Splitting up train rides on Deutsche Bahn

Yes. Do whatever saves you money.

First, you don't have to "book" a Bayern-Ticket. You can if you want, but it won't save any money, and once purchased, a Bayern-Ticket is only usable for the specified date - it's non-exchangeable, non-refundable. You can always purchase a Bayern-Ticket on the day of travel (they don't sell out) from a Bahn automat (there are several near the tracks) in Salzburg. I've even seen Austrian Rail automats selling the Bayern-Ticket. If you don't mind the extra time of regional trains from Linz to Salzburg, you can also buy an Einfach-Raus-Ticket (€28) for one day's regional train travel in Austria. You said a whole family, so you are alright. Through some defect in the Austrian mind, they won't let a single person use the Einfach-Raus-Ticket.

Thanks for the info! I will also look up the Einfach-Raus-Ticket on bahn.de.

"I will also look up the Einfach-Raus-Ticket on bahn.de." You'll never find it on Bahn.de. It's an Austrian Rail offer. You'll only find it on their website at www.oebb.at.

Ok, I see. The Einfach-Raus ticket gets us around in Austria for 28 Euros and the Bayern gets us where we need to go in Germany for 29 Eurosgreat! I do not see a way to make a reservation on a particular train for the Einfach-Raus ticket. Is there any problem getting on the train you want? (10:30 am from Linz to Salzburg on a Weds morning in July) Do you just show up at the station and find the right train or do you need a train-specific ticket at the counter? thanks for letting me know how this works! I have very limited German and to order tickets on oebb.at, the directions are only in German. Thanks!

"I do not see a way to make a reservation on a particular train for the Einfach-Raus ticket" You can't. The Einfach- Raus-Ticket is for regional trains. You can't make reservations for them. Neither can you make reservations for the regional trains used with the Bayern-Ticket. You buy the tickets (Einfach-Raus or Bayern) at the station when you get there. There's no limit on them; they don't sell out. In over twenty years I have never had trouble finding a place on a regional train except in rush hour in a mayor city. Then I just had to stand.

That 10:30 train from Linz to Salzburg is an Intercity train (ÖBB IC). You can't ride it with an Einfach-Raus-Ticket. You can only ride regional trains. When you do a search on the Austrian Rail website, there is a link on the first page for "Erweiterte Suche" (wider search). If you click it, you get a page with more options. One is a check box for "Einfach-Raus-Ticket". You'll get a message box with a warning that the Ticket is only valid after 9 on workdays. Then it will show you connections for which you can use the Einfach-Raus-Ticket. You can use the Einfach-Raus-Ticket for R and REX trains, but not for ÖEC, ÖIC, or RJ. I see a regional train at 10:00 with no changes to Salzburg. There's another at 11:00, but it has one 4 min change en route. I would assume it's cross platform, but I can't find platform numbers anywhere. I'd take the 10 o'clock train. For German trains, with a Bayern-Ticket, you can use RE and RB, but not ICE/IC/EC. To be sure, check the "only local transport" box.

Got it. Thanks so much for the information! I feel very prepared now for riding the trains in Germany and Austria.