Do I need to make a train reservation from Wien to Salzburg?

For Westbahn you purchase onboard from the conductor. Price is the same whether you buy online or from conductor. Great ride and much cheaper than OEBB.

I recommend reserving a seat in a train, for going from Vienna to Salzburg.

Thank you two of you above. Is there any web pages in English of Westbahn. I tried to make a reservation the ticket through the internet but Deutsch only is shown. It is harder and harder to reach the reservation using the google translator. Thank you again.

Previous infor also helpful to me. Thanks. What is the OEBB?

OEBB is the national railway and Westbahn is the private one otherwise. Westbahn is prefered these days because of costs.

There is no need whatsoever to reserve on the Westbahn. Just board the train find a seat and pay the conductor.

Some conflicting information here. How much of it is based on experience? Like Hyejin, I would appreciate some idea of what to expect if I just show up at the station to take a Westbahn train from Vienna to Salzburg on a weekday morning. In the busier tourist season, as opposed to September. Whether with OEBB or Westbahn, has anyone tried that and had trouble finding a seat? On the other hand, has anyone had the experience of buying tickets in advance and missed a train or lost the ticket?

We rode the Westbahn from Salzburg to Vienna in December, a weekday, without reservations. There are other stops along the way and the train was moderately full by the time that we reached the Vienna suburbs. My wife and I sat across from each other, the seat next to me was occupied a short distance. The seat next to my wife remained unoccupied. There were a number of empty seats leaving Salzburg. BTW, there was free WIFI and I posted the trip here.

Went in December from Vienna with our Jack Russell...no problems at all with seating. It was a weekday right after Christmas, so a busy travel time...no problems whatsoever. Same for return to Vienna. Just do it and enjoy.

Went in December from Vienna with our Jack Russell...no problems at all with seating. It was a weekday right after Christmas, so a busy travel time...no problems whatsoever. Same for return to Vienna. Just do it and enjoy.

Thank you for all. Your postings helped me a lot and I made my mind not to book the westbahn. I will be on board without a reservation.
Thank you agian!!