# Salzkammergut A region of lakes and mountains east of Salzburg, linked since prehistoric times to salt mining. Hallstatt and the Dachstein massif have been a World Heritage site since 1997. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/austria/upper-austria/salzkammergut · Revisado: 2026-11-12 ## How to get there from Spain Fly to Salzburg, or to Munich or Vienna and continue by train. From Salzburg, regional buses run to St. Wolfgang and Bad Ischl. For Hallstatt, the train on the Attnang-Puchheim to Stainach-Irdning line stops at Hallstatt station, on the opposite shore, and the Stefanie boat takes you across to the village with every train. ## Getting around between the lakes With a car it is easier to combine Hallstatt, Gosau and the Wolfgangsee in the same day. Without one it works just as well, with trains and regional buses, but you need to check timetables. Hallstatt has restricted access for cars and the car parks at the entrance fill up: arrive by train or very early. ## Where to sleep and eat To have Hallstatt without the crowds, sleep in the village: the Heritage.Hotel Hallstatt spreads its rooms across three old houses in the centre, with the main one on the boat quay. On the shore of the Gosausee, facing the Dachstein, the Gasthof Gosausee is a simple house with a restaurant (closed until 29 January 2027). On the Wolfgangsee, at the foot of the Schafberg, the Romantik Hotel Im Weissen Rössl has a heated pool above the lake. To eat in Hallstatt, the Seewirt Zauner, on the square, cooks lake fish (closed Sunday and Monday), and the Restaurant Seeauer, by the quay, is open every day. In Bad Ischl, the classic stop is the Konditorei Zauner, a pastry shop since 1832. ## Crowds and what to book Hallstatt receives a huge number of visitors in a tiny village. Sleep there or arrive before nine, and leave the centre by mid-morning for the mine or the Krippenstein. Buy the mine and the summer Dachstein combined tickets online; the rest on the day. ## Dónde está - Zonas: Alps - Cerca: Berchtesgaden (a 49.0 km · Germany), Salzburg (a 52.4 km), Hohe Tauern (a 84.3 km) ## Qué hacer - **Hallstatt salt mine, funicular and Skywalk** (3 h · Families with children from age 4 · Desde 49 € adult, with funicular): What it is Salzwelten Hallstatt is the visit to the Salzberg salt mine, above the village, which the company presents as the oldest in the world: salt has been extracted here for about 7,000 years. Hallstatt exists because of this salt, and in the high valley an Iron Age burial ground survives. You ride the Salzbergbahn funicular up to the Salzberg high valley, look out from the Skywalk, a balcony above the lake and the village rooftops, and enter the mountain with a guide: galleries, the miners' train, the miners' slides and an underground salt lake. The visit is designed for families, and children can enter from age 4. Timetable 2026–2027 The times are those of the last guided tour; the last funicular ascent is 50 minutes earlier. PeriodMine, last tourFunicular, last descent 2 November 2026 – 6 January 202714:5016:30 7 – 29 January 2027ClosedClosed 30 January – 19 March 202714:3016:30 20 March – 31 October 202716:3018:00 The mine opens at 9:30 and the funicular at 9:00. It is also closed on 24 and 31 December. Prices 2026 and 2027 AdultChild aged 4 to 15 Mine with return funicular€49€23 Funicular only, return€29€14 Mine only, walking up€33€16 Under-4s do not pay for the funicular. There is no family ticket. For groups of 20 or more, €47 per adult and one free for every 21. Buy online from the Salzwelten shop: in summer it is the way to avoid waiting. Getting there The funicular station is at Salzbergstraße 21, in Hallstatt. The mine has no parking of its own, and Salzwelten warns that by car it can take an hour or more to find a space in Hallstatt. Go by public transport: by train to Hallstatt station and by the Stefanie boat to the village, or by bus. If you prefer to walk, you can climb on foot from the village on a steep path and pay only for the mine, €33. How long Half a day: the ascent, the Skywalk, the walk to the high valley and the guided tour inside the mine. With the descent and a stop or two, about 3 hours. With children The slides and the miners' train are what children remember most. The minimum age is 4; those aged 4 to 15 pay €23 with the funicular. There is a free Spanish audioguide in the Salzwelten app. If you only want the view and are with small children, the funicular and the Skywalk are an outing in themselves. - **Krippenstein, the 5fingers viewing platform and the Dachstein Giant Ice Cave** (6 h · Families; the cave is suitable for children of any age): What it is The Krippenstein is a mountain in the Dachstein massif, above Obertraun, on the south shore of Lake Hallstatt. Its cable car, run by Dachstein Krippenstein, climbs in two stages and gives you a whole day with two very different