Austria Public Transportation Guide

Clean, Affordable, And Remarkably Efficient – For Us There's No Doubt: In Austria, We Travel With Public Transportation

* The use of this guide is at the sole responsibility of the reader. Readers of this post understand that before purchasing travel tickets they must read and understand the terms and conditions of they purchase. The writer is not responsible and will not be held responsible for any direct or indirect damage caused to readers of this post.

Public transportation in Austria is not limited to high-speed trains for long journeys. Austria's public transportation network encompasses various modes of travel, designed in a user-friendly and accessible manner, ensuring anyone can conveniently, punctually, and cost-effectively reach (almost) any destination across the country. And when a public transportation system is this exceptional, even the locals readily embrace it. Upon boarding a train or bus, you'll quickly notice that many Austrian residents, despite owning cars and having the means to reach any destination by car, opt to forgo their vehicles and simply rely on public transportation.

Why Do We Love Public Transportation So Much?

Public transportation is a challenge. Even seasoned travelers need some time to grasp the local pricing system, understand how to plan routes, and purchase tickets. These tasks may seem daunting at first, but once you conquer the initial hurdles, the experience becomes enjoyable. Plus, it's a fantastic opportunity for children to learn and grow. Our son, Amit, familiarized himself with Austria's transportation system at the age of 8. Within just a few days in Tyrol, he had already mastered reading train signs and using travel planning apps. Less than two weeks in, he was suggesting alternative travel routes, demonstrating how quickly children absorb information, as he had memorized the schedules.

Furthermore, traveling by public transport offers the entire family peace of mind and reduces stress levels during the journey. Picture this: instead of being confined to a car seat and driving while exhausted at the end of the day when the kids are restless in the backseat, you step onto a clean, tranquil, and spacious train. You can sit around a table and do whatever you please. You can converse, nap, dine, sip on drinks, play games, relish the scenery, move freely on board, and more. The best part is that mom and dad can indulge in as much beer or wine as they desire at the mountain restaurant because they're not driving, resulting in a happier and more patient atmosphere :-)

Oh, and did we mention that children up to the age of 6 ride for free?!

Start Here!

In the upcoming sections of this post, we'll delve into examples to assist you in planning travel routes and buying tickets. Given that it's impossible to cover the entire country in one post, we'll focus on the principles that empower you to select the most appropriate travel ticket for your journey.

The pricing system is simple and based on these two main components:

1. Coverage area or: Where your purchased ticket can take you - the public transport pricing system in Austria follows this hierarchy: the entire country > state > region > city/village/town. In simpler terms, if you're in Vienna, you can purchase a ticket valid solely for transportation within the city. On the other hand, you can obtain a card that grants you unlimited access to travel throughout an entire state, as we did on our month-long stay in Tyrol.

2. Validity period - in other words: how long you can use your card.

Step One: Must Have Applications

Make sure to download the following two apps:

1. Information and ticket purchase - Oebb Tickets - Download: Android | iPhone

2. Route planning - you might wonder, why not just use Google Maps? Well, the reality is that you're partially correct. However, some routes, especially in rural areas, are simply not visible on Google Maps, while being available on SmartRide application. Download: Android | iPhone

While all the necessary information is available in these apps, I understand that it can be time-consuming to read and understand everything. Therefore, I'll do my best to simplify things for you.

Second Step: Choose A State and Focus on Regions

The pricing system categorizes the country into seven states, and each state is divided to regions.

Once you've determined your destination, identify the state where you'll be staying based on the public transportation system.

To choose the ticket that suites your needs, you need to know how many regions you intend to travel within the chosen state

Have you not decided about your travel plans yet?! Can't understand what are States and Regions?! Read our post: Family Trip with Kids in Austria that will help you choose your destination in Austria.

Step Three (Last): Purchase Your Ticket

There are several types of tickets for each state. Here are the relevant ones:

A. City Ticket to travel in major cities, such as Salzburg or Innsbruck.

B. Regional Tickets - States are divided regions. Regions are bigger than cities but smaller than states. Tyrol, for example, is divided to 30 (!) regions by the public transportation system, while Salzburg, the only division is between the city of Salzburg and the rest of the state.

