So I'm a bit confused about how to book this particular trip. It seems there are 2 options. Salzburg to Innsbruck to Venice or Salzburg to Villach and then you have to take a bus to Venice.
Which is recommended? Are both trips very scenic? Do I need to book this as 2 separate tickets, Salzburg to Villach on one ticket and Villach to Venice on another for example?
The "how" is buy tickets on the ÖBB (Austrian Railways) website: https://www.oebb.at/
And you normally just buy a ticket from A to B (Salzburg to "Venezia Santa Lucia"). The ticket will cover all train(s) needed.
If you just look up that trip on the ÖBB website, it will list the trains and where you needs to change, you not need to know that in advance. No bus is needed.
For example (for a random date in April):
Salzburg Hbf depart 08:12, RJ 898, Villach Hbf arrive 10:43
Villach Hbf depart 10:50, RJ 131, Venezia Santa Lucia arrive 14:05
Next departure 10:56, arriving 18:10
There is lots of info about these trains here: https://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains-from-Salzburg.htm#Salzburg-Italy
Well, Villach from what I understand does not offer a train to Venice. It's a bus. If I wanted to do all train, I'd have to go via Innsbruck instead of Villach I think.
Villach from what I understand does not offer a train to Venice. It's a bus.
From where do you get this outdated information? There had been a bus service between Villach and Venice long ago, i.e. in the years 2009-2013.
This is the OeBB's website (Austrian Railways): https://www.oebb.at/en/
There are buttons for "Search connection" and "Book ticket".
If you want a RailJet day-time connection you have one change in Villach, as Chris F has pointed out already.
If you choose the NightJet you can go directly from Salzburg to Venice.
Please use the website for OeBB, the Austrian National Rail Service, as suggested above. That’s where you look up schedules and buy tickets. Both routes cross the Alps. Pick the one that is fastest.
Hello I went to the train website noted above as I am also trying to figure out the best way to get from Salzburg to Venice. There is not an option for a train to Venice. Input anyone?
There is indeed train all the way from Salzburg to Venice Santa Lucia. Actually there are many. I like this connection the best: It leaves Salzburg at 8:12, arrives in Villach at 10:43, leaves Villach at 10:50, arrives in Venice Santa Lucia 14:05.
I went to the train website noted above as I am also trying to figure out the best way to get from Salzburg to Venice. There is not an option for a train to Venice.
Don't forget there is no such place a "Venice". The place you want is really called "Venezia".
Seat 61 describes the Villach route as the fastest and the Brenner Pass (Innsbruck) route as the more scenic. I have taken this several times and enjoyed it. I like to visit places along the way like Innsbruck and Bolzano.
