Where to buy ticket

argon
Traveller
462 comments

Eighter you mean St Johann im Pongau or St Johann in Tirol , but both are in a complete different Region in Austria ! You would first have to go to Wien and from there to Spielfeld-Straß and then back ! Anyway just look for a suitable connetion at oebb.at/en the Website of Austrias national carrier ÖBB . Cherres argon :)

MisterSteve
Traveller
1094 comments

I suspect this is someone getting over excited by mention of the UNESCO World Heritage Status, but that only applies to less than 50km of the route between Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag so there is no need to go to Spielfeld-Straß, just the section from Vienna to Bruck an der Mur would do it . Although there is little point in going on the train at all because the Heritage status is really for the viaducts etc which can't really be seen when you are on them.

From either of those St Johanns, go south to Villach via the more spectacular but less hyped Tauernbahn and then to Vienna from there. The journey will be nearly 7 hours and the UNESCO status applies to about 30 minutes of it!

aldae
Traveller
3 comments

Sorry for the confusion…I will be coming from st Johann im-Pongau going to Vienna and read somewhere that the best view of the alps can be seen via the semmering route. Although the trip to Vienna will take longer, we would like to go see that, but have to be at a tour we booked in Vienna before 3pm of same day. (We plan to take the faster trip back to St Johann after 2-3 days).

aldae
Traveller
3 comments

Mister Steve, so do you recommend Tauerbahn instead of Semmering? I read via Semmering will take 5 hours to Vienna (from Salzburg). It seems that we have to go thru Salzburg anyway even if we board train at St Johann im Pongau. I just don’t know if we can buy our tickets in st Johann or have to get off train in Salzburg to go buy ticket to Vienna. I read I have to specify when buying the tickets that I want the scenic (tho longer) route.

MisterSteve
Traveller
1094 comments

Have you ever looked at a map? Both St Johanns are in the real alps (the other one is more mountainous) , Semmering is in the final eastern end as they fade out. The landmarks of the route are the structures (Google: Kalte Rinne Viaduct) - if it wasn't for those it wouldn't be very interesting.

From either St Johann you do not go via Salzburg to Semmering, but via Salzburg is the direct route to Vienna which takes around 3½ hours from Pongau and runs on the plains north of the alps. There is a 5 hour option which is viable a few times per day, it runs on the Schladming line (not via Salzburg) to Leoben where there is a connection via Semmering to Vienna. This is faster than the Tauern option and more mountains than via Salzburg. The best departure of that is at 11:02 with train IC515, there is also one at 15:02 with train EC163, if you have first class tickets then 163 has a large window panorama car (car 309).

There is a ticket office at St Johann im Pongau but for the cheapest fares you book in advance at https://www.oebb.at/en/ make sure you specify the route (Salzburg - fastest but not scenic and no Semmering OR Schladming - more mountains and Semmering OR Villach - most mountains with an occasional lake and Semmering but slowest).


And if you don't have to go to Vienna the real big Alps are in the opposite direction towards Innsbruck!

argon
Traveller
462 comments

Note that the Panorama Car is 1st class !

aldae
Traveller
3 comments

Thank you!