 To check train times & fares in Austria, see www.thetrainline.com (easiest) or www.oebb.at. |
This page explains how to travel by train from Salzburg to other European cities, and how to buy tickets. Information updated for 2026.
Before you buy your tickets
Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets. It answers all the usual questions, "Must I book in advance or can I buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or a €35 point-to-point ticket?". How far ahead can you buy train tickets?
European train travel FAQ
Salzburg to Vienna from €19.90
Salzburg to Hallstatt from €9.90
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Trains link Salzburg Hbf with Hallstatt station every hour through the day in around 2h35.
You travel from Salzburg to Attnang Puchheim by ÖBB railjet or double-deck Westbahn train (47 minutes) then Attnang Puchheim to Hallstatt on an ÖBB regional or regional express train (1h16 or 1h39).
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Fares start at €9.90 if you book in advance and commit to a specific train with a cheap Sparschiene fare on ÖBB trains.
The full-flex Standardpreis you pay on the day is €30.80 if you use ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) trains. These full-flex fares cannot sell out, they are always available.
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem) as this can book both ÖBB and Westbahn trains. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
Alternatively, buy at ÖBB's (Austrian Federal Railways) own website www.oebb.at, in €, same prices.
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Transfer from station to town by ferry
The train arrives at Hallstatt station (Hallstatt Bahnhof) on the east side of Hallstatt Lake (Hallstatter See). Hallstatt town is on the west side of the lake, you need to take a small local ferry called the Stefanie from Hallstatt Bahnhof to Hallstatt town (= Hallstatt Markt).
The ferry sails shortly after most train arrivals and takes 15-20 minutes, see www.hallstattschifffahrt.at for the timetable.
You pay for the ferry at the quayside before boarding, cash only, €3.50 per crossing, children under 4 free, children under 14 reduced fare.
Salzburg to Innsbruck, Graz & other Austrian destinations from €9.90
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You can buy ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) tickets at www.thetrainline.com in €, £ or $, easy to use, international credit cards no problem and it has the advantage over oebb.at that it book both ÖBB and Westbahn trains on the Vienna-Linz-Salzburg-Innsbruck route.
Alternatively, ÖBB's own website is www.oebb.at.
Whichever site you use, you print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
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Seat reservation is optional on most Austrian internal trains, you can just turn up, buy a standard price ticket at the station, hop on the next train and sit where you like, trains cannot sell out. But if you want to be sure of a reserved seat on a specific train you can make an optional seat reservation on InterCity, EuroCity and railjet trains for a €3 fee.
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For cheaper tickets, book in advance! You can save money by booking a Sparschiene (saver) fare in advance and committing to a specific train on a limited-refunds, no-changes basis. ÖBB's Sparschiene fares start from €9.90 upwards and vary with demand and how far ahead you book.
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Competing Westbahn trains to Innsbruck
In 2022, privately-owned open-access operator Westbahn extended several of its Vienna-Salzburg double-deck trains to Innsbruck in competition with State-owned ÖBB's railjets. There are now up to 5 Westbahn trains per day from Salzburg to Innsbruck. You can see & compare both Westbahn and ÖBB prices at www.thetrainline.com.
Salzburg to London
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For train travel between Innsbruck & London in either direction, see the London to Austria page.
Salzburg to Paris from €49.90
Option 1, Salzburg to Paris in a day - the fastest & cheapest route, through Germany
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You can travel from Salzburg to Paris in one leisurely chill-out day. There are several departures with just 1 change, for example:
Leave Salzburg Hbf 05:43, change at Munich Hbf & Stuttgart Hbf, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 14:07.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 10:00, change at Stuttgart Hbf, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 18:16.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 12:00, change at Mannheim Hbf, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 20:42.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 14:00, change at Stuttgart Hbf, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 22:13.
You travel from Salzburg to Stuttgart or Mannheim by ICE with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class on ICEs, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat.
Then from Stuttgart or Mannheim to Paris by French double-deck TGV Duplex with cafe-bar or German ICE with restaurant car, both types have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Fares start at €49.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes to ensure robust connections.
Look for journeys with just 1 change. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: If you'd like a stopover in Stuttgart or Munich, simply click Stopovers, enter Stuttgart or Munich and a suitable length of stay and you'll get a Sparpreis fare with a stopover included. You can add up to 2 stopovers with Sparpreis fares within the 2-day ticket validity.
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This is the fastest & cheapest route, but consider the scenic route via Zurich in option 3 below!
Option 2, Salzburg to Paris in a day - the slower scenic route through Switzerland
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Travelling via Switzerland takes an hour or two longer than going through Germany, but it's the route to take for the superb Alpine scenery through the Arlberg Pass, see photos, video & tips on the Arlberg Railway page. An overnight stop in Zurich breaks up the journey nicely (option 4 below), but you can travel from Salzburg to Paris in a single day this way:
Leave Salzburg Hbf 07:56 arriving Zurich HB 13:20. Have lunch in Zurich. Leave Zurich HB at 15:34, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 19:38.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 11:56 arriving Zurich HB 17:20. Leave Zurich HB at 18:34, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 22:44.
For lunch in Zurich, the Brasserie Federal on the station concourse is great for steak-frites & a beer.
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What's the journey like?
You travel from Salzburg to Zurich on a swish Austrian railjet train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi via the beautiful Arlberg pass. In 1st & business class a steward takes food & drink orders and serve you at your seat.
You then travel from Zurich to Paris on a 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV-Lyria high-speed train with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, taking only 4h04.
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How much does it cost?
Salzburg to Zurich starts at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (premium 1st class).
Zurich to Paris starts at €29 in 2nd class or €51 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets?
Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com.
Both are easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee. Using these sites lets you book both trains together in one place: First book from Salzburg to Zurich, add to basket, then book Zurich to Paris, add to basket and check out. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
Booking for TGV-Lyria opens up to 4 months ahead, booking for the railjet opens up to 6 months ahead.
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Another way to buy tickets
You can also book with the operators, more work, same prices, but no booking fee. Book Salzburg to Zurich at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at, then book Zurich to Paris at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com.
Crossing the Salzach at Salzburg: After leaving Salzburg Hbf, look to the left hand side for this view of the Fortress Hohensalzburg as you cross the Salzach.
Cutting across Germany: From Salzburg to Kufstein the train takes a short cut through Germany without stopping, see the route map here. All fast Vienna-Salzburg-Innsbruck trains do this, they're still considered Austrian domestic trains even they spend an hour on German territory! Such a train is called a Korridorzug.
Kufstein: The train stops at Kufstein, where the castle towers above the station.
Above right, lunch is served. In railjet first & business class, the steward takes your order & serves lunch at your seat.
Mountains near Innsbruck. The train calls briefly at Innsbruck Hbf.
River Inn: Running alongside the river Inn in the Tirol, somewhere between Ötzal & Landeck.
Arlberg Pass: Above, brooding skies over the Arlberg pass. The pass itself is long, narrow and curvaceous with the train snaking along the valley sides, often high above the valley floor.
Arlberg Tunnel: Between St Anton am Arlberg & Bludenz the train passes through the Arlberg Tunnel, 6.2 km (6.3 miles) long and opened in 1884. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlberg_Railway_Tunnel.
Swiss lakes: Between Sargans & Zurich the railjet runs alongside the shore of the Walensee and then the Zürichsee.
Railjet arrived at Zurich HB.
Option 3, Salzburg to Paris with overnight stop in Munich - same as option 1, but with an overnight stop
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg Hbf to Munich Hbf on any afternoon or evening train you like.
These leave several times per hour taking between 1h40 & 2h01. About the different types of Salzburg-Munich train.
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Stay overnight in Munich.
The affordable Eden Hotel Wolff & NH Collection München are across the road from the station's north side exit with great reviews. I've stayed at both myself, the former is a cosy traditional hotel, the latter has a more modern corporate style. Or try the upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian, Excelsior by Giesel & Mercure City Center. For a splurge, the luxurious Sofitel Munich Beyerpost occupies the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building of 1896-1900, at the station's south side exit.
For dinner, I recommend the Bavarian food & beer at the Augustiner Keller (www.augustinerkeller.de) at Arnulfstrasse 52, see walking map.
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Day 2, travel from Munich to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Munich Hbf 06:51, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 12:35.
The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Watch the sun rise and the morning mists clear, see the Munich-Paris TGV video. Book an upper deck seat for the best views.
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Fares start at €49.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy a ticket from Salzburg to Paris at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Munich, click Stopovers and enter Munich Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 11 hours. Adjust departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Munich.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 4, Salzburg to Paris with overnight stop in Zurich - same scenic route as option 2, but with an overnight stop
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Zurich by railjet with a choice of departure:
Leave Salzburg Hbf 11:56, arriving Zurich HB 17:20.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 15:56, arriving Zurich HB 21:20.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 17:56, arriving Zurich HB 23:22.
Check the hours of daylight as you ideally want to see the Arlberg Pass in daylight. You're better off taking the 15:56 in summer or the 11:56 in winter, and spending a pleasant evening in Zurich.
The swish Austrian railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st & business class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat. Enjoy the scenery through the Arlberg pass, see the Arlberg Railway page.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (premium 1st).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas bank cards no problem) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Zurich.
For something special, the 5-star Hotel Schweizerhof is one of my favourite hotels anywhere, just across the road from the station. They'll even send a uniformed commissionaire to meet you & carry your bags from the train. For something cheaper, also next to the station with great reviews, try the Ruby Mimi Hotel or the excellent 3-star Hotel St. Josef, 7 minutes walk from the station, see walking map. If you're on a budget, book a private rooms in a 1-star hotel or backpacker hostel near the station at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Zurich to Paris by TGV-Lyria, with a choice of departure:
Leave Zurich HB at 06:59, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 11:38.
Leave Zurich HB at 09:34, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 13:38.
Leave Zurich HB at 11:34, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 15:38.
The impressive double-deck 320 km/h TGV-Lyria has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €51 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Salzburg to Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo
Option 1, Salzburg to Lyon, Aix, Avignon, Marseille in a day
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Stuttgart by regional train, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 08:05, arriving Munich Hbf 10:06.
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Step 2, travel from Stuttgart to Karlsruhe by ICE, leaving Munich Hbf at 11:02, arriving Karlsruhe Hbf 13:52.
The ICE has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Step 3, travel from Karlsruhe to France by TGV Duplex, leaving Karlsruhe Hbf at 15:12, arriving Lyon Part Dieu 19:58, Avignon TGV 21:09, Aix en Provence TGV 21:31 & Marseille St Charles 21:46.
The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Stay overnight in Marseille.
Inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.
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Step 4, take an onward train from Marseille St Charles to Cannes, Nice, Nimes, Montpellier, Perpignan, Carcassonne or Toulouse.
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How much does it cost?
Fares from Salzburg to France start at €49.99 in 2nd class or €79.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets from Salzburg to Lyon, Avignon, Aix or Marseille at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Before running the enquiry, click Stopovers, enter Munich Hbf as stopover 1 with length of stay 00:50, Karlsruhe Hbf as stopover 2 with length of stay 01:00.
You're basically after the once-a-day direct TGV from Germany to Marseille, with whatever robust connection from Salzburg there is on your date. It can take some fiddling to find it! You'll get a through ticket this way.
Incidentally, if you keep seeing a Westbahn (WB) train appear as the connection from Salzburg (which German Railways are obliged to show by competition law, but cannot sell, so it'll say Route section only against the price), you can eliminate this by clicking Modify, click Mode of Transport and toggle off Interregio- and Fast trains. Then it'll find an all-German alternative which it can sell.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Book onward French trains from Marseille at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Salzburg to Monte Carlo or Nice with overnight stop in Milan
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Milan using any of the departures in the Salzburg to Italy section.
You can leave Salzburg Hbf as late as 12:56 via Innsbruck & Verona arriving Milan Centrale 20:45, but by all means take an earlier departure and spend a pleasant evening in Milan. Book as shown.
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Stay overnight in Milan.
Affordable hotels with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol, Hotel Bernina, 43 Station Hotel, B&B Hotel Milano Central Station, Guesthouse Teodora. Pricier more upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel, Glam Hotel, Made to Measure Business, Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson.
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Day 2, travel from Milan to Ventimiglia by Intercity train, leaving Milan Centrale at 07:10, arriving Ventimiglia 10:59.
This is a lovely scenic ride along the Italian Riviera between Genoa & Ventimiglia.
If you'd prefer a later departure there's also an 09:10 departure, see the Milan-Nice timetable here.
Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €26.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 2, travel from Ventimiglia to Monaco, Nice or Cannes by TER local train, leaving Ventimiglia at 11:09, arriving Monte Carlo 11:41, Nice Ville 12:07, Cannes 12:51. Times may vary.
The fare is €10.20, cheaper promotional fares are sometimes available. 2nd class only.
Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
You'll find full details of the journey from Milan to Nice on the Nice to Italy by train page.
Salzburg to Brussels & Bruges from €19.99
Option 1, Salzburg to Brussels by Nightjet sleeper train, 3 times a week - the time-effective option
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A Nightjet sleeper leaves Salzburg Hbf at 21:18 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, arriving Brussels Midi 09:55.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The train has several couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes. See the guide to Nightjet accommodation.
Tip: If you have a sleeper, you can use the ÖBB lounge at Salzburg Hbf with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & WiFi.
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Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book at either www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. Child under 6?
Option 2, Salzburg to Brussels in a single chill-out day from €19.99
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You can travel from Salzburg to Brussels by train in a single leisurely day:
Leave Salzburg Hbf 06:05, change Munich Hbf & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi 15:35.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 08:05, change Munich Hbf & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi 17:35.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 10:00, change Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi 19:35.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 12:00, change Frankfurt (Main) Flughafen, arriving Brussels Midi 21:35.
Most or all of the journey is on ICE trains with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat.
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Fares start at €19.99 in 2nd class or €31.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes. The times above include that.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: If you keep seeing Westbahn (WB) trains appear as part of the journey (which German Railways are obliged to show under competition law, but cannot sell so it says Route section only against the price), you can eliminate these by clicking Modify, click Mode of Transport and toggle off Interregio- and Fast trains. Then it'll find an all-German alternative using its own ICE and regional trains which it can sell.
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Tip: Take the Rhine Valley scenic route.
If you don't mind taking an extra couple of hours you can travel via the classic Rhine Valley route through Koblenz, past mountains, castles, vineyards, river boats and the legendary Lorelei Rock, see the Rails Down the Rhine page. A treat! Click Stopovers and enter Koblenz Hbf with length of stay zero. Anything via Koblenz takes the Rhine Valley route. You'll usually find two good options:
Leave Salzburg Hbf 08:05, change Munich Hbf, Mannheim & Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi 19:35.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 10:00, change Heidelberg & Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi 21:35.
An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about ICE trains. Photo courtesy of Christian Hunt.
Option 3, Salzburg to Brussels with an overnight stop in Cologne
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Cologne on any afternoon train you like.
You can leave Salzburg Hbf as late as 17:05, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Cologne Hbf after midnight, but by all means take an earlier train to spend a pleasant evening in Cologne.
Check times at int.bahn.de, I'd change Transfer time to 30 minutes.
In Cologne, the station is right next to the cathedral in the city centre. For dinner try the excellent Brauhaus Sion (www.brauhaus-sion.de), 5 minutes walk from Cologne Hauptbahnhof, or the Malzmuehle (www.muehlenkoelsch.de), 10-15 minutes walk from Cologne Hbf.
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Stay overnight in Cologne.
The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, the entrance is left of the station entrance, many rooms have a cathedral view. Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.
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Day 2, travel from Cologne Hbf to Brussels Midi by ICE or Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed train in just 1h50. Change in Brussels for half-hourly trains to Bruges.
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Fares from Salzburg to Brussels start at €19.99 in 2nd class or €31.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Cologne, click Stopovers and enter Cologne Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 11:00. Adjust the departure time and length of stay to get trains that suit you either side of Cologne.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
You can only book journeys involving the Cologne-Brussels ICE this way, and that gets you a through tickets for an inclusive price. For a greater choice of Cologne-Brussels trains book Salzburg-Cologne at int.bahn.de, then book Cologne to Brussels at www.thetrainline.com as this can book both ICE and Eurostar (formerly Thalys). However, with journeys via Eurostar you don't get a through ticket, I'd stick with ICE.
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The Rhine Valley scenic route.
If you don't mind taking an extra hour, you can travel from Salzburg to Cologne via the scenic and curvaceous Rhine Valley route through Koblenz, past mountains, castles, vineyards, river boats and the legendary Lorelei Rock, see the Rails Down the Rhine page. Just click Stopovers and enter Koblenz Hbf, with length of stay zero. Anything via Koblenz takes the Rhine Valley route. Re-jig as necessary to get Koblenz as stopover 1, Cologne as stopover 2, obviously.
Pfalzgrafenstein castle seen from a train on the Rhine Valley route, see the Rails Down the Rhine page.
Salzburg to Amsterdam from €37.99
Option 1, Salzburg to Amsterdam using the Austria-Amsterdam Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Linz by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 18:07, arriving Linz Hbf 19:15.
Or take an earlier train and have dinner in Linz, they leave several times per hour.
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Step 2, travel from Linz to Amsterdam by Nightjet, leaving Linz Hbf at 21:04, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 09:59.
Exact times can vary. Departure from Linz is at 20:04 from 14 June to 12 December 2026.
This is a new generation Nightjet with 1 & 2 bed sleepers with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to accommodation. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.
Fares start at €59.90 in a mini cabin or 4-berth couchettes, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book Salzburg to Linz & Linz to Amsterdam at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices, same prices) or the Dutch Railways international site www.nsinternational.com (in €, no fee).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. Suggested hotels in Amsterdam.
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Tip: If you prefer you can travel via Munich instead of Linz. Take an early evening train from Salzburg to Munich, journey time 1h42. Have a typically Bavarian dinner at the Augustiner Keller (www.augustinerkeller.de) at Arnulfstrasse 52, just on the north side of Munich Hbf, then take the Munich-Amsterdam portion of the same Nightjet, leaving Munich Hbf at 22:52 arriving Amsterdam Centraal 09:59. Book Salzburg-Munich then Munich-Amsterdam at www.thetrainline.com. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
Linz to Amsterdam by Nightjet sleeper train. More about new-generation Nightjets.
Option 2, Salzburg to Amsterdam in a single day - the leisurely daytime option
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You can travel from Salzburg to Amsterdam by train in a single leisurely day, with a choice of departures:
Leave Salzburg Hbf 07:08, change at Munich Hbf & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 17:29.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 09:05, change at Munich Hbf & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 19:29.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 12:00, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 21:29.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 13:05, change at Munich Hbf & Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 23:29.
From Munich onwards you travel by superb ICE3neo train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat. Exact times may vary.
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Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes. Look for journeys with just 1 or 2 changes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. Suggested hotels in Amsterdam.
An ICE3neo at Amsterdam Centraal. Click on the interior images for larger photos.
Option 3, Salzburg to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Cologne - breaks up the journey nicely
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Cologne, with a choice of departure, for example:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 12:00 by direct ICE, arriving Cologne Messe/Deutz 18:54.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 14:00, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Cologne Hbf 21:39.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 15:00, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Cologne Hbf 22:05.
The majority of these journeys are made on ICE trains with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat.
For dinner in Cologne, try the excellent Brauhaus Sion (www.brauhaus-sion.de), 5 minutes walk from Cologne Hbf, or the Malzmuehle restaurant (www.muehlenkoelsch.de), 10-15 minutes walk from Cologne Hbf.
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Stay overnight in Cologne.
The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, the entrance is left of the station entrance, many rooms have a cathedral view. Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.
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Day 2, travel from Cologne to Amsterdam, with a choice of departure:
Leave Cologne Hbf at 06:49, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 09:29.
Leave Cologne Hbf at 08:49, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 11:29.
Leave Cologne Hbf at 10:49, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 13:29.
You travel by superb ICE3neo with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat. There are later trains if you'd like a morning in Cologne.
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Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Book from Salzburg to Amsterdam, to get the overnight stop click Stopovers and enter Cologne with a suitable length of stay, say 11 hours. Adjust departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Cologne. A little trial & error may be needed!
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Why not allow time for a wander round Cologne, visiting the cathedral next to the station - you can add a stopover of up to 48h.
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Top tip, take the scenic Rhine Valley route.
By default, the bahn.de journey planner puts you on the high-speed line to Cologne. If you click Stopovers and enter Koblenz Hbf as first stopover with length of stay zero, then Cologne as the second stopover with suitable length of stay for an overnight stop, it'll route you along the original curvaceous Rhine Valley route, past mountains, river boats, castles, vineyards and the legendary Lorelei Rock, see the Rails Down the Rhine page. It takes an hour or so longer but it's worth it.
You'll usually find a direct Salzburg-Cologne EuroCity train leaving Salzburg Hbf at 12:00 via the Rhine Valley, arriving Cologne Hbf 19:43.
Pfalzgrafenstein castle seen from a train on the Rhine Valley route, see the Rails Down the Rhine page.
Salzburg to Luxembourg from €36.99
Option 1, Salzburg to Luxembourg in a day
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You can travel from Salzburg to Luxembourg by train in a single day, for example:
Leave Salzburg Hbf 05:43, change at Munich Hbf & Düsseldorf, arriving Luxembourg 17:48.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 10:00, change at Munich Hbf, Mannheim & Trier, arriving Luxembourg 20:23.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 12:00, change at Mannheim & Konz, arriving Luxembourg 21:29.
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Fares start at €36.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Click Stopovers and enter Igel, leaving length of stay 00:00. This eliminates buses from the search results, trains call here, buses don't.
Change Transfer time from normal to 20 minutes. In the search results, look for journeys involving the fewest changes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Salzburg to Luxembourg with overnight stop in Cologne - breaks up the journey nicely
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Cologne, with a choice of departure, for example:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 12:00 by direct ICE, arriving Cologne Messe/Deutz 18:54.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 14:00, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Cologne Hbf 21:39.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 15:00, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Cologne Hbf 22:05.
The majority of these journeys are made on ICE trains with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat.
For dinner in Cologne, try the excellent Brauhaus Sion (www.brauhaus-sion.de), 5 minutes walk from Cologne Hbf, or the Malzmuehle restaurant (www.muehlenkoelsch.de), 10-15 minutes walk from Cologne Hbf.
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Stay overnight in Cologne.
The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, the entrance is left of the station entrance, many rooms have a cathedral view. Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.
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Day 2, travel from Cologne to Luxembourg, with a choice of departure:
Leave Cologne Hbf at 06:53, change at Koblenz, arriving Luxembourg 10:23.
Leave Cologne Hbf at 08:53, change at Koblenz, arriving Luxembourg 12:23.
Leave Cologne Hbf at 09:53, change at Koblenz, arriving Luxembourg 13:23.
You travel from Cologne to Koblenz by by Intercity or ICE train, then Koblenz to Luxembourg by double-deck regional train like the one shown below, along the scenic Moselle valley past river boats and vineyards. For the best river views, sit on the left hand side when going west from Koblenz (the train leaves Koblenz station heading north before turning west).
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Fares start at €36.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Book from Salzburg to Luxembourg, to get the overnight stop click Stopovers and enter Cologne with a suitable length of stay, say 11 hours. Adjust departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Cologne. A little trial & error may be needed!
It's also a good idea to change Transfer time to 20 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Salzburg to Zurich, Basel, Geneva & Switzerland from €29
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Smart modern railjets link Salzburg Hbf with Zurich HB in Switzerland.
Departures at 05:56, 07:56, 09:56, 11:56, 15:56 & 17:56, journey time 5h24.
Railjet trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st & business class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat. They travel through the Tirol and the lovely Arlberg pass, see the Arlberg Railway page & watch the video.
Change at Buchs for Chur & St Moritz. Change at Zurich HB for Basel, Luzern, Interlaken, Geneva & other Swiss destinations.
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Fares start at €29.90 2nd class, €44.90 1st class or €59.90 business class (= premium 1st).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets from Salzburg to almost any Swiss station at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
It's a lot cheaper to book a through ticket to (say) Luzern or Geneva than to buy a separate Swiss ticket from Zurich onwards.
Incidentally, I get a lot of people who think they'll save money by using their Swiss Pass for the Swiss part of the journey. But if (let's say) oebb.at gives you a price of €29.90 from Salzburg to Zurich and €39.90, from Salzburg to Lucerne (as budget train fares are no more related to distance than budget air fares), using up an expensive day on a Swiss Pass to cover the Zurich-Lucerne part of the trip is only saving you €10. So check prices before wasting a Swiss Pass day.
