How many countries does the train from Venice to Vienna count as?

Lee, I am absolutely certain that those corridor trains require only Austrian ticketing. I travel on staff passes and have to have the right ones. I put in plenty of footwork to get it right and then put it into practice.

No, you did not misinterpret. To quote from the RS website Austria book update page : All Vienna–Venice daytime trains now require a connection, often including a bus on the leg between Villach and Venice (Venezia Piazzale Roma). The train/ bus combination has been discussed here several times. It is run by Oebb, the Austrian state railway in conjunction with the Italian trains. That counts as two countries, the two countries in which it runs, Italy and Austria. It enters no slovac countries.

You can also take an Italian train from Venice to Verona, then one of the 4 daily ECs from Verona to Innsbruck, Austria, then a train or trains from Innsbruck to Vienna. All rail, two countries. However, you need to take care with what trains you take from Innsbruck to Vienna. There is (or was two years ago) an Austrian train from Innsbruck to Vienna entirely through Austria (via Schwarzach-St. Veit, Stainach-Irdning, etc). I know; I was on it from Stainach-Irdning to Jenbach. The faster route, via Salzburg, goes through Germany (Rosenheim) on a "corridor" train, an RJ/ÖIC/ÖEC which does not stop in Germany between Innsbruck and Salzburg. In fact, the Bahn website only lists Kufsteins, then Salzburg on the route, nothing in between. I always thought it was an Austrian train non-stop between two Austrian cities and therefore Germany was not counted. Someone at RailEurope told me that was not the case, but I'm not sure she understood the question. (In fact I'm not sure she understood much in English). Anyway, unless we find out differently, it's best to avoid a route that goes directly to Salzburg unless it also goes through Schwarzach-St. Veit.

Thank you both. I have Rick Steve's Italy and Austria book but as we're going up from Italy haven't gotten too far in the Austrian book. I'll look it up and go from there. The Bahn website makes it seem like a simple 8 hour train ride.

Donna, The route you're taking from Venice to Vienna (Venedig-Wien) goes through Italy and Austria...to answer your question. As for the Pass I suggest you get a Pass with 3 countries listed...France, Germany, Austria. No need to add Italy or any other flanking country. Buy the point to point tickets for those places. You'll transfer at Villach, a key junction point, going from Italy to Austria. Where are going from Vienna?

Thank you for your answers. We're not sure which legs of the trip to use the Eurorail pass but assume by distance Rome to Venice, Venice to Vienna, Innsbruck to Frankfurt and 1 of the others. We're traveling with preteens so have tried to ensure we don't have to repack more than once every 3 nights. Diana Our holiday is basically as follows 1) 4 days Paris (train back and forth to Normandy). 2) Fly Paris to Rome where we're staying 6 days. (train back and forth to Pompeii and maybe one other side trip depending on how much we see) 3) Train to Venice Area where we will stay for 7 days with a rental car to cover towns like Trieste, Bolzano, Verona, Lac Guardia as well as Venice. 4) Train to Vienna for 4 days (day boat trip to Bratsilva) 5) Train to Salzburg stopping in Melk on the way. 2 days in Salzburg 6) Train to Innsbruck to pick up a rental car. For 5 days cover Tyrol, and a bit into Switzerland. 7) Train from Innsbruck to Frankfurt for 2 days before flying home.