a 6 hour train ride from Vienna to Ljubljana. Thanks for any info.

go to the German rail web site http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?

and it will tell you which trains you are taking are 'subject to compulsory reservation or not - if they are not (and it says 'please reserve' that means you can make reservations but you need not to - thus not every seat will be reserved and IME relatively few will be and you are free to take any seat not marked by a reserved sign on it. I think no trains inside Austria require seats but not sure of trains going onto Slovenia.

I did the 7:56 am direct train for you and it says "please reserve" - meaning that reservations are optional so there will be open seating unless you see the this seat is reserved between xxxxx and xxxx tag on it.

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/que...&rt=1&OK#focus

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/que...&rt=1&OK#focus

Try this link - anyway when you click on 'details for the above' then you get this type of info for each train

note on trains where you must change in Maribor then on the Maribor-Ljubijana trains it says 'subject to complusory reservation' for that segment only

Well i can't get the proper link - but with the one i have it will bring you up to a page where it asks for clarification of which station in Ljubijana - use the drop down box and click on the first one in it - "Ljubijana" - and then click on the red SEND box on the far left and down.

then when the next page comes up under the left hand stack click on Details for the Above for info on compulsory reservations

If you have bought a full price ticket, I believe it is open seating. If you bought a discounted ticket that is specific for a particular train, then it comes with a seat assignment.

Did you get a PDF file for your ticket? I bought 2nd class tickets on OBB a few months ago for travel Vienna -> Budapest. They were discounted tickets and I had assigned seats (listed on the PDF ticket).

yk - I bought 1 discounted (last one available) and 3 full price reserved seats and requested pick up at train station in Sudbahnhof. I will request the seat information emailed to me. Thanks!