FIP Information

In Austria, trains of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) can be used with FIP tickets. Westbahn and RegioJet also operate long-distance services alongside ÖBB, but cannot be used with FIP tickets. In journey planners, these are abbreviated as IC or WB (not to be confused with ÖBB’s IC).

There are also other regional operators of local trains that do not accept FIP tickets. These use the same train categories as ÖBB: RE, REX, and S. If in doubt, check the operator via their website or Bahn.de.

The GySEV / Raaberbahn is a second railway company that accepts FIP tickets within Austria and Hungary. GySEV FIP Coupons are mainly intended for Hungary and are only valid to a limited extent on GySEV routes in Austria.

Interesting

Austria has a dense rail network, mainly consisting of two main lines: the Southern Railway from Vienna via Graz towards Slovenia and Klagenfurt/Villach to Italy (from December 2025 via the new Koralmbahn high-speed line, before via the old route), and the Western Railway from Vienna via Salzburg/Innsbruck to Lake Constance (Bregenz) and further to Switzerland (Zurich). Both lines are well developed, with trains running every half hour between major stations. There are also many scenic main and branch lines, such as the breathtaking Tauern Railway (Salzburg-Villach), Ennstal Railway (Salzburg-Bischofshofen-Schladming-Leoben), or the Brenner Railway (Munich-Innsbruck-Brenner-Bolzano-Verona).

A special highlight is the ride on the Schneebergbahn in Lower Austria, which is not operated by ÖBB but can be used with a FIP 50% reduction.

Arrival and Border Points

Border Points
CountryBorder Points
Czech Republic (ČD)Bernhardsthal (Gr), Unterretzbach (Gr), Gmünd NÖ (Gr), Summerau (Gr)
Hungary (GySEV)Pamhagen (Gr), Szentgotthárd, Sopron
Hungary (MÁV)Hegyshalom (Gr), Sopron
Germany (DB)Passau, Salzburg (local trains to Salzburg Liefering), Simbach am Inn, Kufstein, Mittenwald (Gr), Lindau-Reutin
Slovenia (SZ)Bleiburg(Gr), Spielfeld-Strass(Gr), Rosenbach(Gr)
Slovakia (ZSR)Marchegg(Gr), Kittsee(Gr)
Switzerland (SBB)Buchs SG, St. Margrethen
Italy (FS)Brennero/Brenner, San Candido/Innichen, Tarvisio Boscoverde
Border Points
CountryBorder Points
Czech Republic (ČD)Bernhardsthal (Gr), Unterretzbach (Gr), Gmünd NÖ (Gr), Summerau (Gr)
Hungary (GySEV)Pamhagen (Gr), Szentgotthárd, Sopron
Hungary (MÁV)Hegyshalom (Gr), Sopron
Germany (DB)Passau, Salzburg (local trains to Salzburg Liefering), Simbach am Inn, Kufstein, Mittenwald (Gr), Lindau-Reutin
Slovenia (SZ)Bleiburg(Gr), Spielfeld-Strass(Gr), Rosenbach(Gr)
Slovakia (ZSR)Marchegg(Gr), Kittsee(Gr)
Switzerland (SBB)Buchs SG, St. Margrethen
Italy (FS)Brennero/Brenner, San Candido/Innichen, Tarvisio Boscoverde

Czech Republic

From the Czech Republic, cross-border trains of Ceske Drahy can be used on various routes. An additional FIP 50 ticket or FIP Coupon from Ceske Drahy is required. Cross-border trains operated by RegioJet cannot be used with FIP. Long-distance connections exist from Linz to Prague and Railjets from Vienna to Prague via Brno.

Germany

Between Germany and Austria, there are several regional train connections and two long-distance routes: an ICE line from Vienna via Linz, Passau, and Nuremberg to Frankfurt/Cologne (and some trains to Berlin), as well as ICE, RJ, and IC trains from Munich via Salzburg to various destinations in Austria. For the German section, a FIP ticket from DB is required.

Hungary

From Hungary, both cross-border regional trains and EuroCity/Railjet trains can be used. On the Vienna-Budapest route via Hegyeshalom, an additional FIP ticket from MAV is required from the border; in other cases, an additional FIP ticket from GySEV is needed.

Switzerland

From Austria, Buchs SG and St. Margrethen can be reached with FIP 50 ÖBB tickets and FIP Coupons (EuroCityExpress, Railjet, and local trains). Note that when entering from Germany, the Lindau-St. Margrethen section counts as transit through Austria and must be paid for; in theory, a surcharge (€10/15) applies when using a FIP Coupon, so it is recommended to book a FIP 50 ticket for this section.

Italy

Besides regional train connections, there are two international routes from Austria to Italy: the Brenner Railway from Munich via Innsbruck and the Brenner Pass to Bolzano and Verona, and Railjets via Tarvisio Boscoverde to Venice. On these routes, the ÖBB FIP Coupon is valid in Italy, but a surcharge must be paid in the Italian section. There are also EuroCity connections from Austria via Slovenia to Trieste (EC 151/134). On the Italian section (V. Opicina-Trieste), the ÖBB FIP Coupon is valid, but a small surcharge applies.

Slovakia

From Slovakia, there are two local train connections to Austria. The faster route runs north of the Danube from Bratislava hl.st. via Marchegg to Vienna (from 10.10.2025). The slower route starts at Bratislava Petrzalka and goes via Kittsee to Vienna. For both, a FIP 50 ticket from ZSR / ZSSK is required for the Slovak section.
Additionally, 4 D train pairs run daily from Vienna to Bratislava hl.st. (from 10.10.2025), which can be used with ÖBB FIP Coupons up to the border or on the entire section (also in Austria) with ZSSK FIP Coupons.

Slovenia

From Vienna/Graz to Ljubljana/Maribor via Spielfeld-Strass (Gr) there are long-distance and local trains, as well as direct connections to Trieste and Zagreb. For these, a FIP Coupon from SŽis required from the border or a FIP 50 ticket must be booked.

FIP Evaluation

Overall, Austria has an impeccable infrastructure and scenic routes, and most journeys are operated by ÖBB. This makes it possible to travel a large part of the country with FIP tickets. However, the surcharge (without reservation) on long-distance trains, regardless of the route (in 1st class €15, in 2nd class €10), slightly dampens the FIP experience.