plans: the Dachstein Giant Ice Cave, next to the intermediate station of Schönbergalm, and the 5fingers viewing platform, near the summit, a platform in the shape of an open hand jutting out over a 400 m drop, with Hallstatt and its lake in the distance. The Giant Ice Cave It can only be visited with a guide, on tours of 50 minutes. You climb stairs through a narrow passage, the "keyhole", to the level above. On the way you pass through King Arthur's Dome, where cave bear bones have been found; the ice palace and Parsifal's Dome; the "great ice mountain", a mass of more than 9 m; the Grail castle bell, which changes colour with the light; Tristan's Dome and the great ice chapel, and a 30 m chasm crossed by a suspension bridge. The ice is lit and accompanied by music. Registration is compulsory, including for those going independently: it is done at the cave ticket office in Schönbergalm, on a first-come basis. Only on a special tour, with a supplement, do you get a fixed time. The cave opened in 2026 from 1 May to 1 November and always closes in winter; the 2027 season has not yet been published. The 5fingers The platform has five "fingers" of about 4 × 1 m, each one different: one is all glass and another carries a large Baroque frame to frame Hallstatt, a World Heritage site. From the top station you get there in about 20 or 30 minutes on an easy trail. There is a camera that takes souvenir photos, which you collect at the Krippenstein station. Higher up, the Pioneers' Cross has another viewpoint, and above the Lodge am Krippenstein you can see the Dachstein glacier. Getting there The valley station is in Obertraun. In summer you can come from Hallstatt on the southern lake tour boat, which stops at Obertraun. Tickets are bought at the ticket office or in the Dachstein Salzkammergut online shop, with a reduced price online; the Dachstein Salzkammergut ticket includes six summer cable cars in the region. How long A whole day if you do both: cable car, the cave with the wait for your slot, the second stage, the walk to the 5fingers and the way back. Leave a margin to get back to the cable car. With children The company says the cave is suitable for all ages, and the path to the 5fingers is easy. Wrap little ones up well inside the cave, and keep an eye on them on the platform. - **Rack railway to the Schafberg from St. Wolfgang** (3 h · All ages; pushchairs not admitted · Return to the summit €61 adult and €18.40 child): What it is The SchafbergBahn is the rack railway that climbs from St. Wolfgang, on the shore of the Wolfgangsee, to the summit of the Schafberg, at 1,783 m. It has run since 1893 and its operator presents it as the steepest rack railway in Austria. The climb takes a little over 35 minutes, with a stop at the Schafbergalm (1,364 m) after 30 minutes and 4.2 km. At the top you have a 360-degree view over the mountains and, according to the operator, over 11 lakes of the Salzkammergut. It is run by the company 5 Schätze, which also operates the boats on the Wolfgangsee. Seasons Main season 2026: from 25 April to 1 November, to the summit. Closed: from 2 to 19 November 2026. Advent: from 20 November to 20 December 2026, Wednesday to Sunday, only as far as the Schafbergalm. Christmas and New Year: from 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, daily, only as far as the Schafbergalm. The dates for the 2027 summer season have not yet been published; in 2026 it began with spring trains on weekends in March and April. In high season trains leave every 20 minutes. Prices 2026 Up or downReturn Adult, to the summit€43€61 Child aged 4 to 14, to the summit€12.90€18.40 With the Salzkammergut Erlebnis-Card€40€58.20 Adult, to the Schafbergalm€30€50 Child, to the Schafbergalm€9€15 Dog (day ticket)—€7.50 Under-4s do not pay if they do not take a seat. The dog ticket is also valid on the Wolfgangsee boats. Until 31 October 2026, on Fridays from 13:30 children travelled free with an adult. Tickets and reservations You do not need to reserve a seat to go up; groups of 20 or more must book. The descent ticket carries a fixed time, which you choose when you buy it and can change at the machines at the upper station, the Schafbergspitze hotel or the Himmelspforte. From the Schafbergalm the descent is not reserved: you board according to the space available. You can buy online in the 5 Schätze shop; you see live departures and free seats. At the summit From the upper station (1,732 m), a well-prepared path climbs about 50 m to the Schafbergspitze hotel and the Himmelspforte, a former hut with a panoramic terrace serving simple food. If you like walking, you can climb on foot from the Schafbergalm to the summit. Bicycles are not allowed anywhere on the mountain. Getting there The lower station is in St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut, on the shore of the Wolfgangsee. You can get there by car or on the