-Europe.Austria.Hallstatt
Hallstatt – The Unesco-picture perfect village generates a lot of interest especially since it was deemed pretty enough to be cloned in China. As I have visited the original many years ago, it is clearly not necessary to check out the Hallstatt the II in the Guangdong province. Though I have heard that it turned out to be the mother of all clones!
Anyway let’s talk about the real thing – Hallstatt is set looking out on the Hallstätter See with the majestic Dachstein mountains behind. It is no wonder the view is so astounding.
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Table of Contents
How to get to Hallstatt from Salzburg
If you plan to visit Hallstatt as a day trip, the major city I recommend to base in is Salzburg. Simple reason is it is closest in proximity and there are many other interesting day trips to do from there.
Driving to Hallstatt
Renting a car and driving is the most direct way from Salzburg to Hallstatt. Using the scenic route passing Wolfgangsee (Lake) and pretty villages, it only takes about 1.5 hours.
Parking at Hallstatt
In the case you are with the car, do know that you are not able to drive in the car-free zone in the center of Hallstatt.
Parking P1 is where you should park if you have booked accommodation in Hallstatt. There is a Shuttle designated to pick you and your luggage up and bring you to the hotel and the waiting point is at the car park entrance where there is the “Hotel Shuttle Info Point“.
At the entrance of P1 are also two spaces for electric car charging. Parking is free while the car is charging.
Parking P3 if you have a motor home or bus.
P2 is open for day tourists. You pay for the parking when you leave , the machine accepts cash, master and visa cards.
Take a day tour from Salzburg to Hallstatt
If you don’t have much time and prefer less fuss, then consider taking a tour from one of the operators that picks you up at a meeting point in Salzburg and brings you directly to Hallstatt for some hours. As far as I have checked the prices are pretty standard from one provider to the other.
Hallstatt by public transport - Bus, Train, Ferry
The reality is – even though this is a popular tourist attraction, there is no direct way to get there. I like the scenic route from Salzburg , it is also the most cost effective way which I will detail here.
- From the main central train station in Salzburg (HBF) , a minute walk away in the central bus station (Bus Stop F)- Get on Bus 150 to Bad Ischl. The bus leaves hourly and you can either buy ticket directly from the bus driver or from the red ticket machines in the train station. Here is the link of the time table, Depart: Salzburg Destination: Hallstatt Bahnst – I paid 16.20 for one person when I visited in June 2025-
- After the bus stops in Bad Ischl, take the train to Hallstatt Bahnst.
- Upon arrival at Hallstatt Bahnst. which is across the lake from the village. Take the ferry which are usually timed with train arrivals. Payment only in cash and costs 4 Euros /person per way to the Captain of the Boat. You can buy a return ticket in advance. Here is the link of timetable and ticket prices.
- Remember to take a photo of the ferry schedule in order to plan your journey back.
What to see and do in Hallstatt
Of course the main attraction is the village itself. It isn’t very big and is essentially one main road. We spent almost 4 hours here – looking around the shops and having some snacks and drinks. It should be sufficient to spend 2 – 3 hours there with no stress if you are just spending time in Hallstatt village.
*Tip: I previously visited on a Saturday and found the shops closed in the afternoon. You might want to plan a visit in the morning
Hallstatt Village scenic views
Upon arrival in the morning , we headed first thing to the scenic spot to capture that iconic Hallstatt photo –
Location: In front of Haus Cian | Gosaumühlstraße 67
Visit the Roman Catholic Church with the well-tended cemetery
Pfarrkirche Mariä Himmelfahrt is the Roman Catholic Church that you take the detour up some steps from the main road for. Upon arrival , there are well-tended cemeteries decorated with flowers. The church itself has been built since 1505!
Bone chapel (Ossuary)
Located in St. Michael’s Chapel, the Bone House is home to 1200 skulls. These have been dug out from their burial place after 10 – 15 years to make way to newer burials due to the lack of space in the cemetery. The skulls underwent thorough cleaning process and bleached. Some 610 skulls have been painted and many inscribed with names or initials.
Check for prices and opening hours here
Evangelical Church
The church with its recognisable steeple is so much apart of the classical picture of Hallstatt with its prime location in the town center. It has been built since 1863 and frequently hosts events and concerts in the present day.
