Vienna-Salzburg-how to get there for quick day trip?

By RailJet (train), it's about 2:45 from Vienna to Salzburg. Once you are in Salzburg it's only a little more than 6 hours to Venice by train to Villach and Intercity bus from there. Don't let the "bus" scare you. It's not Greyhound; it's a modern over-the-road coach, with the same passengers you'd have on the train.

Lee, you might want to provide more detail. The German rail website doesn't indicate anything about a bus. It shows three trains, two with transfers in Villach and one with no transfers. The shortest is nearly 7 hours, and the other two are more. Plus, the times are not all that attractive.

I think Lee has it right on this one. The shortest itinerary uses a rail/bus combo to Venice from Salzburg in about 6 hr 15 min. No matter how you slice it, this will save time and money versus going back to Vienna for a cheaper flight. David: Double-check DB...you'll see two good options (8:12 and 10:12).

Train is super easy between Vienna and Salzburg. Leave Vienna early AM, you'll be in Sazlburg by late AM/very early afternoon at latest (as posts above say, it's a little under 3 hrs). I was glad to spend a few nights in Salzburg (that trip began in Vienna and then I made my way west), but I know many people who have done it as a side, day trip from Vienna. Good thing is that as pretty and enjoyable as Salzburg is, it is relatively compact, so you could def get some highlights in such as taking the funicular up and then walking over to the fortress, the fortress itself, Salzburg Cathedral, Mozart's birthhouse, etc. Enjoy your day in Salzburg! And have fun in Vienna, 1 of my personal favorite cities in Europe!

From the German Rail website for 12-12-11, Salzburg 08:12 ÖIC 592 Villach 10:43-10:56 Bus 833 Venezia Tronchetto 14:25, and Salzburg 10:12 EC 111 Villach 12:43-12:56 Bus 835 Venezia Tronchetto 16:25 Those connections are not purchasable from the Bahn, but there are connections purchasable from Austrian Rail www.oebb.at for as low as €29. The OEBB fare is for Salzburg to Venezia S. Lucia (not Tronchetta). The bus stops at Mestre just before Tronchetta, and you wait 20 min in Mestre for an EC (included with the fare) to Santa Lucia.

You can leave Vienna as early as 06:14 and arrive in Salzburg at 08:59. Here's another route for your consideration that will give you the most time in Salzburg. Take a RE train from Salzburg to Rosenheim. You can depart as late as 20:09 and arrive at 21:28. Take a CNL night train from Rosenheim to Venezia Santa Lucia, departing at 21:42 and arriving at 06:38. The fare for the Salzburg-Rosenheim leg is less than €20 and there is no need to book in advance. If you book well in advance (up to 92 days allowed) on the German Rail site, you can get a Europa-Spezial Italien discount fare of €69 for a bunk in a four-person couchette on the Rosenheim-Venezia Santa Lucia night train.