Train Travel

London to Austria

The main train operator in Austria is ÖBB (Österreichische Bundesbahnen) - for train times & fares in Austria, see www.oebb.at. Eurostar times & fares: www.eurostar.com. Train times for any European journey: http://bahn.hafas.de

The tourist information office can be found at www.austria-tourism.at

The city & castle of Salzburg, Austria

Travelling to Austria from London couldn't be simpler. Hop on Eurostar to Paris, then the overnight sleeper from Paris to Vienna, or from Paris to Munich with connections for Innsbruck, Salzburg & Vienna. It's a great, comfortable and affordable way to travel to Austria.

London to Linz & Vienna

Take the Eurostar from London to Paris and then on to the overnight 'Orient Express' in a sleeper or couchette on to Vienna. This is the real Orient Express not the tourist version. If there aren't any cheap or reasonable seats left for the Orient Express you can change in Brussels or Cologne on the CityNightLine Hotel train between Cologne and Vienna. Another alternative is the overnight sleeper from Paris to Munich and a day train to Vienna. Listed below are the details for each of these trips.

via Paris & the Orient Express

Train times London to Vienna. Take the Eurostar from London to Paris, leaving London at 12:09 arriving at Paris Nord at 15:59. Walk from the Gare du Nord to the nearby Gare de l'Est. Leave Paris for Vienna on the Orient Express at 17:16 and arriving next morning in Wels 06:12, Linz 06:28, St Pölten 07:41 and Vienna at 08:30. The Orient Express has reclining seats (not recommended for overnight travel), comfortable modern Austrian couchettes (4-berth and 6-berth), and a modernised sleeping car with 1, 2 and 3 bed rooms with washbasin. There's no restaurant car, so take your own food, but the sleeper and couchette attendants can sell you snacks, tea and coffee. For sleeper passengers, a light breakfast is included in the fare.

Train times Vienna to London. Travel overnight from Vienna to Paris on the Orient Express, leaving Vienna (Westbahnhof) daily at 20:34, St Pölten 21:20, Linz 22:33, Wels 22:49, and arriving Paris (Gare de l'Est) at 10:27 next morning. There are reclining seats (which are not recommended for overnight travel), couchettes (6-bunk & 4-bunk compartments) and a sleeping-car (1, 2 or 3 berth rooms) are available. For sleeper passengers, a light breakfast is included in the fare. Walk across Paris from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord. Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Nord at 11:43 and arriving London Waterloo at 13:25.

***Fares:***

London to Paris by Eurostar:

Fares start at £59 return 2nd class, £139 return 1st class.

There are no one way fares, so buy a return and throw away the return half -it actually works out cheaper.

* Special fare: Very limited availability at this price, so book well in advance (max 60 days), online at www.voyages-sncf.com. If the £29 special fare proves elusive (which it probably will do), see the 'via Brussels & CityNightLine' section below, as there are readily-available special fares which may make this route cheaper. Ask your booking agency about reductions if you are under 26 or over 60.

Buy tickets - online. You can book both Eurostar and the Orient Express online at www.voyages-sncf.com. On www.voyages-sncf.com, the 'English' button is a UK flag at the bottom. Bookings open 60 days in advance.

To get the best fares you will need to book your trip in two stages to see the cheap Paris-Vienna fares: First, book your train from Paris to Vienna and back, click 'direct services only' to make sure it only shows the direct train. Then click 'add another ticket' and book the Eurostar from London to Paris and back as a separate journey. Don't forget that on your return journey, your departure date from Paris to London will be the day after your departure date from Vienna to Paris. For a one-way trip, remember that on Eurostar it is cheaper to buy a return ticket and throw away the return half.

Select 'Great Britain' if you want tickets posted to a UK address. Alternatively, tickets can be posted to addresses in many other countries including most European countries. For a journey starting in France, you can select 'France' to pick your tickets up at any main station in France. Tickets will not be sent to the USA, Canada, Singapore, Australia or New Zealand - to get round this, if your journey starts in France, you can select 'France' and choose to pick up tickets at the station in France. If your journey starts in the UK, you can use www.raileurope.co.uk instead and choose to pick tickets up at Rail Europe's travel centre in Piccadilly, London.

Make sure you book the right type of couchette or sleeper: When booking the Paris-Vienna train, use the 'options' link to toggle between couchettes and sleepers. Switch between '2nd class' and '1st class' to see the rest of the range of couchettes and sleepers. For 6-berth couchettes select '2nd class' then '6-berth couchette'. For 4-berth couchettes you must select '1st class' then '4-berth couchette'. For sleepers, you have to select either '2nd class' then '3-berth T3 cabin' or '1st class' then 'Double cabin' or '1st class' then 'Single cabin'.