lake boats, run by the same company. With children, a pushchair and a dog Pushchairs cannot go on the train: they are left at the lower station. At the top the paths are steep and not accessible. Bring a baby carrier. Dogs travel muzzled and on a lead, or in a carrier, and with their own ticket except in a carrier. If the weather changes At the summit it is colder and windier than at the lake. If it is in cloud, you will not see the lakes: choose a clear day and bring an extra layer. Another Salzkammergut plan to combine is the Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl, Franz Joseph's summer home. - **Walk around Lake Gosausee with the Dachstein opposite** (1 h · 4.2 km · Everyone, pushchairs too · Independent · free): What it is The Vorderer Gosausee is a mountain lake at the end of the Gosau valley, at 940 m, with the bulk of the Dachstein and its glacier in the background. When the water is still, the glacier is reflected in the lake: it is one of the best-known views in the Salzkammergut. The walk around the lake is 4.2 km on an almost flat path, which the Dachstein Salzkammergut tourist office rates as very easy. It takes an hour without hurrying, is free and can be done with a pushchair and with a dog. The walk, step by step Start at the Gasthof Gosausee, at the end of the road, next to the car park. Along the left shore. The tourist office recommends starting on that side: that way you walk with the Dachstein in front of you. Under the cliffs. The path passes rock walls and goes through woodland, and reaches a meadow by the water, a good place to rest. The end of the lake. From there a forest track leads to the Hinterer Gosausee, the upper lake, if you want to extend the outing. To continue the loop, keep to the right. The return shore. Clear streams and springs; with luck you will see fire salamanders. You finish back at the Gasthof. When to go It can be done from May to October, depending on weather and snow. In winter it is not recommended: there is a risk of avalanches and rockfall, and the path is neither cleared nor secured. Early in the morning, without wind, is when the Dachstein's reflection is best seen and there are fewer people. Getting there and parking By car, from the Pass Gschütt junction continue about 7 km to the end of the road. The car park has 516 spaces, two for people with reduced mobility, seven for coaches and a paid electric charging point; the tariff is on the sign at the entrance. By bus, line 541 runs from Bad Ischl to Gosaumühle, and there the 542 goes up to the lake; the last stop is called Hintertal b. Gosau Gosaukammbahn. From Abtenau, the 470 to Gosau Abzw. Pass Gschütt and change to the 542. On Sundays the buses run on an irregular timetable: check it beforehand. With children, a pushchair and a dog It is a flat, short walk suitable for pushchairs. Dogs are welcome; keep yours on a lead where there are people. On the meadow along the way children can play by the water. Swimming The tourist office describes the meadow on the path as a place to rest and swim. It is a mountain lake, with cold water: go in gradually and keep an eye on children. Eating and facilities At the start is the Gasthof Gosausee, with food and drink. Beside the car park the Gosaukammbahn also leaves, the cable car that climbs the slope of the Gosaukamm; check its season if you want to combine it. If the weather changes In a storm, heavy rain or wind, stones and branches can fall: do not stop under the rock walls and respect any closures. In an emergency, the mountain rescue telephone number in Austria is 140. To round off the day From Gosau, you can combine the lake with the Hallstatt salt mine or with the Krippenstein cable car in Obertraun. - **Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl, the summer home of Franz Joseph and Sisi** (1 h 30 · Adults and teenagers · Park and villa €24; park only €6.70; under-7s free): What it is The Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl was the summer home of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria and Elisabeth, Sisi. Archduchess Sophie, the emperor's mother and Sisi's aunt, bought it and gave it to the couple as a wedding present, as their own residence in the family's summer resort. Between 1855 and 1858 the architect Antonio Legrenzi extended it to give it its E-shaped plan; after his death Franz Rauch finished it. Franz Joseph spent 82 summers here and celebrated 81 birthdays. From 1848 to 1914 the court moved to Ischl every summer, and from the mid-1850s the emperor governed the empire from his study in the villa. The guided tour goes through those rooms. Around it is the imperial park, and in it the Marmorschlössl, the little marble palace built for Sisi. What the visit includes The villa: it can only be seen on a guided tour of about 45 minutes. Guided tours in Spanish are for pre-booked groups only; if you go independently, you