I was standing on a platform at Vienna Hauptbahnhof, sweating through my coat in December, watching the second half of a train slowly reverse into the station while we were at the wrong end of the train, Cheryl wrestled two suitcases and I had Daisy’s bag balanced on top of mine. The train was already two minutes late. The conductor was screaming at us to get on. And somewhere between the escalator incident where Daisy nearly strangled herself and the moment we realized we’d sat down in the wheelchair carriage, I thought to myself: this had better be worth it.
It was. OBB business class with a dog was, without question, the best train experience I have ever had. But getting there? That’s a story in itself.
We were spending Christmas in Vienna before heading to Seefeld in Tirol, and the train from Vienna to Innsbruck is about four hours. I knew we had three options when booking through the OBB website: economy, first class, and business class. When I looked at the interactive train map on the OBB website and compared what you get in each class, the difference was obvious. Business class is where the real comfort kicks in.
The upgrade from first class to business was only €15 each. We were already paying €138 per person for the first class ticket, plus €8.40 for Daisy. An extra €15 per person for what turned out to be a completely different experience? That’s a no-brainer. I hate recommending things like this because whenever a good thing gets popular, the space fills up and then you can’t get a booking. The business class carriage only has about 12 to 16 seats total, so it’s limited. But it’s too good not to share.
One thing worth knowing upfront: on OBB (officially ÖBB, the Austrian Federal Railways), business class is the top tier. It sits above first class, not below it like with airlines. So if you’re used to the system where first class is the best you can get, flip that around for Austrian trains. First class is honestly more like premium economy in airline terms. And economy? From what we could see, it didn’t even have assigned seating. People were sitting everywhere, in aisles, on the floor, on top of luggage. It looked like a festival bus. That alone should tell you why the upgrade is worth it.
How to Book OBB Business Class With Your Dog
We booked our tickets online through the OBB website weeks before we left for the trip. You select your train, choose first class, and then at checkout you’ll see the option to upgrade to business class for the extra €15 per person. It’s not a separate seat selection process. You just add the upgrade at the payment stage.
Now here’s my one warning about tickets. When I was booking, there was something about downloading tickets to your phone that meant they were tied to you in a way that felt restrictive. I can’t remember the exact rule, but it made me uneasy, so I chose to collect the tickets at the station instead. Learn from my mistake on that one, because collecting tickets at Vienna Hauptbahnhof added a whole layer of stress that I did not need.
For Daisy’s ticket, you just add a dog when booking. The €8.40 covers her for the journey. OBB does mention that dogs may need a muzzle, particularly larger dogs. As a small Shih Tzu, Daisy wasn’t asked for one and I didn’t have one with me (but I have her bag), but if you’re traveling with a bigger dog, bring a muzzle just in case. It’s better to have it and not need it than to be turned away at the door.
I also recommend downloading the OBB app once you arrive in Austria. We used it for buying local train tickets on the go during our stay, and it’s much easier than dealing with machines at stations. For the main route though, booking in advance online is the way to go because business class seats are limited and you want to lock yours down.
The Station Chaos You Should Avoid
Let me walk you through what happened to us so you can do the exact opposite.
We were staying at the Imperial Riding School Hotel Vienna and got an Uber Pet to the station. Now there’s a train line that runs right beside the hotel, and the Uber driver ended up on the wrong side of it. We had to wait about eight to ten minutes for him to come around and pick us up, which when you’re already watching the clock is not ideal. Vienna Hauptbahnhof is huge. I mean properly big. The kind of station where you can get lost even when you know where you’re going.
Cheryl stayed at the bottom of the platform escalator with Daisy and all our bags while I ran (literally!!) to find the ticket machines. I’d asked ChatGPT on the drive over where exactly in the station the collection machines were, and thank God I did, because they’re not where you’d expect. There’s an information desk near the entrance that looks like it could be the right place. It’s not. You need the red ticket machines, which were at the far end of the station, around a corner.
I got to the machine, entered my booking code, and it told me the code wasn’t valid. My heart dropped. After a few attempts it worked, but those were not pleasant seconds. Tickets in hand, I sprinted back to Cheryl and Daisy, and we headed up the escalator. That’s when Daisy’s bag tipped over, with her in it, on top of the suitcase that weighed 30kg. She nearly choked herself on the strap and fell out of the bag. I was holding the bag with my foot while trying to stay upright on the escalator, and it was one of those moments where you think, how is this my life right now? Now she travels in her sling in these situations.
