Please sign in to post.

Hallstatt to Vienna Train Journey Changed HELP!

Posted by (Canada) on

We bought 2 OBB train tickets online few weeks ago - leave May 31 Hallstatt Bahnhst to Vienna Central Station. Tickets are "Sparschiene" tickets so cancellation is not possible.

Itinerary:
== Hallstatt Bahnhst - board REX 70 train, depart 12:32
== Attnang-Puchheim Bahnhof - transfer/board RJ 647 train (paid for reserved seats), depart 14:01 for Vienna final destination

Today I was about to print the tickets and noticed this message:

Journey has changed -
There has been a change in the timetable which affects your scheduled journey. Your ticket will remain valid. Please remember to find out about the alternative trains or transports available to you during the time the ticket is valid. If you have any questions, please contact Customer Service on +43 5 1717.

In the OBB website "Construction work" page a couple FAQs if you could help please clarify:

1) Is my ticket still valid for the booked route?
"If you have a Sparschiene ticket, you can have the binding of the train cancelled at the ÖBB ticket counter or by calling +43 (0) 5 17 17."

2) Can I change the booked route?
"In this case, we advise you to go through the booked journey with our colleagues on +43 5 (0) 17 17 for possible changes."

If I were to call OBB ticket office to change the booked route, is it straight forward to reach an agent for help or it will be very difficult/unable to get hold of anyone to help?

To be certain I have tickets to leave Hallstatt on May 31 for Vienna - what do you think if I were book another set of train tickets using the current schedules and then when I arrive Austria (Salzburg) on May 26, I can go to the OBB ticket counter to have the binding of the train cancelled and get my refund -- is this doable?

We leave for Europe in 3 weeks and would like to get transportations sorted out. Thank you so much for any advice.

Posted by
2395 posts

No reason to worry, everything is fine. If you look for your connection on https://www.oebb.at/en/ you will see that both your trains run as expected. The construction works are near Vienna, and your RJ train will be rerouted along a slower track, meaning than you will arrive about half an hour later than originnally scheduled.

Posted by
2910 posts

The important thing to remember is this: You have a ticket Hallstatt . Vienna for May 31, so on May 31 the OBB is contractually obliged to transport you from Hallstatt to Vienna. So they will transport you. If it cannot be done with the trains originally booked it will be with other trains. In principle train tickets are for a route, not a train. If a train schedule changes, or a train is cancelled this does not cancel your tickets.

You should never have to open your wallet because the railways did something. So you should not buy another set of tickets. You do not need those, as you have tickets.

Posted by
2704 posts

I would just call the number and give it a try. Worst case scenario, you go to the ÖBB counter when you arrive. But why waste that time while on vacation when you can at least try to sort it out in advance.

Posted by
2 posts

Thank you all for you help - we called the OBB ticket office - a lovely and very patient agent assured us our tickets are good and train ride will take is 30min longer to arrive Vienna. Phew! a relief :)

Posted by
49 posts

Even if it's cancelled, you can just just board any train that will get you there by the same train company.

I did a Christmas trip a year and half ago, and my train from Salzburg to Nuremberg was cancelled due to a snow storm. Just looked up another train that goes there, on the same day, and got on it. Ticket agent, on the train, had no issues. Their website also gives the same instructions.

Seems like that's how they deal with train cancelations in Europe.

Posted by
2910 posts

Seems like that's how they deal with train cancelations in Europe.

That is indeed how they deal with train cancelations in North/East of the Latin/Germanic Europe border.
In Germany (and countries that follow German pracitices) tickets are by default for a route. Reservations are optional, and any train binding is just waived in case of disruptions. So you just get on another train.

You should think of railways are a set of interconnecting commuter rail systems, with some long distance services overlaid on top in that part of the world,

In Latin Europe things are different. In Italy you have compulsory reservation on long distance trains, so in case of a cancellation or a missed connection you will need to exchange your ticket. There are special booths at the main stations for that (Look for the Freccia desk). In Spain they only sell tickets at the last moment so there are rarely any schedule changes or cancellations after the fact. And in France they will just abandon you.
(The way they handled the Lyon - Torino interruption last year is a disgrace. If I would have been affected I would have taken SNCF to court on this).

Add Reply

Please do not reply to violations of our Community Guidelines.