Trains
Austrian Federal Railways or OBB ( Osterreichische Bundesbahnen , www.oebb.at ) run a punctual, clean and comfortable rail network, which includes most towns of any size. Trains marked "EC" or "EN" (EuroCity and EuroNight international expresses), "ICE" or "IC" (Austrian InterCity expresses) are the fastest. Those designated "D" ( Schnellzug ) or "E" ( Eilzug ) are the next fastest, stopping at most intermediate points, while the Regionalzug is the slowest form of service, stopping at all stations. Both InterRail and Eurail passes are valid for the OBB network, as well as for the majority of small, privately owned railways that augment it - the three that you're most likely to come across are the Zillertalbahn (from Jenbach to Mayrhofen), the Murtalbahn (from Unzmarkt to Tamsweg via Murau) and the Graz-Koflacher-Bahn (from Graz to Koflach and from Graz to Wies-Ebiswald). Passes are less likely to be valid for the tourist-oriented mountain railways, such as the Schafbergbahn or the Achenseebahn, although they may secure a reduction - be sure to ask about this, as regulations change. Fares are calculated according to distance, with the first 100km costing oS178/?12.94; 200km costing oS320/?23.26; 500km, about oS590/?42.88. Tickets ( Fahrschein ) are bought either from the ticket office in the train station ( Bahnhof or Hauptbahnhof if it's the main station in the big city) or on the train itself (usually on payment of a small supplement; around oS30/?2.18). If travelling from a small, unstaffed halt, however, tickets can be bought on the train without paying the extra supplement. When buying tickets from a ticket office, credit cards are only accepted on purchases exceeding oS200/?14.54. Return tickets are rarely cheaper than two singles, but are valid for two months and allow for unlimited stop-offs en route. Single tickets are only valid for four days. InterCity and EuroCity trains can get crowded at weekends, especially over the summer, when making a reservation is a good idea; reserving a seat costs oS30/?2.18 extra. If you're travelling with another person (or child), ask about the 1-Plus-Ticket , which gives discounts on journeys up to 100km. If you're a long-term resident, you might want to get a Vorteilscard , which for oS1290/?93.75 a year entitles the bearer to fifty percent reductions on all rail travel. Two other services offered by the OBB are also worth considering: the Von Haus-zu-Haus-Service will take two pieces of your luggage (up to a total weight of 40kg) from your current hotel or pension to your next accommodation, for a fee of oS180/?13.08. Even more incredibly, the OBB, in association with the national tourist office, offers a free pick-up/transfer or Abholservice in over 100 towns across Austria. A taxi or hotel representative will pick you up from your hotel, take you to the station, and do the same at the other end. Train times are displayed in the ticket halls and on the platforms of all stations. Yellow Abfahrt posters list departures, and white Ankunft posters list arrivals. A train timetable ( Kursbuch , or Fahrplane ) covering the whole country comes in compact paperback form and is available from station ticket offices at a cost of oS100/?7.27. Some smaller regional timetables are available for around oS15/?1.09 each, though leaflets detailing specific routes are free from some stations and tourist offices. Note that domestic timetables change at the end of May each year. For telephone information on train times and prices, call 05/1717. With just a little German you can also look up specific train times on-line at www.oebb.at . Most Austrian train stations are kept spotlessly clean, and offer a number of useful services. In towns and cities, they often harbour the only shops open after 6pm (or at all on a Sunday). Virtually every station also has a staffed left-luggage office and/or luggage lockers, as well as decent toilets and, more often than not, offers bike rental.
gwapodario olino says "This is a good and religious country with lots of fun and enjoyment
" Mathematician of the Phillipineserrol gumagay says "this is a good country and should be the very best i have ever traveled once in my own life
" Boogeymanjared dutosme says "Want some good country to travel? Austria is there!!!
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Your Tip for Austria
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