We are landing in Vienna on a Thursday afternoon and would like to get a train at the airport to Salzburg. Wondering how much time we should leave between arrival in Vienna and the train departure time. How close is the train to baggage claim? Should we purchase train tickets in advance or buy at the airport?
Also, what is the best way to travel between the Salzburg train station and the Old Town where our hotel is?
If you are arriving Vienna direct from the USA requiring you to have to go through Passport Control/Immigration/Customs then you should give yourself 3 hours to catch a direct train from Vienna Airport to Salzburg only if you purchase the train ticket in advance. Otherwise just buy the ticket to Salzburg once you go through Passport Control/Immigration/Customs. That airport is small from what I remember.
In Salzburg, as in many cities, a cab from the train station is an easy way to get to your hotel. Not super expensive, and you don't wander aimlessly while pulling/carrying your bag(s).
Thank you! Just to clarify, we will be flying from Krakow to Vienna on this leg of our trip.
If you are flying from Poland to Austria, both in the Schengen Area and in the EU, so no immigration and no customs, just walk straight off the aircraft and out to the station, which is under the terminal.
If plane is on time, should only be about 15 minutes from doors opening to the station. Of course the plane could be late, and there is taxiing time.
You want flexibility. Take the S7 to Rennweg or take the Railjet to Wien Hauptbahnhof. Both journeys are a few Euro. Once at Hauptbahnhof or Rennweg, board the next Westbahn train where tickets are purchased in board. Westbahn will take you to Salzburg for about 25 Euro.
Thanks all-your advice is much appreciated!
There are trains direct from the airport to Salzburg. The train station is under the terminal. Since these trains actually start at the airport and are relatively uncrowded until getting to the main Vienna station, don't commute into the City on the S7 or the City Airport Train to catch the train. We did it last month. Piece of cake. As for timing, just for comparison purposes my wife and I flew into Vienna from Heathrow (non-Schengen) and were through passport control and had our checked bags within 15 minutes of getting off the plane and riding the little bus from the tarmac to the terminal. Very easy airport to nagivate.