Each state may offer one or more of these options:

> Single region ticket - to travel within one region.

> Neighboring regions tickets - to travel within two neighboring regions.

> State ticket - that covers the all regions within a state.

That's it! Now you only need to choose the validity period of your ticket. You can choose between one way, daily, weekly, and monthly ticket.

Possible Free Rides! Check The Regional Attraction Tickets!

Families who made the smart decision to focus on one region should check the benefits of the regional attractions ticket. Upon arrival at your selected hotel or apartment, you'll notice a local tax of approximately 1.5-2 euros per night per adult. Typically, if your stay spans two or more nights, you'll receive a regional attractions card in exchange for this tax payment. This card grants you complimentary admission or discounts at numerous attractions. Additionally, it often includes the option to use regional public transportation for free or at a substantial discount. You can find relevant information within the links provided in the following sections. Search for "Card" / "Welcome Card" / "Guest Card", then explore the lists of attractions, and select your preferred destinations.

Ask your host to help you activate these cards for maximum benefits during your trip.

Purchasing Tickets - A Practical Example

Let's suppose you plan to travel in Tyrol for approximately one week to ten days. In such a scenario, I would recommend that you stay focused and select a specific area within Tyrol. For the sake of this example, let's say you've chosen Innsbruck and Stubai. That's an excellent choice!

To determine the type of ticket you should purchase (city, regional, two regions, state), it's crucial to understand the locations of the regions you've selected. To assist with this, use the map of the transportation regions in Tyrol. Given that Tyrol is quite extensive, it is divided into 30 public transport zones. On the bright side, you'll be pleased to know that the province of Salzburg is divided into only five regions.

In the screenshot below, you can see Innsbruck located in zone number 13, and the Stubai Valley is in zone 16 (even though it doesn't explicitly say "Stubai", that's the area).

The journey from zone 13 to zone 16 necessitates passing through zone 14. Therefore, to seamlessly explore both Innsbruck and the stunning Stubai Valley (a destination easily worth a week-long visit, which will also allow free use of regional public transportation), you'll need to traverse three zones. This means that a ticket for just one or two neighboring zones won't suffice; instead, you must obtain a State ticket, granting you unrestricted travel throughout the entire Tyrol.

To proceed, visit the ticket purchasing website and choose the Tyrol/Tirol province. You will arrive at the following screen:

The first option is a State ticket for all of Tyrol, followed by a ticket for two neighboring regions and the third option is for Innsbruck. Choose the first option and you will reach the following screen:

The first option offers either weekly or monthly tickets, while the second choice is for a daily ticket. This distinction arises because a single daily ticket for one adult essentially functions as a family pass, accommodating up to two adults along with up to three children. However, when procuring a weekly or monthly ticket, each passenger aged 6 and above must have their individual ticket. Yes, Children aged less than 6 travel for free.

Considering your visit spans slightly more than a week, I would recommend acquiring a weekly pass. On the remaining days, concentrate on the region where you'll be staying. It's worth emphasizing once more – check for local benefit cards, as in most cases, you can access partial or full complimentary public transportation services near your lodging.

For our example, we will opt for the first choice and proceed to the next screen. Here, we will select the activation date for the card (located on the upper right side) and indicate whether we are purchasing a weekly or monthly pass.

Now we will look on the right side and next to the highlighted title My Travelers we will click on Change to edit the composition. We will reach the following screen:

Whenever you add a child or teenager (Child/Youth), you will be prompted to input the child's age. This allows the system to calculate whether any fees are applicable for the children.

At this point, all that remains is to proceed with the payment process, and you'll be all set for your adventure. Ensure you keep the tickets with you at all times, as inspections occur frequently, both on buses and trains. Also, make sure not to fold the card over the barcode.

What modes of transportation are you permitted to use?

Once purchased your tickets, you can utilize trains, trams, and buses of all kinds and variations. Whether it's a slow, fast, or high-speed train, as long as your journey falls within the ticket's coverage area, you're entitled to travel on it.

Note that the tickets do not cover the use of funiculars, ferries, and cable cars. Separate payments are required for these transportation methods, payable directly to the respective operators.