Spending 2 nights in between Munich and Vienna and toying with the idea of changing from Salzburg to Innsbruck. We want a couple days of nature in between the 2 big cities, but traveling by train - we don’t have a car. Please advise on your experience and thoughts! Thank you.
Posted by
123 posts
We've been to Salzburg in 2024 and in 2025 and will go again in 2026. It is a wonderful city full of history, charm and beauty. It feels safe and is quite walkable. I've only visited the old city with little time in the more modern areas of Salzburg. We love it!
However, I can't really compare it to Innsbruck as we've not had the opportunity to visit there.
We did travel to Salzburg from Munnich by train this year and it was very easy.
Posted by
Green Bay
22778 posts
Innsbruck is a city. You have to travel into the mountains to get that nature. But in Salzburg, you can also get your nature fix by traveling into the mountains. Not only that, but if staying in Salzburg, you can travel for free to the mountains of the Austrian state of Salzburg with the Salzburg Guest Card which you receive on check-in at your hotel.
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
1990 posts
My experience. during the last 35 years I have spent holiday terms say, 20 times in Salzburg and all 35 years in Innsbruck. In the end I came to favor Innsbruck as Salzburg has became too hot in August and the Festival has now little attraction to me.
Salzburg is more elegant and luxurious, Innsbruck is more down-to-earth. Actually I like more museums in Innsbruck as the Hofburg there is a smaller copy of the Vienna one and the Ambras castle a rare example of German Renaissance; the bishop palace in Salzburg is not as interesting, but the Salzburg cathedral is much better than the Innsbruck one.
If you like nature, Innsbruck has two possibilities in good weather - first, using a combination of cable railway and cable cars is possible to climb from the center to the mountain peak right over Innsbruck. Salzburg has a cable car as well but it is more difficult to reach without a car and the peak is lower. Also, you can go up to Igls using tram #6, running once per hour to Ambras and up the hill through a forest and alpine villages.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8422 posts
I went to college in Innsbruck 54 years ago. And naturally I miss those magnificent mountains.
The city is quite beautiful and very walkable. I would stay there.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5942 posts
Neither as neither have nature - they are also both cities. I suggest Sankt Gilgen on the Wolfgangsee just south of Salzburg or Seefeld just north of Innsbruck.
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
1990 posts
Well, Innsbruck is surrounded by mountain villages, about 400 meters higher in elevation than the city. Vill and Igls are actually within the municipality boundaries, Lans, Aldrans, Sistrans and Patsch are just ouside it. Most of them are linked with frequent buses to center (Lans, Igls and Vill, for example, have a bus every 10/15 minutes) and there are several easy walks between them.