get a free audioguide in Spanish, and there are text sheets in almost every language. The imperial park: you can stroll round it on your own. The Marmorschlössl: separate or combined ticket. Opening hours The park and villa follow a calendar by month: May to September: every day, from 9:30 to 17:00, with continuous tours from 9:45 to 16:45. April and October: every day, from 10:00 to 16:00. November 2026: closed, except on the 28th and 29th, from 10:00 to 16:00. December 2026: Advent weekends, from 10:00 to 16:00, and from 26 December to 6 January, daily from 10:00 to 16:00 (on 1 January, from 11:00). February and March: open only some days of the week, with reduced hours from 11:00 to 15:00. The 2027 calendar has not yet been published: check the website. Prices 2026 Valid from 7 January 2026 to 6 January 2027. ParkPark and villaPark, villa and Marmorschlössl Adult€6.70€24€30 Concession€5.70€22€27 Child aged 7 to 17€5.10€10.30€13.30 Family (two parents and one child)€17€49.50€63.50 Under-7s do not pay. Each additional child on the family ticket costs €8.20 with the villa and €4.10 for the park only. The concession is for over-60s, students and people with disabilities, with proof. With the Salzkammergut Erlebnis-Card, park and villa cost €21 for adults. Getting there and parking From Bad Ischl train station, walk a few minutes down the Vogelhuberstraße, pass the Royal hotel and you reach the entrance to the imperial park. By car, the Kaiservilla car park is as you arrive in Ischl, about a 3-minute walk from the villa; a little further on is the Rechensteg one. Opposite the park entrance there is a bus stop. From the entrance, a path climbs to the villa in about 3 minutes. How long An hour and a half: 45 minutes of guided tour, the wait for the next slot and a stroll in the park. With the Marmorschlössl, add another half hour. Who it is for It is a visit for anyone interested in Habsburg history and in Sisi. With small children it feels long, because the guided tour is continuous; under-7s get in free and the park gives them room to run. To round off the day in the Salzkammergut, take the rack railway up the Schafberg, from St. Wolfgang, or go down to Hallstatt for the salt mine. - **Stefanie boat from the station to Hallstatt and the southern lake tour** (1 h · All ages · €4 per journey; southern tour, €18; cash only): What it is Hallstatt's train station is not in the village but on the opposite shore of Lake Hallstättersee. To cross, there is the Stefanie boat of the Hallstättersee Schifffahrt: it runs every day of the year, drops you at the Hallstatt Markt quay in the centre in about 7 minutes, and is the way to arrive with the classic view of the village, its houses and the bell tower above the water. It works as a rail link: its times are planned to coincide with trains on the Salzkammergut line. In summer, the same company also runs the southern lake tour, a longer crossing that calls at Lahn and Obertraun. The station boat The 2026 timetable, valid from 14 December 2025 to 13 December 2026, runs like this: From Hallstatt to the station: a boat every 30 to 60 minutes, roughly, from early morning until the afternoon, connecting with trains towards Bad Ischl, Attnang-Puchheim and Salzburg and towards Bad Aussee and Stainach-Irdning. From the station to Hallstatt: boats throughout the day; the last leaves at 18:30. The earliest departures, before about 10:00, run on school days only. If the train is late, the boat may wait or change its time. Check the PDF timetable for the boat that matches your train, especially for the last one of the day. The southern lake tour From May to September, the Hallstatt boat does the Rundfahrt Süd: Hallstatt Markt, Lahn, Obertraun and back via the suspension bridge stop. It leaves Hallstatt Markt at 11:00, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00, and in July and August also at 16:00. You can get off at Obertraun to take the cable car to the Krippenstein. In bad weather, departures may be cancelled. Prices Valid from 1 January 2025, and cash only: you cannot pay by card. JourneyPrice Hallstatt Markt – station, single€4 Return€8 Bicycle, per journey€4 Full southern tour€18 Hallstatt – Obertraun€12 Bicycle on the southern tour€9 Children up to 4 years old without their own seat travel free (one per adult), and under-14s get a discount on the southern tour. Dogs pay a fare and must be muzzled and on a lead. The ticket is valid only on the day of purchase. How to get to the station Hallstatt station is on the Salzkammergut railway line, with trains towards Bad Ischl, Attnang-Puchheim and Salzburg in one direction, and towards Bad Aussee and Stainach-Irdning in the other. If you reach the village by car, you do not need the boat. If you are going to the salt mine, which has no parking, the train and boat save you looking for a space. Accessibility, bicycles and children The