OBB
ÖBB (Austria)
Austria's Railjet, Intercity, Eurocity, Nightjet and regional network.
Overview
ÖBB (Österreichische Bundesbahnen) is Austria's national rail operator, running Railjet, Intercity, Eurocity and Nightjet services, plus regional/S-Bahn trains.
Luggage, bikes & pets
- Luggage: free, stowed in racks above/below your seat, up to 90×60×40cm. Larger items (skis, instruments, wheelchairs, strollers, snowboards) also travel free if stored properly.
- Bikes: a bike ticket costs 10% of a full 2nd-class fare for the route. No reservation needed on Regional/Regional Express/S-Bahn trains (and none available). Railjet/Intercity/Eurocity/Nightjet require a space reservation, booked directly with ÖBB.
- Pets: small/harmless animals in a suitable carrier travel free; larger animals need a paid fare. Dogs need a muzzle/leash for safety (assistance dogs exempt) and must stay under owner supervision.
Boarding & check-in
Arrive 15–20 minutes early — no check-in, no security screening, tickets checked onboard. ÖBB doesn't publish fixed arrival-time guidance; platform monitors use a blinking-dot system (white = train at platform, green = 5 min to departure, yellow = 2 min). Reservations are generally optional.
Tickets
Printing/collection: there are no kiosk machines outside Austria for collecting ÖBB TOD tickets — always choose the PDF ticket option when booking from outside Austria (e.g. departing Prague or Budapest). Before download, tickets remain exchangeable/refundable; once downloaded they become non-exchangeable (refunds still possible for tickets bought on/after 1 March 2026).
Reading a ticket: Erwachsener = adult, Kind = child. Sparschiene fares issue a print-at-home PDF immediately; Komfort/Standard tickets arrive as a download link, and once generated can't be modified. When tickets and seat reservations are sold separately you get individual tickets plus one combined reservation document; combined tickets show only the lead passenger's name, with others encoded in the QR code. Useful terms: Datum = date, Von/Nach = from/to, Klasse = class, Fahrschein = ticket, Wagen = coach, Preis = price.
Food & Drinks on board
ÖBB offers food and drinks on many of its long-distance services through its onboard catering partner DoN's. The offering focuses on seasonal, regional and high-quality food and beverages.
- Railjet: Railjet trains have an onboard restaurant. New-generation Railjets also feature a snack zone with vending machines.
- Restaurant menu: the onboard selection changes seasonally and includes cold snacks, warm Austrian and international dishes, and a selection of vegetarian and vegan options.
- Drinks: passengers can purchase a range of hot and cold drinks, including Austrian wines.
- First Class & Business Class: on Railjet services, food and drinks from the restaurant can be served directly at your seat. Business Class also includes a welcome drink on Austrian track sections.
- Online ordering: on Railjet services, passengers can use the onboard ÖBB Railnet portal to view and order food and drinks from the restaurant.
- Eurocity & Intercity: catering varies by train. Eurocity services may have an onboard restaurant, while Intercity trains may offer mobile catering or a snack area depending on the train.
- ICE services: ÖBB ICE trains operating in Austria have an onboard restaurant offering food and beverages.
Catering availability depends on the specific train and service. Check the train facilities before promising onboard food or drink service, especially for Intercity, Eurocity and regional services.
Refunds & claims
Contact ÖBB by phone (+43 (0)5 1717) or via their online form. Gather your "RE-" booking reference, provider reference, passenger names, train number, delay length/details, and any receipts (photo scans accepted, keep originals). Illness, bereavement and disruption-related extra costs are not covered here — claim through travel insurance instead.