National Park Hohe Tauern, Austria
When you visit Austria by train, you’ll discover a place of mountains, architecture and an unrivaled musical tradition. Your Eurail Austria Pass opens up a world of exciting things to discover in this amazing country.
Europe's culture capital
Your Austria Eurail Pass takes you to the capital city of Vienna (Wien), known for music, literature, theater and cuisine. Vienna has a moderate climate, exciting art and dance festivals – and don’t forget the famous Vienna coffee houses. Don’t miss the Imperial Palace (Hofburg) and the Oberes Belvedere Museum, in a baroque palace. It’s no wonder this city is often called Europe’s cultural capital. View more things to do in Vienna.
Take a train to Wien Südbahnhof for the Oberes Belvedere Museum. A walk through the park will take you to the museum.
Hear the sound of music
Strolling through the 17th century streets of Salzburg gives the feeling that you’re seeing the city as Mozart did 250 years ago. Don’t miss the High Salzburg Fortress (Hohensalzburg), which offers unmatched views of the city below. Salzburg’s old town features the Residenzplatz and the cathedral Dom. Continue your trip with the Sound of Music tour of the city, sites filmed in the movie, fun facts and more.
The old town can be reached by bus from Salzburg’s main train station, Salzburg-Hauptbahnhof.
Alpsolutely fantastic scenery
Active Eurailers won’t want to miss the plentiful opportunities to hike, climb, ski and snowboard while in Austria. There’s certainly no shortage of great places to do it. Top wintersport resorts include delightful Kitzbühel and neighbouring Saalbach and Hinterglemm which are perfect for intermediates. Innsbruck, sat snug within the Inn Valley, is a lively student town with a wealth of museums and energetic nightlife, and not forgetting gorgeous views of the surrounding Alps.
Old meets new in Graz
Austria’s second largest city, Graz, has a large student population, and this is probably the reason why the city has a younger, funkier feeling than many cities in Austria. Burst of colorful modern architecture and an active nightlife contrast sharply with the historic old town and the world-famous Clock Tower (Uhrturm), built in 1712 and still operating on its original clockwork.
Take a stroll from Graz Hauptbahnhof (main station) down the Annenstraße into the center of Graz’s old town.
When to go
Austria is a great place to visit all year round. If you’re into winter sports, then December - April are the best months to hit the slopes. The spring and summer months are perfect for exploring the towns, or for hiking in the beautiful Alpine surroundings.
Climate
Rather obviously, the higher up into the Alps you go, the colder it gets. But the climate in Austria is generally mild, with moderate rainfall and very comfortable temperatures.
Salzburger Festspiele
Salzburg’s classical music festival brings the best new artists and the best old music together for a long and lively celebration.
The Salzburger Festspiele is held at different locations all over the city.
Christmas market
Nearly every Austrian town, but especially Vienna and Salzburg, put on spectacular outdoor Christmas markets, complete with food, mulled wine, and gifts of all shapes and sizes.
The Christmas markets are within walking distance of the main train stations of Vienna and Salzburg.
Fasching
This week-long, Mardi Gras-type festival features traditional waltzes, parades, and plenty of partying.
Take the train to Salzburg. From there you can visit as many neighbor villages as you want!
Donau Insel Fest
Every year this popular music festival in Vienna attracts millions of party revelers to the Danube island, where the event is held. As well as being one of the biggest European summer music events, it’s also completely FREE.
Take the metro to Donauinsel, which will bring you to the island and the entrance of the festival.
