Vienna to Salzburg 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 runs a direct Railjet roughly every 30 minutes from Wien Hauptbahnhof, and the private operator Westbahn runs a further direct service every 30 minutes from Wien Westbahnhof - combined, a direct departure roughly every 15 minutes at peak times across both operators.

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What makes Vienna to Salzburg different

Westbahn launched on this exact Vienna-Salzburg corridor in December 2011 as Austria's first open-access private long-distance rail competitor, entering the market with fares set at 50% of OBB's standard fare - the same discount level as OBB's own Vorteilscard loyalty rate.
Austria's KlimaTicket Oesterreich, the country's nationwide annual public-transport pass (introduced 2021, priced at 1,400 EUR/year for adults from 2026), is honoured by both OBB and Westbahn on this route - a rare case in Europe of a single ticket product covering two competing operators on the same corridor.
The line dates to 1 August 1860, when the original Empress Elisabeth Railway company completed the Vienna-Salzburg section; today's route mixes that 1860-era double-track alignment with newer high-speed infrastructure opened in stages from 2012, which is what brought the fastest journey time down to about 2h22m.

Vienna station

Most departures use Wien Hauptbahnhof, south of the center in the Favoriten district and directly on the U1 subway line a few stops from Stephansplatz - no airport-style security screening, just a ticket check at the platform. Westbahn's trains on this route instead depart from the older Wien Westbahnhof (U3/U6) or Wien Huetteldorf, so confirm which station your ticket lists.

Salzburg station

Arrives at Salzburg Hauptbahnhof on Suedtiroler Platz, on the newer east side of the Salzach River - trolleybus lines 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 reach the Altstadt and Mozart's Birthplace in about 10 minutes, or it's a flat 15-20 minute walk.

Train vs. other options

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 Salzburg's paid old-town parking is factored in. There's no meaningful scheduled point-to-point flight market between Vienna and Salzburg; both cities' airports connect mainly to long-haul hubs rather than to each other, so for this specific pair the train is the practical door-to-door option.

Booking tips

OBB's Sparschiene advance fares (from about 19.90 EUR in 2nd class) can be booked up to six months ahead on oebb.at or the app - the cheapest allotment goes first.
Compare Westbahn directly rather than defaulting to OBB: Westbahn's own cheapest fares run from around 14 EUR one-way and it runs an equally frequent, independently scheduled service on the same corridor.
Check which Vienna station is printed on your ticket before you travel: OBB Railjet trains use Wien Hauptbahnhof, while Westbahn trains leave from Wien Westbahnhof (or Wien Huetteldorf) - a different station across town.

Good to know: OBB Railjet and Westbahn compete head-to-head on paper but leave from two different Vienna stations - OBB from Wien Hauptbahnhof, Westbahn from Wien Westbahnhof/Wien Huetteldorf - so booking the cheaper fare can mean crossing the city to a different departure point than you expected.

While you're in Salzburg

Getreidegasse, Salzburg's historic old-town shopping street

Getreidegasse, Salzburg's historic shopping street known for its wrought-iron guild signs.

Photo: Alsen01 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Salzburg's fortress-topped Altstadt is small enough to walk end to end, but Mozart's actual birth house on Getreidegasse and the 1892 funicular up to Hohensalzburg Fortress both get genuinely busy in summer, especially during the five-week Salzburg Festival that starts in late July.

Full Salzburg travel guide →

Frequently asked questions

How long does the train from Vienna to Salzburg take?

The fastest OBB Railjet services take about 2 hours 22 minutes. Westbahn's trains run close behind at around 2h28m, and slower services with more stops take up to about 2h53m.

Is OBB or Westbahn cheaper for Vienna to Salzburg?

Westbahn, a private open-access operator, entered this market in 2011 pricing around 50% below OBB's standard fare, and its cheapest advance tickets can run from about 14 EUR versus OBB Sparschiene fares from around 19.90 EUR - but both fluctuate with demand, so it's worth comparing both directly before booking.

Do OBB and Westbahn trains leave from the same station in Vienna?

No. OBB Railjet trains depart from Wien Hauptbahnhof, while Westbahn trains for this route leave from Wien Westbahnhof (or Wien Huetteldorf) - check your ticket for the correct station before you travel.