This is our first trip to Europe and the first for train travel. We would like to see the most scenic route and are in no particular hurry. We have a Eurail pass.
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What is the best scenic train route from Winterthur (outside Zurich) to Vienna going through Salzburg?
Best answer by Andreas1099
My suggestion is: Go from Zürich to Innsbruck (or Wörgl, if you do not wish to make a stop-over in Innsbruck) via Feldkirch and the Arlberg mountain pass. From June 14th to October 14th, 2026, the railway line between Buchs in Switzerland and Feldkirch in Austria passing through Liechtenstein will be closed. Some of the Zürich – Vienna (or beyond) trains will be diverted (These ones will call in Winterthur!), for others will be rail replacement bus service between Sargans and Feldkirch. Leave the train in Innsbruck or Wörgl and go via Zell am See and Bischofshofen to Salzburg, which is more scenic than the direct line via Kufstein and the “German corner” the Vienna bound railjet trains take to Salzburg. I assume you will stay in Salzburg some time. If you wish to do the whole trip in one day you would not have enough time to make more scenic detours and should go straight to Vienna which is not that scenic. If you like more scenery you may leave the train to Vienna in Attnang-Puchheim and take a train to Stainach-Irdning. From there via Seltzthal and Leoben to Bruck an der Mur, and finally via the famous Semmering line to Vienna. On weekends you have the chance to catch in Selzthal a train to Vienna (Westbahnhof in this case) via the “Gesäuse” line (Admont, Hieflau, and Waidhofen an der Ybbs). I would do the latter one, if it is possible, but I have of course travelled the Semmering quite often. Seat reservation is not compulsory. The railjet trains between Bruck an der Mur and Vienna might be packed at some time and seat reservations (€3.- on the ÖBB website) might be useful. Chose seats on the right-hand side of the train from the seat map for seeing the scenery of the Semmering. To figure out train times do not use the Eurail rail planner but the ÖBB travel planner.
Do you mean going in one day?
In this case, you have the choice between taking a train from Zürich to Munich and from there through Salzburg to Vienna or there’s one going directly to Vienna, that passes through Innsbruck and Kufstein but not directly through Salzburg (which would be more alpine scenery).
Or are you planning to stay a few days in Salzburg or somewhere else?
In that case, you could do all kinds of scenic detour/loops, like going to Milano, via Gotthard or Bernina pass and going back versus Austria via Bozen or through Slovenia.
When is/are your travel date(s)?
There are a bunch of engineering works in the upcoming months. For example, the line between Buchs (Switzerland) and Feldkirch (Austria) is closed so the number of direct trains to Vienna is limited and a they get rerouted via Winterthur.
From June 14 to October 14, 2026 direct trains between Zurich and Vienna via Innsbruck and Salzburg will be rerouted or you will have to take replacement buses and change twice. You have for example this direct train (but check the timetable again with the date of your travel on oebb.at):
Direct trains to Munich also stop in Winterthur, but the route is less scenic.
+1My suggestion is: Go from Zürich to Innsbruck (or Wörgl, if you do not wish to make a stop-over in Innsbruck) via Feldkirch and the Arlberg mountain pass. From June 14th to October 14th, 2026, the railway line between Buchs in Switzerland and Feldkirch in Austria passing through Liechtenstein will be closed. Some of the Zürich – Vienna (or beyond) trains will be diverted (These ones will call in Winterthur!), for others will be rail replacement bus service between Sargans and Feldkirch. Leave the train in Innsbruck or Wörgl and go via Zell am See and Bischofshofen to Salzburg, which is more scenic than the direct line via Kufstein and the “German corner” the Vienna bound railjet trains take to Salzburg. I assume you will stay in Salzburg some time. If you wish to do the whole trip in one day you would not have enough time to make more scenic detours and should go straight to Vienna which is not that scenic. If you like more scenery you may leave the train to Vienna in Attnang-Puchheim and take a train to Stainach-Irdning. From there via Seltzthal and Leoben to Bruck an der Mur, and finally via the famous Semmering line to Vienna. On weekends you have the chance to catch in Selzthal a train to Vienna (Westbahnhof in this case) via the “Gesäuse” line (Admont, Hieflau, and Waidhofen an der Ybbs). I would do the latter one, if it is possible, but I have of course travelled the Semmering quite often. Seat reservation is not compulsory. The railjet trains between Bruck an der Mur and Vienna might be packed at some time and seat reservations (€3.- on the ÖBB website) might be useful. Chose seats on the right-hand side of the train from the seat map for seeing the scenery of the Semmering. To figure out train times do not use the Eurail rail planner but the ÖBB travel planner.
