Getting around · Hallstatt · Austria
Getting around Hallstatt
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: C.Stadler/Bwag, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Hallstatt is small and walkable, and its centre is closed to most traffic. Trains stop at Hallstatt station on the opposite shore, connected by a short ferry, while buses from Bad Ischl and Obertraun stop at Lahn. Not essential.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- SZG, LNZ, VIE
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- Salzkammergut Erlebnis-Card
Ways to get around
Walking
The village is about 1.5 km end to end, from Lahn to the northern viewpoint; lanes are steep in places and there are many steps.
Train
The Salzkammergut railway between Attnang-Puchheim and Stainach-Irdning stops at Hallstatt station and Obertraun, with connections to Bad Ischl, Linz and the Vienna–Salzburg line.
Hallstatt station is across the lake; check that the ferry connection runs for your train.
Ferry
A small passenger ferry crosses from Hallstatt station to the village in about 10 minutes, timed to meet trains.
Bus
Regional buses run from Bad Ischl via Bad Goisern to Hallstatt Lahn and on to Obertraun, with connections from Salzburg via Bad Ischl and to Gosau via Gosaumühle.
Car
Drivers use the car parks at the edge of the village and walk in; the centre is largely closed to traffic, and parking fills in summer.
Arrive before mid-morning in summer to find a space.
Cycling
Cycle paths run along the lake and the Traun valley, and e-bikes are available to rent in the region.
Tickets and passes
Salzkammergut Erlebnis-Card
A guest card offered by participating hosts with discounts on lifts, boats and attractions in the region; ask your accommodation.
From the airport
Salzburg Airport is about 75 km away; the drive takes roughly 1.5 hours, while public transport via Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, the bus to Bad Ischl and a connecting bus to Hallstatt takes around 2.5–3 hours. Linz and Vienna airports connect by train via Attnang-Puchheim.
Do you need a car?
Not essential. Trains and buses reach Hallstatt, Obertraun, Bad Ischl and Gosausee. A car makes it easier to combine the Salzkammergut lakes in one trip, but parking in Hallstatt fills up quickly.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Bad Ischl | About 30–40 minutes by bus or train | Regional bus from Lahn or train from Hallstatt station |
| Gosausee | About 40 minutes by bus | Bus via Gosaumühle, or car |
| St. Wolfgang and the Wolfgangsee | About 1 hour by car or bus | Car, or bus via Bad Ischl |
| Salzburg | About 1.5 hours by car, 2.5 by bus | Car, or bus via Bad Ischl |
| Gmunden and the Traunsee | About 1 hour by train | Salzkammergut railway via Bad Ischl |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Hallstatt?
Not essential. Trains and buses reach Hallstatt, Obertraun, Bad Ischl and Gosausee. A car makes it easier to combine the Salzkammergut lakes in one trip, but parking in Hallstatt fills up quickly.
+How do you get from the airport to Hallstatt?
Salzburg Airport is about 75 km away; the drive takes roughly 1.5 hours, while public transport via Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, the bus to Bad Ischl and a connecting bus to Hallstatt takes around 2.5–3 hours. Linz and Vienna airports connect by train via Attnang-Puchheim.
+What is the best way to get around Hallstatt?
Walking: The village is about 1.5 km end to end, from Lahn to the northern viewpoint; lanes are steep in places and there are many steps.