Hallstatt, Austria is one of those idyllic, fairytale towns that are perfect for a day trip from Salzburg. Salzburg is the perfect base to do a day trip from, as it is only about 44 miles (71km) to Hallstatt!
Hallstatt, a UNESCO Heritage site, is located on the western shore of Hallstätter See in Austria’s Salzkammergut region.
Until the 19th century, they say that you couldn’t reach the town other than by boat or trails that run above the town in the mountains. Today, you can not drive IN the town, but you can drive through a tunnel behind the town and come out on the other side where you can find parking and walk into town.
The average high temperature in Hallstatt winter is 3°C (37.4 °F) and the average lowest temperature is -3 °C (26.6 °F).
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Trip Summary
CITIES: Hallstatt
TRIP COST: ~Approx. $146.83 or ~$73/per person
*incl. transport, food, entrance fees
Breakdown of your Hallstatt itinerary
- Morning: Arrive in Hallstatt & Tour Salzwelten
- Afternoon: Walk Around Hallstatt & Have Lunch
- Evening: Leaving Hallstatt
How To Get From Vienna to Hallstatt
Salzburg to Hallstatt by train
The price of a one-way ticket from Salzburg to Hallstatt can vary from €11 to €28, depending on the season. Also, depending on the time you select, the ride can take 2 hours 15 minutes to 2.5 hours. And it may require one transfer at Attnang-Puchheim station. You can check all the available options, visit the Rail Europe site.
Take the ferry into Hallstatt
Once you arrive at the Hallstatt train station, you’re actually on the opposite side of the lake. To get to the village, you will need to take the ferry. The boat departs every 30 minutes and usually timed to coincide with the train. Hallstatt Boat Station is only a few feet away from the train station, and you can buy the ferry ticket then and there. You can check the boat schedule here.
Take the bus into Hallstatt
The ferry was closed when we visited, so the train attendee told us to get off at Steeg-Gosau Bahnhof. From there, we got on the bus 542 that took us to Hallstatt Gosaumühle. Then we had to switch to bus 543 that took us to the Hallstatt Lahn (Seelände) bus stop. When we left town we jumped on 542 or 543 at the Hallstatt Nord bus stop. The total time on the buses were about 16 minutes each way. The total cost of the bus trip is €3.70 each way.
Two trains and two busses and we finally made it to Hallstatt a little before 9 a.m.!
Total travel costs: $31.83
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Tour Salzwelten
Salzwelten is the oldest salt mine in the world (over 7,000 years) and an UNESCO World Heritage site.
Just like the Fortress Hohensalzburg *link to Salzburg, the tour includes a 360-meter ride up the mine on the panorama Salzbergbahn funicular railway up the mountain mine. Tour the mountain mine donning protective gear and ride two long slides inside.
The guided tour in the salt mine begins and you’ll be met with 2 long miners’ slides, a subterranean salt lake and, finally, a ride on the mine train. At 400 meters below ground, you will also be able to see the oldest wooden staircase in Europe!
Learn more about Salzwelten: Hallstatt Salt Mine Tour Guided.
Salzwelten Important Information:
- Children are allowed to visit the salt mines from the age of 4 years
- Audio guides are available at the ticket window for a small fee or download the Salzwelten App for free
- Hours: 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Address: Salzbergstraße 21 4830 Hallstatt
- Duration of the mine tour: around 90 minutes
- Our costs: $89.79
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Hallstatt Skywalk “Welterbeblick”
Once you get to the top, a panoramic bridge will lead you to the Rudolf’s Tower and a 12-meters-long lookout platform, the Hallstatt Skywalk, extending out over Hallstätter See. Take gorgeous panoramic views of the Lake via the Skywalk. Lovely view of the whole lake! Beside the sky walk is a restaurant with open air dining.
Other things to do in Hallstatt
- Dachstein Ice Cave (Dachsteinhöhlen) – Winkl 34 4831 Obertraun am Hallstatt
One of the largest ice caves in the world and only open during the summers, you can view the official schedule on their website. Only open in summers.
