[Judy52]

18 May 2018 at 3:37:03 #816060

We were intending to finish our Switzerland trip in Appenzell before taking a train to Salzburg in Austria. Looking up timetables I see that Appenzell isn’t that convenient for either Buchs SG or Bregenz where the direct trains to Salzburg leave from. There’s also a train to Salzburg from St Gallen via Munich.

My questions are:

1. Should we stay in St Gallen rather than Appenzell for convenience when leaving for Austria? (This means we wouldn’t get the Appenzeller Card which would be useful in the area as our Swiss Passes will be finished by then)

2. Is the train trip via Munich less scenic than the one via Innsbruck?

3. Is there some better town to stay in to make our departure to Salzburg easier as we’ll have luggage with us so the fewer train changes the better?

Effortlessly learn from the questions and answers in the forum. Receive a daily e-mail with new discussions. Sign up

[Removed user]

18 May 2018 at 15:56:29 #885608

Hi Judy52,

1. I’m not sure the date and time you want to travel, but on a random timetable search I found trips with only 2 connections from Appenzell to Salzburg which is 1 change more and 1 hour longer than from St. Gallen roughly (pretty good I think). I wouldn’t let it change your trip plans in the Appenzell region.
2. Yes
3. From that region of Switzerland you are virtually always changing in Buchs SG…but I wouldn’t stay there based on being able to have 1 less train change….

It is possible the date and time you travel will require more than 2 changes of trains but if you are a little flexible on departure times you can keep it down to 2 changes.

[Judy52]

18 May 2018 at 21:26:24 #885609

Thanks Lucas

We should be travelling on September 30. I’ve found a 9.30 trip with changes at Herisau and Buchs to connect with the 165 Railjet to Salzburg. I’ve just read that the Man in Seat 61 says going via the Arlburg Pass is very scenic so that looks like the one we should get.

But when I look for that trip on Trainline, it only shows up as far as Innsbruck, not Salzburg, yet I know from the timetable that the Railjet 165 continues to Salzburg. I’d prefer to buy tickets on Trainline as I’ve used that site before and find it easy to use. Do you know why it doesn’t show the Salzburg option?

[Removed user]

19 May 2018 at 0:57:16 #885610

I found a 09:34 departure from Trainline…Appenzell – Teufen – St. Gallen – Buschs SG – Salzburg for 29 Euros (crazy cheap). Would that work for you? It is 3 connections though and the Teufen connection is 2 minutes (fine if the trains are all on time).

[Judy52]

19 May 2018 at 1:17:37 #885611

Thanks Lucas

By putting in via Innsbruck on Trainline I’ve been able to find the 9.30 departure from Appenzell where you only need to change twice, in Herisau and Buchs SG.

I’m still trying to decide whether we should stay in St Gallen rather than Appenzell though as it would make our departure to Salzburg easier ( we can leave later and there’s only one change at Buchs SG).

With only a 10 minute change at Buchs SG, is there any chance we could miss the Railjet, or do they wait for late connections?

[Removed user]

19 May 2018 at 3:10:19 #885612

A 10 minute connection isn’t too bad – I don’t worry until under 6/7 at larger stations. They won’t hold the train for you though (unless there are a lot of your connecting).

[Judy52]

19 May 2018 at 3:54:22 #885613

That’s a bit of a worry then. If we miss that Railjet I guess we can’t use the cheap tickets on the Railjet 2 hours later, so we’d have to buy very expensive last minute tickets.

Maybe the only way to be sure to make the connection at Buchs SG is to get the later Railjet. But that would mean hanging around Buchs SG for two hours which probably wouldn’t be a lot of fun.

[Removed user]

19 May 2018 at 14:49:57 #885614

Yes, if you are buying a SparSchein ticket then it is only valid for the departure times you pick – but if the train is late (their fault) they would honour the ticket on the next connection (you’ll just have to talk to a rail employee on the train.