There are many reasons why you should ditch a car or a bus and rather travel by train in Tyrol. Here are the 3 best ones:
1. Beautiful Alpine Scenery
If you’re in a train in Tyrol it doesn’t matter which way you look – the beautiful Alpine scenery is ever present. If it’s not right next to the window, you only need to move your gaze a bit higher. Somewhere in the distance you are sure to see a mountain. You can simply sit back, relax and watch the snow-capped peaks pass you by in winter or the green pastures in the summer – not to mention the rivers and mountain streams in the valleys. The Tyrolean villages with their brightly coloured flowers hanging from wooden balconies will make you want to get off to explore at every stop.
© ÖBB/Christian Auerweck
2. No Traffic Hassles
Who wants to stress about traffic or driving on the right side of the road if you’re from a country where you drive on the left? Austrian trains are almost always on time. You are more or less guaranteed of arriving at your destination at the estimated time of arrival. The same cannot be said for driving on the highways, where there is often congestion and delays, especially during peak holiday times and at border crossings. If you are travelling as a family, kids especially enjoy train rides. They are free to move around (some Eurocity trains even have a children’s corner with a television) and have their parents’ full attention. You can play cards or small board games and even have a picnic. The trains with separate compartments, seating 6 people, are especially comfortable for families.
3. Value for Money
If you plan in advance and make use of some of the excellent discount offers of the Austrian, German, Swiss or Italian railways, it will cost you much less to travel by train to and in Tyrol than renting a car. The latter comes with the added expenses of fuelling up, toll fees and insurance premiums. Various different offers, ranging from huge discounts when you book in advance to special rail cards, are available if you are willing to invest some time in research. Fortunately, I have already done a lot of the homework for you. You must only read my tips on how to find cheap train tickets.
