Hi all - Wondering if anyone has any experience with having or not having seat reservations on trains in Austria. Wondering if I need to bother buying them in addition to the ticket I already bought. Assuming that the answer is probably no, but want to be sure. I'll be traveling between Prague, Vienna, Hallstatt, Salzburg, Innsbruck and then onward to Switzerland in early-mid May.
Posted by
Seattle
4637 posts
Generally you don't need seat reservation. But there are few trains where is mandatory to get it.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
I would say that in most cases, reservations are not necessary. I think in 15 years I've only had to stand once, for half an hour, on an express train in Germany, and that was on a major holiday. Several times I had reservations and didn't need them; a couple of other times I didn't have reservations and didn't need them. However, it's a small price to pay for knowing that you have a seat.
If it's a long trip, more than an hour or so, I'd get reservations. It's a long time to stand.
Note that the leg between Attnang-Puchheim, on the Vienna to Salzburg main line, and Hallstatt is by regional train and there are no reservations required or available.
Posted by
OP
Washington, DC
80 posts
Yeah the only train I was required to get reservations for so far was the train from Innsbruck to Switzerland, and it made me get them along with the ticket when I purchased it. None of the others required it, and then when I looked, not all of the other trips even had reservations as an option. I assume the ones that did not have an option to make a seat reservation are the regional trains? I'm looking on the Prague > Vienna route and the trains labeled "Railjet" do not allow a reservation but the ones labeled "EC EC" (EuroCity?) do. I am partially concerned about standing, and partially just want to be able to sit with the other person I am traveling with, or at least nearby. Am I guaranteed to have 2 seats next to each other if I purchase them together?
I'm looking again now and it looks like I could get a seat reservation for the trips from Vienna > Hallstatt and from Salzburg > Innsbruck, but not from Prague > Vienna.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
RailJet does allow optional reservations. If you want them and did not book them with the ticket, then you can get them at a train station. I believe the Austrian web site does not sell e-tickets or e-reservations departing from Prague. When reservations are not required, I normally don't bother; of course, as a solo traveler, I fit in anywhere.