Nestled among the rolling hills and majestic mountains of Austria, Salzburg is a city where Mozart’s melodies float through the air as easily as the scent of fresh strudel.
While its baroque architecture and historic charm captivate those who walk its streets, the allure of adventure beckons from beyond.
Imagine spending a day meandering through the fairy-tale village of Hallstatt, where time seems to stand still beside its serene lake.
Or, picture yourself exploring the ethereal beauty of the Dachstein Ice Caves, where nature’s artistry is displayed in frozen form.
And for those who dare to reach new heights, the 5 Fingers viewing platform offers breathtaking panoramas that stretch into infinity.
But this is just the beginning. Countless treasures are waiting to be discovered on day trips from Salzburg.
Keep reading to uncover the 12 best day trips from Salzburg that will make your trip unforgettable.
Top Day Trips from Salzburg in Austria
Find below the best Salzburg day trip ideas. There is something for everyone, from towns, to lakes, to mountains. A bit of history or something more fun.
We explored the region around Salzburg in a rental car. While public transport is available to some of these destinations, a rental car makes life much easier and typically cuts out a lot of transit time.
The best car rental company in Europe is Auto Europe. Auto Europe is a booking service that quickly compares car rental prices across major brands like Hertz, Avis, and Europcar. Click to see prices for car rentals.
Please browse through the day trip options below and let us know which one interests you the most.
1. Day Trip to Hallstatt (about 75 minutes away)
As one of the most picturesque fairytale villages in Austria, a Hallstatt day trip from Salzburg is indeed a journey to remember.
From the colorful Market Square to the eerie Bone Chapel, which houses skull paintings, Hallstatt offers endless wonders.
And they have the World’s oldest Salt Mine as well, which lies just above the city and is at least over 7.000 years old.
These are the mines that first put Salzburg in the world’s map. For decades, these mines provided most of the revenue that Salzburg earned. You can read more about how to plan your visit to the salt mines here.
And then you also have the picturesque skywalk and viewing platform over the area!
We highly recommend setting aside a full day for your day trip from Salzburg to Hallstatt.
If you manage to get to Hallstatt by 9 a.m., you should be able to enjoy a Salt Mine tour, see the skywalk and the viewing platform, stroll around the town, and head out on a 50-minute cruise around the lake.
How to Get To Hallstatt
1. Day trips from Salzburg by train will take 2 hours and 15 minutes and then a short 15-minute ferry ride.
2. By Bus and train: Take bus 150 from Salzburg to Bad Ischl and, from there, take the train to Hallstatt. This trip takes 2 hours to 2 hours 40 minutes.
3. Traveling by car: The journey from Hallstatt to Salzburg (and vice versa) will only take 1 hour and 15 minutes. Driving to Hallstatt is the easiest way to reach this small town.
4. Hallstatt tour from Salzburg: Group tours are affordable (click to check price here), and there are even private tour options if you have a bit more money to splurge (click to check price here).
2. Dachstein Ice Caves & 5 Fingers (about 75 minutes away)
A short adventure to the Dachstein Ice Caves & the 5 Fingers Lookout is nothing short of amazing. Situated high above Hallstatt, the Dachstein Ice Caves wow’s visitors with its spectacular ice sculptures and frozen waterfalls.
To get to the Ice Caves, take a cable car and tackle a short uphill walk of 20 minutes. The tour of the Ice Caves lasts for about 50 minutes.
After the Ice Cave tour, return to the cable car station. Then, head up to stop two on the Cable Car journey.
From there, enjoy a beautiful 30-minute hike to The 5 Fingers Lookout, where you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the valley and mountains below.
How to Get There
1. By Car: The easiest way to reach the cable car station is by car. The journey will only take 1 hour and 15 minutes.
2. By Train and Bus: From Salzburg, catch the train ‘Obertraun Dachsteinhöhlen Bahnhof’. From there, catch Bus 543 to the valley cableway station. This journey will take you around 2 hours and 50 minutes.
3. Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest (about 1.5 hours away)
A day trip to Eagle’s Nest from Salzburg is a must. The educational experience will take you back to Germany’s dark past.
This space was built to celebrate Hitler’s 50th birthday and acted as his second seat of power.
There’s a big Documentation Centre one and a half hours away with the WWII bunker system on display for visitors.
The Eagles Nest served as a center for Hitler’s meetings in the past—now it’s a picturesque restaurant offering views above 6,000 feet.
How to Get There
1. By Car: From Salzburg, drive to Obersalzberg Road and leave your car in the Hintereck parking area. The drive is quick and will only take around 30 minutes. From the parking area, catch the “Kehlsteinlinie” (line 849) from Berchtesgaden, which should take around 20 min.
2. By Bus: Take the Salzburg Hauptbahnhof bus to Berchtesgaden, which will take around 42 minutes. Then catch the RVO-Bus to the Eagle’s Nest parking area (cars can’t drive to the Eagle’s Next parking area).
