Austria: the Ideal Rail Travel Destination?
AndyBTravels discusses the Austrian railway network and train travel in Austria
I absolutely love travelling by train in Austria. The country is perfectly suited to rail travel, and you will without doubt have a fantastic experience exploring it by train, no matter where you go.
Over the course of 30 years, I have visited Austria more times than I can possibly count. Although the Austrian railway network was already excellent back then, it has been improved even further in recent years.
My most recent Austrian trip
A few weeks ago, for my #AllTheLinesEurope – a project in which I aim to travel on every railway line with scheduled passenger services – I travelled on the Koralmbahn, or Koralm Railway, the brand-new high-speed line connecting Graz and Klagenfurt. Billions of euros have been invested, cutting journey times from around two and a half hours to just 40 minutes.
The line also includes the Koralm Tunnel, which at 20.4 miles (32.9 kilometres) is Austria’s longest railway tunnel and runs at depths of up to 4,100 feet (1,250 metres) below the surface. As a result, the entire timetable in the Austrian states of Styria and Carinthia is being recast, meaning I was able to cover quite a few newly built sections for #AllTheLinesEurope. This also included some short stretches of local lines connecting to and from the new high-speed route.
Austria is, in many ways, a nightmare for #AllTheLinesEurope. They keep building new lines and straightening out existing ones, and as someone who is quite a perfectionist about travelling on every line in Europe, this can be frustrating. While it is great for commuters and the average rail traveller, it is less ideal for me!
Improvements in infrastructure and rolling stock
There is ongoing investment in the Austrian railway network, and everything, from the trains to the infrastructure and the stations themselves, continues to be improved.
One of the biggest differences today is that almost all trains are now air-conditioned, whereas more than 30 years ago they were not. Back then, you could still open the train window – “Fenster auf”, as they would say in German – lean out to take in the Alpine air, and take photos without reflections, which really enhanced the enjoyment of travelling on scenic railway lines.
Much of the classic rolling stock has since disappeared and been replaced by more modern trains. There is ongoing investment in improving rolling stock in Austria, and while this may disappoint some for sentimental reasons, it is arguably much better from the perspective of the everyday commuter.
National operator ÖBB – the Austrian Federal Railways – seems to enjoy naming its newer trains after jets. There is, of course, the Railjet, ÖBB’s premium high-speed train, as well as the Cityjet, which operates local services. They are fantastic, high-quality trains with a very classy overall feel. I particularly like the colour scheme, and the seats on the Cityjets, with their red fabric and headrests, look especially good.
As I’ve mentioned before in my Substack about dining cars, I really love the dining cars on Railjets and many other long-distance trains in Austria, and make an effort to visit them whenever I’m travelling in the country.
Besides, ÖBB trains probably have some of the best train toilets in all of Europe. They are always clean, well stocked, and fully functional.
In fact, during my recent experience on a Cityjet train, I would say they set the gold standard for what a new train toilet should be – and keep in mind, this is essentially a commuter train. They even had a regular toilet next to the accessible toilet, whereas on most trains the facilities are usually spread out. The train guard was rightly proud of this when I spoke with him about it.
Nightjet
Besides Railjet and Cityjet, ÖBB also operates the well-known Nightjet trains. ÖBB is in fact Europe’s largest operator of night trains, as Nightjet operates services to numerous destinations across Central, Western, and Southern Europe. After Deutsche Bahn – the German Railways – discontinued their night train services, ÖBB effectively saved night trains from near extinction, reviving them throughout western and central Europe and investing many millions into the network, including brand-new night train rolling stock.
Nightjet has perhaps not been as successful as we might have hoped. One of the main issues is that engineering works generally take place overnight, which is precisely when night trains operate. Another challenge lies in coordinating with train operators and national railway infrastructure companies in neighbouring countries. All of this affects the consistency and reliability of the timetable, with a prime example being the withdrawal of Nightjet services from Paris due to a combination of these issues.
ÖBB has the right idea. While they may not always receive support from other railway companies, passenger numbers on Nightjet are generally quite good, and these trains often leave fully booked.
I have not yet had the opportunity to travel on the new generation of Nightjet trains, but I am really looking forward to it. I particularly like that the sleeping cars are designed so passengers sleep parallel to the rails. On most other night trains, the beds are perpendicular, which I personally find makes it difficult to get a proper night’s sleep, so in my opinion, Nightjet has done very well in this respect.
Railway stations
The investment in Austria’s railways by the government is not limited to trains and railway lines. The stations provide another prime example.
Wien Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) – Vienna’s main railway station, which opened in 2015 – is a prime example of an excellent railway project. Previously, the main stations in the Austrian capital were all terminus stations, which was less ideal for operations. Graz and Salzburg also boast some excellent new stations.
Interestingly, Austria also offers good quality hotels near the main railway stations. With the exception of Wien Westbahnhof, these areas are also generally pleasant and safe. This makes Austria one of the countries where booking a hotel near the railway station is perfectly fine, which is a great convenience for train travellers. Compared with some other European countries – where this is certainly not always the case – it is a real advantage of rail travel in Austria.
