Salzburg to Hallstatt via St Wolfgang

You can't drive a vehicle within the town of Hallstatt, so you will have to walk while you are in the town. With a vehicle, you have basically three ways to get to Hallstatt:

Leave the vehicle at Bad Ischl and take the train to Hallstatt. Get off at the Hallstatt Bhf, across the lake from the town, and take the boat across to the town.

Drive to Obertraun, around the south end of the lake from Hallstatt, then take the train from Obertraun to the Hallstatt Bhf and take the boat across to the town.

Drive to Lahn, which is on the lake, south of Hallstatt. There are parking lots there. It is a 1 km walk from the parking lots into town. I think there is shuttle service. You pay to park; you get a discounted rate if you are staying overnight in town.

Note, you could also take a bus from the station in Obertraun to Lahn, but then you would probably have to walk into town.

There are parking facilities in Hallstatt. Before leaving the car far away from the town, check this website:
https://www.hallstatt.net/parking-in-hallstatt/

Parking lots P1 and P2, as mentioned in the above linked site, ARE the parking lots in Lahn to which I referred. You cannot park in the town of Hallstatt. (I think that there might be a few parking spots in a lot north of town, but, again, they are not in Hallstatt.

As for your concerns about driving a manual transmission "in the mountains", I've probably been between Munich and Salzburg a dozen times since 2000, and that route does not have any mountains. In fact, if you take the autobahn, once you get on the highway outside of Munich, you probably won't shift until you get to Salzburg.

I've only been between Salzburg and Hallstatt once. In 2009, I went by bus from Salzburg to Mondsee, then to Bad Ischl. The bus went south of Wolfgangsee (we changed buses at Abersee, near Gschwand). From Bad Ischl, I went by bus to Lahn (the bus station for Hallstatt is in Lahn, and my accommodations were near Lahn - better than walking with my bag from the boat landing in Hallstatt to Lahn). All I remember from that trip was rolling hills, no mountains.

So, you might not want to drive in Munich or Salzburg with a manual transmission, but I wouldn't worry about mountains.

Thank you both for the information. Very helpful.

I guess I parked in P1 or P2, and presumed it was part of Hallstatt. If you end up parking there, head down to the lake, then it's a quick, flat walk to the centre. However, taking into account your van rental for seven, and what appears to be a short itinerary, I'd use cheap public transportation from Munich to Salzburg, skip Wolfgangsee, and spend two nights in Hallstatt. There is enough to do to take up your time:

https://www.hallstatt.net/ueber-hallstatt/weltkulturerbe/lotse-durchs-welterbe/?source=home

https://www.hallstatt.net/ueber-hallstatt/sehenswertes/mit-dem-e-boot-ueber-den-hallstaettersee/

The Dachstein Ice Caves and 5 Fingers can also be reached by public transportation.

Thanks Gundersen,

If it was just my wife and me, I'd probably relay on public transport for most of the trip. But the 7 people in our group are ages 10, 42,43,72,72,72,and 74. Getting on and off buses and trains with luggage may be stressful keeping track of 7 people. Sadly the group will be together for only 10 days so I want to be more flexible and have the van until we get to Switzerland.

Don’t expect to get 7 people and their luggage in a 7 passenger van. How heavy does everyone pack?

Andrea,

Actually the plan would be to rent a 9 passenger van like a Ford Transit van. I rented that vehicle in Jackson Hole/ Yellowstone two years ago and it worked fine. They will be "coached" to pack lighter as we will be traveling by train to Switzerland later in the trip.

I will just add a reminder that many Vans are a bit too tall or a tight fit for underground park houses (2,05m - 2,10m Salzburg). Salzburg does have a good P & R system though, if you can't find parking otherwise.

Thanks for the 'heads up' on the van height. I'll have to check with the hotel.

Salzburg does have a good P & R system

agreed, and there are always plenty of spaces, but very expensive. Last time I looked it was 15€ flat fee.

That's why I always park under the mountain and get a stamped hole on my ticket in the Altstadt - then the very short term price is manageable.

Tom, a neighbour stayed at a hotel on the main road leading into the town centre, south and closer to Hellbrunn (worth a visit). It had many covered parking spaces for guests, though he can't remember any height restrictions. He thinks it was the Amadeus Hotel (what else). From there, a short bus ride to the old town, or a flat stroll into town by the river. I once parked at Hellbrunn, visited, then walked into town.

Gundersen,

Is Hellbrunn an area within Salzburg? I found a Hotel Amadeus which is very close to the river. Like only .55 miles to the church. Is that the one you are referencing?

Linzer Gasse 43/45 5020 Salzburg, Austria ??

Thanks for your help

Tom

Hellbrunn Palace is south of old town Salzburg: https://www.hellbrunn.at/

And I'm guessing this is the hotel: https://amadeohotel.at/

Gundersen,

Thanks for the tip on the Amadeo Hotel. That could be a good possibility for us.

Thanks.
Tom