A railjet from to Zurich calls at Salzburg Hbf platform 2. More about railjets through the Arlberg Pass.
Crossing the Salzach at Salzburg: After leaving Salzburg Hbf, look to the left hand side for this view of the Fortress Hohensalzburg as you cross the Salzach.
Cutting across Germany: From Salzburg to Kufstein the train takes a short cut through Germany without stopping, see the route map here. All fast Vienna-Salzburg-Innsbruck trains do this, they're still considered Austrian domestic trains even they spend an hour on German territory! Such a train is called a Korridorzug.
Kufstein: The train stops at Kufstein, where the castle towers above the station.
Above right, lunch is served. In railjet first & business class, the steward takes your order & serves lunch at your seat.
Mountains near Innsbruck. The train calls briefly at Innsbruck Hbf.
River Inn: Running alongside the river Inn in the Tirol, somewhere between Ötzal & Landeck.
Arlberg Pass: Above, brooding skies over the Arlberg pass. The pass itself is long, narrow and curvaceous with the train snaking along the valley sides, often high above the valley floor.
Arlberg Tunnel: Between St Anton am Arlberg & Bludenz the train passes through the Arlberg Tunnel, 6.2 km (6.3 miles) long and opened in 1884. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlberg_Railway_Tunnel.
Swiss lakes: Between Sargans & Zurich the railjet runs alongside the shore of the Walensee and then the Zürichsee.
A railjet arrived at Zurich HB.
Salzburg to Venice
Option 1, Salzburg to Venice via the Tauern route
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You can travel from Salzburg to Venice via the Tauern route, with a choice of departure:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 10:07 by railjet, change at Villach onto another railjet, arriving Venice Santa Lucia 16:09.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 14:07 by ICE, change at Villach onto a railjet arriving Venice Santa Lucia 20:03.
Railjets & ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st & business class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat. You cross Austria on the Tauern railway to Villach, climbing high through the mountains, see the photo below.
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Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (= premium 1st class).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book from Salzburg to Venice at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
The train crosses Austria on the Tauern railway between Salzburg & Villach, clinging to mountainsides high in the Austrian Alps.
Option 2, Salzburg to Venice via the Brenner route
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You can also travel from Salzburg to Venice through the Brenner Pass, with a choice of departure.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 06:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf, arriving Venice Santa Lucia 15:14 weekdays or 14:25 weekends.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 10:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf, arriving Venice Santa Lucia 18:25.
You travel from Salzburg to Innsbruck by railjet, then Innsbruck to Venice by Eurocity train (06:56 departure) or railjet (10:56 departure). The railjet trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st & business class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat. The Eurocity train has a refreshment trolley.
South of Innsbruck the train travels through the scenic Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass video. More about the Innsbruck-Venice journey.
Tip: If you have a 1st class ticket you can grab a complimentary tea or coffee between trains in the ÖBB lounge at Innsbruck Hbf.
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Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or (on railjet trains) €59.90 in business class (premium 1st class, a real treat).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book from Salzburg to Venice as one transaction at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
A new generation railjet at Verona Porta Nuova, showing a low-floor section for easy boarding. More about these railjets.
Option 3, Salzburg to Venice by Nightjet sleeper train
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Linz by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 20:07, arriving Linz Hbf 21:15.
I'd take an earlier train and have dinner in Linz, trains leave several times each hour.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 2, travel from Linz to Venice by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Linz Hbf at 23:10, arriving Venice Santa Lucia 08:34.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes. See the guide to Nightjet accommodation.
Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).
Look in the search results for the direct NJ (Nightjet) train with 0 changes. It's usually the same price whether you book it from Vienna, Linz or Salzburg, but it passes through Salzburg at 2am!
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Salzburg to Venice, Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples & Italy from €29
Option 1, Salzburg to Bologna, Florence & Rome by Nightjet sleeper train - the most time-effective option
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A Nightjet leaves Salzburg Hbf at 22:02 every day, arriving Bologna Centrale 05:38, Florence Campo di Marte 06:48 & Rome Tiburtina 10:05.
This is a new generation Nightjet sleeper train with 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to accommodation. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.
Fares start at €59.90 in a mini cabin or 4-berth couchettes, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
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Change in Rome for Naples, southern Italy & trains to Sicily. Buy a separate Rome-Naples ticket from €19.90 at either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, recognises English place names, small booking fee) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, they will refund their small booking fee if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com afterwards) or Trenitalia's own site www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, read this advice on using it first).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. I'd allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Rome, ideally more.
Salzburg to Bologna, Florence or Rome by Nightjet. More about new-generation Nightjets.
Option 2, Salzburg to Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples by daytime trains - the scenic option via the Brenner Pass
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Take a fast railjet from Salzburg to Innsbruck and another comfortable railjet from Innsbruck to Verona (or on two departures, Bologna) via the scenic Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass photos & video. Then take an Italian Frecciarossa to Milan, Florence, Rome or Naples.
Salzburg to Verona
Leave Salzburg Hbf 06:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf, arriving Verona Porta Nuova 12:59.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 08:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf, arriving Verona Porta Nuova 15:01.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 10:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf, arriving Verona Porta Nuova 16:59.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 12:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf, arriving Verona Porta Nuova 19:03.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 14:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf, arriving Verona Porta Nuova 21:01.
Salzburg to Milan
Leave Salzburg Hbf 06:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf & Verona Porta Nuova, arriving Milan Centrale 14:45.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 08:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf & Verona Porta Nuova, arriving Milan Centrale 16:45.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 10:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf & Verona Porta Nuova, arriving Milan Centrale 18:55.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 12:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf & Verona Porta Nuova, arriving Milan Centrale 20:45.
Salzburg to Florence, Rome & Naples
Leave Salzburg Hbf 06:56, change Innsbruck Hbf & Verona Porta Nuova, arrive Florence SMN 16:24, Rome Termini 18:10.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 08:56, change Innsbruck Hbf & Bologna Centrale, arrive Florence SMN 17:39, Rome Termini 19:25 & Naples Centrale 20:48.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 10:56, change Innsbruck Hbf & Verona Porta Nuova, arrive Florence SMN 19:24 & Rome Termini 21:15.
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Railjets have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st & business class a steward takes restaurant orders and serves you at your seat. The 300 km/h (186 mph) Italian Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seat & free WiFi.
I'd allow at least 45 minutes between trains in Verona (or Bologna), in case of delay.
Tip: If you have a 1st class ticket you can grab a complimentary tea, coffee or juice between trains in the ÖBB Lounge at Innsbruck Hbf.
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How much does it cost?
Salzburg to Verona or Bologna starts at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.
Verona to Milan starts at €19.90 in 2nd class (standard) or €29.90 in 1st class (business).
Verona or Bologna to Florence or Rome starts at €19.90 in 2nd class (standard) or €29.90 in 1st class (business).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee.
This connects to both the Austrian and Italian ticketing systems so you can book the whole journey in one place. About Raileurope.
Tip: Before running a Salzburg to Italy enquiry, click More options, enter the name of the interchange station in Italy (either Verona Porta Nuova or Bologna Centrale, read the info above) with a duration of at least 45 minutes. That forces it to split the booking at that station into an Austrian ticket and an Italian ticket (otherwise it doesn't find any fares) and gives you a robust connection.
Booking for the Austrian trains opens up to 6 months ahead. Booking for the Italian trains opens up to 4 months ahead.
You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
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Another way to buy tickets
Alternatively, you can book the Austrian trains from Salzburg to Verona or Bologna at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, accepts overseas cards, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).
Then book the Italian train from Verona or Bologna to your final Italian destination at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, small booking fee) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, they'll refund their small booking fee if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com after booking) or Trenitalia's own site www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names, see advice on using it). Make sure you allow at least 45 minutes between trains in Verona/Bologna.
A new generation railjet at Verona Porta Nuova, showing a low-floor section for easy boarding. More about these railjets.
Salzburg to Sicily
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Rome as shown in Salzburg to Italy section.
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Step 2, travel from Rome Termini to Messina, Taormina, Catania, Siracuse, Cefalù or Palermo by daytime Intercity train or overnight sleeper, as shown on the Trains to Sicily page. I'd allow an hour or two in Rome between trains, in case of delay.
These trains are shunted onto a ferry to cross the Straits of Messina, one of the few places in the world that trains go onto ships, and a unique experience, see the video. Buy tickets as shown on the Trains to Sicily page.
Salzburg to Barcelona & Spain from €79.80
Option 1, Salzburg to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stop in Geneva - the most scenic route, avoids crossing Paris
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Zurich by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 11:56, change at Zurich HB, arriving Geneva 20:25.
There's an earlier 09:56 departure if you'd like more of an evening in Geneva.
The railjet travels through the wonderfully scenic Arlberg Pass, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, put your feet up and enjoy the ride, see the Arlberg Railway page & watch the video.
Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class, €54.90 in 1st class, €69.90 in business class (= premium 1st).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Salzburg to Geneva at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee, using Trainline allows you to buy all your tickets in one place) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Geneva.
Hotels with good reviews near the station include Hotel Cornavin Genève, Hotel Les Arcades, ibis Styles Geneva Gare. Hotels in Switzerland can be expensive, if you're on a budget you can book budget private rooms in a one-star hotel or backpacker hostel near the station using www.hostelworld.com. Have a leisurely breakfast and maybe a wander round this lakeside city.
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Day 2, travel from Geneva to Lyon by TER regional train, leaving Geneva at 09:29, arriving Lyon Part Dieu 11:22.
It's a pleasant journey along the river Rhône.
The fare is a fixed-price €33.40 in 2nd class, €50.80 in 1st class.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Have dinner in Lyon, see suggested restaurants near the station.
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Day 2, travel from Lyon to Barcelona by AVE, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:35, arriving Barcelona Sants 19:23.
This comfortable AVE S100 high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
It passes Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the étangs (lakes) in southern France, the Fort de Salses approaching Perpignan. Look out for the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees. More about the journey.
Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or Spanish railways own site www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).
For Madrid, a same-day connection is possible: Leave Barcelona Sants at 21:00 by AVE, arriving Madrid Atocha 23:46.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona.
The Hotel Barcelo Sants is the top choice here, it's part of Barcelona Sants station so easy to use when arriving & departing by train, with great reviews & good feedback from Seat61 users. See other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 3, travel from Barcelona to other destinations in Spain:
For Madrid: AVE S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants & Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30.
For Granada: Leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 by AVE 112 high-speed train, arriving Granada at 13:11.
For Malaga: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:30 by AVE S103 high-speed train, arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano 14:54.
For Cordoba & Seville: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:30 by AVE S103 high-speed train, arriving Cordoba 13:17 & Seville Santa Justa 14:22.
For Valencia & Alicante: Euromed trains link Barcelona Sants with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 07:15 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:10 & Alicante 12:38 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Nord 13:13 & Alicante 15:32.
For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña & Vigo, there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or Renfe's own site www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up).
Booking opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Salzburg to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stop in Paris - fastest route & usually cheaper, if you don't mind changing stations in Paris
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Paris, for example:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 10:00, change Stuttgart Hbf onto an ICE3 train arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 18:16.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 12:00, change Stuttgart Hbf onto a TGV Duplex arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 20:42.
The ICE has a restaurant car, the double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, both trains have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €49.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
In Paris, transfer by metro or taxi from the Gare de l'Est to Gare de Lyon.
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Stay overnight in Paris.
The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon, right next to the station's iconic clock tower, the perfect choice with an early train to catch next morning. I've stayed here myself, it deserves its great reviews for staff, cleanliness & comfort.
Also try the Citizen M Hotel, a easy 2-minute 160m walk from the station, it gets great feedback from travellers (4-star), or Hotel Terminus Lyon in front of the station, 3-star; Or the Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon, opposite the station, 4-star. There aren't many cheap hotels around here, but try the 2-star Hotel 26 Faubourg a 5 min walk from Gare de Lyon.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 07:42, arriving Barcelona Sants 14:32.
The impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has 1st & 2nd class, a café-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upper deck seat for the best views.
The train speeds along the Rhône valley past pretty villages & picturesque churches, then past Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the étangs (lakes) in southern France, the Fort de Salses approaching Perpignan and the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou in the Pyrenees. More about the journey.
Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no fee). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid, Valencia, Alicante, Seville, Malaga and so on by high-speed train.
For Madrid, a high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 15:25 Mondays-Fridays, arriving Madrid Atocha 17:55.
Another AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 16:00 every day, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:12.