Buy tickets - by phone. You can buy tickets from a number of UK agencies, including Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848 or Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 0870 2 43 53 63, or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400. Booking fees may be charged.

via Brussels & CityNightLine hotel train

Train times London to Vienna. Take the Eurostar from London to Brussels, leaving London at 10:43 and arriving in Brussels at 14:05. Travel from Brussels to Cologne by high-speed ICE train, leaving Brussels at 16:28 and arriving in Cologne (Hauptbahnhof) at 18:45. Travel from Cologne to Vienna on the excellent CityNightLine hotel train 'Donau Kurier', leaving Cologne (Hauptbahnhof) at 20:18 and arriving in Linz at 06:46, St Pölten 07:56, and Vienna (Westbahnhof) at 08:51.

This train has double deck sleeping cars (featuring 1 or 2 bed deluxe sleepers with private shower & toilet, 1, 2 or 4 bed standard sleepers with washbasin), couchettes (choice of bunks in 4-bunk or 6-bunk compartments), reclining seats (not recommended for overnight travel) and a bar and restaurant. A supplement is charged depending on which type of sleeper or couchette accommodation you have booked. You can get a good idea of what the train is like on their website www.citynightline.ch.

The train travels along the famous Rhine Valley from Koblenz to Frankfurt. If you are lucky enough to have a compartment or sleeper on the left hand side of the train you can get a fantastic view out of your window of the Rhine as well as mountains and castles glimmering in the moonlight.

The train has an elegant restaurant and bar.

Train times Vienna to London. Travel from Vienna to Cologne overnight on the CityNightLine hotel train 'Donau Kurier', leaving Vienna (Westbahnhof) at 20:28, St Pölten 21:15, or Linz at 22:21 and arriving at Cologne at 08:42 next morning. The train has double deck sleeping cars (1, or 2bed deluxe sleepers with private shower & toilet, 1, 2 or 4 bed sleepers with washbasin), couchettes (4 bunk or 6 bunk), reclining seats and a bar restaurant car. Various supplements are charged depending on the type of accommodation you have chosen.

Travel from Cologne to Brussels by high speed ICE train, leaving Cologne at 09:14 and arriving Brussels 11:32. Take the Eurostar from Brussels to London, leaving Brussels at 12:58 and arriving London 14:27.

***Fares: ***

This can be a cheaper route than the one via Paris - book at least 4 weeks in advance to get the special 'sparnight' fares. It is possible to book online at the CityNightLine website - www.citynightline.ch.

London to Cologne by Eurostar + Thalys. London to Cologne by Eurostar + Thalys or ICE starts at just £69 return. This fare is available from Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 0870 2 43 53 63, and some other agencies. Book in advance to get the best fares. One-way fares will probably be more than a return, so check return fares and throw away the return half if necessary.

***Fares***

* Sparnight - is a special book in advance fare with no refunds, no changes and limited availability at this price. You can check CityNightLine fares online (and you may find special internet deals) at www.citynightline.ch. Thalys fares can be checked at www.thalys.com and Eurostar fares and availability at www.eurostar.com.

Buy tickets - by phone. The best agency to call for this trip is Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 0870 2 43 53 63.

But, you can check prices and availability for the CityNightLine train online at www.citynightline.ch. You can book this part of the journey online, then phone Deutsche Bahn to book the special London-Cologne fare which is not currently available online. CityNightLine has e-ticketing, you simply print out the ticket on your own computer.

It is actually possible to book the whole trip online, but you may pay a bit more for the London-Cologne leg doing so yourself. First, check CityNightLine fares and availability at www.citynightline.ch, then Thalys fares and availability at www.thalys.com, then Eurostar availability at www.eurostar.com. Once you are sure that there is availability at a price you are happy with on each service, go back and book. Just remember that there is always a small risk that the last affordable Eurostar or Thalys seats will disappear while you are booking the CityNightLine.

via Paris & Munich

Train times London to Vienna. Take the Eurostar from London to Paris, leaving London at 17:41 arriving Paris 21:17. The Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord, from where it is a 10 minute walk to the Gare de l'Est. Then take the sleeper train from Paris to Munich, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 22:45 arriving at 08:58 next morning. This is one of the German Railway's excellent 'NachtZug' expresses. It has brand new sleeping cars (1, 2 and 3 berth deluxe rooms with en suite shower and toilet, 1, 2 and 3 berth standard rooms with washbasin, shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in standard rooms) and modern air-conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4- or 6-berth compartment). Fares charged cover travel plus sleeping accommodation - the sleeper fare includes a light breakfast.

Travel from Munich to Vienna by air-conditioned EuroCity train 'Bartok Bela', with restaurant car, leaving at 09:28 and arriving in Vienna at 13:35.

