Questions & Answers

Schedule

Where do I find the up-to-date WESTbahn schedule?

You will find our up-to-date schedule here. It is also available to download from our home page. The European timetable changes always take place in the middle of December. Please note that during this time the WESTbahn timetable may change. For our latest schedule, see our website. 

Where do I get up-to-date route informations?

You will find all the information about the regular WESTbahn train connections on our home page here and on the train information system Scotty. Any changes in the regular operation schedule between Vienna and Salzburg will be announced on the home page of our website.

What do I have to know about cross-border travels to Munich?

On cross-border journeys to Munich, there will be checks by the German police on WESTbahn trains. Please allow for delays for any connections and carry a passport or identity card with you on your journey. 

Tickets

What should I know about WESTbahn tickets?

WESTbahn tickets are available online, in tobacco stores with terminals for ticket sales, in our WESTshops and on board of our trains. You will find information on our points of sale in the terms and conditions on our website and in our promotional flyers.

Your e-ticket will be emailed to you within 15 minutes of purchase. Please check your spam folder if you did not receive your ticket in your inbox. If you did not receive your e-ticket within 1 hour of online purchase, please contact our customer care team by phone +43 1 899 00 or by email meinenachricht@westbahn.at. They will be happy to assist you and will email you your e-ticket.

Single WESTbahn tickets are valid on the chosen date of travel. They can be cancelled free of charge until the day before the date of travel if nothing contradicting is mentioned in our terms and conditions. If you wish to cancel your ticket, please use the "Cancel your ticket" option on our home page. 

If you are unable to print your ticket, please show the PDF of your e-ticket on your mobile phone. 

All WESTbahn tickets are an invoice in compliance with the Austrian VAT law.

What is a WESTstandardpreis ticket?

A WESTstandardpreis ticket is any WESTbahn full price ticket or a full price ticket minus 10 % discount. Full price tickets are available in all our points of sale. Our full price tickets minus 10 % discount are available online, in our WESTshops and in all participating tobacco stores. On board you cannot buy any discounted ticket.

Our WESTstandardpreis ticket is valid for a one-way trip on the chosen date of travel in any WESTbahn train. A stop-over is possible, however the trip must continue on the same calendar day in the same direction. 

When buying a WESTstandardpreis ticket in a WESTshop a surcharge of € 1,- will be charged, in tobacco stores a surcharge of € 2,- will be charged, when buying on the train a surcharge of € 3,10 will be charged. 

What is a WESTsuperpreis ticket?

The WESTsuperpreis is a super-saving offer from WESTbahn. The number of tickets is limited and the ticket is available in several price categories. Subject to availability, the WESTsuperpreis can be booked exclusively online up to one minute before the regular departure. 

When booking, a specific train on a specific day is selected. On the selected day, the WESTsuperpreis ticket can also be used on any other WESTbahn train, but a surcharge on the full price of the train applies. 

When you book, you can only select one WESTsuperpreis ticket per connection and place it in the shopping cart. If you want to buy several WESTsuperpreis tickets in one order process, re-select the connection and add another ticket to the shopping cart. 

Cancellation is possible up to one day before the selected day of travel. A fee of 25% of the ticket price (at least € 4,99) will be charged. 

What are the WESTshops?

We opened WESTshops in several stations. Our salesagents will gladly provide you with any information about WESTbahn and additionally sell WESTstandardpreis tickets as well as most promotional fares. In our WESTshops you can pay cash, with Bankomat and credit cards and with WESTbahn-Bank.  In our WESTshops an extra charge of € 1,- will be added to the purchase of tickets.

What rules apply to tickets bought on board?

If you buy your ticket on board from one of our stewards a surcharge of € 3,10 will apply in addition to the WESTstandardpreis, regardless of the time or day. If you buy a return ticket on board, the overall surcharge is lower and totals at € 3,10.

You can secure our usual price by buying your ticket online.

Which partner-cards offer a 10 % discount on WESTstandard price?

Please note that the 10 % discount is only applicable for WESTstandardpreis tickets bought online, in our WESTshops and in all participating tobacco stores (and not for tickets bought directly on board)! A surcharge of € 1,00 is applied in WESTshops, € 2,00 is applied in tobacco store.

