Bern to Vienna (no fast trains?)
-hh
Vienna, Austria (weekday).
Looks like the trains take ~12 hours.
IIRC, Bern - Zurich - Munich - Strausberg - xyz - Vienna
...are there no fast trains in this region?
Another alternative would appear be to take a train back to Zurich,
then find one of the occasional non-stop flights (Air Berlin?) direct
to Vienna... roughly half the time.
Any other suggestions, and/or suggested routes?
-hh
Ken Blake
I have no suggestions for you, other than to be very careful when you
assess the alternative as "roughly half the time." Don't forget to add
in the time it takes to get from the Zurich train station to the
airport as well as the time you will need to spend checking in, going
through security, and waiting at the airport.
--
Ken Blake
Please Reply to the Newsgroup
Graham Harrison
"Ken Blake" <kbl...@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
news:fld4559tstdpp0oi9...@4ax.com...
Remember that the route takes you through the Alps and mountains don't make
for fast railway routes. On the other hand, they make for beautiful
scenery so why not sit back and relax?
While I endorse Kens' comments about making sure you allow time for checkin,
security etc (and getting from Vienna airport to your final destination)
there is a benefit at the Zurich end in that there is a railway station
inside the airport.
Ken Blake
Thanks for that info. Although I've been in the Zurich airport,
changing planes there, a couple of times, I didn't know about its
railway station.
-hh
>
>
> Remember that the route takes you through the Alps and mountains don't make
> for fast railway routes. On the other hand, they make for beautiful
> scenery so why not sit back and relax?
Its mostly a matter of schedule. I have a business meeting that wraps
up in mid-afternoon, and my wife is arriving in Vienna the next
morning on a trans-atlantic flight for the two of us to meet up with a
group the next morning and leaving Vienna.
So the trade-offs appear to be to spend ~12 hours on a night train
(thereby missing any scenery...or sleep, unfortunately), or spend
overnight then take a day train (see scenery, but less time in
Vienna).
> While I endorse Kens' comments about making sure you allow time for checkin,
> security etc (and getting from Vienna airport to your final destination)
> there is a benefit at the Zurich end in that there is a railway station
> inside the airport.
Agreed. Some of my thoughts here were to get from Bern to Zurich on
the evening that my meeting ends (night before), hotel, then a morning
flight. Might not technically be "50% less" hours, but it looks like
it can get me into Vienna by lunch.
A similar thought would be to split the train journey with a hotel
overnight somewhere. I know it will cost more to do this, but I'm
particularly bad at sleeping on trains. Munich or Salzburg would
appear to be the options for this.
-hh
Jesper Lauridsen
> I'm looking at the various options to get from Bern, Switzerland to
> Vienna, Austria (weekday).
>
> Looks like the trains take ~12 hours.
> IIRC, Bern - Zurich - Munich - Strausberg - xyz - Vienna
It can be done in 10 hours, with a single change. None of the itenaries
I've looked at goes through Munich.
> ...are there no fast trains in this region?
It's actually quite a distance, and there's this thing called the Alps
in the way.
Graham Harrison
"-hh" <recscub...@huntzinger.com> wrote in message
news:05d02391-402a-4411...@l31g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
-hh
Depends what time your wife arrives and whether she expects you to be at the
airport to meet her. You could have to get up rather early to get to
Vienna airport in time. That said, I have to say that as I read through
your post the idea of stopping en route did occur to me, it's worked for me
on several occasions.
If you are travelling in the ski season Berne has more flights, including to
the UK and given that they can be cheap that could be a route (with a night
between) but in the end, spending the night at Zurich airport feels like the
best solution.
-hh
>
> Depends what time your wife arrives and whether she expects you
> to be at the airport to meet her. You could have to get up rather
> early to get to Vienna airport in time.
She's fine as an unaccompanied traveller, so while it might be nice to
do, its not particularly important. The main interest I have in
getting into Vienna at about the same time is that our itinerary is
working out (unfortunately) to not have any days in Vienna to really
see the city: pretty much just our day of arrival. As such, a few
hours is better than none.
>That said, I have to say that as I read through
> your post the idea of stopping en route did occur to me, it's worked for me
> on several occasions.
A stop en route not only affords a good sleep (I'll still be adjusting
for jet lag), but also the opportunity to change modes of travel if
that would be advantageous. From what I recall, I can get a hotel
room in Zurich Airport.
> If you are travelling in the ski season Berne has more flights, including to
> the UK and given that they can be cheap that could be a route (with a night
> between) but in the end, spending the night at Zurich airport feels like the
> best solution.