Train times Vienna to London:

Travel from Vienna to Munich by air-conditioned EuroCity train, leaving Vienna at 16:22 and arriving in Munich at 20:34. Earlier connections are available but the train travels at a more leisurely pace - visit http://bahn.hafas.de for more details

Travel from Munich to Paris by sleeper train, leaving Munich at 20:56 and arriving at Paris Gare de l'Est at 06:58 next morning. Couchettes (6-bunk and 4-bunk) and sleeping-cars (1- 2- or 3-bed rooms, deluxe or standard) are available. Walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

Eurostar leaves Paris Nord at 09:10 and arrives in London at 10:58.

****Fares:****

Deutsche Bahn (UK office call 0870 2 43 53 63) offer a special combined Eurostar + overnight train deal from London to Munich. Travel by Eurostar to Paris use the excellent sleeper train to Munich, starting at £159 return including a basic couchette. You then need to add the normal Munich-Vienna fare.

***London to Munich by Eurostar + overnight train***

How to buy tickets. Bookings open 60 days ahead. You can book through a number of UK agencies, but for this trip try Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 0870 2 43 53 63, Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400 or Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848.

London to Salzburg

Train times London to Salzburg. Take the Eurostar from London to Paris, leaving London at 17:41 arriving Paris 21:17. The Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord, from where there is a 10 minute walk to the Gare de l'Est.

Travel from Paris to Munich overnight, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 22:45 arriving at 08:58 the next morning. This is one of the German Railway's excellent 'NachtZug' express trains. It has brand new sleeping cars (1, 2 and 3 berth deluxe rooms with en suite shower and toilet, 1, 2 and 3berth standard rooms with washbasin - there is a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in standard rooms), and modern air-conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4 or 6 berth compartment). Inclusive fares are charged covering travel plus sleeping accommodation - the sleeper fare includes a light breakfast.

Travel from Munich to Salzburg by air-conditioned 'EuroCity' train (the 'Bartok Bela', with restaurant car) leaving at 09:27 and arriving in Salzburg at 10:54.

Train times Salzburg to London. Travel from Salzburg to Munich, leaving Salzburg at 17:18 on a regional train, arriving Munich 19:12. Travel from Munich to Paris by sleeper train, leaving Munich at 20:56 and arriving at Paris Gare de l'Est at 06:58 next morning (arrives Paris 07:34 on 11 June & 4, 5 November 2006). Couchettes (6-bunk and 4-bunk) and sleeping-cars (1- 2- or 3-bed rooms, deluxe or standard) are available. Walk from the Gare de l'Est to the Gare du Nord.

A Eurostar leaves Paris Nord at 09:10 and arrives London at 10:58. Fares: Deutsche Bahn (German Railways - UK office call 0870 2 43 53 63) offer a special combined Eurostar + night-train deal from London to Munich by Eurostar to Paris then their excellent sleeper train to Munich, starting at £159 return including a basic couchette. You then need to add the normal Munich-Salzburg fare.

Munich to Salzburg 2nd class: £19 one-way, £38 return

1st class: £29 one-way, £58 return

Buy tickets. Bookings open 60 days ahead, you can't buy tickets until reservations open. You can book through a number of UK agencies, but for this trip try Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 0870 2 43 53 63, Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400 or Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848. Click here for a list of agencies and other useful information on how to book.

London to Innsbruck & Kitzbühel

Train times London to Innsbruck & Kitzbühel

Take the Eurostar from London to Paris, leaving London at 17:41 arriving Paris 21:17. The Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord, from where it is a 10 minute walk to the Gare de l'Est.

Travel from Paris to Munich overnight, leaving Paris Gare de l'Est at 22:45 and arriving at 08:58 next morning. This train is one of the German Railway's excellent 'NachtZug' expresses. It has brand new sleeping cars (1, 2 and 3 berth deluxe rooms with en suite shower and toilet, 1- 2- and 3-berth standard rooms with washbasin - there is a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in standard rooms), and modern air-conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4- or 6-berth compartment). Inclusive fares are charged covering travel plus sleeping accommodation - the sleeper fare includes a light breakfast.

Travel from Munich to Innsbruck on an air-conditioned 'EuroCity' train (the 'Michaelangelo', with restaurant car) leaving at 09:33 and arriving in Innsbruck at 11:21. For Kitzbühel, change at Wörgl (arrive 10:46, depart 11:27) and arrive Kitzbühel 12:08.

Train times Innsbruck & Kitzbühel to London. Travel from Innsbruck to Munich by EuroCity train, leaving Innsbruck at 16:37 and arriving in Munich at 18:26. From Kitzbühel, leave Kitzbühel at 15:53, change at Wörgl (arrive 16:33, depart 17:13) and arrive Munich at 18:26.

Travel from Munich to Paris by sleeper train, leaving Munich at 20:56 and arriving at Paris Gare de l'Est at 06:58 next morning. Couchettes (4 bunk and 6 bunk) and sleeping cars (1, 2 and 3 berth, deluxe or standard) are available.