Westbahn, the private operator
Just like in Spain or Italy, there is a private operator in Austria that competes with the national railway company. Called Westbahn, the company first ran trains on the Western Railway from Vienna to Salzburg, whch is where it got its name from. Westbahn has since expanded internationally, and its trains now reach Munich and Stuttgart, and also operate on the Koralm Railway.
Westbahn is a great operator, and uses some high-quality double-deck trains. Interestingly for a private company, it accepts both Interrail and Eurail passes. Overall, Westbahn offers a very appealing product. Compared with ÖBB, it feels younger and trendier – almost a hipster operation. Whereas the national railway company has a traditional, stiff-upper-lip approach, Westbahn’s crew even wear jeans as part of their uniform. It is an innovative company, and not without a little controversy.
Recently, Westbahn purchased new trains, and for the first time in Europe – at least within the EU – they are Chinese-built. This has certainly sparked debate among European railway circles.
Austria: the railway hub of Europe?
What makes Austria such a great country for rail travel is not just its domestic trains, but also its excellent international connections. Vienna can rightly be considered a major European rail hub, both for day and night trains. It might even be THE most important rail hub in Europe!
Trains depart from Vienna to almost all of Europe, with the exception of Spain, Portugal, and now France, following the discontinuation of the night train connection to Paris. You can travel as far east as Kyiv, south-east to Bucharest, south to Rome, or north to Berlin and Warsaw. From Vienna, night trains also reach Brussels and Amsterdam, from where you can continue your journey with Eurostar to the UK.
Soon, once the railway line between Budapest and the Serbian border has been rebuilt – complementing the high-speed line in Serbia – Vienna to Belgrade services will be reintroduced, reopening this vital link to the Balkans. Wien Hauptbahnhof really is a major international hub!
ÖBB Lounges and service
I love sitting in Wien Hauptbahnhof. They have a very nice first class lounge where you can look out and see the departure boards and the variety of destinations. It’s just tremendous – you can see trains to Budapest, Bucharest, Rome, and Hamburg.
One of the things I really like about Austrian Railways is that they provide first class lounges at the main stations, such as Vienna, Innsbruck, and Salzburg. These lounges are also accessible to passengers holding first class Interrail or Eurail passes. This is very different from Germany, where access to lounges is generally restricted. There, pretty much nobody can use the lounges unless they have paid an astronomically high full-price first class fare. Austria, by contrast, is very customer-focused and passenger-friendly.
Another example of their passenger-friendly approach is their commitment to accessibility, particularly on the Cityjet trains. The new Cityjet trains have level boarding, which is excellent. Where level boarding is not possible, the trains are equipped with lifts to facilitate the movement of wheelchairs or prams. Unlike in much of Europe, the train staff themselves can operate these lifts, so passengers do not have to rely on platform staff. This may seem like a small detail, but it makes a big difference because assistance is provided immediately, without delays that could potentially hold up the train.
Overall, ÖBB are simply excellent for all travellers in every way, shape, and form.
Scenic railway lines
Of course, the main reason Austria is such a great destination for train travel is the large number of scenic railway lines, which is hardly surprising given that the Alps run along the spine of the country.
Mountains are almost everywhere in Austria, and many of the railway lines offer truly spectacular Alpine scenery. One of my favourites is the line from Salzburg down to Villach, which is known as the Tauern Railway. Although it is a main line with regular, everyday train services, it passes through stunning landscapes featuring mountains and river gorges. The European Rail Timetable even lists Salzburg to Villach as one of its favourite journeys, which is a strong seal of approval.
Another excellent route is the regional train from Innsbruck up to Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany. Many travellers simply take the Railjet from Innsbruck to Munich, which is fast and convenient, but it travels around the mountains. By contrast, the regional trains climb along the mountainside up to Garmisch, where you can transfer to another regional train to continue to Munich. It’s a fantastic slow-travel alternative to the high-speed route.
The Semmering Railway, between Vienna and Graz, is another highlight. This UNESCO-listed railway winds and twists through the mountains, featuring many arched viaducts. Although a tunnel is being constructed to replace part of the line in the coming years, the scenic route will remain open for passengers.
I also love the Arlberg route between Landeck and Bludenz, which I’ve even travelled on aboard the Orient Express. Travelling from Innsbruck across central Austria on the route used by the Transalpin EuroCity, the Zurich to Graz train, complete with a dining car and Swiss panorama car, is another favourite of mine – easily among my top ten European train journeys.
Travelling south from Austria into Italy and Slovenia also offers incredible rail experiences. Lines such as Graz to Maribor and Zagreb, Villach to Udine in Italy, and Villach to Ljubljana all provide stunning views. Honestly, you could spend two weeks on a rail holiday in Austria and not get bored.
Austria also has a number of private and tourist-oriented operators. Steam trains still run on lines such as the Zillertalbahn, and there are several private railways, including the Mariazellerbahn from St. Pölten. There is truly a wealth of rail experiences in the country.
Finally, if you are travelling from Vienna to Bratislava, I would actually recommend taking the hydrofoil along the Danube rather than the train. It’s a brilliant way to travel between the two cities, with views of monasteries along the riverbanks. Even as a train enthusiast, I can say the hydrofoil offers a tremendously scenic journey!
Have you travelled by train in Austria, and what are your thoughts on the country’s rail network and the trains of ÖBB?