Getting There -- Wels sits astride the main rail line connecting Salzburg with Linz and Vienna's Westbahnhof (West Railway Station). From both directions, at least three trains per hour pull into Wels, many of them express. The trip from Vienna takes about 2 hours; from Salzburg, about 1 hour; and from Linz, only 15 minutes. For rail information, contact tel. 05/1717 (www.oebb.at).
Because of the frequency of trains, few local residents would consider taking the bus from most other large cities in Austria. Wels is, however, the point of origin of many bus lines heading into the surrounding hills and valleys. There's also bus service from Linz's main railway station to Wels around four times a day. Compared to the train, the trip is slow, taking about 50 minutes.
If you're driving from Linz, head southwest on Autobahn A-1 and cut west onto Autobahn A-25 for the final run to Wels. From Salzburg, head east on Autobahn A-1 before turning north on Route 138.
Visitor Information -- The tourist office, Kaiser-Josef-Platz 22 (tel. 07242/43495; www.austria-trips.com/wels/wels.htm), is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