3. Eagle’s Nest tours from Salzburg: Want to keep things easy? Why not grab a seat on a group tour to Eagle’s Nest, that way you have no-stress and you can simply sit back and enjoy the views. Click here to see prices for the most popular tour.
4. Königssee or King’s Lake (about 35-minutes away)
Bavaria’s deepest lake is 630 feet deep, and the emerald fjord of Königssee is lined with a hilly landscape that will take your breath away.
This lake is the cleanest lake in all of Germany and is also one of the best lakes in Europe to see.
There’s also an echo chamber on the way, where your ferryman will sound a trumpet to show off the renowned echo of the Königssee.
But what truly makes this trip so exciting is the ferry ride to St. Bartholomä Chapel, a triple-domed structure that was once used by the Bavarian Kings as a hunting lodge.
You will need a full day for this day trip. We combined our boat tour with the Jennerbahn cable cars. Please read about our lovely day out at Lake Königssee here.
See our day out at Berchtesgaden National Park in our video here:
How to Get There
1. By Bus: The #840 bus will take you to Berchtesgaden Station in around 45 minutes. Then, transfer to Bus #841, which will take you directly to Königssee in 20 minutes.
2. By Car: From Salzburg, drive to the Königssee parking lot. The drive will take approximately 35 minutes.
3. By Tour: You can also book a seat on this oganized Bavarian Mountains Tour that includes a stop at the lake. The tour lasts 9 hours and includes the lake as well as Eagle’s Nest and the Salt Mine. Click here to read more about this popular tour.
5. Dürnstein and Weißenkirchen (about 2.5 hours away)
Driving along the sides of the Danube is an experience that not many words can accurately describe.
On the drive to Melk and Krems, you will find a lot of sweet little villages that are well-renowned for their host wineries, which harvest some of the best Austrian wine. Weißenkirchen und Dürnstein being the most prominent.
The Dürnstein village was where Richard Lionheart, the English king, was imprisoned almost 800 years ago. The castle that held him, though now in ruins, is open to public viewing.
Named after the large, beautiful fortified church that dominates the town (Weißenkirchen = ‘white church’), the town began in the 9th century as a monastic vineyard.
We loved strolling the streets of Weißenkirchen, Austria, and the views from the top of the town are really worth the uphill stroll as well.
We loved stopping in at both of these super sweet towns. Here are our videos to show you what each is like:
Weißenkirchen
Dürnstein
How to Get There
1. By Car: Salzburg, Dürnstein, and Weissenkirchen are about 2.5 hours away by car.
While you can catch a series of trains to reach these two towns, the journey will take you over 3 hours, which in my opinion, with the waiting times for the trains, makes this day trip too long via public transport.
6. Day Trip to Munich (about 90 minutes away)
Munich can be your best bet if you’re willing to go on a cultural trip through one of the most hospitable cities.
Known for its giant beer halls and friendly residents, Munich is also home to many amazing sights. Some include the Mad King Ludwig’s Castles and the brilliantly designed Englischer Gardens.
The Altstadt is filled with beautiful monuments documenting Bavaria’s history. Englischer Gardens houses one of the most amazing indoor lakes, where you can surf.
How to Get There
1. By Car: A journey to Munich will take anywhere from 96 minutes. However, the traffic around this large city can be incredibly hectic. So, I highly recommend you forego the car and use public transport for this day trip instead.
2. By Train: A day trip to Munich from Salzburg takes only about 90 minutes via train and is also covered under the special Bayern Pass. There are, on average, 23 trains traveling between Salzburg and Munich in a day, so the day trip via train is super convenient.
3. Bus from Salzburg to Munich: You can also travel to Munich by bus. Catch the FlixBus towards the Munich central bus station. Travel time is anywhere from 2 hours 10 minutes +, depending on the traffic.
7. Gosausee Lake (about 75 minutes away)
If you plan to bring your children along during your Salzburg getaway, visiting Gosau and the Gosausee Lake should be at the top of your priority list.
Gosau is well known as a site of countless fossils, and your children can explore the Primeval Forest adventure pack, which documents the development of the first life on Earth.
Your kids can even visit Bruno’s Mountain World and play with the chubby bear.
A hike around Gosausee Lake takes about 1.5 hours and is very stroller-friendly for those with young children.
How to Get There
If you wish to visit the Gosau region, we highly recommend renting a car for the day.
The drive from Salzburg is only 1 hour and 15 minutes via the A-10, while the bus and train will take you a whopping 3 hours (with many changeover stops).
8. Day Trip to Royal Castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof (about 2 hours 40 minutes away)
These 19th-century castles are located near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in southwest Bavaria, and stepping into them is like exploring a Bavarian fantasy.
Here, you can experience the unique art of Bavarian architecture as realized by King Ludwig II himself. This later became the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Inspired by Versailles, the Linderhof Palace has a spectacular Rococo estate with its own Hall of Mirrors. And a mesmerizing manicured garden that surrounds it has an awe-inspiring brilliance.