For Cordoba & Seville, a high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 15:15, arriving Cordoba 20:16, Seville Santa Justa 21:24.
For Malaga, an AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 15:15, arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano 21:43.
For Valencia & Alicante, a Euromed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 16:10 arriving Valencia Nord 19:02 & Alicante 21:34.
All these trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. I'd allow an hour between trains in Barcelona.
Buy tickets using either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or Renfe's own site www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up).
Booking opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 3, Salzburg to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stop in Munich - same as option 2, but with the overnight stop in Munich
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg Hbf to Munich Hbf on any evening train you like, journey time 1h42.
You can leave as late as 21:00 but I'd suggest an earlier train for a pleasant evening and good night's sleep in Munich.
Fares start at €18.99 in 2nd class or €27.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Munich.
The affordable Eden Hotel Wolff & NH Collection München are across the road from the station's north side exit with great reviews. I've stayed at both myself, the former is a cosy traditional hotel, the latter has a more modern corporate style. Or try the upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian, Excelsior by Giesel & Mercure City Center. For a splurge, the luxurious Sofitel Munich Beyerpost occupies the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building of 1896-1900, at the station's south side exit.
For dinner, I recommend the Bavarian food & beer at the Augustiner Keller (www.augustinerkeller.de) at Arnulfstrasse 52, see walking map.
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Day 2, travel from Munich to Paris by TGV Duplex leaving Munich Hbf 06:51 arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 12:35.
The double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upstairs seat for the best views. Watch the sun rise and the morning mists clear, see the video.
Fares start at €49.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Tip: It's cheaper to book from Salzburg to Paris as one journey. To get the overnight stop, click Stopovers, enter Munich with a length of stay of (say) 10 hours. Adjust departure time & length of stay to get the train you want in the evening and the direct TGV to Paris next morning.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
In Paris, transfer by metro or taxi to the Gare de Lyon and perhaps have lunch at the famous Train Bleu Restaurant!
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:42, arriving Barcelona Sants 21:32.
The impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has 1st & 2nd class, a café-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upper deck seat for the best views.
The train speeds along the Rhône valley past pretty villages & picturesque churches, then past Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the étangs (lakes) in southern France, the Fort de Salses approaching Perpignan and the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou in the Pyrenees. More about the journey.
Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona.
The Hotel Barcelo Sants is top choice here, it's part of Barcelona Sants station so easy to use when arriving & departing by train, with great reviews & good feedback from Seat61 users. See other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 3, travel from Barcelona to other Spanish destinations:
For Madrid: AVE S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants & Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30.
For Granada: Leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 by AVE 112 high-speed train, arriving Granada at 13:11.
For Malaga: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:30 by AVE S103 high-speed train, arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano 14:54.
For Cordoba & Seville: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:30 by AVE S103 high-speed train, arriving Cordoba 13:17 & Seville Santa Justa 14:22.
For Valencia & Alicante: Euromed trains link Barcelona Sants with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 07:15 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:10 & Alicante 12:38 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Nord 13:13 & Alicante 15:32.
For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña & Vigo, there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up) or at Renfe's own website www.renfe.com (much more be fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it).
Booking opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Mt Canigou & the Pyrenees. One of the highest peaks in the mighty Pyrenees, the 2,784m (9,137 feet) high Mt Canigou dominates the skyline on the right of the train all the way from Perpignan to Girona, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canigou. More photos of what to see on the Paris-Barcelona train journey.
Salzburg to San Sebastian
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Paris, for example:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 10:00, change Stuttgart Hbf onto an ICE3 train arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 18:16.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 12:00, change Stuttgart Hbf onto a TGV Duplex arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 20:42.
The ICE has a restaurant car, the double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, both trains have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €49.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
In Paris, transfer by metro or taxi from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare Montparnasse.
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Stay overnight in Paris.
Hotels near the Gare Montparnasse with good reviews include the Mercure Paris Gare Montparnasse (4-star, a 6 minute 400m walk), or for something cheaper, L'Hotel de Paris Montparnasse (3-star, a mere 3-minute 190m walk) & Waldorf Montparnasse (3-star, a 4 minute 280m walk).
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Hendaye by TGV Duplex Océane, with a choice of departure:
Leave Paris Gare Montparnasse at 06:38 on Sundays, arriving Hendaye 11:47.
Leave Paris Gare Montparnasse at 07:11 on Mondays-Saturdays, arriving Hendaye 11:48.
Leave Paris Gare Montparnasse at 10:11 every day, arriving Hendaye 14:47.
The TGV Duplex Océane has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Hendaye is on the French side of the Spanish border.
Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 2, travel from Hendaye to San Sebastian Amara by Euskotren, every 30 minutes, journey 37 minutes, fare €2.90.
Walk out of Hendaye station and turn right, the little Euskotren station is 50m away. Buy a ticket at the Euskotren station from the machines or staffed counter with cash or card and hop on the next half-hourly Euskotren to San Sebastian Amara.
Check times at www.euskotren.eus. More about the Paris to San Sebastian journey.
Salzburg to Lisbon, Porto, Faro & Portugal
Option 1, Salzburg to Lisbon via Paris, Barcelona & Madrid
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Paris, for example:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 10:00, change Stuttgart Hbf onto an ICE3, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 18:16.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 12:00, change Stuttgart Hbf onto a TGV Duplex, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 20:42.
The ICE has a restaurant car, the double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, both trains have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €49.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
In Paris, transfer by metro or taxi from the Gare de l'Est to Gare de Lyon.
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Stay overnight in Paris.
The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon, right next to the station's iconic clock tower, the perfect choice with an early train to catch next morning. I've stayed here myself, it deserves its great reviews for staff, cleanliness & comfort.
Also try the Citizen M Hotel, a easy 2-minute 160m walk from the station, it gets great feedback from travellers (4-star), or Hotel Terminus Lyon in front of the station, 3-star; Or the Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon, opposite the station, 4-star. There aren't many cheap hotels around here, but try the 2-star Hotel 26 Faubourg a 5 min walk from Gare de Lyon.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 07:42, arriving Barcelona Sants 14:32.
The impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has 1st & 2nd class, a café-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upper deck seat for the best views.
The train speeds along the Rhône valley past pretty villages & picturesque churches, then past Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the étangs (lakes) in southern France, the Fort de Salses approaching Perpignan and the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou in the Pyrenees. More about the journey.
Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid by AVE, leaving Barcelona Sants at 15:25 Mondays-Fridays, arriving Madrid Atocha 17:55.
Or on any day of the week, leave Barcelona Sants at 16:00 by AVE, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:12.
These comfortable AVE S103 high-speed trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €17.05 in standard class or €68.05 in comfort class. Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Madrid.
The classic Hotel Mediodia is across the road from Atocha with good reviews, or try the NH Hotel Madrid Atocha or Only YOU Hotel Atocha, also across the road from the station.
Option 2, Salzburg to Faro & the Algarve via bus from Seville
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Barcelona as shown above.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona.
The Hotel Barcelo Sants is top choice here, it's located above Barcelona Sants station itself and gets great reviews, with nice rooms, a great breakfast buffet and a delightfully kitsch space theme. Alternatively, the Nobu Hotel and AC Sants Hotel by Marriot are both just across the road from the station. Other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Seville by AVE, leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:30, arriving Seville Santa Justa 14:22.
The high-speed AVE S103 has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €50.60 in standard class or €67.30 in comfort class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, in €, may reject some international credit cards).
Booking opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 2, travel from Seville to Faro by bus.
An Alsa-Rede Express bus usually leaves Seville Santa Justa station at 15:30 arriving Faro 18:00.
Times vary so check at Omio.com, I'd allow at least 40 minutes between train & bus. Remember the 1h time difference between Spain & Portugal.
Several other bus companies run this route including Damas, EuroLines & Iberobus, all leaving from Seville Plaza de Armas bus station. I recommend Alsa-Rede Express as their buses start from outside Seville Santa Justa station for easy train-bus connections. Simply walk out of the main exit and turn right, you'll see the pale blue Alsa-Rede Express bus waiting opposite McDonalds, see the photo below.
The Alsa-Rede Express buses also call at Seville Plaza de Armas bus station after leaving Santa Justa, a better departure point if you're visiting Seville city centre. The bus has power sockets, but no WiFi or toilet. There's a brief toilet stop at Tavira bus station.
In Faro, the Alsa-Rede Express buses arrive at the Eva bus station adjacent to the excellent Eva Senses Hotel and 2 minutes walk from Faro railway station. The bus continues to Lagos, or you can have a coffee and continue to Tunes & Lagos by train.
The fare is around €17-€21 each way.
Buy tickets for any of these bus companies at Omio.com and print your own ticket.
Salzburg to Andorra
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Paris, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 10:00, change at Stuttgart Hbf, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 18:16.
Fares start from €49.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the German Railways website int.bahn.de (in €, no fee).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
In Paris, transfer by metro or taxi to the Gare d'Austerlitz.
I'd allow at least 90 minutes between trains in Paris when catching a sleeper. I recommend dinner at the Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon before strolling across the bridge over the River Seine to the Gare d'Austerlitz.
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Day 1, travel from Paris to Toulouse by Intercité de Nuit, leaving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 22:13 arriving Toulouse Matabiau 07:44.
This train has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes & 2nd class seats. More about Intercité de Nuit.
Fares start at €29 in a 2nd class couchette or €59 in a 1st class couchette. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead, but this train has an annoying habit of opening late for booking, less than the expected 4 months ahead, so don't be impatient. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: On arrival in Toulouse, I recommend the breakfast buffet at the nearby Pullman Hotel.
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Day 2, travel from Toulouse to Andorra by bus, leaving Toulouse Matabiau at 09:45, arriving Andorra la Vella bus station at 14:00.
The bus is run by Andbus, check times at Andbus.net. I'd allow at least an hour between train & bus in Toulouse in case of delay.
The bus leaves from bus stand 15 in the Gare Routière (bus station) outside Toulouse Matabiau railway station. Walk out of the station onto the forecourt and look to your right. The bus station is the modern building with the glass-and-blue-framework, see the photos below.
The fare is €36 one-way. Book the bus at Andbus.net.
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A better route on Fridays & Saturdays, daily June-September:
On Friday & Saturday nights and every day from June to September, the same 22:13 Intercité de Nuit from Paris conveys 1st & 2nd class couchettes & reclining seats direct to Andorre-l'Hospitalet, the nearest station to Andorra, arriving 09:39.
Book this Paris to Andorre-l'Hospitalet sleeper at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no fee).
A bus run by Hife leaves l'Hospitalet station at 10:15, arriving Andorra La Vella bus station 11:30.
The bus fare is €24, pre-book the bus at www.hife.es.
Alternatively, a taxi from l'Hospitalet costs around €80 for up to 4 passengers, taking 47 minutes for the 38 km drive. Pre-book a taxi to meet the train, call Altitud Taxis, 00 376 856255 or 00 33 561644714. This is a nicer and faster option than the bus from Toulouse, when running.
Salzburg to Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne & Germany from €27.99
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Regular trains link Salzburg Hbf with stations all over Germany, Salzburg to anywhere in Germany.
Fares start at €17.99 in 2nd class or €25.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
For example, Salzburg to Berlin in as little as 5h56 with one easy change in Munich, centre to centre by smart Austrian railjet then a superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. I recommend a Weissbier on the ICE, served in a tall Erdinger glass.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You can choose your seat from a seat map on IC & ICE trains. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: For longer journeys you might want to change Transfer time from normal to (say) 30 minutes.
Tip: Fancy a stopover? You can add up to 2 stopovers within the 2-day validity of a cheap Sparpreis fare using the Stopovers feature.
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For Cologne or Düsseldorf, take the scenic Rhine Valley route
By default, bahn.de will route you via the high-speed line to Cologne. But if you click Stopovers and enter Koblenz Hbf leaving length of stay 00:00, it'll route you along the original curvaceous Rhine Valley route, past mountains, river boats, castles, vineyards and the legendary Lorelei Rock. It takes an hour or so longer but it's worth it. See the Rails down the Rhine page.
Salzburg to Munich from €17.99
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Trains link Salzburg Hbf with Munich Hbf at least twice an hour from early until late.
However, there are three different types of train, railjet trains (marked RJX or RJ), EuroCity trains (marked EC), and slower regional trains run by the Bayerische Regiobahn marked BRB.
