Public Transportation to Hallstatt
By Train or Bus from Salzburg and Vienna to the UNESCO-Listed Town
Jun 17, 2008
Hallstatt is a small village beautifully squeezed in between the picturesque Hallstätter See Lake and the Dachstein Mountains in the Salzburger Land region of Austria. The town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list for the prehistoric Hallstatt civilization as well as the salt mines that brought prosperity to the Salzkammergut area for centuries. However, many visitors simply come to enjoy its beautiful location.
- Hallstatt is easiest reached by private car but public transportation is also convenient. As Hallstatt is on small country roads and minor railway sidelines, transportation can be somewhat slow at times with traveling times from Salzburg generally around two hours and from Vienna four hours.
Train Station and Bus Stops in Hallstatt, Austria
Hallstatt train station is on the east bank of the Hallstätter See Lake while the village is on the west bank. Ferries, coordinated with train departure and arrival times, take around six minutes from the station to the village center.
- Groups of between two and five traveling together enjoy great savings if using the Einfach-Raus-Ticket that allows for unlimited travel on regional trains.
Buses passing through Hallstatt usually stop at the Parkterrasse, which is at the parking lot in the tunnel passing through the mountains behind the village. This stop is above the village with staircases and steep roads leading down to the center and lakefront.
By Bus or Train from Salzburg to Hallstatt
Hallstatt is a great day trip from Salzburg although the area is so lovely that few visitors would regret staying longer. Hotels in the countryside can also be much cheaper than in the very popular Mozart city.
Public transportation from Salzburg to Hallstatt always requires at least one transfer. It is possible to go by train or bus and train combinations. Around 20 connections per day are available but the more complicated connections are best avoided. The last sensible connection back to Salzburg leaves Hallstatt daily just after 6 pm.
- Salzburg to Hallstatt by Train
Trains are generally the easiest but not necessarily fastest way to travel between Salzburg and Hallstatt. Take the train from Salzburg to Attnang-Puchheim and change to the local, slow train to Hallstatt. Total journey times are generally 2h40 but can range from 2h18 to over three hours.
- Salzburg to Hallstatt by Bus and Train
Bus and train combinations are also a good way to travel between Salzburg and Hallstatt. The fastest journey takes 1h46 but involves four bus changes and a train!
A sensible bus-train combination is to take bus 150 from Salzburg to Bad Ischl and continue from there by train to Hallstatt. Total journey times range from 2h08 to 2h40. For the return journey, i.e. Hallstatt to Salzburg, the bus and train times usually do not coordinate well making train rides via Attnang-Puchheim more logical.
By Train from Vienna to Hallstatt
Around 15 train connections per day are available between Vienna and Hallstatt.
- One direct train per day connects Wien Westbahnhof (Vienna West Station) and Hallstatt in 3h46.
- Other trains require connections, usually in Attnang-Puchheim, with journey times ranging from 3h41 to 4h35 but usually just over four hours.
- More complicated routings are also available from Wien Südbahnhof (Vienna South Station) but are slower and generally requires two transfers.
The last sensible train from Vienna to Hallstatt leaves Wien Westbahnhof at 2:44 pm and in the reverse direction leaves Hallstatt just after 6 pm.
- Driving to Hallstatt is a very pleasant option as it is faster allowing for an easy day trip from Salzburg or more stops en route to Vienna such as Kloster Melk and the Wachau region of the Danube Valley. The closest airport to Hallstatt is Salzburg’s Mozart Airport (SZG) with many cheap flights to European destinations.
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