1. If you own one of the following valid discount-cards, you can book up to four WESTstandardpreis tickets with a 10 % discount.: ÖAMTC Clubkarte, ARBÖ-Klubkarte, OÖNcard, SN-Card, Raiffeisen OÖ/SBG, "Krone"-BonusCard, Lidl Plus App, Show Your Card, Thalia BonusCard, Standard Abo Vorteilskarte, Vienna City Card, Pery Vorteilswelten, N26 Karte.

2. Holders of Familienreferat Salzburg, Oberösterreich or Niederösterreich card/pass or a family extra Card WIEN are also eligible for a 10 % discount on up to 4 full price tickets. All registered children up to 14,99 years of age travel free of charge. All registered children aged 15 and above also receive the 10 % discount. Please note that if you travel in WESTbahns Comfort Class or First Class you will be charged the upgrade fare for all accompanying children older than 6 years. 

3. Students of any Austrian or German University, technical college or any higher education college, pupils and apprentices (no age restriction) and holders of a valid ISIC card are eligible for a 10 % discount on WESTbahns WESTstandard price ticket. 

You are required to present your valid discount-card during ticket inspection.

What are the discounts for family children?

Family children up to 6 years travel free of charge and no ticket is necessary. Please note that children younger than 6 years old are not permitted to travel unaccompanied and that WESTbahn cannot offer any assistance for them.

There is a charge of  2 Euro per family child each way for children aged from 6 to 14.99 years traveling accompanied by an adult family member with a valid WESTstandardpreis ticket or a selected discounted ticket (details under WESTspecials). There is a limit of 4 family children per adult eligible for 2 Euro fare. The fare is 2 Euro regardless of the travel distance. If you travel in Comfort Class or First Class, the upgrade fare will be charged for all accompanying children. Excluded from this rule are joint trips with a KlimaTicket Ö Familie. 

Children aged from 6 to 14.99 years old travelling on their own or more than 4 family children travelling in the company of an adult with a traffic association ticket are entitled to half price fare (from regular full fare). According to 2.3.2 of Allgemeinen Geschäftsbedingungen, there is a surcharge of 1.50 Euro in addition to the half price fare if you buy your tickets on board irrespective of the time and the day of the week. 

Please note that the steward is permited to ask for a photo ID as the proof of age of a child. 

Special conditions apply for kindergarten, school and youth groups. See our terms and conditions.

What do I need to know about promotional tickets?

The validity of promotional tickets is limited to a certain period, occasionally even particular days or train numbers. You have to choose a date of travel. See our website, our terms and conditions as well as various promotional flyers for information about the conditions applying to a promotion ticket.

A stop-over is not possible for tickets bound to a specific train connection but allowed for any other promotion ticket within the validity on the chosen travel date. 

Where can I buy my ticket?

Our WESTstandardpreis tickets are available to purchase online, in tobacco stores with a terminal for ticket sale, in our WESTshops and on board of our trains. There is an extra charge for all tickets that are not purchased online: WESTshop 1,- Euro, tobacconist 2,- Euro and on board 3,10 Euro. Promotional tickets are almost exclusively sold online or in tobacco stores.

WESTaktiv tickets are available to purchase online, in our WESTshops and in tobacco stores. This ticket can be exclusively used by passengers aged 60 and above. Passengers are required to present a photo ID during ticket inspection.

Please see our website, our terms and conditions and promotional flyers for information on points of sale for specific tickets.

How can I book a group ticket?

A group consists of a minimum of 6 persons and a maximum of 76 persons who travel with a 20 % reduced WESTstandard price ticket. Group tickets can be booked online or at our WESTshops and include a free of charge seat reservation for all passengers. The seat information is displayed on the ticket PDF. Booking must be completed 3 hours prior to departure. Due to high capacity utilization of individual trains, availability for group bookings may be limited. If an error message is displayed during the booking process, the group quota for the train connection is exhausted and group booking is not possible. Please select another train connection for your group booking.

How can I book a group ticket for more than 76 passengers?

A group consisting of more than 76 persons travelling with a WESTstandardpreis tickets is also eligible for a free of charge seat reservation for all passengers. Any group booking for 77 or more passengers must be completed no later than 72 hours prior to departure. Our customer care team (available by phone +43 1 899 00 or by email meinenachricht@westbahn.at) will contact you to confirm your booking and will forward you the invoice that needs to be paid prior to your travel.