We got to the platform and the train was there. But only half of it. Your ticket tells you which section of the platform to stand on, something like “9 AC” with letters indicating your position. I knew from checking the OBB train map online that business class was at the end of the train. So we walked to what we thought was the end. It was all economy. We walked to the other end. Also economy. Then the second half of the train pulled in and attached, and our business class carriage was at the far end of the new section, past the engine in the middle that you can’t walk through. This is 2 minutes before departure.
So we ran. With Daisy, with the suitcases, past the engine section, with the conductor shouting at us to get on. We jumped on at the nearest door, which landed us in the middle of economy. It was packed. People sitting in aisles, luggage everywhere. A lovely man helped us with our bags and we fought our way through until Cheryl found what she thought were our seats. We sat down, caught our breath, and after one stop, the regular travelers around us kindly informed us we were in the wrong carriage. We were in the section for wheelchairs and strollers. So we packed up again and finally, finally made it to our actual business class seats.
The moral of this entire saga: give yourself at least an hour at Vienna Hauptbahnhof before your train departs. Download your tickets to your phone if you can. Check which end of the platform your carriage is on. And know that the train may arrive in two parts, so your carriage might not be there yet when you get to the platform.
Inside OBB Business Class
Walking through the doors into the business class carriage felt like entering a different train entirely. The contrast with economy was almost funny given the chaos we’d just been through. It was spacious, clean, and quiet. The seats were arranged in pods of three or four, with some individual seats as well. Everything felt considered and calm. After the state Cheryl and I were in, red-faced and sweating from dragging bags and a dog through half the train, the business class carriage felt like arriving at a spa.
We shared our pod with a lovely man who travels the route regularly. He spotted Daisy and immediately asked how she was so well-behaved on trains. I had to laugh because Daisy was not always this way. That girl was in dog school twice a week when she was a puppy, and I cried actual tears over how badly behaved she was. She’s not your typical calm little Shih Tzu. She’s the other kind. If you watch Shih Tzu content on TikTok you know exactly what I mean. Getting her comfortable in her travel bag took months of practice. So when someone compliments how calm she is, I take that as a personal achievement.
The seats recline with a footrest that extends out, and each seat has a table for drinks and food. There are dedicated luggage brackets with plenty of space, so we didn’t have to worry about our bags taking up floor room. It was the kind of setup where you could actually relax and enjoy the four-hour journey rather than counting down the minutes.
Food and Drinks on Board
Here’s where I’ll be honest: the food was fine but not the highlight. I’d give it a 6 out of 10.
You have table service in business class, which means a dedicated attendant who comes to your pod, takes your order, brings your food, and settles the bill before you arrive at your station. It’s a proper sit-down service, more like what you’d get on a plane than a trolley rolling past.
Now I’ll be honest, after all the running around and the stress of boarding, I was still on fire. I was hot, I was flustered, and I needed a drink immediately. The business class attendant hadn’t come around yet, so instead of waiting, I walked up to the food cart in the first class carriage and got us two Cokes and two glasses of sparkling wine myself. The sparkling wine was complimentary, which was a lovely touch and exactly what we needed after the morning we’d had. Whether it was prosecco or champagne, I couldn’t tell you. They all taste the same to me. But it was cold and it was free, and that’s all that mattered.
Once we were settled, the business class attendant started doing the rounds. The guy would come to your pod, take your order, and check if you needed anything. Then he’d come back and settle the bill before your stop. They had a full traditional Austrian menu.
I ordered a pizza-style flatbread, which was decent but had a couple of ingredients I wasn’t keen on. Not bad, just not for me. Our timing didn’t help because we were traveling around nine in the morning, that awkward window where breakfast is over but you’re not ready for lunch. The adrenaline from the boarding disaster had killed our appetites anyway.
If I were doing this journey again, I’d either eat a proper breakfast before boarding or wait for a late lunch on the train when the menu might feel more appropriate. The table service itself is lovely and the complimentary drinks are a nice bonus, but don’t go into it expecting a fine dining experience. It’s solid train food with good service, and sometimes that’s enough.
