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Graz - Vienna - Salzburg Trip

Posted by (Houston, Texas, USA) on

We will be in Graz two days early in September, our first trip to Austria. We can spend 10-12 more days in Austria. We would like to visit Vienna, the Wachau area and the Salzburg region, and can visit these before AND after Graz. How would it be best to plan the trip? Which cities would be best to fly into and out of? Also I've seen little discussion about driving in Austria. Being Houstonians, we are flat landers. Is driving in the mountains difficult? Is it best to take trains or a combination? I dislike backtracking, so if we visited Vienna before Graz, is it possible to drive north to Hallstaat from Graz. If we did this, would we miss much beautiful scenery in northern Austria?

Also are there any recommendations for accommodations in Graz? Any help would be appreciated.

Posted by
16895 posts

I found driving in Austria to be easy to every place covered in Rick's book (which doesn't happen to include Graz, but it is a city served by major roads). Yes, if you start in Vienna, then Graz, you can continue on to Hallstatt without any backtracking, and then on to Salzburg. While you we don't always recommend doubling back to your starting point, going to the Wachau from there does complete a logical circle. All of this scenery will be good. I wouldn't expect snow in early September, but I did experience a snow flurry once in early October, near the Danube.

Posted by
5513 posts

I would recommend that you fly in and out of Vienna, making a loop. So start in Vienna, head to Graz, then to Salzburg, then to the Wachau and then back to Vienna. Or the reverse. I would rent a car and drive. It isn 't difficult and the roads are excellent. Driving from Graz to the Salzburg area would actually take you through some beautiful scenery. I am not sure what beautiful scenery you are talking about in northern Austria as the mountains are in the south and west of the country.

I would use booking.com to find a place in Graz and stay central.

Posted by
61 posts

Thanks everyone for your advice. We have decided to fly into Vienna and take a train from there to Graz, where we have to spend four days for business. Then we'll rent a car, drive to Salzburg, then to the Wachau area and back to Vienna for four days. We're excited about the trip.

Posted by
507 posts

there isn't a lot of beautiful scenery in Northern Austria- it's all in the western alps or Styria or the cities.

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