This Unesco-picture perfect village generates a lot of interest especially since it was deemed pretty enough to be cloned in China. Since 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.

Getting there:

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.

1. From the main central train station in Salzburg, a minute walk away is the central bus station – Get on Bus 150 to Bad Ischl. The buses leave hourly and you can buy tickets directly from the bus driver. It could be possible that the bus stops at St.Gilgen and another bus (also 150) continues on to the end station of Bad Ischl bus station. Costs 10,70 Euros at the time of printing. Here is the link of the time table, Depart: Salzburg Destination: Bad Ischl (look for Bus and not train.)
2. Once you reach Bad Ischl , take the train to the Hallstatt railway station, costs 5,40 Euros on the regional train meaning that the Einfach-Raus ticket (if you have it) is valid on this sector. Here is the link of the time table, Depart: Bad Ischl Destination: Hallstatt (look for Train not Bus)
3. At Hallstatt, near the train station is also the ferry terminal – The timetables are timed with the train arrivals. Costs 2,50 Euros payable to the Captain of the Boat. Here is the link of timetable and ticket prices.

The views of the Hallstatt village upon approach of the ferry is awesome.

Parking:

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 during the day time. Parking P1 is where you would park if you have booked accomodation in Hallstatt. There is a Shuttle which would 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“. 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.

Seeing Hallstatt

Of course the attraction is the village itself, I was there on a Saturday and I found out that a lot of shops are closed half the day. I think it is really better to visit in the morning. Below is a collection of views – to see if this is your thing. After all , it does cost some to come visit this place. There are other thing to see and do – 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 so I have not done so. Here is the link for prices, opening times and other things to see which is of interest in the region.

Happy Travels! If you like this, Pin It!

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