It would be in the fall, before skiing season starts. A quick search
found that Air Berlin has some Zurich-Vienna flights, with an
occasional non-stop. What the opinion is of that airline? Figure an
English-speaking traveller with one checked bag...and probably a carry-
on that might be large enough to be a concern.
-hh
Giovanni Drogo
> I'm looking at the various options to get from Bern, Switzerland to
> Vienna, Austria (weekday).
I won't be worried by the travel time, but would try to choose a route
as scenic as possible. I'd suggest you reach Bregenz (or Feldkirch),
this part is moderately scenic.
Bern-Zuerich-St Gallen-St Margrethen-Bregenz
then continue through the Vorarlberg tunnel to Innsbruck and Salzburg
(two routes possible, one through Germany, the southern one entirely in
Austria is more scenic) ... all this part very scenic ...
then continue via Linz to Wien. This last part is less scenic than the
rest but not unpleasant.
Find railway maps here
http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps.php
and construct your timetable here (I prefer to do it piecewise, not just
asking for the entire route)
http://home.arcor.de/e.lauterbach/auskunft/fplanx-en.html
I've travelled all the bits quoted, but not in a single trip. Maybe you
should split midway and take a half way visit somewhere.
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erilar
<alpine.LSU.2.00.0...@cbfrvqba.ynzoengr.vans.vg>,
Giovanni Drogo <dr...@rn.bastiani.ta.invalid> wrote:
> Bern-Zuerich-St Gallen-St Margrethen-Bregenz
Not only scenic, but St. Gallen is more worth visiting than either Bern
or Vienna for some people(me).
--
Mary Loomer Oliver (aka Erilar)
You can't reason with someone whose first line of argument is
that reason doesn't count. --Isaac Asimov
Erilar's Cave Annex: http://www.chibardun.net/~erilarlo
je
Yes, train takes 10 to 12 hours for Berne to Vienna.
No such things as rally fast trains through the Alps.
But some night trains (might be an option if you
can sleep in a train), or consider the whole as a
long, mostly scenic trip
As for alternatives:
Flights out of Bern-Belp airport (via Munich for example)
Or train to Zurich airport (for most of the day 2 direct
trains to the airport per hour, railway station is at the
airport) for direct flights to Vienna (Swiss, Austrian
airlines, Air Berlin)
t...@sbb.ch
Reise: Bern nach Wien Westbahnhof
Datum: 09.07.09
-
ab 21:32 Bern - Gleis 7 (IC 743)
an 22:31 Z�rich HB - Gleis 12
ab 22:40 Z�rich HB - Gleis 9 (EN 467)
an 08:03 Wien Westbahnhof
-
Dauer 10:31 , Umsteigevorg�nge 1
�nderungen vorbehalten. Alle Angaben, Anschl�sse und Einhaltung des Fahrplans ohne Gew�hr.
http://www.sbb.ch
Graham Harrison
-hh
Never been on Air Berlin but I would quite happily (and believe me there are
airlines even within Europe I would do my best to avoid). I'm an English
speaking Brit and have no problems relying on that language when travelling
around Europe. Trick seems to be to ask nicely if they speak English and
be grateful when they do!
Trains to Zurich, spend a night and then fly feels like the best solution.
Trains in Switzerland are good, comfortable and on-time, and frequent so if
your meeting overruns it isn't an issue, just get on the next train.
-hh
>
> Never been on Air Berlin but I would quite happily (and believe me there are
> airlines even within Europe I would do my best to avoid). I'm an English
> speaking Brit and have no problems relying on that language when travelling
> around Europe. Trick seems to be to ask nicely if they speak English and
> be grateful when they do!
Understood. I was more concerned with size of carry-on baggage, as it
is my impression that the within-EU flights are more strict than
typical US carriers.
> Trains to Zurich, spend a night and then fly feels like the best solution.
> Trains in Switzerland are good, comfortable and on-time, and frequent so if
> your meeting overruns it isn't an issue, just get on the next train.
Agreed. My wife's flights have been rescheduled yet again and she's
now not arriving in Vienna until after 4pm, which gives me appreciably
more time for train transit...plus I've been thinking about shifting
the overnight rest break over to Munich...roughly a 6 hours transit
from Bern (IC-835 to EC-197: 17:02 - 22:45) and then 4 hours on a
morning train (RJ-61: 07:26 - 11:40) for the rest. Another
alternative is Salzburg, as I might be able to hook up with a coworker
heading home to there...someone to make sure that I don't fall too
asleep and miss the stop...and then sleep in a little longer the next
morning.
-hh