Is a rail pass the best opiotion for travel in Austria? What trains can you take?

We are traveling mostly in Austira between Veinna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Hallstatt as well as Munich and Fussen in Germany. We are doing this is 11 days and are wanting a rail pass sold online that allows you up to 10 days of unlimited travel. However I have never been there or taken a train so I am clueless as to the process. Would we just show up at the train station and show our pass? If anyone has done a pass for Austira and Germany. Any help would be great!!

Yes, train travel is highly recommended in Germany and Austria. The trains are punctual and the service is excellent. There are usually 3 types of trains depending on distance and speed - express, regional, etc. The pass will cover all travel between cities only. But within a city, say Vienna for example, you would have to buy a local transit pass to get around. Train travel is a great way to see the countryside, too.

Yes, you can purchase ahead an Austria-Germany railpass with Eurail. I did that last year and saved a lot of money. Just figure out first your travel itinerary - how many days of travelling between cities, ex. 10, then go to Eurail's website and click on Eurail Regional Passes, click on Eurail Austria-Germany Pass, and choose how many days of travel during a 2 month period. You can purchase your passes online or over the phone. The tickets plus a train timetable will be couriered to you within 2-3 days.
http://www.eurail.com/

Have a great trip!

Petra M, Vancouver

One travellers tip for train rides in Austria. If you are buying a local train ticket - for example to get from here to there in Vienna - you not only have to buy the ticket but have to validate it at another machine (not the one you buy your tkt from) before getting on. Failure to do so will get you a fine. I hadnt a clue about this validation thing and was lucky somebody told me.