search
Search
Close

Salzkammergut: Alpine jewel between Salzburg and Upper Austria

The Salzkammergut is an Austrian cultural and tourist region. It lies not far from Salzburg on the northern edge of the Alps and stretches across the three federal states of Salzburg, Styria and Upper Austria. Breathtaking mountain landscapes and one of the most beautiful lake regions in Austria await you on 2380 km2.

The Salzkammergut is easily accessible both by car and by public transport.

 

Your journey to the Salzkammergut

By public transport to the Salzkammergut

The Austrian Westbahn railway line runs past the northern part of the Salzkammergut. From there you can reach various places in the Salzkammergut on numerous railway lines:

  • Salzkammergut railway: Stainach-Irdning - Attnang-Puchheim
  • Attersee railway: Vöcklamarkt - Attersee am Attersee
  • Traunseetram: Gmunden - Vorchdorf
  • Kammerer railway: Vöcklabruck - Kammer-Schörfling
  • Almtal railway: Wels - Sattledt - Grünau im Almtal

Coming from Salzburg:

  • Bus route 150: Direction Bad Ischl, past Fuschlsee (journey time approx. 40 min.), Strobl (approx. 1 hour) and Wolfgangsee (approx. 1:30-1:40 hours, change in Strobl to bus route 546).
  • Bus route 140: Direction Mondsee (journey time approx. 1 hour, express routes via the motorway are faster).
  • Bus route 470: From Golling/Abtenau railway station to Gosau (journey time approx. 47 min.).

Coming from Vienna/Linz:

  • From Attnang-Puchheim railway station, take the train in the direction of Gmunden (journey time approx. 15 min.), continue to Ebensee (approx. 38 min.), Bad Ischl (approx. 50-60 min.), Bad Goisern (approx. 1 hr. 5 min.) and Obertraun (approx. 1:20 hr.).
  • From Vöcklabruck railway station to the Kammer/Attersee-Schörfling stop (journey time approx. 15 min.).
  • From Vöcklamarkt railway station to Attersee am Attersee (journey time approx. 23 min.).
  • From Oberhofen-Zell am Moos railway station, take bus no. 595 in the direction of Mondsee (journey time approx. 24 min.).
  • From Wels railway station to Grünau im Almtal (journey time approx. 1:05 hours).

Coming from Graz:

  • From Stainach-Irdning railway station to Obertraun (journey time approx. 48 mins.) and continue along the Salzkammergut railway: Bad Goisern (approx. 1:02 hrs.), Bad Ischl (approx. 1:12 hrs.), Ebensee (approx. 1:31 hrs.), Gmunden (approx. 1:55 hrs.).

By plane

The nearest airports are:  Salzburg, Linz, Graz, Vienna and Munich.

By car

coming from Salzburg: motorway A1, take the exit "Thalgau", continue on the L103 in the direction of Hof bei Salzburg

coming from Vienna, Graz: motorway A2 and S6 until St. Michael, continue on the motorway A9, take the exit "Liezen", continue on the B320 until Trautenfels, at the junction keep right onto the B145

coming from Vienna, Linz: motorway A1, take teh exit "Regau",  continue in the direction of Gmunden

coming from Carinthia: motorway  A10, take the exit "Eben", continue on the B99 in the direction of Hüttau, past St. Martin am Tennengebirge to Rußbach and Gosau

With the Freizeit-Ticket OÖ to the Salzkammergut

You can travel to the Salzkammergut in comfort with the Freizeit-Ticket OÖ. The ticket is valid throughout Upper Austria and the Salzkammergut region, which spans several federal states. For 24.90 euros per day, valid until 3 am the following day, you can use this ticket alone, as a couple or with your whole family (two adults and four children under 15). Valid on city transport, regional buses, Stern & Hafferl local trains, ÖBB local and regional trains. Not valid on long-distance trains.

Information about the Freizeit-Ticket OÖ

FAQ - Your journey to the Salzkammergut

There are various means of public transport available for travelling to the Salzkammergut. You can travel by train, for example via the Salzkammergut-Bahn, the Atterseebahn or the Traunseetram. There are also numerous bus connections that provide good access to the region. The nearest airports are in Salzburg, Linz, Graz, Vienna and Munich, from where you can also continue your journey by public transport.

There is a direct train connection from Vienna to Bad Ischl. This connection does not run daily, mostly from Wednesday to Sunday and only once a day. From Vienna to the Salzkammergut in the morning and back again in the evening.

