Vienna to Berlin by Train: Six Routes Compared

Six routes cover most trips into Berlin from other European capitals, and each entry below gives the fastest listed time, the changes and the lowest fare that Deutsche Bahn shows.

1. Vienna to Berlin by train: night or day, 9 hours 14 minutes at best

The fastest Vienna to Berlin by train trip on the Deutsche Bahn route page takes 9 hours and 14 minutes. The sample trip leaves Berlin Hbf at 20:11 and reaches Wien Hbf at 05:25 the next morning, with one change and two train types, IC and NJ (a night train). The page shows no price for that trip.

Day trips are slower. A day trip with one change on an ICE takes 10 hours 11 minutes, from €89.99. A cheaper trip with two changes takes 12 hours 55 minutes, from €70.98. Deutsche Bahn says there is up to one direct connection a day and about 31 connections in all. So a direct train exists on some days only, and none of the three sample trips is direct. Check the Vienna departure in your own search.

The night trip has sleeper choices. The Nightjet site (Nightjet is the night train brand of ÖBB, the Austrian railway) lists three travel categories: a sleeper cabin, a couchette or mini cabin, and a seat car. The Deutsche Bahn page shows no fare for the night trip, and this guide has no night fare to quote, so search your date to see prices.

Pro Tip Compare the 10 hours 11 minute day ICE with the 9 hours 14 minute night trip. The night trip saves a hotel night, but it lands in Berlin before 06:00, so plan where to leave your bags.

Our limit: Deutsche Bahn shows sample trips starting in Berlin. Times in your direction, from Vienna, can differ, so use the bahn.de search for your date.

2. Zurich to Berlin: the easiest direct train

Zurich has the best choice of direct trains. The fastest direct ICE leaves Berlin Hbf at 06:43 and reaches Zürich HB at 15:00, a journey of 8 hours 17 minutes, from €89.99. Up to six direct trains a day run, with about 41 connections in all, according to the Zurich route page.

Trips with changes cost less but take far longer. One sample trip with four changes takes 14 hours 18 minutes, from €86.99. For a tiny saving, the direct train is the better pick.

3. Copenhagen to Berlin: seven hours with one change

Copenhagen to Berlin takes 7 hours and 4 minutes on the fastest trip, according to the Copenhagen route page. The sample trip leaves Berlin Hbf at 08:34 and reaches Copenhagen H at 15:38 with one change, from €105.99. It lists up to three direct trains a day and about 17 connections in all.

Only Brussels has a higher sample fare among the six routes. Book early if you can.

4. Warsaw to Berlin: the shortest ride, with a change

Warsaw to Berlin is the shortest trip of the six at 5 hours and 29 minutes. One sample leaves Berlin Hbf at 07:31 and reaches Warszawa Centralna at 13:00 with one change, from €48.99. Deutsche Bahn states plainly that there is no direct train on the Warsaw route page.

About 12 connections run a day in all, and some take 11 to 15 hours with many changes. Pick the one-change trip and avoid the long ones.

5. Budapest to Berlin: a 12-hour day

Budapest is the longest ride of the six. The fastest trip on the Budapest route page takes 12 hours and 7 minutes, leaving Berlin Hbf at 06:12 and reaching Budapest-Déli at 18:19 with two changes, from €55.99. The trains are RJX and R types.

Deutsche Bahn lists up to one direct connection a day, but none of its three sample trips is direct. Another sample trip takes 15 hours 42 minutes with four changes. If you want one clear day of travel, take the 12-hour trip.

6. Brussels to Berlin: no direct train, two changes

Brussels has no direct train to Berlin, as Deutsche Bahn states on the Brussels route page. The fastest listed trip takes 7 hours and 22 minutes. It leaves Berlin Hbf at 08:12, reaches Bruxelles-Central at 15:34 with two changes, and costs from €123.83.

About 34 connections run every day, all with at least one change. A later trip takes 9 hours 46 minutes and arrives the next morning.

How to choose your route and what to do when you arrive

Pick the route by the hours you can spare and the changes you can accept. This table repeats the fastest time on each Deutsche Bahn page.

Key Takeaway Only Zurich has a direct train among these six sample trips. Vienna has up to one direct train a day, but the fastest listed trip is 9 hours 14 minutes with one change.

Every route ends at the main station. The Berlin Hbf train station is on the U5 line, and the BVG U5 overview (BVG is Berlin's transit operator) lists the stops east from Hauptbahnhof as Bundestag, Brandenburger Tor, Unter den Linden, Museumsinsel, Rotes Rathaus and Alexanderplatz.

If you land early from the night train, leave your bags at your hotel and read where to stay in Berlin before you book the bed. A separate guide covers Prague to Berlin by train and bus.

After a long train day, keep the first outing short. You can see the centre alone with the U5 stops above, so book a tour only if you want a guide. A government district tour with the Reichstag is from €16 per person, lasts about 2.5 hours and has free cancellation, according to the listing. It meets at Paul-Löbe-Allee and Konrad-Adenauer-Straße, takes up to 30 people, and includes the sign-up for the free Reichstag dome visit. The trip to the meeting point is not included. A guided bike tour of the highlights is from €24 per person with free cancellation. It lasts 100 minutes to 3 hours, starts at Poststraße 11, takes up to 30 people and includes the bike, and it is not for people who cannot ride a bike. A one-hour Spree cruise on a heated panorama boat is from €18 per person with free cancellation, with commentary in English and German, live at weekends and recorded on weekdays. It leaves from the FLAGSHIP.BERLIN pier next to Berlin Cathedral and takes up to 70 people. Drinks and snacks cost extra, and the listing says it is not suitable for wheelchair users. The listings show no hotel pickup, so the booking page has the latest details. Prices and ratings are as checked on GetYourGuide on 28 October 2026.

Of the 352 Berlin experiences listed on GetYourGuide on 27 October 2026, 149 are guided tours, with a median from-price of €35 per person, according to The Best Travel Destinations' count.

A long journey feels shorter when the first thing waiting at the end of it is small.

For the full choice of ways to see the city, read about Berlin sightseeing attractions once you have slept.