Plan to book travel from Brussels to Vienna. As major cities in each country, you can easily travel to and from them on local trains once you arrive.
Take the Thayls. The Thayls runs to Koeln in just over two hours. From Koeln, you'll have to travel to Munich and then on to Austria.
Travel through Frankfurt. From Brussels to Frankfurt, you can catch a high-speed ICE train before transferring to Stuttgart. From there, book an overnight train for the eigh-hour ride into Vienna.
Pick a regular, non-ICE, train if you want to journey past the German Rhine on your way to Austria. The steep incline on the older track prevents the faster trains from taking this route.
Book your tickets in advance. Fares double from the normal $400 total between Brussels and Austria when booked last-minute.
Buy a ticket from one city to the next, instead of all in one. This allows for stopovers in cities throughout Austria, as well as the chance to take advantage of available discounts.
Use Rail Europe to book your entire trip online. The Web site will create the best train travel package from anywhere in Belgium to any destination in Austria. To book train travel from Belgium to Austria, call Rail Europe at (888) 382-RAIL or visit the link below.
Hit all the major cites. From Salzburg to Vienna to Bregenz, you can easily travel throughout Austria by train.
Consider purchasing a rail pass for travel within Austria. The pass usually pays for itself with just two or three short one-way trips. Plus, you get discounts to museums and day trips on the Danube River. Passes start at around $150.
Pack light. You will be lugging your bags from train to train, since no checked baggage service is available. To make exploring Austria easier, limit you luggage to one major carry-on bag or backpack.
