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Driving or taking a train from Vienna to Trieste

Hello all! I am a first time traveler of Europe and the last time my husband was there he was 14 and his father did all of the navigating and arranging. We have decided to go to Trieste for our last 2 days before we leave. Looking at how much the train trip is going to cost though is making my bank account shake with fear. I have looked at what rental cars would cost and it would be significantly cheaper, but thinking about getting lost in Italy is making ME shake with fear. My husband is a great driver and an expert navigator. What would you expert travelers suggest? Is taking the train work the big bucks or should I forget my fear and rent the car. :)

Posted by
11613 posts

I took the train from Vienna to Trieste last year in May; part of the trip was by bus (no train tracks in the mountains) and it snowed. I don't think I would care to drive that route, plus there may be a significant drop-off charge for the rental car.

Posted by
11294 posts

When you say the train is too expensive, are you looking at Austrian Rail for your fares, or a reseller like Rail Europe? The best fares will be from this website, bought in advance: http://www.oebb.at/en/index.jsp# And make sure to indicate that you need two tickets, as there can be a further discount for this.

And when figuring prices, don't forget to include the fee for picking up a car in Austria and dropping it in Italy. this varies, but can be hundreds of euros. Then there's gas (much pricier than in the US), Austrian vignette, and Italian tolls. Finally, Trieste probably has a ZTL (almost all Italian cities do); cross into it, even accidentally or just for half a block, and you'll get a substantial fine (preceded by your rental car company charging you for submitting your information to the fining authorities; the fine itself comes later, and both come many months after you've returned to the US).

With no personal experience, I'm not going to make a recommendation. But do be sure you are comparing ALL the costs before making a decision.