7 best day trips from Salzburg

Day trips compared

The day trips

75 km · About 2–2.5 hours by bus or train and ferry

1.Hallstatt

The lakeside village of Hallstatt, with its church spire and houses stacked against the mountain, is a UNESCO site at the heart of the Salzkammergut. Above it, the world's oldest known salt mine can be visited by funicular.

Getting there

Bus via Bad Ischl, or train via Attnang-Puchheim and the ferry across the lake

Best for

First-timers, Couples

30 km · About 45–60 minutes by bus

2.Berchtesgaden and Königssee

Across the border in Bavaria, Berchtesgaden has a salt mine with underground slides, and the emerald Königssee lake is explored by quiet electric boats to the onion-domed church of St. Bartholomä. The Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle's Nest) is reached by special buses in summer.

Getting there

Regional bus 840 from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof

Best for

Families, Couples, Culture

40 km · About 40 minutes by train, then shuttle bus

3.Werfen: Eisriesenwelt and Hohenwerfen

The Eisriesenwelt is the largest ice cave in the world, with ice formations lit by carbide lamps on guided tours; it opens from spring to autumn and needs warm clothes. Hohenwerfen Castle, with falconry shows, sits on a rock above the valley.

Getting there

Train to Werfen, then shuttle and cable car to the cave

Best for

Families, Culture

15 km · About 25 minutes by S-Bahn, then bus

4.Hallein Salt Mine

Miners' overalls, a mine train, wooden slides and a raft across an underground salt lake make this salt mine tour popular with families; the Celtic museum in Hallein's old town adds context.

Getting there

S-Bahn to Hallein, then bus to Bad Dürrnberg

Best for

Families, Culture

50 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by bus

5.St. Wolfgang and Lake Wolfgang

Lake Wolfgang's villages of St. Gilgen and St. Wolfgang are linked by boat. From St. Wolfgang, the Schafberg cogwheel railway climbs to a summit overlooking several Salzkammergut lakes.

Getting there

Bus 150 to St. Gilgen or Strobl, then boat

Best for

Couples, Families, Quiet stays

30 km · About 30–40 minutes by bus

6.Mondsee

A lakeside market town whose yellow-towered basilica was the wedding church in The Sound of Music. The lake is popular for swimming and boating in summer.

Getting there

Regional bus from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays

145 km · About 1.5–2 hours by train

7.Munich

Bavaria's capital has the Marienplatz, the Residenz, the English Garden and its beer halls, and is easily combined with Salzburg on a longer trip.

Getting there

ÖBB or Deutsche Bahn train to München Hauptbahnhof

Best for

Culture, Nightlife, Shopping

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Buy tickets from machines or the transport app before boarding; they cost more from the driver.
• ÖBB trains connect the main station with Vienna, Innsbruck and Munich, and S-Bahn lines run to Hallein, Freilassing and the suburbs.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask