Traveling around 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 taken into account by everyone who plans to travel by this type of transport.
Simmering Railway
The oldest existing road is Simmeringskaya. In early 1998, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This steel line is located in the Alps at an altitude of 985 meters, between Mürzzuschlag and Gloggnitz. 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 the engineering solutions of the railway very interesting. For 41 kilometers, many innovative developments of the mid-19th century were used: tunnels, arches, viaducts. All this is very effectively combined with the Alpine landscapes. Thanks to the railway, this area becamesettlements appeared, and later the Alps became an attractive tourist attraction. The Austrian railway is today a convenient and affordable way to visit the Alpine countryside.
The path across the Alps from the Merz Valley has been used since ancient times. During the Middle Ages, carts pulled by oxen moved along the mountain slopes from Vienna. In 1728, this direction was transformed into a military road, and was also used as a trade route. But the hard-to-reach terrain of Semmering was not provided with a modern road for quite a long time. Therefore, the construction of the railway line was a breakthrough in engineering and was of an experimental nature. More than a hundred stone bridges of various designs, fourteen tunnels, sixteen viaducts - all this was used during the construction of this railway line. Throughout the steel track - more than eleven bridges made of metal.
Together with the construction of the railway track, houses were built for workers and personnel serving the track. A total of 57 were built. These buildings are characterized by peculiar architectural features: masonry, brick cladding. The Austrian railway has stations built in a monumental, restrained style. The passes were gradually built up with villas and hotels in the Gothic style. There are especially many of them in the territory of Gloggnitz.
In 1957, when electricity was supplied to the railway, the firstelectric trains. By 1880, the mountainous area acquires the status of a resort, so it became necessary to build a hotel, which was named "Simmering".
Interesting facts about Austria
- The country's name means "eastern country" in German.
- City of Faces 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 like Burgenland and Carinthia, Hungarian and Croatian are spoken.
- It takes less than half a day to drive across the country.
- Austria ranks third in terms of the number of ski lifts. There are 3527 of them here. No wonder this country has the status of a ski resort.
- On the territory of Austria is Lake Neusiedl, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Austrian railways – the world's first to pass through the mountains.
- The Austrian town of Braunau am In is the birthplace of Adolf Hitler. Also, this town is famous for the fact that the 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 in the early 19th century.
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The most famous landmark in Austria is the residence of the Habsburgs. Schönbrunn Palace consists of 1440 rooms.
- All parking lots in this country are paid. If payment is not made, it will be chargedfine.
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On the territory of Austria there is the world's first hotel "Haslauer", opened in 803. It still functions today.
austrian federal railways
How to save money on buying tickets
Austrian Federal Railways has an official website that makes it easy to buy tickets. You just need to choose the direction, decide on the date and time, fill out the form on the site and enter the card details for payment. It is worth considering that the final cost of the trip will depend on the choice of the type of train.
Purchasing an "Einfach-Raus-Ticket" ticket can be very profitable, especially if several people are traveling at once (from two to five). It will allow you to travel by train at 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 things to remember:
- buy two tickets cheaper than one;
- the purchase is made not for a specific train, but for a specific direction; thus, having purchased a ticket, you can board any train going in this direction;
- do not try to pass withoutticket; inspectors appear at every station, and the fine for traveling without a ticket will have to be paid ten times;
- you can get on any free seats (except for trains with special zones, for which special reservations are required);
- all trains have bicycle carriages;
- Austrian railways have one caveat: doors in all public transport are opened using a special button next to them.
Transport categories
Austrian federal railways have several types of trains.
- ICE - high-speed trains (international and intercity)
- D – medium train type (between express and local)
- E - local ambulance
- R - local, internal communication.
Coupe classes
● First class - designed for four passengers, has a fairly large size;
● Second class is a six-passenger compartment, smaller than first class.
● General purpose railcars
All trains of the Austrian Federal Railways are equipped with comfortable seats, folding tables, air conditioning and an information board. 1st and 2nd class cars have sockets.
Special compartments on trains
Some long distance carriages have extras.
● A compartment for families with children that has space for children to play.
● Places for breastfeeding mothers equippedcurtains.
● Rest areas.
● Possibility to purchase a seat in the women's compartment.
Discount system
It is very convenient to move with the help of 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 old, travel is free. Between the ages of 6 and 15, the price of train tickets is only 50%.
- VORTEILScard Classic. Its cost is 99 euros. The validity period is one year. It makes it possible to travel with a 50% discount in all railway directions. Photo required to purchase.
- VORTEILScard Familie (family card). Allows children under 15 accompanied by a parent to ride for free.
- SparSchiene is a category of inexpensive tickets that are purchased six months before the trip. You have to buy them online. They allow two children under 15 and one adult to ride for free.
- There are discounts for groups of 2 to 5 people (2nd passenger - 5%, 4-5th - 10%).
Austrian railway fares
The final cost of the ticket will depend on the distance, the chosen train, class and number of people. The classification of wagons is indicated on the doors and walls.
For example, the cost of a ticket for three days on an INTERRAIL: PASS ticket (for traveling within 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 EUR;
- children under 12 - 94.5 euros.
The current cost of tickets is best tracked on the official websites for their sale.
For anyone who wants to see as many sights in Europe as possible, the Austrian railway is the perfect fit. Using special discounts and finding interesting advantageous offers, you can make your trip not only educational, but also diverse. Trains in a country like Austria are comfortable and fast, so traveling by train and train becomes very convenient.
