The Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance, have partnered to streamline travel between rail and air. The collaboration, presented by Federal Minister Peter Hanke (BM IMI) and CEOs Andreas Matthä (ÖBB), Theo Panagiotoulias (Star Alliance), and Annette Mann (Austrian Airlines), aims to create a seamless travel experience for Star Alliance passengers while promoting sustainable mobility. By integrating rail travel into the booking systems of Star Alliance’s 25 member airlines, travel planning will become more convenient and environmentally friendly.
The partnership simplifies the process of combining rail and air journeys. Passengers can book train tickets to and from Vienna Airport directly alongside their flights via the booking platforms of participating airlines. Additionally, check-in procedures have been improved, allowing travellers to check in online or at ÖBB Travel Centres in Graz, Linz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck.
Austrian Airlines and ÖBB have also committed to expanding their joint AIRail service, which saw 3.1 million passengers use the Railjet to travel to and from Vienna Airport in 2024.
“From Linz, Salzburg, Graz, or Innsbruck main stations, it will be even easier to travel all over the world in the future. We are delighted to be taking a significant step forward in our cooperation with Star Alliance to even better connect train and plane travel. This allows us to offer our travelers an environmentally friendly way to and from Vienna Airport without the need for a car, making the entire journey even more comfortable. This will allow rail travel to be integrated into air travel even more flexibly, not just with one airline group, but with a global network of 25 airlines,” Andreas Matthä, CEO of ÖBB, said.
“Air and rail have complemented each other as modes of transport worldwide for several years. We are proud to welcome Austrian Federal Railways to the Star Alliance family. With a single ticket, customers can now travel from Singapore to Salzburg and transfer to a Railjet at Vienna Airport. I am confident that this partnership will not only offer more choice but also enhance the seamless customer journey,” Theo Panagiotoulias, CEO of Star Alliance, added.
ÖBB and Star Alliance: Key benefits for passengers
- Simplified booking: Passengers receive a combined ticket for train and flight, including seat reservations, through a single airline booking process.
- Streamlined check-in: Customers can check in online or at ÖBB Travel Centres in Graz, Linz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck.
- Frequent flyer perks: Passengers can earn miles or points for train journeys as part of their chosen Star Alliance airline’s frequent flyer programme.
For more than 10 years, Austrian Airlines and ÖBB have offered the AIRail service, allowing passengers to travel from Linz, Graz, and Salzburg to Vienna-Schwechat Airport via high-speed rail. Since December 2024, the service has been extended to include Innsbruck, with up to 13 daily connections, supplementing the existing routes of up to 27 daily services to Linz, 26 to Salzburg, and 7 to Graz.
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