Traveling With Your Dog in OBB Business Class
Dog-friendliness on OBB business class gets a 10 out of 10 from me, and I’ll explain why even though the staff on our particular train weren’t falling over themselves to say hello to Daisy.
The policy is straightforward. Dogs are welcome. You buy a dog ticket (€8.40 on our route), and there’s plenty of space in the business class pods for your dog to be comfortable. Daisy sat on my lap for some of the journey, in her bag on the seat for other parts, and on the floor when she wanted to stretch out. Nobody said a word. It was completely relaxed.
Now, the business class inspector on our train was not what I’d call a dog person. He wasn’t rude, he just wasn’t interested. Compare that to every other train we took during our trip around Innsbruck and Seefeld, where the inspectors would literally stop what they were doing to give Daisy kisses and cuddles. One of them made such a fuss that it held up the whole carriage, and nobody cared because everyone was smiling. Those local train rides were some of Daisy’s favourite moments of the trip. She absolutely loved the attention.
So while our business class inspector wasn’t handing out belly rubs, the overall experience was faultless. No one questioned Daisy’s presence, no one asked for a muzzle, and the space in business class meant she wasn’t crammed into a tiny gap between seats. For small dogs especially, the business class pods give your dog room to actually be comfortable rather than spending four hours wedged under a seat.
One thing I do want to flag for larger dogs: OBB’s policy mentions that muzzles may be required. I’d recommend checking the current rules on the OBB website before you travel, and bringing a muzzle even if you think your dog won’t need one. Better safe than sorry, especially on a four-hour journey.
The Innsbruck Connection
The main OBB train takes you to Innsbruck, and that’s where the business class experience ends. If you’re heading to Seefeld like we were, you change for a local train that takes about 30 minutes up into the mountains. There’s no business class option on the connection, it’s a standard local service.
The connection at Innsbruck was its own adventure. The platform numbering at the station made it look like our connecting train left from the same platform where we’d arrived. Something about the numbers just lined up in a way that seemed right. I wasn’t convinced though, so I took a photo of the ticket and sent it to ChatGPT. Good thing I did, because it spotted straight away that we actually needed a completely different platform on the other side of the station. So we grabbed everything, went downstairs, through the station where there were works going on, and found ourselves outside on another platform with minutes to spare.
If you’re familiar with the way I travel by now, you can guess what happened next. Cheryl ran with two suitcases, I had the big case with Daisy perched on top, and we made it on just as the doors closed. Bless her little face, Daisy just sat in her bag through all of it, completely unbothered.
This connecting train is basic. It’s a standard second class local service with fold-down seats and everyone piling in with their luggage. We were only on it for half an hour so it wasn’t a big deal, but it’s a very different vibe from the business class carriage. We took this same local train a few more times during our stay and it was always fine when we weren’t in a blind panic.
The one thing that made the connection worthwhile, beyond actually getting to our destination, was watching the scenery change. We’d left Vienna with no snow at all, and as the little train climbed into the Tyrolean mountains, it was like entering a different world. Snow everywhere, alpine forests, the works. It was the first real moment of the trip where I felt like the Christmas holiday had properly started.
How OBB Compares to Flying With Your Dog
I’ve flown with Daisy more times than I can count. I’ve reviewed airlines like KLM and Aegean Airlines on this site, and I can tell you that for comfort, the train wins easily. On a plane, Daisy has to stay in her carrier under the seat for the entire flight. On OBB business class, she was sitting on my lap, chilling in her bag on the seat, and moving around as she pleased. No turbulence, no ear pressure, no cramped legroom. For a four-hour journey, it’s a much more relaxed way to travel with your dog.
The booking process for the dog ticket is also simpler. No calling ahead, no separate pet booking forms, no worrying about how many other dogs are on the same flight. You just add the dog ticket at checkout and that’s it. And funny enough, when I was flying home from Munich after this trip, my flight got canceled and the rearranged flight was packed with dogs. It’s becoming a real issue on popular routes. On the train, you don’t have that problem.