The exact journey times depend on the respective connection. The routes shown here are the fastest connections to the respective locations.

From Vienna Airport to

  • Attersee am Attersee - 3:50 h
  • Bad Goisern - 3:40-4 h
  • Bad Ischl - 3:30 h
  • Fuschl am See - 4 h
  • Gmunden - 2:50 h
  • Mondsee - 4:04 h
  • St. Wolfgang - 4:05 h

From Munich Airport to

  • Attersee am Attersee - 4 h
  • Bad Goisern - 4:40 h
  • Bad Ischl - 4 h
  • Fuschl am See - 3:10 h
  • Gmunden - 4 h
  • Mondsee - 3:16 h
  • St. Wolfgang - 3:51 h

The closest airports to the Salzkammergut are in Salzburg, Linz, Graz, Vienna and Munich.

Yes, there are shuttle services that take travellers from Salzburg Airport to the Salzkammergut. These shuttles offer a convenient way to get directly from the airport to your accommodation or a desired destination in the region. It is advisable to book in advance to ensure that a seat is available. In addition, private transfer services or car hire can also be a flexible alternative for travelling to the Salzkammergut.

The A1 Westautobahn motorway runs along the northern edge of the Salzkammergut. The following exits will take you to the Salzkammergut: Vorchdorf, Laakrichen, Schörfling, Seewalchen, St. Georgen, Oberwang, Mondsee and Thalgau. Further information on travelling by car can be found under "By car".

Yes, there are numerous parking options for travellers coming to the Salzkammergut by car. Many of these car parks are subject to charges, especially near popular sights and in town centres. It is advisable to check in advance whether your accommodation offers parking spaces or whether there are public car parks nearby.

There are numerous points of sale for the Freizeit-Ticket OÖ, including the following online applications: OÖVV Ticket App, OÖVV Ticket Shop, ÖBB Ticket Shop, ÖBB Tickets App, LinzMobil App
as well as the following physical points of sale: ÖBB ticket machine, Stern & Hafferl ticket machine, ÖBB ticket counter, Wels Linien ticket machine, LINZ AG LINIEN ticket machine, OÖVV regional bus, Stern & Hafferl customer centre.

 

Most of the sights in the Salzkammergut can be easily reached by public transport.

Yes, there are special tickets for tourists who want to spend several days in the Salzkammergut: The Freizeit-Ticket OÖ. It is available for 24.90 euros per day and is valid until 3 am the following day. The ticket can be used by individuals, couples or families (two adults and up to four children under the age of 15).

The connections between the various regions in the Salzkammergut are good. If you are travelling by public transport, you should definitely allow more time. Frequency for some routes is rather low

Not all public transport in the Salzkammergut is barrier-free. Most buses have steps and no barrier-free access. The situation is different with trains, the new trains are barrier-free, the older ones also have steps. To check whether a train is barrier-free, you should look in the connection details to see whether it is a low-floor vehicle.

With the ÖBB Scotty app you can call up the latest information and delays.

Bicycles may be taken on board trains. You will need a bicycle ticket for this. An additional reservation is required for long-distance trains. Bicycles are generally not permitted on buses. However, this varies from bus driver to bus driver.

Yes, there are seasonal differences in the transport connections in the Salzkammergut. In the summer months, when the region is particularly busy, the frequency of connections is higher. Whereas in winter and the off-season, some connections may run less frequently or even be cancelled altogether.

If you are travelling by public transport, it is best to use the ÖBB Scotty app or the ÖBB website. If you are travelling by car, use a familiar navigation system such as Google maps.

You can find out about the latest traffic reports on the ÖAMTC website.

Yes, there are special tickets for tourists who want to spend several days in the Salzkammergut: The Freizeit-Ticket OÖ. It is available for 24.90 euros per day and is valid until 3 am the following day. The ticket can be used by individuals, couples or families (two adults and up to four children under the age of 15).

The best time to avoid traffic jams in the Salzkammergut is outside the peak season, which is in the summer months of July and August. Long weekends and public holidays can also see increased traffic volumes. If possible, plan your journey on a weekday and outside the typical peak times. The weather can also play a role, especially on warm summer days day trippers like to visit the Salzkammergut.

Use the online booking platforms and filter your search accordingly. If you have already decided on a region, find out more on the region pages. Take a look at the map of the region and, if in doubt, contact the tourist board or accommodation provider.