Hallstatt Market Square
The Market Square is easily the best meeting spot – surrounded by the prettily decorated colourful houses. The Holy Trinity statue stands tall in the middle and benches to sit on to catch a well-deserved rest after exploring.
We sat here enjoying our pastries and the sights around. There is also a drink fountain to fill your water bottles.
Hallstatt Museum
To know more about the history of this place, pay a visit to the town museum. The history presented in multi media takes visitors back 7000 years. Check out opening times and ticket prices here
Go Shopping for souvenirs
Shops in Hallstatt sells the usual tourist favourites such as fridge magnets etc, however getting something local is always a good idea. Some popular offerings are salt products from the salt mines. Arts and craft involving ceramic and woodwork could be interesting as well.
Hallstatt Skywalk
If you have more time to spare , going up to Salzberg in Hallstatt may be just the missing puzzle to complete the Hallstatt experience. The funicular ride brings visitors up the mountain to the World Heritage Skywalk and the Salt Mines.
The Skywalk offers views over the Hallstatt town with its roof tops overlooking the Hallstatter Lake.
The Rudolfsturm nearby houses a restaurant serving Austrian specialties and has a panoramic terrace.
Hallstatt Salt Mines
The Salt Mines here has the distinction of being the oldest in the world! Going back 7000 years the mine is definitely a recommendation especially if this is the only salt mine you plan to visit.
Good to know if you plan to visit the Skywalk and Salt mines:´
1. Parking lots are in the Valley (P2) is closest to the funicular station (Salzbergbahn)
2. A return trip on the funicular costs 24 Euros – when combined with the Salt mines entry, it costs 43 Euros round trip / adult.
3. The mine tour itself lasts 90 minutes.
*Important Tip: The Hallstatt Salt Mines , Skywalk and the Salzbergbahn funicular will be closed from September 2025 – June 2026.
The hiking trail up is as well closed due to the construction.
In the summer period of 2025, there are no online tickets available for the funicular and the Salt mines. Tickets can only be purchased on-site at this time.
Facilities in Hallstatt
Hallstatt Tourist Office (with Luggage Storage)
The Hallstatt Tourist Office is the place to go for helpful information. It is located close to the Museum. Best is that it has also a luggage storage to store bigger baggage and lets you explore Hallstatt more conveniently. Check for the opening times here
Toilet Facilities
When visiting a city, one of the challenges could be looking for toilet facilities especially when spending a few hours there. The restaurants here usually have toilet facilities especially near to the Market area. We ordered drinks at Café Derbl (yellow building) and used the toilet facilities there. Non-guests will have to pay to use the facilities (1 Euro – cash)
There are public toilets available as well and costs 1 Euro / entry. One is at the Bus terminal and the other is quite in the middle of the town, directly in the line of sight of the waterfall.
Recommended eating place in Hallstatt
Rührwerk Hallstatt Ofenfrische Schaumrollen
My friend recommended a stop at this snack stall , which we were glad we did. We got schaumrollen and the pastry is very flaky and fresh – very nice indeed and likewise recommend ordering one. The stall accepts credit card payment and prices are not exorbitant. There could be a long queue at times.
My Verdict on Hallstatt
I would say that Hallstatt is definitely worth visiting for a few hours as a daytrip. The views are unique and very scenic.
There are other things to see and do besides the town – like the Skywalk (platform) that you can have views over the rooftop of the village and across the big expanse of lake surrounded by mountains. The funicular is pretty pricey for my standards and I have not done so but if you do, visiting the oldest Salt Mine in the world should be on your list too.
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I visited Austria last year and wanted to go to Hallstatt, but didn’t have time. Hallstatt does look picture perfect, I will just have to go back one day 🙂
What a pretty little village. It seems like the kind of place you could walk around for a long time. I’ve heard of the clone and seen some pictures, but of course, haven’t been. I think I would love visiting here.
The village is cloned!? Now I’m interested. I’m going to have to look that up
Wow! What a beautiful location. Sometimes getting to places like this aren’t as easy as they seem. It’s interesting that most of the shops were closed by the afternoon on a Saturday. Will definitely remember to go early if I want to browse the shops 🙂
Hallstaat is an extremely pretty city in Vienna. I have heard and read about it a lot. It’s surely in my bucket list. I would love to visit Hallstaat someday soon. Great that you have provided information about how to get there. It is an informative post.