How to Get There
Reaching the castles by car from Salzburg can take 2 hours and 40 minutes. It will be a LONG day, but one that is worth the early wake-up.
9. Day Trip to Melk Abbey (about 2 hours away)
While making its way to Vienna, the Danube passes through the Wachau Valley, which is ornamented exclusively with vineyards and small villages, Melk being one.
Melk is home to the immensely famous, restored Melk Abbey (Benediktinerstift), one of Europe’s most magnificent sights.
Initially established as a means of fortification in the 11th century, the Benedictine abbey, though once destroyed by fire, was restored and opened to tourists.
The Melk Abbey is truly STUNNING and worth a visit. While we weren’t allowed to visit the beautiful church, library, and hall inside the abbey, you might still enjoy watching our video of our visit here.
We enjoyed a few hours at the Abbey and then went for a stroll through Melk Town.
Here is our video of our day at Melk:
How to Get There
1. By Car: Take the A1 towards Melk. The drive will take you around 2 hours. You can head right up to the Melk Abbey Parking Lot.
2. By Train: The journey takes 2 hours and 23 minutes. From Salzburg grab the RJ 949 towards Flughafen Wien Bahnhof. Change trains and take the REX 1906 towards Amstetten NÖ Bahnhof.
Hop off at Melk Bahnhof, and from there, you can enjoy an 11-minute stroll up to the Melk Abbey.
10. Wolfgangsee & Schafberg Railroad (about 1 hour away)
Often missed by tourists, the spectacular Wolfgangsee Lake is one of the most fun attractions near Salzburg.
The famous village Saint Wolfgang is a picturesque town with small meandering lanes, exciting souvenir shops, and romantic lakeside dining.
Visit the beautiful church and enjoy a horse and carriage ride around town.
The lake cruise from the village is quite relaxing, but for a more thrilling experience, you can take the cog railway up Schafberg Mountain.
At the top, there is an Alpine hut restaurant with exquisite cuisine that is sure to warm you right up.
Important to Note:
The cog railway doesn’t operate all year long, so when the cog railway is shut, we highly recommend a WolfgangseeSchifffahrt ferry ride on the lake from Hallstatt to St.Gilgen where you can hop on an old-school cable car to head up Zwölferhorn Mountain.
From the top, you will find the most beautiful vantage point in the Salzkammergut with views into the distance over the lake as well as the mountains.
There is also a small restaurant at the top where you can enjoy lunch or light refreshments.
You can watch our video of our day trip to St. Wolfgang here:
How to Get There
1. By Car: St. Wolfgang is a short 48-minute drive away from Salzburg. Simply follow the signs from B158.
2. By Bus: If you take bus #150, you can get off at St. Gilgen where you can head up the cable car before hopping on the ferry to St. Wolfgang. The ferry ride will take about 50 minutes and the bus journey around 1 hour.
11. Berchtesgaden Old Town & Almbachklamm (about 30-minutes away)
With another salt mine and many other places to visit, the quaint village of Berchtesgaden has been the runaway home for monks for centuries.
Spend the morning there and learn more about the history of the Old Town.
After a delicious lunch, refresh your mind in stunning natural scenery. The Almbachklamm offers thunderous waterfalls and cliff-hugging high walkways. It is one of the most beautiful gorges in the Bavarian Alps.
The Kugelmühle, Germany’s oldest marble mill, at its entrance, is truly a sight to admire as well.
How to Get There
1. By Bus: The #840 bus to Berchtesgaden Station takes about 45 minutes. After strolling around town, I highly recommend grabbing a taxi to Almbachklamm.
2. By Car: Drive to the town of Berchtesgaden from Salzburg. The drive will take you about 30 minutes.
12. Vienna (about 2.5 hours away)
A day trip to Vienna from Salzburg will be a massive and tiring day. But if you can’t afford to spend a few days in Vienna, it will most definitely be rewarding.
There are loads of things to keep you busy in Vienna. The challenge is to figure out what you would like to see on the day trip, as you won’t be able to tick all the attractions and sights off your list in one day.
We highly recommend that you either focus on visiting the Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, and the Habsburgs’ summer residence, or basing yourself in the Altstadt instead.
How to Get There
1. By Train: This day trip will take you over 3 hours by car, so we highly recommend leaving the car behind and hopping on a fast train instead.
From Salzburg, hop on the RJ 949 train that heads straight to Vienna Central Station. The train journey will take you around 2 hours and 22 minutes.
There you have it, our top 12 list of the best one-day trips from Salzburg.
So when you visit Salzburg and find yourself with a few extra days in hand, take a few days trips from Salzburg by trains, buses or cars. We promise that they won’t disappoint.
Visit our Austria Travel Blog for more posts to help you plan your trip to Austria.
I really enjoyed renting a car and visiting Hallstatt and Wolfgangsee. Beyond picturesque in the winter with the snow-covered mountains.
We didn’t have the snow, but definitely much prefer Hallstatt and Wolfgangsee above the cities in Austria 🙂 Just so beautiful there!