Salzburg is one of the most popular trips from Vienna. It is doable in a day because the fast train is direct, but it makes for a long day. This guide helps you decide and plan it. Train times and fares change, so check the ÖBB timetable.
Is a day trip worth it?
Direct Railjet trains run between Vienna and Salzburg and take roughly two and a half hours each way. That leaves about seven to eight hours in the city if you take an early train out and a late one back. It suits first-time visitors who want the old town highlights. If you want the fortress, a lake or the surrounding mountains, stay overnight.
Getting there
- Trains leave from Wien Hauptbahnhof and arrive at Salzburg Hauptbahnhof.
- Advance saver fares can be much cheaper than same-day fares, so book early when you know your dates.
- Reserve a seat on busy days, and note that a competing private operator also runs on this route.
A plan for the day
- Walk from the station through the Mirabell Gardens to the old town.
- Visit Getreidegasse, Mozart’s birthplace and the cathedral square.
- Take the funicular or walk up to Hohensalzburg Fortress for the views.
- Have lunch in a traditional inn and try Salzburger Nockerl, the local sweet soufflé.
For more, see our Salzburg top 10 and the list of best day trips from Vienna.
Last Updated on
I’m Andrea, a travel writer based between Vienna and the Croatian coast, and I’ve been exploring both countries in depth for the past 10 years.
I’ve taken 50+ solo trips across Austria, Croatia, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy and the wider Balkans, and I speak German, Croatian and English fluently, which means I get to have conversations most tourists never do. I know which Viennese coffee house the locals actually go to (hint: not the famous ones), and I know the Dalmatian islands well enough to tell you which ferry to take and which to avoid.
My writing is grounded in lived experience: I’ve navigated Austrian bureaucracy as a resident, hiked the Julian Alps in September when the crowds have gone, and eaten my way through Dubrovnik’s back streets at midnight. I cover Central Europe and the Adriatic for solo travellers who want something more than a highlight reel.
I also write in depth about Vienna and Austria at allaboutvienna.com, where you’ll find everything from neighbourhood guides to seasonal event coverage and expat tips.
When I’m not writing I’m usually hiking, swimming in the Adriatic, or arguing about which city makes better coffee. (It’s Vienna. It’s always Vienna.)