Once we received your payment, you will receive your booking confirmation with all the information including seat reservation. Please note that due to high capacity utilization of individual trains, availability for group bookings may be limited.

How can I book a student group ticket?

A student group consists of a minimum of 6 persons and more than 50% of the group must be younger than 20 years. Please make an online booking for your group (up to 3 hours prior to your travel date). If a corresponding contingent is available for a group of up to 76 passengers, you will receive a confirmation immediately. For groups of 77 or more passengers, you will be contacted by our customer care team (available by phone +43 1 899 00 or by email meinenachricht@westbahn.at). 

Payment has to be made directly during the booking process. All passengers, students and chaperones are charged the same tariff according to 2.3.1 of our Allgemeine Geschäftsbedingungen.

What annual network passes are available for WESTbahn trains?

We no longer sell annual passes. 

What traffic association ticket can I use on WESTbahn trains?

The WESTbahn is a member of the Upper Austrian Transport Association (OÖVV). For all connections between Vöcklabruck and Linz, one-way tickets at the WESTstandardpreis of the WESTbahn, reduced one-way tickets of the OÖVV and season tickets (daily, weekly and monthly tickets) of the OÖVV are sold. On the train, you can also get tickets for routes in the OÖVV that go beyond what the WESTbahn offers. All regular and reduced one-way tickets and season tickets (incl. annual pass) of the OÖVV are also available at your local sales office in Upper Austria. All further information can be found at www.ooevv.at.

In the Verkehrsverbund Ostregion (VOR), the Klimaticket Metropolregion or Region is recognized on the trains of the WESTbahn. Customers with a Klimaticket VOR Region can book a supplement ticket for the route St. Pölten <-> Vienna Hütteldorf/Westbahnhof for a rate of € 2,- on the train. Other VOR tickets are not valid on the WESTbahn.

Tickets of the Salzburger Verkehrsverbund (SVV) will be recognized on the WESTbahn from Salzburg to Straßwalchen as of December 12, 2021. If Attnang-Puchheim is listed on the SVV ticket, it is valid to/from this station. If Lenzing or Seewalchen is noted on it, it is valid to/from Vöcklabruck. However, it is always important that the selected train stops at the station indicated on the ticket, otherwise the ticket cannot be used. SVV tickets are not available on the train.

How can I manage my tickets in Wallet?

If you make a booking online, you can add your ticket to your Wallet by clicking “Add to Wallet” after completing the payment transaction. You can show your e-ticket during the ticket inspection.

How do I use the WESTbahn parking ticket for the park & ride facilities in Wels, St. Pölten and Amstetten?

Information about the WESTbahn parking ticket for the park & ride facility Wels can be found here.

Is my Interrail/Eurrail Pass valid on WESTbahn?

Yes, Interrail or Eurail Passes valid for Austria can also be used in the Standard Class of WESTbahn. Passengers with a valid Interrail or Eurail First Class Pass are also travelling in Standard Class on WESTbahn trains. Travelling in the Comfort Class or First Class of WESTbahn is only possible with a corresponding upgrade.

WESTbahn-Bank

What are the benefits of buying WESTbahn-Bank?

The WESTbahn-Bank is available in two nominations: pay € 135,- and receive a credit of € 150,- or pay € 400,- and receive a credit of € 450,-. You will benefit from 10% discount on all tickets and catering products (already included in the fare) online and on board if you pay with WESTbahn-Bank. In addition, the 10% discount is applicable even on already discounted tickets (e.g ÖAMTC ticket). If you purchase your ticket on board you can use your WESTbahn-Bank credit and combine it with cash payment. 

Please note that WESTbahn-Bank is only refundable prior to first use. There is no VAT displayed on WESTbahn-Bank, however requirements of Austrian VAT law apply to all the products you purchase with WESTbahn-Bank.

Reservations

How do I make a seat reservation?

You can book a seat reservation for a specific train and change or cancel an existing seat reservation up to two hours before the train departure. This reservation is combinable with any kind of ticket and the ticket will nevertheless remain flexible within its validity. If you choose to take a different train connection only the seat reservation will expire. Anyway, please consider the respective validity of your ticket. 