Salzburg to Rothenburg ob der Tauber from €25.99
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Trains link Salzburg and the much-visited medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria.
There are departures through the day, journey time varies, typically 4h50. Most journeys involve 3 changes, one or two good options have only 2 changes at Augsburg and Steinach. Avoid any journey shown as including a bus or which involve 4 changes.
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Fares start at €25.99 in 2nd class or €34.99 in 1st class.
Fares work like air fares, so book ahead. The full-flex on-the-day fare is over €160.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stopover in Nuremberg?
Most journeys route you via Nuremberg. Nuremberg has a pleasant old town, a railway museum and the thought-provoking historic Party Rally Grounds. You can stop for several hours and still do the journey in a day, or stop overnight and have a more leisurely look round. No reservation is necessary for either IC, RB or RE trains on the Nuremberg-Rothenburg route, so you can simply stop off and use any train combo onwards to Rothenburg whenever you're ready to move on. How flexible is that?! Or use the Stopovers feature to pre-programme a stop into a cheap Sparpreis ticket.
Salzburg to Passau
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Many river cruises start from Passau in Germany, just over the border from Austria.
Take a fast railjet train from Salzburg Hbf to Linz in around 1h17, then a superb German ICE-T train from Linz to Passau Hbf in around 56 minutes. Both trains have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Tip: If you have a 1st class ticket you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Linz Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee, snacks & WiFi.
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Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy a ticket from Salzburg to Passau at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. Look for journeys with 1 change. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Salzburg to Copenhagen from €39.99
Option 1, Salzburg to Copenhagen in a day.
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Copenhagen with a choice of departure:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 05:43, change at Munich Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 19:38.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 08:00, change at Munich Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 21:38.
You travel from Munich to Hamburg by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat. You travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Take a good book, put your feet up and enjoy the ride. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
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Salzburg to Copenhagen starts at €39.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Salzburg to Copenhagen with an overnight stop in Hamburg
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Hamburg on any departure you like, for example:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 11:00, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 18:57.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 13:00, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:57.
You travel from Munich to Hamburg by ICE, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg.
The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:53, arriving Copenhagen 13:38.
The EuroCity train has power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
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Salzburg to Copenhagen starts at €39.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes.
To get the overnight stop, click Stopovers, enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 10 hours. Adjust departure time and length of stay as necessary to get the trains you want in the evening and the morning train to Copenhagen next day.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2026. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats, but no catering so bring your own food & drink. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Salzburg to Stockholm & Sweden
Option 1, Salzburg to Stockholm using the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train - the time-effective option
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Hamburg, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 11:00, change Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 18:57.
You travel from Salzburg to Munich by railjet, Munich to Hamburg by ICE, both trains have a restaurant, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Times may vary, don't risk any tight connections in Munich and always allow at least an hour when connecting with a sleeper train. Have dinner in Hamburg, see suggested restaurants near the station.
Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Stockholm by sleeper train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 21:53, arriving Stockholm Central 09:56.
Run by SJ (Swedish Railways), this EuroNight sleeper train has one or two sleeping-cars with compact 1 & 2 berth compartments with washbasin, several 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with toilet & shower, couchette cars with 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A bistro car is attached between Malmö and Stockholm. More about the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train.
Fares start at €44.90 with a couchette, €79.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €164.90 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. All prices per person per bed, fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
Book tickets at the Swedish Railways website www.sj.se.
Booking opens several months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Salzburg to Malmö, Gothenburg or Stockholm with overnight stop in Copenhagen.
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Copenhagen with a choice of departure:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 05:43, change at Munich Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 19:38.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 08:00, change at Munich Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 21:38.
You travel from Munich to Hamburg by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat. You travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Take a good book, put your feet up and enjoy the ride. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
If you're going to Malmö, hop on the next Öresund train to Malmö Central, these run every 15 minutes, taking 40 minutes.
If you're going to Gothenburg, hop on the next Öresund train to Göteborg Central, these run every hour, taking 3h35.
You can check times from Salzburg to Malmö or Gothenburg at int.bahn.de.
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Stay overnight in Copenhagen.
The friendly Astoria Hotel is a 1930s design classic right outside Copenhagen station main entrance, see photos & information here. Other hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).
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Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000, leaving Copenhagen at 08:21, arriving Stockholm Central 13:34.
SJ's X2000 trains have a bistro, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. They use the impressive Öresund fixed link from Sweden to Denmark.
Update 2026: Unfortunately, SJ is short of X2000s and until further notice you'll need to change at Malmö:
Leave Copenhagen 07:30, change at Malmö Central, arriving Stockholm Central 13:32.
Leave Copenhagen 09:29, change at Malmö Central, arriving Stockholm Central 15:35.
Or there are earlier & later departures, check times at www.sj.se or Omio.com.
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How much does it cost?
Salzburg to Copenhagen starts at €49.99 in 2nd class or €79.99 in 1st class.
Copenhagen to Stockholm starts at 280 SEK (€28).
There are through fares from Salzburg to Malmö & Gothenburg from €56.99 in 2nd class, €79.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
If you're going to Malmö or Gothenburg, book from Salzburg to Malmö Central or Göteborg Central at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
If you're going to Stockholm, book from Salzburg to Copenhagen at int.bahn.de. Then book from Copenhagen to Stockholm for the following day using www.sj.se (in SEK) or using Omio.com (in SEK, €, £ or $, small booking fee).
I'd change Transfer time from normal to 40 minutes or more.
Booking normally opens 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
Option 3, Salzburg to Malmö, Gothenburg & Stockholm with an overnight stop in Hamburg
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Hamburg on any departure you like, for example:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 11:00, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 18:57.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 13:00, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:57.
You travel from Munich to Hamburg by ICE, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg.
The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:53, arriving Copenhagen 13:38.
The EuroCity train has power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. More about this journey.
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Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Sweden:
For Malmö, hop on the next Öresund train from Copenhagen to Malmö Central, these leave every 15 minutes taking 40 minutes.
For Gothenburg, hop on the next Öresund train from Copenhagen to Göteborg Central, these leave every hour taking 3h35.
For Stockholm, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000, leaving Copenhagen at 14:19, arriving Stockholm Central 19:37.
SJ's X2000 trains have a bistro, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. They use the impressive Öresund fixed link from Sweden to Denmark,
Update 2026: Unfortunately, SJ is short of X2000s and until further notice you'll need to change at Malmö:
Leave Copenhagen 14:44, change at Malmö Central, arriving Stockholm Central 21:35.
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How much does it cost?
Salzburg to Copenhagen starts at €39.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Copenhagen to Stockholm starts at 280 SEK (€28).
There are through fares from Salzburg to Malmö & Gothenburg from €56.99 in 2nd class, €79.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
If you're going to Malmö or Gothenburg, book from Salzburg to Malmö Central or Göteborg Central with German Railways at int.bahn.de.
If you're going to Stockholm, first book from Salzburg to Copenhagen using int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours. Adjust departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg. A little trial & error may be needed!
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
Then book from Copenhagen to Stockholm using www.sj.se (in SEK) or using Omio.com (in SEK, €, £ or $, small booking fee).
Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2026. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats, but no catering so bring your own food & drink. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Salzburg to Oslo & Norway
Option 1, Salzburg to Oslo with overnight stop in Copenhagen - by train all the way
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Copenhagen with a choice of departure:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 05:43, change at Munich Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 19:38.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 08:00, change at Munich Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 21:38.
You travel from Munich to Hamburg by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat. You travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Take a good book, put your feet up and enjoy the ride. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
Salzburg to Copenhagen starts at €39.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Copenhagen.
The friendly Astoria Hotel is a 1930s design classic right outside Copenhagen station main entrance, see photos & information here. Other hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).
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Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Oslo, leaving Copenhagen at 07:30, change at Gothenburg Central, arriving Oslo Sentral 15:47.
Earlier & later departures are available, see the Copenhagen-Oslo timetable & how to buy tickets here.
Alternatively, spend a morning in Copenhagen, and after lunch take the overnight ferry to Oslo with a comfortable private cabin with shower & toilet, sailing from Copenhagen at 16:30 (15:00 some days) and arriving Oslo at 10:00 on day 3, as shown here. This is remarkably affordable, and saves a hotel bill. Book the ferry at www.gonordiccruiseline.com or using the Direct Ferries website.
Option 2, Salzburg to Oslo with overnight stop in Hamburg - by train all the way
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Hamburg on any departure you like, for example:
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 11:00, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 18:57.
Leave Salzburg Hbf at 13:00, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:57.
You travel from Munich to Hamburg by ICE, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat.
Fares start at €27.99 in 2nd class or €47.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg.
The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Oslo, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:53, change Copenhagen & Gothenburg, arriving Oslo Sentral 23:47.
For full details & how to buy tickets, see the Hamburg-Oslo section.
Tip: You can save money by booking from Salzburg to Göteborg Central as one journey from €56.99. To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours. Adjust departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want in the afternoon and the 08:50 from Hamburg in the morning. You then just need the Vy ticket from Gothenburg to Oslo.
Option 3, Salzburg to Oslo via the Kiel-Oslo cruise ferry - the most comfortable way to Oslo
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Kiel on any suitable train, for example leaving Salzburg Hbf 11:00 arriving Kiel Hbf 20:52 with 2 easy changes.
Fares start at €39.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Kiel.
The InterCity Hotel Kiel gets good reviews, is relatively inexpensive and is right next to the station and a few minutes walk from the ferry. The B&B Hotel Kiel City is also next to the station with good reviews, and is even cheaper. For something upmarket, the Atlantic Hotel Kiel gets great reviews and is in Bahnhofsplatz in front of the station.
In Kiel it's a 7 minute 450m walk from Kiel Hbf to the Color Line ferry terminal.
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Step 2, sail from Kiel to Oslo by overnight Color Line ferry.
The ferry normally sails at 14:00, arriving Oslo 10:00 next morning.
The m/v Magic or m/v Fantasy have a full range of cosy cabins, suites, bars, restaurants and lounges. Make sure you're on deck next morning as the ship sails through spectacular scenery up Oslo Fjord.
The ship docks at the Color Line terminal about 2 km from the city centre. Color Line provide transfer buses to Oslo Sentral station costing 55 krone, or there are plenty of taxis. If you have little luggage it's possible to walk. Map of Oslo showing ferry terminal.
Check times & buy tickets using the Direct Ferries website or www.colorline.com.
Money-saving tip: It's considerably cheaper to book on Color Line's Norwegian website www.colorline.no in Norwegian Krone, for example a €274 fare becomes the equivalent of €164. You'll need to use Google to translate the Norwegian. You are still able to enter a UK or other European address and contact details. Feedback appreciated.
Sail from Kiel to Oslo with Color Line. It's just a 6 minute walk across from Kiel Hbf to the Color Line terminal. There's a lift up to a connecting walkway which takes you to the ferry terminal. If you've booked one of Color Line's 5 star suites, check in at the desk rather than the machines to be directed to a VIP lounge with free tea, coffee, juice, snacks & WiFi. You'll have priority boarding & free access to the on-board spa. Photos courtesy of Philip Dyer-Perry except where shown.
Above left, cabin with TV, shower & toilet, luxury suites are also available. Above right, restaurant with a view.
Restaurant and lounge on the Kiel-Oslo ferry.
Wake up to lovely scenery sailing up Oslo Fjord.
The Color Line ferry, arrived at Oslo. Above right, there's a transfer bus to Oslo Sentral, photo courtesy of Andrew Leo.
Salzburg to Helsinki & Finland
Option 1, Salzburg to Helsinki using a Finnlines ferry from Germany - the easiest option
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Hamburg, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 09:00, change at Munich Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 16:57.
Times may vary, just make sure you arrive in Hamburg before 19:00.
Fares start at €23.99 in 2nd class or €33.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
Tip: Book from Salzburg to Skandinavienkai Terminal, Lübeck as one transaction as this gets you a through ticket to the ferry terminal covering the train from Salzburg to Hamburg, the regional train to Lübeck and the bus to the Skandinavienkai Terminal. If you'd like time for dinner in Lübeck (see suggested restaurant here), click Stopovers and enter Lübeck Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 2 hours, with an earlier departure time.
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Day 1, transfer from Hamburg Hbf to the Travemünde ferry terminal by train+bus and sail from Travemünde to Helsinki with Finnlines, see the Hamburg page for details of the transfer, check-in arrangements & ferry crossing.
