Wien Hauptbahnhof in the Favoriten district, where OBB Railjet trains from Salzburg terminate.
Photo: Eweht / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Salzburg to Vienna by Train
A domestic route within Austria.
Reviewed by Eurotraintrip on 2026-07-30
- Duration
- 2h 22m – 2h 53m
- Price from
- 14 EUR
- Distance
- 249 km
- Operators
- OBB RailjetWestbahn
- Frequency
- OBB Railjet departs Salzburg for Wien Hauptbahnhof roughly every 30 minutes, and Westbahn runs a further direct double-deck service about every 30 minutes to Wien Westbahnhof - combined, a direct departure roughly every 15 minutes at peak times.
Compare and book Salzburg–Vienna tickets
Check pricesWhat makes Salzburg to Vienna different
- Salzburg Hauptbahnhof's own roughly EUR 250 million rebuild ran from 2008 to 2014 under architect Klaus Kada, converting what had been eight dead-end platforms into modern through-tracks under a new steel-and-ETFE roof - the station stayed fully operational throughout.
- Wien Hauptbahnhof, this route's Vienna terminus, was built specifically as a 'through station' to replace two dead-end termini that used to sit at right angles to each other, Wien Suedbahnhof and Wien Ostbahnhof - the Suedbahnhof closed in December 2009 and was demolished the following year.
- The scale difference between the two ends of this route is stark: Salzburg Hauptbahnhof handles on the order of 20,000 travelers a day, versus roughly 268,000 at Wien Hauptbahnhof.
Salzburg station
Departs from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof on Suedtiroler Platz, on the east side of the Salzach River - it's about a 15-20 minute walk from the Altstadt and Mozart's Birthplace, or a short ride on trolleybus lines 1, 2, 3, 5 or 6.
Vienna station
Most trains arrive at Wien Hauptbahnhof, built as a through-station so trains from the west can continue toward the east or south without reversing; the attached BahnhofCity shopping complex, opened in 2014, spans some 20,000 square metres across two levels. The U1 subway line runs directly from the station a few stops to Stephansplatz.
Train vs. other options
There's no meaningful scheduled point-to-point flight market between Salzburg and Vienna - both airports connect mainly to long-haul hubs rather than to each other. Driving the roughly 295km via the A1 West Autobahn takes about 3 hours plus a mandatory Austrian motorway vignette, close to the slower end of the train's own 2h22m-2h53m range once Vienna's inner-city parking is factored in.
Booking tips
- OBB's Sparschiene advance fares (from about 19.90 EUR in 2nd class) go on sale up to six months ahead, and the cheapest allotment on popular early-morning and evening departures sells out first.
- Look specifically for Railjet Xpress (RJX) departures if speed matters: RJX trains skip nearly every intermediate stop, calling only at St. Poelten and Linz, which cuts the run to about 2h25 - but they're sold at the same fares as the slower standard Railjet, so check the stopping pattern in the schedule.
- Westbahn's cheapest fares from Salzburg run from around 14 EUR one-way on an equally frequent, independently scheduled timetable - compare it directly against OBB rather than defaulting to the national carrier.
Good to know: Every Westbahn ticket booked online more than 3 hours before departure comes with a free assigned seat, while OBB's cheapest Sparschiene fares on Railjet don't include a seat reservation by default and charge extra for one - an inversion of the usual assumption that the state operator's ticket is the more fully-featured one.
While you're in Vienna
Schonbrunn Palace, the Habsburgs' baroque summer residence.
Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Between Schonbrunn Palace's 1,441 rooms, the Naschmarkt's stalls trading since 1793, and a coffeehouse tradition that's been UNESCO-listed since 2011, Vienna moves at an unhurried, imperial pace even now.
Full Vienna travel guide →Frequently asked questions
How long does the train from Salzburg to Vienna take?
The fastest OBB Railjet Xpress (RJX) trains, which stop only at St. Poelten and Linz, take about 2 hours 25 minutes. Standard Railjet and Westbahn services with more stops take up to around 2h53m.
Is OBB or Westbahn cheaper from Salzburg to Vienna?
Westbahn's cheapest fares start from around 14 EUR, while OBB's Sparschiene advance fares start from about 19.90 EUR.
Do OBB and Westbahn arrive at the same station in Vienna?
No. OBB Railjet trains arrive at Wien Hauptbahnhof; Westbahn trains on this route arrive at Wien Westbahnhof instead, on the other side of the city.