What’s the ‘best’ train station in Austria?

Pblockengers taking the Austrian Transport Club’s (VCÖ) test for best train station have voted Vienna’s west station as their overall favourite.

But it didn’t take the top spot in many sub-categories VCÖ asked pblockengers about.

Nearly 12,000 pblockengers onboard travelling trains in Austria took the test. Out of the major train stations, survey takers voted Vienna Central Station as the most beautiful, followed by Salzburg and Graz.

Feldkirch in Vorarlberg was voted the most beautiful among stations located outside main state capitals.

But beauty and functionality didn’t always go together, with Vienna’s west train station, St. Pölten’s central station, and Graz Central Station making up the top three in overall ratings – which took into account how beautiful and clean stations were, as well as accessibility and security.

Salzburg Central Station, which came second in the beauty contest, came only in sixth place overall.

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To measure accessibility, survey takers rated each station for how easy it was to get to using public transport, bike, on foot, or by car. Each method was weighted slightly differently to take into account how most people get to main train stations.

A full third of respondents, for example, use public transport and another third come on foot. That compares with only about eight percent who use a bike. Survey takers also rated the clarity of directions in train stations and barrier-free access for wheelchair users.

The worst performing major train station overall? That dubious honour goes to Bregenz in Vorarlberg.

READ ALSO: The six most spectacular train trips in Austria