Finnlines sail from Travemünde in northern Germany to Helsinki every day, boarding at 23:30, sailing at 02:45 (the exact time varies) and arriving at Helsinki's Hansa Terminal in Vuosaari at 09:15 2 nights later (Day 3 from Salzburg).
Check sailing dates, times & book the ferry using the Direct Ferries website or at www.finnlines.com.
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Book onward trains within Finland at the Finnish Railways website www.vr.fi.
Option 2, Salzburg to Helsinki by train to Stockholm, then ferry
Salzburg to Prague from €23.70
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You can travel from Salzburg to Prague by comfortable air-conditioned train from only €23.70 in 2nd class or €42.50 in 1st class, city centre to city centre in 5h25 with one easy change in Linz, see the Salzburg to Prague page.
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee, booking opens up to 6 months ahead) or www.cd.cz (in CZK, booking opens 92 days ahead).
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. Suggested hotels in Prague.
Salzburg to Český Krumlov from €15
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Several times a day, a fast Austrian railjet train with restaurant car & free WiFi runs from Salzburg Hbf to Linz in about 1h10.
It connects with a comfortable air-conditioned Czech EuroCity train with bistro car from Linz to České Budějovice taking 2h16.
A little branch line train run by private operator GWTR runs from České Budějovice to Český Krumlov every hour or two taking 45 minutes.
Incidentally, České Budějovice might sound more familiar by its former Germanic name, Budweis. That's right, where the name of the beer comes from! The town is worth a look around in its own right, why not take an earlier train and have a wander?
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How much does it cost?
Salzburg to Český Krumlov costs as little as €15 if bought in advance. Meaning days or weeks in advance, not months.
This fare consists of a Czech Railways First Minute advance-purchase fare from Salzburg to České Budějovice and a OneTicket fare to cover the private operator GWTR between České Budějovice & Český Krumlov, bought as one easy Salzburg to Český Krumlov transaction.
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How to look up times & buy tickets
Book from Salzburg to Český Krumlov at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.
Booking normally opens 90 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone in the CD app.
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You'll find more about visiting Český Krumlov, the GWTR local train, taxis between station & old town, and how to travel from Český Krumlov on to Prague, on the Český Krumlov page.
Salzburg to Bratislava from €29.90
Option 1, Salzburg to Bratislava by direct railjet train - once per day, the best option if the timings suit you
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A direct railjet train leaves Salzburg Hbf every day at 18:07, arriving Bratislava Hlavna 21:51.
If the timings suit you, it's the easiest option. The swish Austrian railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (premium 1st).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares). You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Salzburg to Vienna by railjet & regional express to Bratislava - hourly departures from morning to late afternoon
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If the direct train doesn't suit, take any of the hourly Austrian railjet trains from Salzburg to Vienna Hbf in around 2h25, then the hourly regional express train from Vienna Hbf to Bratislava Hlavna (the main station, closest to the city centre) taking 56 minutes.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (= premium 1st).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares) and print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
Tip: When using www.oebb.at, select the specific destination Bratislava hl.st. as you will then see journeys with 1 change at Vienna Hbf and arrival at Bratislava's main Hlavna station which is closer to the city centre. if you select the generic city name BRATISLAVA as destination you may only see journeys with arrival at Bratislava Petrzalka station, which is not the main or best-located station in Bratislava.
Tip: If you have a 1st or business class ticket you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.
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You could consider taking a train from Salzburg to Vienna, then a river trip along the Danube to Bratislava. Vienna-Bratislava fast ferries and hydrofoils runs at least once a day in winter, up to 5 times a day in summer, 80 minutes. At least two companies operate, see www.twincityliner.com or www.lod.sk.
Step 2, Vienna to Bratislava Hlavna by regional express train. More about these Vienna-Bratislava trains.
Salzburg to Poprad-Tatry & Kosice
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Check times from Salzburg to Poprad-Tatry & Kosice at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
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Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
To get a safe connection time at Vienna Hbf not a risky 10-minute one, wait until the search results appear, then click Set more filters and tick Comfortable connection time.
Booking opens 60 days ahead. In this case, tickets must be collected from a self-service machine or ticket office in Austria.
You can also book at the Slovakian Railways website www.zssk.sk, which can be cheaper. Switch it to English by clicking EN top right, it's a little fiddly, but it works. You print your own ticket. To get a safe connection time in Vienna, click More options for 1 route and select Time for change at least 30 minutes.
Salzburg to Budapest from €39.90
Option 1, Salzburg to Budapest by direct railjet train - the fastest & most frequent option
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Smart Austrian railjet trains link Salzburg Hbf with Budapest Keleti every two hours, taking 5h12 city centre to city centre.
Departures from Salzburg at 07:07, 09:07, 11:07, 13:07, 15:07, 16:07, 19:07.
The railjets have a restaurant car, with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat.
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Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class, €54.90 in 1st class or €69.90 in business class (= premium 1st).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Salzburg to Budapest by Westbahn & Regiojet trains - the cheapest way
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Private open-access operator Westbahn run regular trains from Salzburg Hbf to Vienna Westbahnhof and open-access operator Regiojet runs several trains per day from Vienna Hbf to Budapest Deli station.
These two operators have teamed up to offer cheap through tickets from Salzburg to Budapest with low fares that stay low even at short notice. In fact, even on the day of travel.
Departures from Salzburg Hbf are at 06:52 & 13:52.
Check times at www.regiojet.com.
Salzburg-Vienna takes 2h30, you have an hour & a bit in Vienna to transfer by metro (at your own expense) from the Westbahnhof to the Hauptbahnhof, then Vienna-Budapest takes 2h31
Photos of Westbahn's double-deck trains. Photos of the 4 classes on RegioJet trains. I recommend Regiojet's Business class, with complimentary sparkling wine, Illy coffee and bottled water, or Relax class with Illy coffee and bottled water. Regiojet offers excellent at-seat service.
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Fares start at €34.90.
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Buy an e-ticket at www.regiojet.com.
Salzburg to Bucharest & Romania from €58
Option 1, Salzburg to Romania using the sleeper train Dacia from Vienna to Sighisoara, Brasov & Bucharest
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 15:07, arriving Vienna Hbf 17:32.
By all means take an earlier train for some time in the Austrian capital, just don't risk any tight connections in Vienna. The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class, €29.90 in 1st class, or €44.90 in business class (premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Romania on the Dacia, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:08, arriving Simeria 05:35, Alba Iulia 06:18, Sighișoara 07:31, Braşov 11:03, Sinaia 12:08, Ploesti Vest 13:00 & Bucharest Nord 13:38.
The Dacia has an air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car of the latest type with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus several 1 or 2 bed compartments with shower & toilet. It has a Romanian couchette car with 4-berth & 6-berth compartments, and 2nd class seats.
It's a fascinating journey across rural Transylvania, with wonderful Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest. However, there's no catering so bring a picnic & bottle of wine.
Fares start at €59 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, €79 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, €99 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper or €159 with a bed in a single-berth sleeper all to yourself. All per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
Booking opens up to 90 days ahead. In the search results, look for the direct train marked D with no changes. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
You can also book this train at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.
Click EN top right for English. Booking opens up to 90 days ahead. For Vienna type Wien, for Bucharest type Bucuresti. It can book seats, couchettes or sleepers. For Austria to Romania journeys you now print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. Tip: Prices might be cheaper than on oebb.at, so check both sites!
Option 2, Salzburg to Romania using the sleeper train Ister from Budapest to Brasov & Bucharest
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Budapest by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 11:07, arriving Budapest Keleti 16:19.
The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st & business class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €39.90 in 1st class or €54.90 in business class (= premium 1st).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 2, travel from Budapest to Romania by sleeper train Ister, leaving Budapest Keleti at 19:10, arriving Braşov 07:57 & Bucharest Nord 10:37.
This comfortable train has 4 & 6 berth couchettes and an air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and 2nd class seats. There's no restaurant car so take a picnic and bottle of wine.
Fares start at €39 with a couchette in 6-berth, €46 with a couchette in 4-berth, €69 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €84 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €162 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. All prices per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.
Click EN top right for English. Booking opens up to 90 days ahead. For Bucharest type Bucuresti. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
You can also book at the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu, see my advice on using it.
For Bucharest type Bucuresti. You show your ticket in the MAV app on your phone.
Option 3, Salzburg to Romania by daytime trains with overnight stop in Budapest
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg Hbf to Budapest Keleti in 5h11 on any railjet you like.
Railjet trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €39.90 in 1st class or €54.90 in business class (= premium 1st).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Budapest.
Top choice for an inexpensive stay next to Budapest Keleti is the Intercity Hotel just across the square in front of the station. Also try the Royal Park Boutique Hotel, the inexpensive Baross City Hotel across the road or the Elit Hotel two minutes walk away. Of course, if you want to push the boat out, the luxurious Corinthia Hotel opened in 1896 was almost certainly the inspiration for the 2014 film The Grand Budapest Hotel, 20 minutes walk or 9 minutes by taxi from Keleti station. More hotels in Budapest.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Romania by air-conditioned Intercity train:
The Traianus leaves Budapest Keleti at 05:10, arriving Arad 10:50, Timişoara Nord 11:26, Craiova 18:24 & Bucharest Nord 22:37.
The Hargita leaves Budapest Keleti at 06:40 arriving Brasov 22:24.
The Claudiopolis leaves Budapest Keleti daily at 09:10 arriving Cluj Napoca 20:28.
These trains have comfortable air-conditioned carriages. The Traianus should have a Romanian bar car, the Hargita & Claudiopolis have no catering, so bring your own food & drink.
Fares start at €26.30 in 2nd class or (where available) €40.50 in 1st class. These are limited availability fares, book ahead for these prices.
Book at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it.
Booking opens 60 days ahead. You show the ticket in the MAV app on your phone.
You can also book at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro. Click EN top right for English. Booking opens up to 90 days ahead. For Bucharest type Bucuresti. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
The Traianus from Budapest to Bucharest has comfortable air-conditioned Romanian carriages. Several cars travel all the way, additional cars are attached whilst in Hungary. There should be a cafe-bar, but I recommend bringing your own food & drink.
Salzburg to Ljubljana, Zagreb, Split & Dubrovnik from €29
Option 1, Salzburg to Ljubljana & Zagreb by direct train
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The Eurocity train Mimara leaves Salzburg Hbf at 12:07, arriving Lesce-Bled 15:47 & Ljubljana 16:31 & Zagreb 19:10.
The Mimara has comfortable air-conditioned Austrian carriages with 1st & 2nd class, but no catering so bring your own food & drink.
After leaving Salzburg the train crosses the Austrian Alps over the Tauern railway, climbing high through the mountains. Look out for the magnificent fortress at Werfen perched on a hilltop on the right hand side, guarding the approaches to Salzburg along the Salzachtal valley. You enter Slovenia just after Villach, there's more beautiful scenery along the Sava river between Ljubljana & Zagreb.
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Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas cards no problem) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (in €, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Onwards to Split & Dubrovnik.
There are trains from Zagreb to Split, for buses to Dubrovnik, see the Trains from Zagreb page.
Austrian Intercity cars as used on train EC115 from Salzburg to Zagreb.
Above left, 2nd class. Above right, 1st class.
Through the Austrian Alps on the Tauern route, clinging to the mountainside high in the Austrian Alps.
Across the border in Slovenia, the EuroCity train runs along the pretty River Sava all the way to Ljubljana & Zagreb.
Option 2, Salzburg to Ljubljana, other departures with a change.
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In addition to the direct train, there are other departures to Lesce-Bled & Ljubljana with a change of train.
You can leave Salzburg Hbf 06:07, 08:07, 10:07, 14:07, 16:07, 17:07 & 19:07.
You make an easy cross-platform change at Villach from the Austrian Intercity or railjet train to a modern air-conditioned Slovenian train for Lesce-Bled & Ljubljana. Journey time from Salzburg to Ljubljana is around 4h15.
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Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas cards no problem) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (in €, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 3, Salzburg to Split & Dubrovnik using the Vienna-Split sleeper train, runs Tuesdays & Fridays in summer
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 15:07, arriving Vienna Hbf 17:32.
Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com and print it out or show it on your phone.
I'd allow at least an hour in Vienna between trains.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Split by sleeper train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:01, arriving Split 09:51.
This runs on Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays from 30 April to 12 October 2025, similar dates expected in 2026.
The train has a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and ordinary seats.
Fares from €29.90 in a seat, €79.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €99.90 in a 2-bed sleeper, €149.90 in a single-bed sleeper.