Eurostar leaves Paris Nord at 09:10 and arrives London at 10:58.

***Fares:****

Buy tickets - by phone. Bookings open 60 days before departure. You can book through a number of UK agencies, but for this trip try Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 0870 2 43 53 63 or Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400 or Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848. Some may charge a booking fee.

London to Graz

Train times London to Graz. Travel from London to Salzburg as shown above, arriving Salzburg at 10:54. Then leave Salzburg foro Graz by InterCity train departing Salzburg at 11:15 arriving Graz 15:25.

Train times Graz to London. Leave Graz at 12:35 on InterCity train to Salzburg, arriving at 16:44. Travel from Salzburg to London as shown above.

How to buy tickets - by phone. Bookings open 60 days before departure, you can't buy tickets until reservations open. You can book through a number of UK agencies, such as Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 0870 2 43 53 63, Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400 or Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848. Some agencies may charge a booking fee.

London to Villach & Klagenfurt

Train times London ? Villach / Klagenfurt. Travel from London to Salzburg as shown above, arriving Salzburg at 10:54. Leave Salzburg for Villach and Klagenfurt, departing Salzburg at 11:04 and arriving Villach 13:47 and Klagenfurt 14:20.

Train times Klagenfurt / Villach to London. Leave Klagenfurt at 11:26 and Villach at 11:58, arriving Munich at 16:30. Leave Munich for London as shown above.

How to book - Bookings open 60 days before departure, you can't buy tickets until reservations open. You can book through several UK agencies, such as Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 0870 2 43 53 63, Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 512400 or Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848. Some agencies may charge a booking fee.

Special ski train to Austria

The "Bergland Express" - As well as a daily scheduled train, you could treat yourself to an overnight ski train which travels from Brussels to the Alps every Friday night from December until March. For information, fares and booking visit www.berglandexpress.com.

The train has 6 bunk and 4 bunk couchettes and 1, 2 & 3 bed sleepers, plus a bar car. Note that you can book individual bunks in the couchettes, but you need to book the whole compartment rather than 1 bed in a 3 bed compartment.

London to Austrian Tyrol ski resorts. Travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar, leaving London at 14:42 and arriving Brussels Midi at 18:02. From early 2006, a later Eurostar is available, leaving London at 15:40 and arriving Brussels at 19:00. The Bergland Express leaves Brussels Midi at 20:32 on Friday nights (Dec to March only), arriving next morning at Kufstein 09:25, Wörgl 09:38, Jenbach 10:00, Innsbruck 10:23, Kitzbühel 10:37, St Johann in Tirol 10:47, Zell am See 11:32.

Austrian Tyrol ski resorts to London. The Bergland Express returns on Saturday nights (Dec to March only), leaving Zell am See at 18:07, St Johann in Tirol 18:52, Kitzbühel 19:02, Innsbruck 19:01, Jenbach 19:27, Wörgl 20:09, Kufstein 20:22, arriving Brussels Midi at 08:47 next morning. Travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar, leaving Brussels Midi at 09:56 and arriving London Waterloo at 11:26.

***Fares*** & how to buy tickets. Fares vary by date and type of accommodation but typically for a couchette the Bergland Express fares start at 171 euros return. Bus transfers are available at an extra charge, to ski resorts all over the Austrian Tyrol. Visit www.berglandexpress.com for more details. Check out www.eurostar.com for all Eurostar departures and fares.

Escorted holidays to Austria by train

If you don't feel confident enough to hop on and off trains throughout Europe on your own but still fancy having a go, there is a company who provide organised escorted tours which you may prefer. Decide on the countries you want to visit and rough dates and then give them a call on 0845 402 2068 and see what they can do for you.

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train, bus and ferry times for every country in Europe, plus currency and climate information. It's essential for any independent traveller. You can buy it here on this website. See Menu

Recommended guidebooks

Never travel, independently or in a group without a good guidebook. The best guides are the the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide. Both guidebooks have the same excellent level of practical information and cultural and historical background.

Hotels in Austria

A good website to start at for hotels and guesthouses in Vienna and other Austrian cities, both inexpensive ones and upmarket options, is www.venere.com. Alternatively a general search on the internet is also a good idea.

Backpacker hostels

If you're on a very tight budget you may find a room or a bed in a dorm at a backpacker hostel. Take a look at www.hostelbookers.com.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance isn't a luxury - it's a necessity. Ensure its included in your holiday budget. There are many providers these days so shop around to get the best deal but always make sure you have adequate cover and that it is underwritten by a reliable insurer. Sometimes an annual multi trip is cheaper than separate policies for each trip.

EU health card

UK citizens travelling in Europe should carry a European Health Insurance Card. This replaces the old E111 forms as from January 2006. The EHIC card is available free from www.ehic.org.uk and entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the UK's NHS.