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Driving from Hallstatt to Vienna in December

Hi, my husband and I are driving from Hallstatt to Vienna in one day, during December and were hoping for some input on scenic alternatives to the autobahn, advice or even favorite spots to stop. We just have the one day to get from Hallstatt to Vienna so any advice or tips from previous experiences would be appreciated! Thank you!!

Posted by
500 posts

When driving in Austria in December, you should consider safety more than scenery. You could find snow or ice or rain, so the shorter the itinerary, the better; and the autobahn is safer than country roads. The autobahn itinerary is not as fast as it looks so probably you will not really like to stop. But if you have a single stop, I would advice Melk abbey (but check the times of guided visits as in December they are quite sparse).

Posted by
12040 posts

Due to the damp atmosphere, scenery can be hit or miss in December. Mostly miss. Just take the easiest route.

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you both! We have never been to this region and are not sure what to expect with road conditions and realize that the weather could be good or bad but was not sure what is "typical" for this region. Again thank you for the input!!

Posted by
2898 posts

Hi,

Expect the unexpected, meaning the weather could be anything from snowy to nice. We were in Ramsau am Dachstein this past December. On our driving day from Berchtesgaden to Ramsau am Dachstein it was misty and foggy. The next 2 days in Ramsau am Dachstein were somewhat warm and crystal clear. Have two driving routes prepared and go with the one that suits the weather that day.

Paul

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you again all!

2Paul: We had planned to have two itineraries, like you mentioned just in case; one that takes us on the "scenic route" through the Wachau Valley and the other on the Autobahn to Vienna. We just were unsure if the scenic route along the 3 is a good idea to continue on until we reach Vienna or if at some point it is better to cut back over to the autobahn??

2Laura: We hadn't planned to stop at Mauthausen since we thought it might take us a while to get from Hallstatt to Vienna and we were hoping to reach our destination before it is too late at night.

Again thank you!!

Posted by
2898 posts

Hi,

Sorry, we've never driven the route you're looking to do. Only thing I was trying to say was that during our 2 trips to Austria in early December (2010 and 2013) we had plenty of different conditions. This most recent trip we had a very cold day with snow in Berchtesgaden and then 2 days later were wearing our short sleeve shirts in sunny (but also snow covered) Ramsau am Dachstein. I will say that as long as you're not driving during a snow fall, you should have no problems with driving conditions.

Paul

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you for the help Paul. We live in a desert where its either sunny and cold or sunny and hot and have only been to Austria during the summer. So I would definitely rather ask someone who knows what December in that region its like! Again thank you :)