Highlights of Austria in Winter

Enjoy the very best of the snow-capped Austrian Alps on a railway holiday to a genuine winter wonderland full of mountainous beauty and cultural refinement.

• Travel on Austria’s most scenic mountain railways and benefit from the luxury of private charter trains with historic locomotives plus private lake cruises on splendid vessels.
• Travel in the refinement of First Class and Panoramic Dome Cars on regular ÖBB service trains, while also having numerous unique highlights aboard elegant private charter trains with vintage vehicles dating from the early 20th century, including the iconic Austria ‘Crocodile’.
• Experience the natural serenity of Lake Attersee, one of Austria’s best kept secrets, aboard a private charter cruise on a superb ship with comfortable lounges and spacious viewing decks, while also travelling from the lake on the Attersee branch line aboard a privately chartered vintage tramway from 1913.
• Kitzbühel, Zell am See, Bischofshofen, Bad Ischl, Hallstatt, Schladming Selzthal, Admont are just some of the many famous towns you will pass through by train, all framed by ornate tall spired churches, wooden chalets and hilltop castles.
• See the highlights of Tyrol, with a vintage charter train on the Stubaitalbahn to Fulpmes and then ascend to a world of snow and ice on the Nordkettenbahn high above Innsbruck for a fitting finale of the tour.
  

Monday 24th February
Arrive in Salzburg; exploration with all-inclusive Salzburg Card
After a direct flight from London to Salzburg you arrive in the birth city of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by mid-day. You transfer to your centrally located hotel where lunch will be served. You will be given a Salzburg Card on arrival giving you full access to the city’s trolleybus network, fortress funicular and vertical elevator to the top of the Mönchsberg. The Salzburg Card also covers admission for all city museums, the Mozart sites and the historic Stiegl brewery. (L)

Tuesday 25th February
The palaces and mountain railways of Salzburg
Salzburg has a unique variety of attractions that will appeal to all. This includes the ornate palace at Hellbrunn with its famous fountains and water displays. From Hellbrunn you continue to the nearby Untersbergbahn, a scenic aerial cableway in the south of Salzburg that takes you to the top of the cragged Untersberg summit at a height of 1972 m above sea level. From there you have stunning views of both the Austrian and Bavarian Alps. After the descent back down, you can return by trolleybus to the city centre, for a more individual discovery and cultural exploration of Salzburg. For all railway enthusiasts, there is also an inclusive ticket for the Salzburger Lokalbahn, the scenic local railway that serves two branches to the north of the city using vintage stock and passing over several impressive viaducts. The evening you may spend at leisure in the city, perhaps exploring one of its many brew houses. (B)

Wednesday 26th February
By train through the Austrian Alps on Panoramic Dome Car
Today the main line exploration of Austria’s world famous railway network begins. You travel in First Class from Salzburg to the Tyrolean junction station Wörgl on one of the ÖBB RailJet express trains, passing through the tip of Bavaria and you pass the impressive Kufstein fortress along the way. At Wörgl you change onto the legendary EuroCity “Transalpin” and ride in its Swiss-built First Class Dome Car via the resort towns of Kitzbühel, Zell am See and Schladming to the railway junction Selzthal. There you will see the impressive round-houses, as you wait for your connecting Intercity train onward to Linz, travelling on the equally scenic mountain route along the River Steyr. In Linz you change onto another RailJetExpress for the 1-hour return to Salzburg. For this day, you have the convenience of a packed lunch, while a full dinner is provided at your hotel in the evening. (B L D)

Thursday 27th February

With a vintage ‘Crocodile’ to the Dolomites
A truly special highlight awaits, as one of Austria’s most iconic electric locomotives, the distinct ‘Crocodile’ from the early 20th Century hauls your private train formed of classic coaches from Spittal am Millstättersee on the little known, yet breathtaking east-west route to Lienz and further to the Italian border at Silian. This long corridor set along a steep valley is framed by cragged peaks that are utterly spectacular. Your charter train consists of historic carriages with upholstered seats and drop-down windows, allowing you to take advantage of popular features that are no longer available on most modern trains. Lunch will be served along the way. The return trip from Salzburg to Spittal is made by a combination of OBB Intercity train with First Class accommodation between Salzburg and Bischofshofen and then direct, non-stop coach between Bischofshofen and Spittal, as the Tauern railway tunnel is closed for much of 2025 for extensive rebuilding. (B L D)

Friday 28th February
Scenic cruise on Lake Attersee, Atterseebahn heritage tramway and main line 'Pocket Crocodile'
A relaxing cruise awaits today on Lake Attersee, one of Austria’s finest mountain lakes. To reach late Attersee you take a service train from Salzburg to Vöcklabruck, where a main line private charter train takes you on the branch line to the lakeside town of Kammer-Schörfling. Your train will be hauled by the rod-driven OBB 'Pocket Crocodile' 1161.19, dating from 1940. Once at the lake, you will enjoy a private cruise with complimentary lunch-time refreshments. Your elegant ship boasts an indoor saloon and wide observation decks, where you can admire the open views and take pictures of the enchanting landscape. Lake Attersee was a favourite country getaway for many Austrian painters and composers, including Gustav Klimt and Gustav Mahler. After your cruise you’ll have time to look around the lakeside town of Attersee, before enjoying a private charter trip on the Attersee narrow gauge railway, one of the few electrified metre gauge railways in Austria, traveling on a vintage tram from 1913 to the junction station Vöcklamarkt. From there you return by fast service train directly to Salzburg, where you may spend another evening at leisure. (B L)

Saturday 1st March
Vintage main line charter train along lakes and peaks
Today you join the fabulous main line charter train with First Class coaches and the attractive dining car. Today this exclusive rake will be hauled by the iconic locomotive 1670.09 from 1929. This is one of the most stylish and attractive ways to travel along Austria’s stunning main line railway network, once again traversing lines that don’t permit steam traction. You will travel from Attnang via Gmunden and Bad Ischl to the junction Stainach, passing the marvellous lakes Traunsee, Hallstättersee. From Stainach you continue via Liezen and then take the secondary line through Admont and Hieflau, before turning off to Steyr and then reaching St. Valentin.. Lunch will once again be served in the dining car of the train. You complete the circular journey, by speeding from St. Valentin via Linz back to Attnang. From there you continue the short distance by regular OBB service to Salzburg and dinner at the hotel. (B L D)

Sunday 2nd March
Highlights of Tyrol with a vintage charter along the Stubaitalbahn and Nordkettenbahn in Innsbruck
Today you will make another First Class journey on a RailJetExpress from Salzburg to Innsbruck, where you first have a private charter train on the spectacular Stubaitalbahn on the Alpine tramway to the mountainous terminus at Fulpmes. Travelling in lovely teak carriages from the early 20th century you will pass steep cliffs and navigate steep gradients. Photo stops along the way will also be included. On the return to Innsbruck, you will pass the Old Town with domed churches and ornate palaces, before taking the panoramic Hungerburgbahn funicular to a observation platform high above the city. Looking down at the rooftops of Innsbruck, you then have the option to return to the Old Town for some cultural sightseeing or continue on the connecting aerial cableway Nordkettenbahn to the high summit at Hafelekar, where you will be immersed in a world of snow and ice. You then return down to the city by aerial cableway and funicular and then back to Salzburg, for a final dinner at the hotel. (B D)

Monday 3rd March
Return to London
After breakfast at the hotel you have a direct coach transfer to the airport and a mid-day return flight to London. (B)