Book at either www.thetrainline.com (easy, in €, £ or $, small booking fee, international credit cards no problem) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
For Dubrovnik, take a bus from Split. There are buses every hour or even every half hour, run by several companies. Journey time between 3h45 and 4h35, fare around €13-€17. Buy a ticket at the bus station in Split.
Option 34 Salzburg to Split & Dubrovnik using the Budapest-Split sleeper train Adria, runs 3 days a week June-September
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Budapest by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 11:07, arriving Budapest Keleti 16:19.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com and print it out or show it on your phone.
I'd allow at least an hour in Budapest between trains, ideally more.
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Step 2, travel from Budapest to Split by sleeper train Adria, this runs every 2 days from late June to late September, check dates using www.mavcsoport.hu.
It leaves Budapest Keleti at 18:45, arriving Split at 08:39 next morning.
The Adria has comfortable Hungarian sleeping-cars with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments, couchette cars with 4 & 6 bunk compartments and a Hungarian restaurant car.
The fare is around €79 with couchette or from €92 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper.
Book at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice on using it. Booking opens 60 days ahead.
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For Dubrovnik, take a bus from Split. There are buses every hour or even every half hour, run by several companies. Journey time between 3h45 and 4h35, fare around €13-€17. Buy a ticket at the bus station in Split.
Salzburg to Sarajevo & Mostar
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Zagreb as shown above.
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Stay overnight in Zagreb
The historic Esplanade Hotel is top choice here, built in 1925 for passengers arriving on the Orient Express and an easy 3-minute 250m walk from the station. It has an interesting history! Or try the Palace Hotel or Central Hotel, all near the station with good reviews.
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Step 2, travel from Zagreb to Sarajevo by bus, see the Zagreb-Sarajevo section.
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For onward trains to Mostar, see the Sarajevo to Mostar page.
Salzburg to Belgrade & Montenegro
Option 1, Salzburg to Belgrade in a day
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Budapest by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 07:07, arriving Budapest Keleti 12:19.
This swish Austrian railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Transfer from Keleti to Nyugati station by metro, tram or taxi as shown here.
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Step 2, travel from Budapest to Belgrade, leaving Budapest Nyugati 14:45, changing at Szeged & Subotica, arriving Belgrade Centar 21:19.
You take a Hungarian Intercity train from Budapest to Szeged, a local train across the border to Subotica and a 200 km/h SOKO train to Belgrade, for details see the Budapest to Belgrade page.
Fares start at €26, see more about fares.
Option 2, Salzburg to Belgrade with overnight stop in Budapest
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Budapest by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 16:07, arriving Budapest Keleti 21:19.
This swish Austrian railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Transfer from Keleti to Nyugati station by metro, tram or taxi as shown here.
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Stay overnight in Budapest.
Top choice for an inexpensive stay next to Budapest Keleti is the Intercity Hotel just across the square in front of the station.
If you prefer to stay near Budapest Nyugati, look no further than the 3-star T62 Hotel just across the road, a traveller's favourite with funky interior design. The cheaper 3-star Star Inn Budapest Centrum is a few minutes walk away, also with good reviews. The 4-star Radisson Blu Béke Hotel is one block along the road from the station. Of course, if you want to push the boat out, the luxurious Corinthia Hotel opened in 1896 was almost certainly the inspiration for the 2014 film The Grand Budapest Hotel.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Belgrade with a choice of departure:
Leave Budapest Nyugati at 05:50, change at Szeged & Subotica, arriving Belgrade Centar 12:38.
Leave Budapest Nyugati at 11:45, change at Szeged & Subotica, arriving Belgrade Centar 18:38.
You take a Hungarian Intercity train from Budapest to Szeged, a local train across the border to Subotica and a 200 km/h SOKO train to Belgrade, for details see the Budapest to Belgrade page.
Fares start at €26, see more about fares.
Salzburg to Sofia & Bulgaria
Option 1, Salzburg to Sofia via Bucharest
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 15:07, arriving Vienna Hbf 17:32.
By all means take an earlier train for some time in the Austrian capital, just don't risk any tight connections in Vienna. The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class, €29.90 in 1st class, or €44.90 in business class (= premium 1st).
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 1, travel from Vienna to Bucharest on the Dacia, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:08, arriving Bucharest Nord 13:38.
The Dacia has an air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car of the latest type with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus several 1 or 2 bed compartments with shower & toilet. It has a Romanian couchette car with 4-berth & 6-berth compartments, and 2nd class seats.
It's a fascinating journey across rural Transylvania, with wonderful Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest. However, there's no catering so bring a picnic & bottle of wine.
Fares start at €59 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, €79 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, €99 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper or €159 with a bed in a single-berth sleeper all to yourself. All per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
Booking opens up to 90 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
You can also book this train at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.
Click EN top right for English. Booking opens up to 90 days ahead. For Vienna type Wien, for Bucharest type Bucuresti. It can book seats, couchettes or sleepers. For Austria to Romania journeys you now print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. Tip: Prices might be cheaper than on oebb.at, so check both sites!
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Day 2, stay overnight in Bucharest.
The Hotel MyContinental Bucuresti Gara de Nord, Hello Hotels Gara de Nord & Euro Hotel Grivita are all just a 350m 5 minute walk from the station, inexpensive with good reviews. I personally didn't get on with the Grivita in spite of its good reviews, perhaps try Hello Hotels Gara de Nord. The Ibis Styles Bucharest Center is an 18-minute hike from the station (see walking map), but would be a reliable choice.
However, if you want an upmarket landmark hotel in the city centre, go for the Athenee Palace Hotel, see why I love that hotel here.
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Day 3, travel from Bucharest to Sofia by daytime train as shown in the Bucharest-Sofia section of the Trains from Bucharest page.
You leave Bucharest Nord at 10:11 and arrive Sofia Central at 20:35 after a pleasant day meandering across the Danube and through the river valleys of Bulgaria. In summer it's direct, in winter you have to switch trains at Ruse. There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink.
The fare is €36.
Book this at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en. You print your own ticket.
Option 2, Salzburg to Sofia via Belgrade
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This route is not viable, while Zagreb-Belgrade and Belgrade-Sofia trains remain suspended.
Salzburg to Warsaw from €39
Option 1, Salzburg to Warsaw by sleeper train - the time-effective option
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The EuroNight sleeper train Chopin leaves Salzburg Hbf at 20:30, arriving Warsaw Centralna 08:00.
The EuroNight sleeper train Chopin has a comfortable air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with eight 1, 2 or 3 bed compartments with washbasin and two 1 or 2 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, see the photos below. It also has a Polish couchette car with 4-berth & 6-berth compartments and ordinary seats. In the sleepers, a light breakfast with tea or coffee is included.
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Fares start at €49 with a couchette, €53.50 in a 3-bed sleeper, €68.20 in a 2-bed sleeper, or €126.70 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. All prices per person per bed as berths are sold individually. Prices vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Salzburg to Warsaw in a day - the daytime option
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 10:11 arriving Vienna Hbf 13:05.
The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You could take a later train, but I'd play safe.
Tip: If you have a 1st class onward ticket, you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Warsaw by EuroCity Polonia, leaving Vienna Hbf at 14:10, arriving Warsaw Centralna 22:08.
The EuroCity train Polonia has a comfortable air-conditioned Polish carriages and a Polish restaurant car. Treat yourself to dinner and a beer or two, I recommend the zurek soup and kotlet schabowy.
Tip: You can see the train formation, check car numbers & see what type of cars are included in the train using www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations and search for Polonia.
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How much does it cost?
Salzburg to Warsaw starts at €39.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy a ticket at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at, but (and this is important) click the cogwheel icon at the top of the search results page and then click Comfortable connection time. If you don't, you may end up with a risky 5-minute connection.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
A EuroCity train from Vienna to Warsaw at Vienna Hbf. On these PKP Polish Railways cars, the green stripe above the windows indicates 2nd class. Yellow indicates first class. Red indicates the restaurant car. Courtesy of Jennifer Delaney.
Most 2nd class cars have compartments like this with side corridor & 6-seat compartments, although one or two cars may have open-plan saloons. All 1st class seats are in 6-seat compartments on these trains. Click images for larger photos.
Salzburg to Krakow
Option 1, Salzburg to Krakow by sleeper train - the time-effective option
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The EuroNight sleeper train Chopin leaves Salzburg Hbf at 20:30, arriving Krakow Glowny 07:15.
The EuroNight sleeper train Chopin has a comfortable air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with eight 1, 2 or 3 bed compartments with washbasin and two 1 or 2 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, see the photos below. In the sleepers, a light breakfast with tea or coffee is included. It also has a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary 2nd class seats.
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Fares start at €49 with a couchette, €53.50 in a 3-bed sleeper, €68.20 in a 2-bed sleeper, or €126.70 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. All prices per person per bed as berths are sold individually. Prices vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Tip: If you're getting off in Krakow, leave the station through the shopping centre and you'll find the Hotel Puro Stare Miasto on the other side of the road and to the right. You can join their excellent breakfast buffet from 7am for under €20. Of course, your own hotel may let you join their breakfast buffet on the morning of arrival. Suggested hotels in Krakow.
Option 2, Salzburg to Krakow by daytime train - the leisurely option
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Morning departure
Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 08:07, arriving Vienna Hbf 10:32.
The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You could take a later train, but I'd play safe.
Tip: If you have a 1st class ticket, you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.
Step 2, travel from Vienna to Krakow by EuroCity train Prater, leaving Vienna Hbf at 12:10, arriving Krakow Glowny 17:46.
This comfortable EuroCity train has air-conditioned Polish carriages and a Polish restaurant car. Treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two, I recommend the zurek soup and kotlet schabowy.
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Afternoon departure:
Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 12:11, arriving Vienna Hbf 15:05.
The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You could take a later train, but I'd play safe.
Tip: If you have a 1st class ticket, you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.
Step 2, travel from Vienna to Krakow by EuroCity train Danubius, leaving Vienna Hbf at 16:10, arriving Krakow Glowny 21:25.
This comfortable EuroCity train has air-conditioned Polish carriages and a Polish restaurant car. Treat yourself to dinner and a glass of wine, may I suggest the zurek soup and kotlet schabowy?
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How much does it cost?
Salzburg to Krakow starts at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy a ticket at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at, but (and this is important) click the cogwheel icon at the top of the search results page and then click Comfortable connection time. If you don't, you may end up with a risky 5-minute connection.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 3, Salzburg to Krakow with an overnight stop in Prague
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Prague using any train you like, see the timetable here.
You can leave Salzburg Hbf as late as 18:07, or leave earlier for more of an evening in Prague.
Fares start at €19. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz and print your own ticket. Booking normally opens 3 months ahead.
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Stay overnight in Prague.
Hotels with good reviews next to the station include the Esplanade Hotel, Falkensteiner Hotel Maria, Chopin Hotel.
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Day 2, travel from Prague to Krakow by EuroCity train Cracovia, leaving Prague Hlavni at 10:08, arriving Krakow Glowny 16:41.
The Cracovia has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Prague to Krakow page.
Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €37 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 4, Salzburg to Krakow with overnight stop in Vienna
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg Hbf to Vienna Hbf on any train you like taking 2h25, they leave hourly through the day.
Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Vienna.
Hotels near the station with good reviews include the Motel One Vienna Hbf (a good inexpensive choice which I've used myself, a 2 minute 180m walk from Vienna Hbf's south exit), the GraetzlHotel or Hotel Schani Wien.
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Day 2, travel from Vienna to Poland by EuroCity train Porta Moravica, leaving Vienna Hbf at 08:10, arriving Krakow Glowny 13:54.
The EuroCity train Porta Moravica uses comfortable air-conditioned Czech carriages and has a Czech restaurant car. Treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two. Most carriages should have free WiFi and power sockets.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book at Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Salzburg to Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn
Option 1, Salzburg to Vilnius with overnight stop in Warsaw
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg Hbf to Warsaw via Vienna, as shown in the Salzburg to Warsaw section.
Or travel to Vienna and take the overnight sleeper to Warsaw & spend the following day exploring the Polish capital.
Fares start at €29. Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
Book at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Warsaw.
The Polonia Palace Hotel is excellent, historic, relatively inexpensive for such a good hotel, and it's just across the road from the station. For something much cheaper, but still with great reviews and near the station, try the Hotel Metropol next door to the Polonia Palace or the nearby Novotel Warsaw Centrum. Also see the Warsaw Centralna station & city guide.