Stefanie, with 150 seats, is wheelchair accessible; the Hallstatt, which does the southern tour, also admits wheelchairs, is heated and has drinks on board. With a bicycle, the station boat drops you on the path along the east shore. With children it is a short, comfortable crossing. ## Dónde comer - **Seewirt Zauner** (Restaurant, Hallstatt, €€€). Qué pedir: the grilled Reinanke with parsley potatoes, the dish the house recommends. - **Konditorei Zauner** (Café, Bad Ischl, €€). Qué pedir: a slice of Zaunerstollen or one of the buffet cakes with a Melange. - **Restaurant Seeauer** (Restaurant, Hallstatt, €€€). Qué pedir: the fish from the nearby lakes, which the house suggests as its speciality. ## As a family: Salt, ice and lakes for all ages The Salzkammergut has plans for every age within a short distance: a mine with slides, an ice cave, boats and flat walks beside the water. ### What works best The Hallstatt salt mine, with funicular and slides, from age 4 The Krippenstein: ice cave and the easy walk to the 5fingers The Schafberg rack railway ### Where to sleep Obertraun, beside the cable car and quieter than Hallstatt St. Wolfgang or Bad Ischl, for the Wolfgangsee side ### Where to eat A picnic on the shore of the Gosausee Restaurants with lakeside terraces in Hallstatt and St. Wolfgang ### Bear in mind Pushchairs are not allowed on the Schafberg Bring a coat for the mine and the cave, even in summer The Hallstatt boat accepts cash only ### Qué hacer as a family - Hallstatt salt mine, funicular and Skywalk - Krippenstein, the 5fingers viewing platform and the Dachstein Giant Ice Cave - Rack railway to the Schafberg from St. Wolfgang - Walk around Lake Gosausee with the Dachstein opposite - Stefanie boat from the station to Hallstatt and the southern lake tour ## With young children: With little ones among the lakes With children under six, the Salzkammergut is best enjoyed in short stretches: a boat, a flat walk, a visit that does not last more than an hour. ### What works best The walk around the Gosausee, flat and suitable for pushchairs The Stefanie boat to Hallstatt, ten minutes over the lake The Dachstein ice cave, which the company considers suitable for any age ### Where to sleep Apartments in Obertraun or Gosau, with space and parking Bad Ischl, with more services ### Where to eat The Gasthof Gosausee, at the start and end of the walk Village bakeries for a picnic ### Bear in mind The salt mine does not admit under-4s It is –2 °C in the cave: winter clothes for them ### Qué hacer with young children - Hallstatt salt mine, funicular and Skywalk - Krippenstein, the 5fingers viewing platform and the Dachstein Giant Ice Cave - Walk around Lake Gosausee with the Dachstein opposite - Stefanie boat from the station to Hallstatt and the southern lake tour ## With teenagers: Miners' slides and viewpoints over the void Teenagers get hooked on anything with a touch of adventure: sliding down the mine's slides, leaning out over the 5fingers or going into a frozen cave. ### What works best The Hallstatt salt mine and its slides The 5fingers and the ice cave on the Krippenstein The Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl, if they are interested in Sisi's story ### Where to sleep Hallstatt or Obertraun, to get around on foot and by boat Bad Ischl, with more atmosphere in the evening ### Where to eat Sandwiches for the Krippenstein day A Kaiserschmarrn at any mountain hut ### Bear in mind The Schafberg train only reaches the summit from late April to early November Check the webcam before going up to the 5fingers ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Hallstatt salt mine, funicular and Skywalk - Krippenstein, the 5fingers viewing platform and the Dachstein Giant Ice Cave - Rack railway to the Schafberg from St. Wolfgang - Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl, the summer home of Franz Joseph and Sisi ## Consejos ### Arrive in Hallstatt by boat From the station, the Stefanie crosses with every train for €4. It is the best first view of the village. ### Do the mine and the cave on different days Both take a long half day and both are cold. ### Carry cash The Hallstatt boat does not accept cards. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How many days do you need? Three: one for Hallstatt and the mine, another for the Krippenstein and another for the Wolfgangsee and the Schafberg. ### Can you go without a car? Yes. Hallstatt has a train station and a boat; St. Wolfgang and Bad Ischl have buses from Salzburg. ### Is it a good destination with children? Yes. The mine admits children from 4 years old, the ice cave is suitable for any age and the walk around the Gosausee can be done with a pushchair. ### When do the attractions close? The ice cave closes in winter; the mine, from 7 to 29 January 2027; the Schafberg railway only reaches the summit from late April to early November.