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Train Pass

Hello!
My daughter is going to be studying abroad in Salzburg for four months and I'm trying to think of ways to make it easier on her wallet while she is over there. Is there some sort of train pass that I can purchase each month that allows her unlimited travel? I looked on the OBB website and didn't see exactly what I was looking for. I was thinking about getting her a Eurail pass but it seems like the big trips she will want to take to other countries would be easier by flight so that might not be the best option (maybe I'm wrong?).

Any input/suggestions would be truly appreciated! Thanks!

Posted by
11027 posts

Knowing "where" she would be going, and how often, would be helpful

An option would be for you to deposit money into her account and let her use her ATM card to buy tickets as she needs them.
Or, you could pay a portion of her credit card bill to defray her travel costs that she charges

Posted by
1520 posts

You are thoughtful with desiring to provide the gift of transport, but flexibility is key to a study abroad student's "plans" (based upon experience of our daughter). Cheap airfare abounds and the whims of instant travel companions shift. We told our daughter to seize all opportunities to travel and we would subsidize the expense (which we considered an investment). Perhaps you could take joy in a similar arrangement?

Posted by
8377 posts

Dont know that its worth it, but if she is resident there, the InterRail Pass is what she would be eligible for - a Eurail pass is probably not cost-effective, unless you can plan exactly when and where the trips would be. There's almost always a discount option for individual tickets between cities, that would beat the Eurail options. Catching discount flights there is pretty easy.

But if it were me, I'd just let her figure it out. There are probably plenty of travel opportunities available to students through the school and her new friends to help.

Posted by
6173 posts

There is the Österreichcard that will give her (almost) unlimited travel within Austria: https://www.oebb.at/en/tickets-kundenkarten/kundenkarten/oesterreichcard However, it is valid for a year so if she's only staying four months it might be a bit too expensive. For local travel there are also the regular public transport monthly tickets, €99 for a month for the entire state of Salzburg: https://salzburg-verkehr.at/ and for trips to Germany a Bayernticket is a good option for regional travel there, especially if she brings a friend or two.

For longer trips an interrailcard can be useful, but just buying her one in case she wants to travel sounds like a waste of money to be honest. For longer train trips (i.e just not regional trains), single tickets can often be a better option. And if she plans a longer trip, she can just order an interrail card online. Or you can order her one. What big trips to other countries is she planning?

Posted by
70 posts

Thanks for the replies! You guys convinced me that this probably isn't the best route to go. I was just thinking that if I could take care of it on this end it would make her life easier financially once she's there. Sounds like the best bet is to just have her purchase whatever is the best transportation option for whatever trip she decides to take.
As far as countries, she's in the dreaming stage so of course she wants as many as possible! LOL! I'm so excited for her. We've hosted three exchange students from Europe and her brother studied his senior year of high school in Germany, so I'm excited that it's finally her turn.

Posted by
26830 posts

If there are any long weekends during her semester abroad, she can use those to hop flights to more-distant destinations--places like London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris, southern Spain. The two-day weekends can be spent in places like Vienna, Munich, Ljubljana, northern Italy, etc.

Posted by
827 posts

If your daughter plans to head into Germany it may be a good idea to compare prices between ÖBB and DB.