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Day 2, travel from Warsaw to Vilnius by train, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 08:57, change at Mockava, arriving Vilnius 17:25.
This is an excellent integrated train service with an easy cross-platform change at Mockava. A comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car runs from Warsaw to Mockava, connecting with a modern air-conditioned Lithuanian train from Mockava to Vilnius.
Fares start at €15.90, standard price is €29.
For details & how to buy tickets, see the Warsaw to Vilnius page.
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Stay overnight in Vilnius.
Try the inexpensive Stay Vilnius hotel, a 6-minute walk from the station, or the quirky Grotthuss Boutique Hotel, a 11-minute walk from the station towards the old town, both with excellent reviews. At the upmarket end, the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel gets great reviews and is just a 13 minute walk from the station.
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Day 3, travel from Vilnius to Riga (Latvia) or Tallinn (Estonia) by train as shown on the Vilnius-Riga-Tallinn page.
Option 2, Salzburg to Vilnius using the Salzburg-Warsaw sleeper
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg to Warsaw by sleeper train as shown above.
Next day, spend a pleasant morning in Warsaw and perhaps visit the Palace of Culture.
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Day 2, travel from Warsaw to Vilnius by train, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 14:57, change at Mockava, arriving Vilnius 23:25.
This is an excellent integrated train service with an easy cross-platform change at Mockava. A comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car runs from Warsaw to Mockava, connecting with a modern air-conditioned Lithuanian train from Mockava to Vilnius.
Fares start at €15.90, standard price is €29.
For details & how to buy tickets, see the Warsaw to Vilnius page.
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Stay overnight in Vilnius.
Try the inexpensive Stay Vilnius hotel, a 6-minute walk from the station, or the quirky Grotthuss Boutique Hotel, a 11-minute walk from the station towards the old town, both with excellent reviews. At the upmarket end, the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel gets great reviews and is just a 13 minute walk from the station.
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Day 3, travel from Vilnius to Riga (Latvia) & Tallinn (Estonia) by train, see the Vilnius-Riga-Tallinn page.
Salzburg to Lviv, Kyiv & Ukraine
Option 1, Salzburg to Lviv & Kyiv via Vienna - fastest & most comfortable, but often fully-booked
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 15:07, arriving Vienna Hbf 17:32.
The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
By all means take an earlier train for more time in the Austrian capital, but don't risk any tight connections in Vienna.
Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class, €29.90 in 1st class, or €44.90 in business class (premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Ukraine by direct sleeping-car, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:08 every day, travelling via Budapest & Chop, arriving next day at Lviv 10:40 & Kyiv 17:23.
Introduced in 2017, this train consists of 2 or sometimes 3 direct Ukrainian sleeping-cars attached to other trains. The sleeping-cars have comfortable 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, see the photos below. At Chop on the other side of the border the through sleeping-cars are jacked up to have their wheelsets changed from European standard gauge (4'8½") to Russian gauge used in Ukraine (5').
Vienna to Lviv costs €71.20 in a 3-berth sleeper, €79.20 in a 2-berth sleeper or around €130 in a single sleeper.
Vienna to Kyiv costs €89.60 in a 3-berth sleeper, €99.60 in a 2-berth sleeper or around €170 in a single sleeper.
Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
Booking for these direct sleeping-cars opens 20 days ahead, but tickets sell out a day or two after booking opens, so book as soon as the booking period opens. If the ÖBB website says Ticket not available within 20 days it means fully-booked, if it says that more than 20 days ahead it means booking isn't open yet.
Tickets can now be printed out so you can book in either direction. However, you must print the ticket, it cannot be shown on a mobile device.
Booked at the station in Ukraine, Kyiv to Vienna costs around €80, Lviv to Vienna around €60, in both cases with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper.
Option 2, Salzburg to Lviv & Kyiv via Budapest - easy to book with good availability, useful if the direct sleepers are full
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Budapest by railjet, leaving Salzburg Hbf at 15:07, arriving Budapest Keleti 20:19.
The smart Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all sears & free WiFi.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (same prices, in €).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 2, travel from Budapest to Ukraine by sleeper train, leaving Budapest Keleti at 22:40, arriving Lviv 12:28 & Kyiv Pass 19:11 next day.
The sleeper train Transcarpathia consists of up to 8 Ukrainian sleeping-cars, with one car of 1st class 2-berth compartments (spalny vagon), and up to 7 cars of 2nd class 4-berth compartments (kupé).
Bedding is provided, there are toilets & washrooms at the end of the corridor. The sleeper attendants can provide snacks and delicious Ukrainian tea, but bring your own food as there's no catering car. The train is jacked up at Chop on the Ukrainian border to have its bogies changed from standard gauge (4' 8½") to Ukrainian gauge (5').
You can check the consist and car numbers for this train using www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, and search for Transcarpathia.
Fares start at:
€63.10 with a bed in a 2nd class 4-berth sleeper.
€76.10 with a bed in a 2-berth 1st class sleeper.
These are limited-availability fares book online in advance.
Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my tips for using it.
Booking opens 3 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone in the MAV app.
Tip: You should select 2-bed compartment (double) or sleeping-car, 4-bed compartment. Single and triple options are shown, but result in a ticket without reservation. If it says x Reservation not included, do not proceed. Like I said, select double or 4-berth!
Above left, the Transcarpathia on its first day of operation. Above right, a 1st class 2-bed sleeper. Courtesy of Ukrainian Railways Укрзалізниця.
Salzburg to Moscow & Russia
Option 1, Salzburg to Moscow via Kyiv, avoiding Belarus
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Vienna and take the sleeper to Kyiv as shown above.
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Step 2, take one of the various Kyiv to Moscow sleeper trains, for example train 6 leaves at 19:36 arriving Moscow Kievskaya station at 10:09 the next morning (= day 3 from Salzburg).
These trains were suspended due to Covid-19, and are now cancelled - and the lines blown up - due to the war in Ukraine
The fare is around €92 with a bed in 4-berth kupé or €180 with a bed in a 2-berth spalny vagon.
You can ask www.polrail.com to book this for you too, or you can book tickets from Kyiv to Moscow at the Ukrainian Railways site booking.uz.gov.ua/en/ booking from Kyiv to Moskva Kievskaya. You collect tickets at the station in Kyiv. Feedback appreciated!
Option 2, Salzburg to Moscow via Warsaw. This goes via Belarus, remember you'll need a Belarus transit visa.
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Step 1, travel from Salzburg to Warsaw as shown above.
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Step 2, a Russian Railways train with sleeping-cars with 1, 2 & 4 bed compartments with washbasin links Warsaw with Moscow every day, see the Warsaw to Moscow section for details. Book as shown in that section.
This train was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended due to sanctions & the war in Ukraine
Salzburg to Athens & Greece
Option 1, Salzburg to Athens via ferry from Italy - the leisurely option with an Adriatic cruise thrown in
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Day 1, travel from Salzburg Hbf to Verona Porta Nuova, with a choice of departure:
Leave Salzburg Hbf 10:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf, arriving Verona Porta Nuova 16:59.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 12:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf, arriving Verona Porta Nuova 19:03.
Leave Salzburg Hbf 14:56, change at Innsbruck Hbf, arriving Verona Porta Nuova 21:01.
I'd play safe and take the 10:56 or 12:56 and enjoy an evening in Verona.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (a bit more fiddly, same prices, in €).
Booking for the Austrian trains opens up to 6 months ahead. Booking for the Italian trains opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Verona.
Hotels near the station with good or great reviews include the Corte Merighi Rooms & Breakfast, Novo Hotel Rossi, Guesthouse Verona or (a little closer to the centre but with fab reviews) the Relais Empire.
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Day 2, travel from Verona to Bari by Frecciarossa, leaving Verona Porta Nuova at 06:52, change at Bologna Centrale, arriving Bari Centrale 14:31.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.italiarail.com (they'll refund their small booking fee if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com afterwards) or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, requires Italian language place names).
Booking normally opens 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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In Bari, transfer from station to port, see map of Bari showing station, port entrance, check-in building & Superfast Ferries berth.
You can walk the 1.9 km from the station to the port entrance in 25 minutes, a stroll through Bari's pleasant old town, see correct walking map from the station to the port entrance gate - if Google tells you any different, trust me, not Google!
Alternatively, bus 50 runs from Bari Centrale station to the road outside the port gate roughly every 40 minutes. A taxi will take 10 minutes.
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Day 2, sail overnight from Bari to Patras in Greece with Superfast Ferries.
The ferry sails from Bari at 19:30 on Mondays-Saturdays, arriving Patras at 13:00 next day (Day 3).
On Sundays the ship sails at 13:30, too early to make connections from Milan.
You can check sailing times & dates at using the Direct Ferries website or at www.superfast.com or www.ferriesingreece.com.
You should check in at the Superfast desk on the ground floor of the cruise terminal (Terminal Crociere) at Bari port with passport & booking number to get your boarding pass, ideally 3 hours before departure in summer, although in practice 2 hours or even 1½ hours is normally fine.
You then walk 500m from check-in to the ferry, board the ferry via the foot passenger gangway at the stern and head up the escalator to the main lounge and reception desk to get your cabin key.
The ship is comfortable, with self-service restaurant, lounge, bar and sun deck. You can book a deck place (a good & cheap option in summer if you have your own sleeping bag), a reclining seat or various types of cabin, all with private shower & toilet. Strolling the decks in the morning sun as the ship cruises past the islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca is the nicest part of the trip, and it's a wonderful way to arrive in Greece.
In Patras, the ferry arrives at the new South ferry terminal a few km from the town centre. Bus 18 links the port with the Patras bus station every hour on the hour, fare €1.20 or you can hop in a taxi for around €9, journey time 15-20 minutes.
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Day 3, travel from Patras to Athens by Greek Railways bus/train combo.
Hellenic Train (Greek Railways) operate an integrated bus/train service from Patras to Athens every hour or two, total journey time 3h02, fare around €18. No prior reservation is necessary, just buy a ticket to Athens at Patras railway station ticket office.
For example, at the time I write this, buses leave from outside Patras railway station at 14:15, 15:15, 16:00, 17:15 & 18:15, taking 90 minutes to reach Kiato railway station near Corinthos. At Kiato they connect with a modern air-conditioned regional train taking 78 minutes to Athens Larissa Station in downtown Athens. You can check Patra to Athens bus/train times using the journey planner at www.hellenictrain.gr.
Option 2, Salzburg to Athens overland by train via Munich & Belgrade - not currently viable
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There are currently no international trains to or from Greece.
Salzburg to Istanbul & Turkey
Option 1, Vienna to Istanbul via Budapest & Bucharest - 3 nights, 2 days, currently the most viable route
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Day 2, stay overnight in Bucharest.
The Hotel MyContinental Bucuresti Gara de Nord, Hello Hotels Gara de Nord & Euro Hotel Grivita are all just a 350m 5 minute walk from the station, inexpensive with good reviews. I personally didn't get on with the Grivita in spite of its good reviews, perhaps try Hello Hotels Gara de Nord. The Ibis Styles Bucharest Center is an 18-minute hike from the station (see walking map), but would be a reliable choice.
However, if you want an upmarket landmark hotel in the city centre, go for the Athenee Palace Hotel, see why I love that hotel here.
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Day 3, travel from Bucharest to Istanbul by sleeper train as shown on the Bucharest to Istanbul page, arriving in the morning on Day 4.
Hotels in Salzburg
For a stay of a few days I'd choose a hotel in the old town near all the sights. For a brief one or two night stay, especially if you were leaving on an early train, I'd go for a hotel near the station, so you can walk across the road and leave your bags, there's no time wasted in taxis and it's an easy stroll across the road to the station when it's time to leave. Salzburg isn't huge, so it'll still be an easy walk to the old town and all the sights.
Hotels near the station
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Try the H+ Hotel (4-star), across the road from the station with great reviews.
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The Adlerhof Hotel or Hotel Hohenstauffen are both 3-star, also with great reviews and a short walk from the station.
Hotels in or near the old town
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Try the Boutique Guesthouse arte vida, in a town house just 100m from Mozart's residence, or Gästehaus im Priesterseminar.
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Going upmarket, the Hotel Elefant is a stone's throw from Mozart's birthplace, and the Radisson Blu Hotel Altstadt is in the old town with river views, located in a historic building dating from 1377.
Backpacker
hostels
www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.