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Railbookers · Independent rail vacation

Arlberg Pass: Zurich, Salzburg, and Vienna

Independent rail trip via Arlberg Pass: Zurich, Salzburg, Vienna

Illustration of Arlberg Pass: Zurich, Salzburg, and Vienna

Railbookers operates this 8-day, 7-night independent rail vacation from Zurich to Vienna via Salzburg, with two nights in each of the first two cities and three in Vienna. After two nights in Zurich, including an evening in the Niederdorf old town district and visits to the Swiss National Museum or Kunsthaus, a Railjet train crosses the Swiss and Austrian Alps over the Arlberg Pass, briefly through Liechtenstein, into Salzburg. Two nights there take in the Baroque old town, the hilltop Festung Hohensalzburg, a Sound of Music filming locations tour, and Mozart's birthplace. The train continues to Vienna for three nights, opening with a horse and cart ride around the inner ring, with optional extras such as the Spanish Riding School, a Danube boat cruise, and the Belvedere and Schonbrunn Palaces. Because it is independent rather than escorted, sightseeing beyond the included Vienna City Card is self-directed. It suits travelers drawn to Alpine scenery, Mozart's Salzburg, and imperial Vienna who want a slower-paced, three-city rail route.

What to know before you look closer

  • Every city on this trip lists two hotel options in the evidence (25hours Hotel Zurich Langstrasse or Baur Au Lac in Zurich; Radisson Blu Hotel Altstadt or Boutiquehotel Amadeus in Salzburg; Hotel Zeitgeist Vienna Hauptbahnhof or InterContinental Hotel Vienna in Vienna); confirm which one applies with Railbookers.
  • Several Vienna highlights, the Spanish Riding School, a Danube boat cruise, the Belvedere and Schonbrunn Palaces, and opera or a concert at the Musikverein, are listed as optional rather than included.
  • No specific departure dates are listed in the evidence; confirm current availability directly with Railbookers.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Zurich

    Zurich

    Check in for a two-night stay; evening in the Niederdorf old town district.

  2. Day 2overnight: Zurich

    Zurich

    Visit the Swiss National Museum, Kunsthaus, or the Botanical Garden.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Salzburg

    Zurich to Salzburg

    Train through the Swiss and Austrian Alps over the Arlberg Pass, briefly through Liechtenstein; check in for a two-night stay; visit the Baroque old town and Festung Hohensalzburg.

  4. Day 4overnight: Salzburg

    Salzburg

    Sound of Music filming locations tour; visit Mozart's birthplace.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Vienna

    Salzburg to Vienna

    Train to Vienna for a three-night stay; horse and cart ride around the inner ring.

  6. Day 6overnight: Vienna

    Vienna

    Optional Spanish Riding School performance, Danube boat cruise, or the Belvedere and Schonbrunn Palaces.

  7. Day 7overnight: Vienna

    Vienna

    Optional opera or concert at the Musikverein; Viennese coffee culture and Sachertorte.

  8. Day 8

    Your Journey Ends in Vienna

    Check out after breakfast and continue with your journey.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3The train crosses the Swiss and Austrian Alps over the Arlberg Pass, briefly through Liechtenstein, arriving in Salzburg for a visit to the Baroque old town and Festung Hohensalzburg.
  • Day 4A Sound of Music filming locations tour and a visit to Mozart's birthplace fill the day in Salzburg.
  • Day 5The train continues to Vienna, followed by a horse and cart ride around the inner ring.
  • Day 6Optional experiences in Vienna include a Spanish Riding School performance, a Danube boat cruise, or the Belvedere and Schonbrunn Palaces.

Included

  • Onward rail travel as per the itinerary
  • 2-night hotel stay with breakfast in Zurich
  • 2 nights' hotel stay with breakfast in Salzburg
  • 3 nights' hotel stay with breakfast in Vienna
  • Vienna City Card

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes. "Onward rail travel as per the itinerary" is in Railbookers' included list, using Railjet and Deutsche Bahn trains.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
It is an independent rail vacation. The only included sightseeing item is a Vienna City Card; Salzburg and Vienna sightseeing beyond that is self-directed or optional.
Which hotels are used?
Zurich: 25hours Hotel Zurich Langstrasse or Baur Au Lac. Salzburg: Radisson Blu Hotel Altstadt or Boutiquehotel Amadeus. Vienna: Hotel Zeitgeist Vienna Hauptbahnhof or InterContinental Hotel Vienna.
What is not included?
Beyond rail, breakfast hotel stays, and the Vienna City Card, items such as the Spanish Riding School, a Danube boat cruise, the Belvedere and Schonbrunn Palaces, and Musikverein opera or a concert are optional extras.
What is the starting price?
From $1,789 per person, which works out to about $224 per day, according to Railbookers' listed price.

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