Charming Austria is home to grand cities and superb natural beauty. Explore the lakes, hills and heritage of Austria with Great Rail Journeys.
Austria is a destination of sublime beauty and elegance all year round, the grandeur and spectacle of its mountainous landscapes rivalled only by the richness of its cultural and musical heritage. An escorted rail tour of Austria with Great Rail Journeys allows guests to enjoy the very best of both of these worlds.
Austria's modern railway network spans the entire country making even remote and rural areas accessible by fast, efficient and regular trains. This means that a rail holiday in Austria can easily encompass visits to both historic and cultural cities including Vienna and Salzburg with scenic regions such as Austria's Alps and Lake District.
On this marvellous cruise, experience the magic of the blue Danube from the elegance of Imperial Vienna, to the twin cities of Buda and Pest.
Step back in time to the eras of the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of the Habsburgs, all whilst enjoying the surroundings of your ultra modern and comfortable cruise ship. There are also lots of included opportunities to taste the specialties of each region you sail through, creating a cruise that is a real treat for all the senses.
… see more8 days from £1,595 pp
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Experience the magic of the Danube as we cruise comfortably through Imperial Vienna and Budapest. Step back in time as we explore the Ottoman and Habsburg empires, with plenty of opportunities to taste the regional specialties - a real treat for all the senses.
… see more9 days from £1,895 pp
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Bavaria's magnificent castles, mysterious forests and magical mountains are the backdrop to this majestic tour, uncovering many hidden gems in the historic kingdom of Bavaria. Discover fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle and ride the Bavarian Zugspitz Mountain Railway, from our base in the charming village of Füssen.
… see more12 days from £2,395 pp
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Aboard the state of the art Amadeus Silver II which comes replete cutting-edge facilities, follow the path of the Black Sea as it makes its journey towards the coast and soak up the very best of Eastern Europe; from the unusual nature of the Danube Delta and the unique cities of Serbia and Bulgaria to the vast expanses and traditions of the Great Hungarian Plains.
Then experience the magic of the blue Danube from the twin-cities of Buda and Pest to the elegance of Imperial Vienna
… see more17 days from £3,395 pp
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Aboard the state of the art Amadeus Silver II which comes replete cutting-edge facilities, follow the path of the Black Sea as it makes its journey towards the coast and soak up the very best of Eastern Europe; from the unusual nature of the Danube Delta and the unique cities of Serbia and Bulgaria to the vast expanses and traditions of the Great Hungarian Plains.
Then experience the magic of the blue Danube from the twin-cities of Buda and Pest to the elegance of Imperial Vienna
… see more16 days from £3,095 pp
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Begin your Imperial adventure early and explore the multi-faceted histories of two European giants, Berlin and Prague. From Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture, to landmarks that have had much significance within our lifetimes, experience centuries in just a few days.
… see more12 days from £2,345 pp
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Fascinating grand imperial cities and high-speed intercity train journeys showcase the turbulent history of Central Europe. Discover what turned these former Habsburg and Prussian cities into 4 of modern Europe's greatest destinations.
… see more13 days from £1,995 pp
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Explore the mighty Austrian Alps on this wonderful holiday to one of Europe's most scenic and alluring countries. From our base in the enchanting Tyrolean town of St Johann, we discover the majesty of this Alpine wonderland.
… see more9 days from £1,495 pp
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Discover the world-famous Oberammergau Passion Play from your theatre seat, the best in the house, before a superb 7-night cruise on the magnificent Danube River. Uncover the waterway's musical and cultural heritage as we sail.
… see more11 days from £3,695 pp
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Stretching across much of mainland Europe, the wild and rugged Alps are home to some of the world's most magnificent landscapes. On this marvellous holiday we discover incredible attractions in 3 of the countries around these towering peaks - from the German city of Munich and the beautiful Austrian Lakes, to Switzerland's superb mountain railways.
… see more14 days from £3,795 pp
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Combining the magnificent cities of Salzburg and Vienna with some of Austria's most picturesque locales is the recipe for a truly wonderful tour. Add to this a scenic river cruise through the stunning Wachau Valley and a 'Sound of Music' tour, and you get an unforgettable Austrian holiday experience.
… see more9 days from £1,995 pp
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Hidden amongst the low hills of Bavaria, the Oberammergau Passion Play is a once-in-a-decade performance of astonishing scope. Enjoy this incredible spectacle on this memorable tour which not only takes in the play, but also the spectacular beauty of the crisp Austrian Alps.
… see more8 days from £2,595 pp
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This was our first experience of a holiday of this sort and generally we enjoyed the experience
Everything was very well organised. The travel was excellent,first class in all respects. Hotels good. Food less so. Tour manager outstanding, the best we've had. Places we visited were everything we hoped for.
Everything went like clockwork. Weather was fantastic, blue skies every day. Hotels, train journeys and boat trips all up to the standard expected
Good Value. River Boat cruise was excellent the food was good quality. The cabin was very comfortable and it was nice to actually have a double bed ! all of your staff worked very hard and were friendly and polite, they deserve to be well paid, they are your most important asset without them your efforts would be pointless. The boats cleanliness was first rate. The local tour guides were knowledgeable and entertaining. We would have liked more time to explore Budapest. The evening cruise was magical
It was very relaxing and a lovely River Cruise with good weather. The Group was small, 20 plus the Tour Manager, and everybody got on very well with everybody else without exception. It was one of the best Great Rail holidays we have been on.
Very organised, superb accommodation and food. Excellent tour manager.
The holiday was a great success and thoroughly enjoyable . All the arrangements worked well - thanks in no small measure to the Tour Manager , Ed Nicholson . He went the extra mile at all times to ensure all members were looked after .
Whether you join us to visit some of Austria's magical Christmas markets, journey by train through the magnificent Alps or for an unforgettable cultural experience at Vienna's annual Johann Strauss Ball, Great Rail Journeys promises you an outstanding trip and unbeatable value for money.
We offer a varied selection of escorted rail tours in Austria to suit everybody, and the price of each includes all rail and other travel, an itinerary of destinations, excursions and activities designed to showcase some of Austria's best historic, natural and cultural attractions, quality overnight accommodation and a selection of meals.
We arrange everything for you and place you in the care of an experienced and friendly Tour Manager who is happy to assist whenever needed and will answer any questions guests may have. Possessing local knowledge of the places we visit, our Tour Managers can also provide useful information and even make recommendations regarding places to eat or things to see and do.
We'll also make sure that you enjoy comfortable accommodation in hotels chosen for their convenient location, guest facilities, high standards of service and value. The quality, family-run hotels we prefer offer our guests a more personal service and an informal atmosphere in which to relax.
Although compact in size, the landlocked and mostly mountainous Republic of Austria in south central Europe is one of the world's most financially prosperous countries and has an accordingly high standard of living. For visitors, however, Austria's riches lie in its beautiful landscapes, its Alpine resorts and its cultural legacy, particularly in respect of classical composers. Austria is the country which gave us Mozart, Strauss, Schubert, Mahler and Haydn.
Austria's historic towns and cities also boast a wealth of remarkable and beautiful architecture ranging from Gothic churches to Baroque and Neoclassical palaces and fortresses and even remarkable contemporary architecture as demonstrated by Salzburg's Museum der Moderne gallery.
Austria enjoys a temperate climate, although as a mountainous country temperature decreases as altitude increases. Although rainfall occurs throughout the year, heavy rains may accompany thunderstorms in July and August, whilst November and April are typically the wettest months. Austria's southerly position means that summers can be hot and sunny with daytime temperatures rising to 30°C but cooling in the evening. In the Austrian Alps, snow cover at higher altitudes, if not permanent, lasts from November until May.
Robust, hearty meals form the basis of Austrian cuisine, although many flavours and dishes have been influenced by neighbouring countries. Beef, pork and chicken are popular, and bacon features in a number of traditional recipes. Schnitzels - breaded escalope of pork or veal, beef broths, savoury or sweet dumplings and boiled beef are all specialities, and no visitor to Austria should resist the opportunity to try the world's greatest chocolate cake; the Sacher Torte.
Guests visiting Austria on holiday tours should be aware that the Austrian way of telling a waiter to keep the change is to hand over payment and say thank you or 'danke' (pronounced dank-uh). If you expect change wait until you receive it before thanking your waiter.
Austrians greet each other with a hand shake. While you may see some Austrian men bowing to kiss the hand of a lady this is considered ostentatious and is not expected from guests visiting Austria on holiday.
Discover the fantastic railways of Austria. It should come as no surprise that we love railways and we know many of you do too! That's why our tours feature some of the most iconic railways and trains on the continent.
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Very enjoyable tour with lots of variety and an excellent tour manager who kept us well informed of any problems