Venice is the natural southern endpoint of Austria’s two main alpine rail corridors: the Brenner route from Innsbruck (about 5.5 hours via Verona) and the Tarvisio route from Villach (about 4 hours via Udine). The Nightjet overnight train from Vienna and Innsbruck to Venice Santa Lucia is practical and worth booking for the arrival experience. Venice was Habsburg (Austrian) territory from 1798 to 1866 and the Austrian period included the railway causeway of 1846 that made the city accessible by train from Vienna. Plan 2-3 nights minimum; October to April has significantly fewer crowds than summer. The journey itself, through the Alps and down into the Veneto, is part of the experience.
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Venice
Venice is not a day trip from Austria, but it is the natural end point of the Brenner corridor from Innsbruck or the Tarvisio corridor from Villach and Klagenfurt. From Innsbruck via the Brenner and Verona, the train takes about 5.5 hours. From Villach via Tarvisio and Udine, it is about 4 hours.