How to get to Hallstatt from Salzburg by Public Transport?

Are you planning a trip from Salzburg to Hallstatt? Hallstatt is the most popular day-trip destination from Salzburg, if not the most popular day-trip destination in Austria overall. We all love traveling, especially when it comes to discovering places like Hallstatt. However, sometimes it can be difficult to find the right combination of transportation options to reach your destination. That’s why we decided to create this guide. In this guide, we show you how to get from Salzburg to Hallstatt by public transport.

The best public transport option to embark on a day trip from Salzburg to Hallstatt is by bus or by a combination of bus and train. You first take bus 150 from Salzburg to Bad Ischl where you either change to another bus directly to Hallstatt or you change to a train to Hallstatt Bahnhof, the train station of Hallstatt, from where you need to take a boat to cross the lake Hallstatt.

I’ll tell you how to get to Hallstatt from Salzburg in more detail!

How far is Hallstatt from Salzburg?

Hallstatt is only located about 80 kilometers from Salzburg but by public transport, it takes almost 3 hours to get there. That’s because Hallstatt lies on the other end of the Salzkammergut lake district from Salzburg. When the bus navigates the area it only takes country roads and there is no direct connection from bus or train connection from Salzburg to Hallstatt. On the other hand, the bus ride is incredibly beautiful since you pass through one of Austria’s prettiest areas.

How to get to Hallstatt from Salzburg by Bus

The bus is by far the best way to reach Hallstatt from Salzburg. Getting to Hallstatt from Salzburg might seem confusing at first, but it is much easier than you might think. The simple reason is that most people, at least tourists, on these routes are following the same route as you. Just follow the crowds! Now, let’s have a look at each of the steps required to get from Salzburg to Hallstatt!

1. Bus 150 from Salzburg to Bad Ischl

To travel from Salzburg to Hallstatt by train, the first step is to take bus 150 from the main train station in Salzburg (Salzburg Hbf) or Mirabell square. Tell the bus driver that you are going to Hallstatt, and maybe that you will return the same day, and you will get a ticket that includes all of the transportation options described here, except for the boat. The price for the ticket is around €30,-.

In high season, it might be better to catch the bus at the train station since the bus departs from there. It’s possible that the bus would fill up and you would have to stand for 1,5 hours to get to Bad Ischl during very busy times. I’ve experienced this before. Mirabell square on the other hand might be closer to your accommodation and is closer to the sights in the old town.

Along Mirabell square, the bus stops are located on the opposite side of the street from the church. There are three bus stops, and yours is the one in the middle, right opposite the entrance to the church. Here is the timetable for bus 150.

You ride the bus to the very last stop which is the Bad Ischl train.

2a. Train and Boat from Bad Ischl to Hallstatt

There is a less convenient way to get from Bad Ischl to Hallstatt and it costs a few bucks more, but I personally prefer it. How come? Because I love the experience of arriving by boat in Hallstatt. Due to the lack of roads connecting Hallstatt to the rest of the world until the 19th century, the boat was the preferred means of transport. Plus I like to sit on the deck and watch Hallstatt come closer rather than getting off the bus at the end of the tunnel. However, there are times when you have to take the bus. I’ll cover that in the next option.

Bus 150 dropped you off at the train station in Bad Ischl and that’s where you catch the train. Just head over to the tracks and wait for the next train bound for Hallstatt Bahnhof. If you got your ticket from the bus driver on the 150 bus, you can take the train or the bus, both are included. You arrive at Hallstatt Bahnhof which is located across the lake from the village of Hallstatt, therefore, you have to take the boat which costs 2-3 euros. You get the ticket for the boat from the captain.

2b. Bus 542 and 543 from Bad Ischl to Hallstatt Lahn

Hallstatt Lahn is the center of Hallstatt. The option of continuing your journey by bus instead of switching to the train is arguably more convenient for two reasons. Continuing by bus is cheaper because you save 2-3 euros on the boat and it’s also a bit faster but as I said, I personally prefer the boat and would recommend it if you have time and are up for a boat ride. It’s also possible to take the boat on arrival and take the boat and the train on your way back from Hallstatt to Salzburg.

To take bus 542 from Bad Ischl, just wait in the same spot where bus 150 dropped you off. Bus 542 will pull into one of the bins and be marked with its final destination, Gosausee. Bus 542 doesn’t go directly to Hallstatt but you need to get off the bus at Gosaumühle and change to bus 543, which departs 5 minutes after the arrival of bus 542 and parks at the same place. Bus 543 then takes you to your final destination, Hallstatt.

In case you are planning to visit Dachstein Krippenstein where the Dachstein Ice Caves and the Five Fingers are located, you could also stay on bus 543. It would take you straight to the Dachstein Cable car, the stop called “Obertraun Dachsteinseilbahn Talstation” and you could return to Hallstatt later on. But making the most of Dachstein Krippenstein takes time so make sure to plan accordingly if that’s what you are up to. Here is a detailed guide to Dachstein Krippenstein.

How to reach Hallstatt from Salzburg by Train

Is there a direct train from Salzburg to Hallstatt? No. As with the bus connection, you would have to change trains to get to Hallstatt from Salzburg by train. The main reason I wouldn’t take the train is the opportunity to see the beautiful scenery of the Salzkammergut Lake District that you get to see on the bus. The train also takes 3 hours to get to Hallstatt and the price is about the same as when you take the bus.

To get to Hallstatt by train from Salzburg, you first take the train from Salzburg to Attnang-Puchheim. These are most trains that are bound for Vienna. In Attnang Puchheim you get off the train and transfer to a REX train, a regional train toward Hallstatt. As with the option of taking the bus and the train via Bad Ischl, the train from Attnang Puchheim drops you off at Hallstatt station, which is located across the lake from the village. Therefore, you will be taking the same boat to reach Hallstatt.

There are only two reasons to take the train from Salzburg to Hallstatt. The first would be that you have an Interrail or Eurail ticket. Since these tickets do not cover buses, if you take the bus, you will still be required to pay. Another reason would be to save money with an “Einfach-Raus-Ticket”. These are group tickets for a cheap fare. It’s easy to reduce the cost with an “Einfach-Raus-Ticket” if you are traveling with several people, but that option has a lot of downsides, such as slow trains and validity only from 9 am, which will leave you with very little time to spend in Hallstatt.

Tours from Salzburg to Hallstatt

While public transport from Salzburg to Hallstatt takes the entire day, a guided tour from Salzburg to Hallstatt would allow you to make Hallstatt a half-day tour from Salzburg. These tours are basically an expensive group taxi, you don’t need a guided tour from Salzburg but if you are aiming for extra comfort and don’t want to plan anything, a shuttle from Salzburg to Hallstatt is a great idea. Have a look at what we recommend for a tour from Salzburg to Hallstatt!

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