Traveling in Europe by train is an exciting experience. The Austrian railway will help you get to the most interesting places in the country, as well as to other parts of Europe. But there are some nuances that should be considered by everyone who plans to travel on this type of transport.
Simmering Railway
The oldest current road is the Simmering. In early 1998, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This steel highway is located in the Alps at an altitude of 985 meters, between Mürtsuschlag and Glognitz. On its way, the road overcomes the Simmering pass.
A bit of history
The steel artery was erected from 1848 to 1854. The rugged mountainous terrain makes railway engineering decisions very interesting. Over 41 kilometers, many innovative developments of the mid-19th century were used: tunnels, arches, viaducts. All this is very effectively combined with alpine landscapes. Thanks to the railway, settlements began to appear in this area, and later the Alps became an attractive tourist attraction. Austrian Railway Today is a convenient and affordable way to visit the alpine terrain.
The path through the Alps from the Merz Valley has been used since ancient times. During the Middle Ages along the mountain slopes from Vienna carts pulled by bulls moved. In 1728, this direction was converted into a military road, and was also used as a trade route. But the inaccessible terrain of Semmering for quite a long time was not provided with the construction of a modern road. Therefore, the construction of the railway direction was a breakthrough in engineering and was experimental in nature. More than a hundred stone bridges of various designs, fourteen tunnels, sixteen viaducts - all this was applied during the construction of this railway direction. Throughout the steel gauge - more than eleven bridges made of metal.
Together with the construction of the railway bed, houses were built for workers and personnel serving the highway. A total of 57 of them were built. These buildings are characterized by unique architectural features: masonry, brick cladding. Austrian Railway has stations made in a monumental, restrained style. The passes were gradually built up by villas and hotels in the Gothic style. Especially there are a lot of them on the territory of Glognitz.
In 1957, when electricity began to be supplied to the railway, the first electric trains appeared. By 1880, the mountainous terrain acquired the status of a resort, so there was a need for the construction of a hotel, which was called Simmering.
Interesting facts about Austria
The name of the country translated from German means "eastern country".
The city of Lits is the oldest city in this country. The period of its foundation falls on 15 BC.
The official language of Austria is German. But in regions such as Burgenland and Carinthia, the Hungarian and Croatian languages are in use.
It takes less than half a day to drive the whole country.
Austria ranks third in the number of lifts. There are 3527 of them. No wonder this country has the status of a ski resort.
In Austria, there is Lake Neusiedl, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Austrian railways are the first in the world to cross mountains.
The Austrian town of Braunau am In is the birthplace of Adolf Hitler. Also, this town is famous for the fact that events of the novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace."
In this country, you can ride on the oldest ferris wheel, which was built at the beginning of the 19th century.
The most famous landmark of Austria is the residence of the Habsburgs. Schönbrunn Palace consists of 1440 rooms.
All parking in this country are paid. In the absence of payment, a fine is levied.
In Austria there is the first hotel in the world “Haslauer”, opened in 803. It functions today.
How to save on buying tickets
The Austrian federal railways have an official website with which it is convenient to purchase tickets. You just need to choose a direction, determine the date and time, fill out the form on the website and enter the card details for payment. It is worth considering that the final cost of the trip will depend on the choice of train type.
Buying an Einfach-Raus-Ticket ticket can be very beneficial , especially if several people are traveling at once (from two to five). It will allow you to travel on trains with a significant discount. But this is not beneficial on all routes, because traveling by express trains takes less time than traveling by train.
For example, for a company of 4 people, tickets from Vienna to Salzburg on a regular train will cost 200 euros, while on an electric train - only 35. You can buy such tickets at ticket machines or ticket offices.
Austrian railway: features
Some nuances to remember:
- buy two tickets cheaper than one;
- the purchase is not carried out on a specific train, but on a certain direction; thus, having purchased a ticket, you can board any train going in this direction;
- Do not try to drive without a ticket; supervisors appear at each station, and the ticket-free fare will have to be paid tenfold;
- you can board any available seats (except for trains with special areas for which special booking is necessary);
- all trains have bicycle cars;
- Austrian railways have one caveat: the doors in all public transport are opened using a special button near them.
Transport Categories
Austrian federal railways have several types of trains.
- ICE - high-speed trains (international and intercity)
- D - medium type of train (between fast and local)
- E - local ambulance
- R - local, domestic traffic.
Coupe classes
● First class - designed for four passengers, has a fairly large size;
● Second class - A compartment for six passengers, smaller in area than the first class.
● General purpose wagons
All trains of the Austrian Federal Railways Group of Companies are equipped with comfortable seats, folding tables, air conditioning and a bulletin board. There are sockets in class 1 and 2 cars.
Special coupes on trains
Some long-distance cars have additions.
● Coupe for families with children, in which there is a place where children can play.
● Places for nursing mothers equipped with curtains.
● Recreation areas.
● Ability to purchase seats in the women's compartment.
Discount system
It is very convenient to carry out movements using the Austrian steel line, and it is economical for the family budget, since a whole system of discounts has been developed . For children under 6 years of age free travel. Between the ages of 6 and 15, the price of train tickets only 50%.
- VORTEILScard Classic Card. Its cost is 99 euros. Validity is one year. It makes it possible to travel with a 50% discount in all railway directions. To purchase it you need a photograph.
- VORTEILScard Familie (family card). Allows children under 15 years old, accompanied by one of the parents, to ride for free.
- SparSchiene is a category of low-cost tickets that are purchased six months before the trip. They should be bought over the Internet. They allow two children under 15 years old and one adult to travel for free.
- There are discounts for groups from 2 to 5 people (2nd passenger - 5%, 4-5th - 10%).
Austrian railway fares
The final ticket price will depend on the distance, the selected train, class and number of people. The classification of wagons is indicated on the doors and walls.
For example, the cost of a three-day ticket for an INTERRAIL: PASS ticket (for traveling inside Austria) for children under 12 years old will be 54.50 €, for adults - 71-109 €.
An eight-day trip will cost:
- adults - 149-154.50 euros;
- children under 12 years old - 94.5 euros.
The actual cost of tickets is best tracked on the official sites for their sale.
For everyone who wants to see as many attractions as possible in Europe, Austrian the railway fits perfectly. Using special discounts and finding interesting profitable offers, you can make your trip not only informative, but also varied. Trains in a country like Austria are notable for their comfort and high speed of movement, which makes it very convenient to travel by train and train.