Travel by train from Lauterbrunnen to Salzburg

Lauterbrunnen to Salzburg is an 8.5 hour trip. Most efficient, with the fewest changes of train is Lauterbrunnen - Interlaken - Zürich - Munich - Salzburg. You can look this up at www.sbb.ch/en.

Your Swiss Travel Pass will carry you to the border with Germany (well beyond Zurich), then you need ticketing. You can book this online, creating an account and signing in indicating you have a Swiss Travel Pass, and then make a reservation for the ongoing trains. Seat reservations might be advisable on trains from Interlaken to Salzburg) as I think I recall you are traveling around Easter time, is that right? Trains get very busy for holiday periods and without reserved seats you may not be able to sit together. Note you can make a seat reservation on Swiss trains even before you buy your pass.

You may also read about the Zurich to Salzburg route called Arlberg Railway at the Man in Seat 61 website. The train stops in Innsbruck, but scroll down the page for the Salzburg info.

For Salzburg questions, use the Austria forum.

Do a daytrip to the Wolfgangsee and take the boat across the lake, highly recommended.

Most efficient, with the fewest changes of train is Lauterbrunnen -
Interlaken - Zürich - Munich - Salzburg

That involves an extra change in Munich. Better go Lauterbrunnen - Interlaken - Zurich - Salzburg. There are direct trains from Zurich to Salzburg every two hours.

If you have a Swiss Travel Pass, and it is still active on the day you leave for Salzburg you just buy a ticket Buchs SG to Salzburg (on eg. www.oebb.at).

Thank you all for the advice. We looked at the Man in Seat 61 - It is gorgeous! Unfortunately there are no open tickets. So looks like we will be going from Lauterbrunnen, Zurich and on to Salzburg.

Is it ok if we purchase our swiss travel pass now, about 47 days until we travel? Then booking our train to Salzburg may be easier? Also, do I need to prebook train tickets from Italy to Zermatt, 4/15? If we miss a train, can we easily get on another one?

Thank you.. Mary & Dan

You can actually just buy tickets from Buchs SG to Salzburg, then catch that train at Zurich using your Swiss Travel Pass. Or you could buy tickets from Lauterbrunnen to Salzburg and indicate that you have a GA Card and you will be only charged for the portion from Buchs SG to Salzburg. You do not need to have the STP in hand when you buy the ticket, just when you travel.

Where in Italy will you be coming from to go to Zermatt?

Thank you for your help. From Italy we will be coming from Milan to Zermatt.

Another change in the above, we really like the idea of traveling to Austria through the Arlberg Pass. I'm trying to book on thetrainline.com site, but am confused. Do you know how I can tell that the train/ticket I purchase will take us through the Arlberg Pass? We will change our hotel in Lauterbrunnen to leave on 4/25 (a day early) to Zurich and then can travel from Zurich at 8ish on the 26th. Will our STP be of any use on the SBB RailJet train? Again, your help and advice is truly appreciated. Mary & Dan

If you travel on the Railjet train from Zurich to Salzburg, the train goes over the Arlberg Pass, albeit through a tunnel. It is the lead up and exit from the Arlberg Tunnel is the scenic part. A Swiss Travel Pass gives you free travel to Buchs SG on the Swiss border.

However, the 8:32 am train from Zurich to Salzburg is not a Railjet train, it is an EC train and goes through Munich and does not go over the Arlberg Pass. Take the 10:40 am Railjet that does. Because it is a shorter route, it will arrive in Salzburg 11 minutes after the EC train.

Checking prices, you can get a Saver offer without the STP for 152 CHF for 2, With the STP, it is a regular ticket and costs 138 CHF for 2.

Thank you! We really appreciate it help. Have a great day!