When you choose a seat reservation, WESTbahn will allocate a seat to you. To change your seat reservation, register for “Meine WESTbahn” and log into your account. You will find the coach number, deck number and your seat information on your e-ticket. If you have any questions, please contact a crew member. They will gladly accompany you to your seat. 

Please note that reserved seats can be used by other passengers if they are not claimed within 30 minutes of departure.

How do I make a reservation for a wheelchair?

You can make a free of charge online reservation for one of our two wheelchair spaces up to 2 hours prior to the train departure. The wheelchair spaces are located in coach 400 in the middle of the train. Please note that the low floor construction of WESTbahn’s trains offer further wheelchair spaces on any entrance platform, however the PRM toilet is only accessible from coach 400. 

Please note that our wheelchair spaces are not available to reserve for strollers.

If you need help on the platform before you commence your travel, please email us at meinenachricht@westbahn.at up to 48 hours before your travel or call us on +43 1 899 00 (from Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm and during the weekend and on holidays from 9 am to 3pm).

Can I take my bike or my e-scooter on WESTbahn trains?

Certainly. It is possible to take your bike on our trains due to the low floor construction. You can reserve a bike spot online at the cost of 4,90 Euro, 6,90 Euro or 9,90 Euro, depending on your chosen route up to 1 minute prior to train departure. The information about your dedicated bike spot is printed on your e-ticket.

If you do not reserve a bike spot online prior to departure, bike spaces are subject of availability onboard and cost an additional fee of 5,10 Euro added to the fares mentioned above. Your steward is authorised to make a decision whether there is available space. We ask for your understanding that trains with high passenger demand do not always allow space for bikes or that certain train connections are excluded from bike reservations.

Children’s bikes are also liable for payment, however wrapped folding bikes can be stored free of charge. Please note that we do not allow tandems or mopeds on WESTbahn trains.

The carriage of an e-scooter is free of charge, provided that it can be folded and stowed in the luggage compartment or under the seat. If this is not possible, the regulations for the carriage of a bicycle are applied.

Payment

How can I pay for my WESTbahn ticket?

On board, you can pay by cash and for payments of € 15,-  and above we accept payments with EC, Maestro and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Diners).

For online payments, we accept payments with Maestro, credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Diners), online banking (EPS), or Klarna. Please note that we do not have online payment agreements with all banks. If you pay with Maestro card, your card will need to be activated by your bank and must have a security number on the back.

Payment methods for payment in tobacco stores are decided independently by the stores.

For companies, we are happy to generate a partner link for bookings with WESTbahn using AirPlus payment system.

What do I do if I am asked for a 3D security code during credit card payment?

If you make a payment with credit card, you may be asked to enter your 3D security code. This happens when you activated the security code previously. In this case payment without a security code is not possible.

Please note that our customer care team will not be able to assist you with information about your 3D security code and you will need to contact your bank or credit card company for assistance.

Will I receive a separate invoice for my WESTbahn ticket?

You will not receive a separate invoice for your ticket. All WESTbahn tickets purchased online, onboard or in tobaccco stores conform to the requirements of a regular invoice corresponding with Austrian VAT law and are eligible for input tax deduction. The required information (company name and address, price and tax amount) is printed on your ticket.

How can I cancel my WESTbahn ticket?

Tickets can be cancelled until the day before the chosen date of travel at no cost. If you wish to cancel your ticket, enter your ticket number and ticket code on our home page.

Excluded from the free cancellation are WESTsuperpreis tickets. These can also be canceled up to one day before the booked travel day for a fee of 25 % of the ticket price, but at least € 4,99.

If you cancel a ticket bought in a tobacco store, you will receive a voucher covering the full amount of your ticket price. Either use the voucher for purchasing additional products or cancel it, too. If you do so, we will deduct € 3,- per ticket and refund the rest to your bank account. In case of all other payment methods we will refund the full amount to the means you used for payment. Please note that it can take up to one month until your refund is booked back onto your bank or credit card account.

Relax Check-in

How do I collect WESTpunkte?

Use the Relax Check-in to collect WESTpunkte. To do this, you first have to create a WESTbahn account. Save your tickets in the account and they will automatically be suggested for the Relax Check-in. Find out more about the Relax Check-in and WESTpunkte here.