First Time Travelling to Prague and Austria

There's no international rail pass that also works on city transport. (There are some national ones, like the Swiss Travel Pass as you've found, and the Deutschland Ticket)

In Prague, it's easy to pay with a contactless credit or debit card on the trams and buses. I think also on the funicular.

In Vienna you can buy a single or day ticket from ticket machines, or within the ÖBB app (among others).

As ​@BrendanDB says, reservation isn't compulsory on ÖBB between Prague and Vienna. You can just take any seat in first class. You can also take a seat in Business Class and pay the upgrade fee onboard.

But a reservation is wise if you want BC, and I think you still get a free reservation if you buy the supplement on the ÖBB website. 

That's the full fare booked via ÖBB.

I did a quick check and cd.cz offers business class next week for less than half as much (CZK 1811, €72.50). Or regular 1st class for CZK 1428 (€57). This is on a train where ÖBB only offers the full fare for 1st/business class.

For local transport in Prague I recommend a 24 h or 72 h card. The funicular to the Petřin hill is included in both cards. Read more in the link below. 

https://www.dpp.cz/en/fares/fare-pricelist

Hi again, thank you for your prompt replies to my queries.

We are travelling in mid-May 2025. 

BrendanDB… Thank you for the links… I am well aware that the Swiss Travel Pass is only valid for travelling within Switzerland. What I was asking was if there is a similar pass for travelling within Austria.

Ralderton… Thank you for advising on the payment mode. So, moving around within Prague is just like moving around within London; whereby, we can use contactless credit/debit card to pay for our fares. But none for Vienna because the system in Vienna still uses ticketing.

Rvdborgt… We are keen to book tickets for business class. Is it better to book a week before my travelling date since the price you found is for travelling next week?

AnnaB… Thank you for the link. I will check it out.

In a nutshell, am I right to say that the Eurail pass is only for travelling on trains from Prague to Vienna and from Vienna to other parts of Austria? 

It’s not exactly like London. I seem to remember in Prague you have to press the button on the ticket machine (onboard the tram or bus), to choose whether you want a 30-minute, 90-minute or 24-hour ticket. Then tap your card and take the ticket. You can’t just tap and go like London.

Do be careful with the older ticket machines. They sell undated tickets which you have to stamp in the validators to make them valid. (Ticket inspectors are very prevalent, seeking out tourists who forgot to validate their ticket)

Info here:

https://pid.cz/en/tickets-and-fare/how-to-buy-ticket/#vending

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Yes, Eurail/ Interrail is for regional national/ international travel. It’s generally not valid for local journeys within cities. The exception is where national rail operators run to multiple stations in a city. In Vienna you can use Eurail on the S-Bahn, but this is unlikely to be of much use, as it doesn’t go through the city centre.

Better to buy a local ticket, then you can use buses and U-Bahn.

In most bigger cities you have a pass that combines local public transport (metro, tram, bus) with free or discounted museum entries. Can be interesting if you plan to visit a lot of museums, it is a bit like the Swiss pass, but only on city level, not on country level. You’ll definitely have cards like that in Vienna and Prague, ask around in the official tourist office once you’re there (like the Vienna city card).

But again, I think you better buy normal tickets via the websites of the Austrian or Czech railway companies. Half May (checked for 14 May) a normal ticket 2nd class Prague-Vienna is as low as EUR 14,30 in 2nd class and 24 EUR in 1st class per person, a real bargain. Wien - Bratislava about 18 Eur and Wien, Wien-Salzburg about 20 EUR in 2nd when bought in advance on a weekday.

A day with Interrail/Eurail pass easily costs 50-70 EUR per day. But the pass gives you flexibility of course, you’re not bound to one specific train, you can take any train you want - which is also worth something. Your call!