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Great off-the-radar place 2-3 hours train from Vienna?

Posted by (Los Angeles, CA) on

We will be coming up from Bolzano by train to Innsbruck, on our way east to meet friends arriving in Vienna. Then a few days later we will head back west to Hallstat and Salzburg. I was thinking to hit some lesser known places on the way to Vienna over a few days, so that our trip east is not the same as our trip west. Perhaps something like

Innsbruck >1:17> Kitzbuhel >0:54> Zell Am See >0:45> Bad Gastein >1:45> Wolfgangsee >0:37> Traunkirchen >2:46> Vienna.

The total train time is probably 8 hours compared for 4:53 hours direct from Innsbruck to Vienna. Apparently these smaller routes are pretty slow. Bad Gastein to Vienna is about the same train time Vienna, as Innsbruck, which is a bit much to reach Vienna by lunch time.

I am saving Salzburg for the 2nd half of the trip west with friends. Linz seems a bit boring. I have been to Melk and Krems, and they are nice tiny little towns, but they are more appropriate for having a car and exploring.

Related to this, I am wondering if there is that much of a difference from Zell Am See, Wolfgangsee, and Traunkirchen ... they all seem to be cute little towns on lakes with some mountains. I love that scenery (I have been to Thunersee, Brienzee, lake Geneva, Annecy, etc.). Does one stand out more than the others?

Also, some people say Kitzbuhel and Bad Gastein are cute and stylish - but others talk of nothing special about them, or even abandoned buildings in Bad Gastein

Posted by
700 posts

Actually those times may be driving times rather than train times, so even worse than posted. And there may not be some of these train routes at all in a place or two.

Posted by
15079 posts

Between Salzburg and Vienna I would go for Linz, have been there many times. I find the Zentrum interesting especially if you are interested in the history. The plaque on the Nibelungen bridge across the Danube is very revealing as to what happened from 1946-49.

If not Linz from Salzburg, then Bad Ischl. Opposite of Salzburg Hbf is the bus station for the bus to Bad Ischl. I always took the train to Bad Ischl, probably more interesting going by bus.

Posted by
700 posts

I was thinking about Ebensee or Traukirchen which are 3 hours from Vienna. But that is essentially on the way to Hallstat, and there was a horrible death camp in Ebensee.

If Linz is really worth a stop then maybe thats the best place.

Posted by
1959 posts

Zell Am See's tourism is 70-80% from Saudi Arabia and neighbors. It's interesting for sure, to a small extent a different experience than other Austrian mountain towns. The views from town are good not great. Generally a bit in the pricier side for affordable Austria since most tourists are well off or spending big on a single destination week long holiday.

Berchtesgaden is right there and seems to fit your interests quite well. It's pretty special.

Posted by
15079 posts

If you want a place that is historical and close to Vienna, I suggest Wiener Neustadt for a few hours, did that from Vienna in 2014.

Posted by
700 posts

We ended up in Zell am See. ZAS is pretty nice actually. There is a decent lake-side park, and our hotel was up the hill, and had a nice view down on the city and the opposite side of the lake.

The really nice thing about ZAS was that our hotel gave as an activity card at no extra charge. With that we were able to take buses for free. We took cable cars to the Top of Salzburg. We took a ferry cruise around the lake. We took a wonderful hike along a waterfall with wood platforms built in. We figure there was enough stuff to do outside of town to keep busy nearly a week - and with that card, it was all free. We save another $90 at least - and hotel was only $130.

Posted by
1959 posts

The Sigmund Thun Klamm is a lot of fun. Did you go to Maria Alm church? It's pretty mind blowing how spectacularly opulent the Baroque interiors are in those small village churches. The strandbad in Zell Am See was pretty cool too, hopefully warm enough to swim still.

How far up the hill was your hotel? Some of them seem like they were quite the hike. We stayed at Villa Klothilde in town. Perfectly acceptable and I liked that they have an honor bar refrigerator full of drinks. I have absolutely nothing against being able to grab a beer whenever 😁

Bolzano too, lovely town. Sounds like a good trip

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