+1
Sorry, I was so enthusiastic figuring out the most scenic routes through Austria that I did not read your question carefully and your profile before starting writing. Train travel in this part of Europe is mass transit, not like air travel and not like train travel in your country. Travelling with a Eurail pass you have full flexibility. You enter the train you want to take at short notice in your pass, board the train and go. And if you miss a connections, just take the next train, no rebooking, or anything.
The Wintherthur – Wörgl – Zell am See – Salzburg part I suggested is simple. During the closure of the Buchs – Feldkirch line you have to change trains only once in Wörgl, otherwise you have to go to Zürich main station first. If you like to avoid a change of trains anyway you may stay on the railjet train via German territory between Kufstein and Salzburg. Going from Salzburg to Vienna (not at the same day) should be doable for first-time train travelers. May be the route via Attnan-Puchheim is too ambitious, but going to Bischofshofen, change there to a train for Graz and change in Bruck an Mur to a train to Vienna should be unproblematic. Enter Salzburg – Wien (Vienna) via Leoben into the ÖBB route planner and you get several connections.
Thank you all so much for all the information. I should have been more clear regarding our plans. We will be travelling in August. I am planning a route from Winterthur and would like to go through Innsbruck on the way to Salzburg where we will be staying for 2 nights. It looks like that would be doable in a day with an early start. After that, we would then go from Salzburg to Vienna in one day. To be safe, we would probably reserve seats on the ones that are recommended. I will look at the options that you have all provided. I appreciate it so much. Please forgive my delay in replying. I have been doing other research on those things we want to do and see but it is in no way a reflection of my deep appreciation for your assistance. If there is anything else that I should be aware of in my inexperience I would appreciate your advice.
+1In August due to the closure of the line in Liechtenstein direct railjet express trains Zürich HB – Wintherthur – Innsbruck – Salzburg – Vienna depart from Winterthur at 8:58 a.m., 10:58 a.m. and 2:58 p.m. . Travel time to Salzburg is 6 hour and a few minutes, i.e. the 2:58 p.m. train will arrive in Salzburg at 9:04 p.m. With the two earlier trains it is easy to make the detour via Zell am See and change in Wörgl to an Interregio train. The connection time is 26 minutes, which is plenty of time. The total travel time will then be 7 hours 51 minutes. Buy your seat reservations from the ÖBB website and select your seats from the seat map. If you do the detour be aware that the interregio trains have some seats with very low visibility for the scenery outside. The trainsets used are commuter trains as the trains foreseen for that purpose have not yet been delivered by the manufacturer. Only a limited number of seats can be reserved in interregio trains (50 seats in second class and 4 in first class in a three car train). It does not mean the train is full if only a few seats are reservable.
For Salzburg – Vienna the travel time for direct trains (ÖBB to Wien Hbf., Westbahn to Wien Westbf.) is between 2 hours 25 minutes and about 3 hours. For Westbahn trains you may make seat reservations on westbahn.at. I do not know how this works for Eurail pass holders, at tickets.oebb.at simply check the “seat reservation only” box. A scenic alternative (without the need of changing trains) might be ÖBB railjet trains RJ 551 and RJ 113, respectively, departing in Salzburg at 8:07 a.m. and 10:07 am. They cross the central mountain range of the alps in the Tauern tunnel and continue via the high-speed line and the Koralm tunnel to Graz and further on via the historic Semmering line to Vienna. Total travel time is 6 hours 29 minutes.
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