Western Railway, Railway line between Vienna and Salzburg, Austria.
The Western Railway is a railway line connecting Vienna to Salzburg, stretching approximately 312 kilometers of standard gauge track through Austrian territory. Modern trains travel this route at speeds up to about 250 kilometers per hour (155 mph), stopping at numerous stations along the way.
The railway line emerged from a treaty between Bavaria and Austria in 1851 and was built in stages. The Vienna to Linz section opened in 1858, followed by the extension to Salzburg two years later.
The railway connects two of Austria's largest cities and is used daily by travelers and commuters alike. It shapes how people move between the country's western and eastern regions, forming a vital link in their routines.
Multiple railway operators run regular services along the line, offering connections between the main cities and stops in between. Travelers should check in advance which operator serves their preferred timing to plan accordingly.
A modernized section completed in 2012 incorporates multiple tunnels including the Lainz Tunnel to cut travel time between the cities. These technical improvements enabled faster and more reliable connections for regular users of the line.
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