The trade-off is time. A flight would be faster on paper. But when you factor in getting to the airport early, security, boarding, the actual flight, and then getting from the airport to your final destination, the train starts to look much more reasonable. Especially when you’re sitting in a reclining seat with table service and a glass of complimentary sparkling wine while your dog snoozes on your lap.
One thing to note: business class isn’t available on every OBB route. When I traveled from Seefeld to Munich, it was a standard train with no business class option. So check your specific route before getting your heart set on the upgrade.
If you’re planning a European trip with your dog and comparing flight options, have a look at our pet-friendly flight search engine to find the best airlines for your route. But for routes where OBB business class is an option, I’d pick it over flying every time.
Tips for Traveling OBB Business Class With Your Dog
Here’s everything I wish I’d known before our trip, so you can skip the drama and go straight to enjoying it.
Get to the station early. I cannot stress this enough. Give yourself at least an hour at Vienna Hauptbahnhof before your train departs. The station is massive, ticket collection takes time if you go that route, and platforms can be confusing. With a dog and luggage, everything takes twice as long.
Download your tickets to your phone. If you can avoid collecting physical tickets at the station, do it. The red ticket machines are not easy to find, and having a booking code that doesn’t scan on the first try is not the kind of excitement you want before a four-hour train ride.
Download the OBB app. You’ll use it throughout your trip for local trains and tickets. It’s much easier than figuring out station machines every time you need to go somewhere.
Check the train map before you travel. The OBB website has an interactive map showing where each class is positioned on the train. Business class is typically at one end. Know which end before you get to the platform, and stand under the right platform letter so you’re ready when the train arrives.
Know that the train may arrive in two parts. This caught us completely off guard. The first section of the train arrived and business class wasn’t on it. The second section attached a few minutes later, and our carriage was on the far side of the engine in the middle, which you can’t walk through. If you’re at the wrong end when this happens, you’ll be running.
Bring a muzzle if you have a larger dog. Even if you don’t think it will be needed, OBB’s policy mentions muzzle requirements for dogs. Small dogs like Daisy were fine without one, but it’s not worth the risk for bigger breeds.
Make sure your dog is settled before boarding. A four-hour train ride with a restless or hungry dog would be a very different experience. Daisy was calm and content throughout, but that came from months of carrier training and getting her used to long journeys. If your dog is new to travel, practice at home first.
Allow time for connections. If you’re connecting to a local train at Innsbruck or any other station, don’t assume the platforms are straightforward. Check your ticket carefully, ask station staff if you’re unsure, and give yourself as much buffer time as possible between trains.
If you’re looking for more tips on how to prepare your dog for travel, our guide to choosing the right airline-approved carrier covers the basics of carrier training and selection, and most of it applies to train travel too.
Quick Facts
- Route: Vienna Hauptbahnhof to Innsbruck (with connection to Seefeld)
- Travel Time: Approximately 4 hours to Innsbruck, plus 30 minutes to Seefeld
- Dog Ticket: €8.40
- First Class Ticket: €155 per person
- Business Class Upgrade: €15 per person
- Overall Rating: 10 out of 10
- Booking Process: 9 out of 10
- Food and Drinks: 6 out of 10
- Dog-Friendliness: 10 out of 10
- Value for Money: 10 out of 10
- Best For: Dog parents (or anyone) who want to travel in comfort without worrying about crowded carriages, limited space, or where their pup is going to sit
Final Verdict
OBB business class with Daisy was a 10 out of 10 experience and I would do it again without hesitating. The €15 upgrade from first class is the best money I’ve spent on any train journey. You get space, comfort, table service, complimentary sparkling wine, and a calm environment where your dog can actually relax instead of being wedged into a packed carriage.
The food is not going to blow your mind, coming in at a 6 out of 10, and our particular inspector wasn’t handing out any awards for friendliness. But the overall package is hard to beat. I’ve traveled with Daisy on planes, trains, boats, and everything in between, and this is right up there with the best.
Just do yourself a favour and learn from our mistakes. Get there early. Download your tickets. Know where your carriage is. And for the love of all that is good, don’t end up running the length of a platform with three suitcases and a Shih Tzu while a conductor screams at you to get on the train.
Pay the extra. Do the business class. You and your dog will thank me.
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