- Hallstatt Ossuary – 4830 Hallstatt
This beautiful church sits above the town and commands wonderful views of the lake and the mountains. There is a graveyard, with carved wooden crosses above small graves. Behind the graveyard sits a charnel house or ossuary.
- Museum Hallstatt – Seestraße 56, 4830 Hallstatt
This small museum right in the centre, you can’t really miss its doorway, and see exhibits and facts about Hallstatt and its salt mining etc. - Waldbachstrub Waterfall – Echerntalweg 14, 4830 Hallstatt
We didn’t hike to the waterfall but could see it in the mountains from the town centre. This is a very beautiful waterfall set against a very scenic backdrop in an absolutely beautiful town.
For more check out the Hallstatt website!
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Afternoon: Walk Around Hallstatt & Have Lunch
We walked to the Panoramablick Hallstättersee 4830 Hallstatt to get some gorgeous views of the town. Then we proceeded to walk north through the town.
Honestly, the best thing to do in Hallstatt is to walk around and explore its small alleys and soak in the stunning views.
Visit Central Square Marktplatz
The historic Marktplatz, or market square, is the center of this town. You’ll find mostly restaurants, cafes, hotels, and souvenir shops here. It is almost car-free zone – there were a few that were coming in an out of the square.
Lunch at Marktbeisl Zur Ruth
We grabbed lunch next to the fountain at Marktbeisl Zur Ruth. We split a pizza to keep us content, but not full. They had a restroom for us to use so we didn’t need to pay for a public bathroom.
- Address: Marktpl. 59, 4830 Hallstatt
- Our Costs: $25.21
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Other Restaurants in Hallstatt
- Seewirt Zauner Hotel Restaurant – Marktpl. 51, 4830 Hallstatt
- Bräugasthof – Seestraße 120, 4830 Hallstatt
- Rudolfsturm – Salzberg 1, 4830 Hallstatt, Austria
- Café Derbl – Marktpl. 61, 4830 Hallstatt
Evening: Leaving Hallstatt
We walked to the bus stop on the north side of the town. I love the sign for leaving Hallstatt. I snapped this gorgeous picture below while we were walking.
Google Map for your Hallstatt itinerary
Below you can find a customized map that includes all the locations you’re going to visit on this Hallstatt itinerary.
If you open up this post on your phone and you click on the bracket in the upper right corner of the map, it will open up in your Google Maps app so you can always have it with you. It’s super convenient.
Click to view the full interactive map!
Tips for Visiting Hallstatt
- Public toilets: There are public toilets just behind the Pfarrkirche Mariä Himmelfahrt (be sure to have some coins with you!) They are also some on your right on a little side street off the main pedestrian road just after the market square (direction tourist information office). Keep your €0,50 coins for the public toilets in the historic centre.
- Wi-Fi: There is a wi-fi hotspot on the market square.
- Money: Make sure you have enough cash on you because many restaurants and shops don’t accept credit or debit cards.
Is Hallstatt worth a day trip?
One of the best aspects of Hallstatt is how small and quaint the town is. That means, with only one day in Hallstatt, you’ll be able to see it all! By the time we arrived, we only had half a day in the town but were still able to see everything we wanted to and more!
Looking to stay in Hallstatt? Hotel Recommendations
Luxury: Heritage Hotel Hallstatt
Mid-Budget: Seehotel Grüner Baum
Budget: Gasthof Simony Hallstatt B&B
Activities to do in Hallstatt
Final Thoughts
We did not need more than 4 hours to see the whole town
I hope that you’ve got the information you needed to make your day trip from Salzburg to Hallstatt a wonderful success!
If you have any questions about visiting Hallstatt, please feel free to reach out. You can email me, direct message via social media, or drop a comment below. If you’ve already visited, let me know what you thought and if there’s anything else you’d like to recommend!
XOXO,
Katie
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