Train Travel - Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, to Switz. border

I answered your previous, identical question here - https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/austria-travel-pass-rail-s-bahn-u-bahn-trams-buses

Thanks Emily. Just seeing if anyone else has any other additional information or ideas.

Hmm. Same question, looking for a different answer.

If you want to buy a Eurail Pass, you don't need any body's permission, but you asked people's advice, and they gave it. You hear a lot about Eurail Passes because they are a commissionable product. Travel agents, including the esteemed Rick Steves organization, make money selling them. People posting on the Forum don't care one way or the other. We do not make money, or lose any money, whether or not you buy a pass. Thus we are free to give opinions untainted by commercial considerations.

By going to Hallstatt you increase your overall travel time tremendously versus just direct to Salzburg. Direct is 2.5 hours, while just getting from Vienna to Hallstatt is 4 hours, then a ferry across the lake to Hallstatt proper. Then a 2.5 hour train from Hallstatt to Salzburg. You are going to spend about 8 hours just getting to/from Vienna/Hallstatt/Salzburg.

The same goes for your detour to Zell am See. Your travel time is going to be 4 hours total, when you can go direct to Innsbruck in under 2 hours. While Hallstatt is pretty, it is also pretty crowded. Zell am See is nice but I'm not certain what it brings to the table that you can't find around Innsbruck other than the lake.

Considering your rather compressed schedule I can't see having so much time just absorbed in transit. Having a full day-and-a-half each in Salzburg and Innsbruck seems like such a nicer journey.

One last thing - you keep stating that you are traveling to Buchs. Is that your destination or where you just cross border? Because if you are actually going to, let's say...Zurich, you are going to get a cheaper train ticket via ÖBB to Zurich than utilizing any kind of Swiss Rail Pass discount. I'm traveling from Lauterbrunnen to Salzburg in May and I saved a ton by booking that journey OUT of Switzerland on ÖBB than SBB. Even though the CH franc is at parity with the US$ and there is a 10% increase in Euros vs US$, the cost of Swiss rail is far more expensive than anywhere else in Europe.

I've seen your post on the Switzerland forum as well. You may want to consider more time in Austria and less in Switzerland. Partly due to economy (everything costs more in Switzerland, except cheese) but also due to the fact that the Austrian Alps are the bomb. You are spending a total of 4.5 days in 3 of the most fantastic towns in all of Europe and then 2 weeks in Switzerland? You may want to rethink your plans a bit. Look, I love the Swiss Alps. For 4-5 days at most. I think you will find that the major cities in Switzerland leave much to be desired.

Just my opinion, but you asked.