Seefeld for lunch? Einfach-Raus question

Seefeld is an excellent place to have lunch and get authentic Austrian food. I recommend Triendlsage or Alte Schmiede for lunch. The apple and cheese strudels at Triendlsage are to die for and Alte Schmiede have good apple strudels. Both have amazing desserts. I love the dumplings and schnitzel at Triendlsage.

First, let me say that I love Seefeld. We stay there as it makes a great base to explore the area. But is no where near has the charm of Mittenwald. Seefeld is full of overpriced clothing and jewelry stores. There are, however, some nice restaurants. I really like Plangger, a deli, which serves Austrian tapas. Do you realize it is only about 20 minutes from Mittenwald? It will hardly break up your trip. On the Einfach Raus - this is not practical for getting all the way to Salzburg. With an ER ticket, you must take regional trains. This would take forever. Just buy a SparSchiene ticket from Innsbuck to Salzburg. You do this online at www.oebb.at. Should be very cheap. To get from Mittenwald to Innsbruck, just buy you ticket at the station.

"With an ER ticket, you must take regional trains. This would take forever."

I guess this depends on your definition of "forever". Regardless of how you do the rest of the trip, Mittenwald to Innsbruck is going to be by regional trains. The fastest way back from Innsbruck to Salzburg (less than 2 hrs) is down the Inn to Kufstein, then through Germany to Rosenheim and on to Salzburg. You already did Salzburg to Rosenheim on the way. If you go that route, most of the trip is through Germany, where you would need a Bayern-Ticket, not an Einfach-Raus-Ticket for regional trains.

A much more scenic route would be down the Inn to Wörgl, then south of Berchtesgaden Nat. Park through Zell am See and Bischofshofen, then north to Salzburg. From Wörgl on is all by regional trains (REX, S); the only difference is down the Inn to Wörgl. The trip from Innsbruck to Salzburg takes 3¾ hours with an express train ticket or 4½ hours with regional trains and the ER. If you use the ER, you would have the option to get off for an hour in any of those little towns on the way.

RailJet train from Innsbruck to Salzburg takes 1 hr 56 min.

"RailJet train from Innsbruck to Salzburg takes 1 hr 56 min. "

And that is down the Inn to Kufstein and Rosenheim, then across Bavaria to Salzburg, where youi've already been, by RailJet. 1 H 56 M is less than 2 hours. But the scenery on that route can't compare to the route through Bischofshofen. Unless I was pressed for time, I'd take the Bischofshofen route for the scenery.

Lee, I was only correcting your statement - "The trip from Innsbruck to Salzburg takes 3¾ hours with an express train."

Sorry. At that point I was discussing the options for going to Salzburg via Bischofshofen, using regional trains and an Einfach Raus ticket or using an express train (Innsbruck to Wörgl) for which you could get a SparSchiene Ticket. Taking the express train would only save 37 minutes (4h23m vs 3h46m).

I see now there is a connection by EC to Schwarzach, then by IC to Salzburg via Bischofshofen (no change) in 3h23m, and, you can get a SparSchiene ticket for that connection for 14€/per. The SparSchiene Ticket plus Seefeld to Innsbruck (which would be included with the EinfachRaus ticket) would be 36€. same as the ER. You would save an hour with the SparSchiene ticket, but you would have to commit to specific trains and could not get off at any little villages on the way.

Emily & Lee, if we take the slower route winding through Zell am See, Bischofshofen, etc. what would you recommend for a place to stop for an hour or two instead of stopping at Seefeld in Tirol? (We will be exploring around Salzburg for 4 days and then St. Wolfgang for two days.)