Vienna- Salzburg itinerary

I think Königssee is pretty great... Take the electric boat across the lake, get off at the Salet stop, take the 15-minute walk to Obersee, admire the Instagram-perfect view (usually I say go early to avoid having Instagrammers cluttering the view but shouldn't be as bad in October), hike around the left-side of the lake, admire the view from the opposite side of the lake, ascend toward Röthbach Wasserfall (the tallest waterfall in Germany) to find a gorgeous alpine meadow surrounded by granite peaks, and then continue on to the foot of the waterfall to feel the cool breeze coming off the water. Watch your step! Cows live here during summer. Head back the way you come and stop at the snack shack on Obersee -- you can sample fresh-collected raw milk from the cows or get more traditional snack shack fare.

This itinerary is much too ambitious, especially with such a young toddler. Nothing of the activities is something interesting for a child of that age, it is just carried along. A child of 2 years sleeps longer than adults, it needs a nap in the afternoon, it does not eat as fast, it has to get diapers and clothes to be changed, etc. Did you calculate the time required and the attention your daughter deserves?

Sorry. I missed the 2-year-old daughter. I will retract my recommendation... not a good recommendation with a 2-year-old. The path around Obersee is quite rocky in places and has some elevation and descent. Path up to the waterfall also has some elevation.

I kind of agree with wmt1 that this is a bit of an aggressive itinerary for a 2-year-old. I would expect a 2-year-old to be miserable with all the day trips (and the lack of naps). There is no way, for example, I would take a train from Salzburg to Munich and back on Oct 9 with a 2-year-old.

Well you got 8 lines that answer the question (but were retracted) and ten lines that didn’t address the question That’s unfortunate.

I live near Austria but haven’t spent the sort of time there that I should have so, I am using your post, and similar posts, as guidance to build some ideas for me in the future. To that end I checked the destinations and the transportation links, and it all seems very doable to me. A bit rushed for my style, but that’s not a criticism. So thank you for the ideas. When you get all of the details worked out, please post them … to help me in the future.

Here is a link to my upcoming trip to Hallstatt and Salzburg. There might be something in it that helps you or gives you some ideas. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/hallstatt-salzburg-input-applied I got some good advice so I will link back to this post in hopes that it pops up on topic list of those that helped me and they come to this post too.

Off the subject, I have known some parents that have done this, and more, and had a brilliant time. Others not so brilliant. Would be presumptuous to guess for you.

Go have a blast. And again, thank you for the ideas. I suspect there will be some good answers yet to come.

I am going on the assumption that you know how your 2 year old travels - and suspect this isn’t a first foray. My four children would all have reacted to and enjoyed (or not) your proposed schedule differently.

Some of your questions have opinion only answers. However I second Dave in that I love Koenigsee as well. Any of my kids would have loved it. The hiking Dave mentioned might be too much - but then I come across people hiking with their small children often.

The fortress at Salzburg might be fun. Hallstatt train and ferry might be enjoyable, but the town might also be crowded.

What I like about your itinerary is that basically you are not tied to anything. You can change your mind or decide last minute that you want a slower day. I am not any help on your other questions, though.

Have fun!

Thanks for the replies
While I am considerate to the fact that we are travelling with my 2 year daughter, we would be carrying the stroller as well. Our travel mode would be public transportation . So wherever we are taking buses , would need to be mindful about my kid whereas looks like train would be the better option. So for instance taking a train to Hallstat from Salzburg instead of the bus.

I just spent hours researching getting to Hallstatt (having just rewatched a RS DVD) from either Vienna or Salzburg. We will be doing My Way Alpine next June and are flying in to Vienna, then traveling to Salzburg to begin the tour. Wanted to find a way to get to Hallstatt, but have somewhat limited time in Salzburg on the tour. It appears to me that the train from Salzburg to Hallstatt, or the bus, ends up taking close to 3 hours. SO I believe you need more time for that piece of the itinerary to enjoy the town (and boat ride?), I have restructured our itinerary, and added a day to the front of our trip. This will get us to Salzburg one day early.
Since we need to get from Vienna to Salzburg, and we wanted to see Hallstatt and some of the beautiful lake area,
we will take a minivan tour from Vienna, going to MELK and on to Hallstatt - short tour, boat ride and time to explore, then on to Salzburg. We will leave the group there, and get to our hotel. I am checking to make sure having some luggage is not a problem. We booked thru Get Your Guide.

Austria is very children friendly, I would say it is children paradise, but the proposed trips seem to me too many if taken each following day. Okay for Schafberg and Konigsee. Munich is a large city and trains are not too fast so I would not advice for it.

I know my view is contrarian, but in spite of having been maybe 25 times in Salzburg, I never found the will to go all the way to Hallstatt, and this was much time before the mass tourism hit; but we have been many times in Gmunden or Bad Ischl, that feel more relaxed and spacey and are a bit closer. Even the trip to the Ludwig castle at Herrenchiemsee on a good weather day could be brilliant, as it involves a train ride, a short ferry passage, and an optional horse carriage ride.

But the problem is not finding daytrips. Salzburg has parks and the zoo and the fortress and even a toy museum, that with a young child IMHO should take precedence to extensive daytripping.

Kitzsteinhorn was on my list and I made it a few years ago. It was worth it to me. The terrible tunnel fire in 2000 is a memorial.
Check the weather. So much snow gone nowadays.

https://sts201.feratel.co.at/streams/stsstore204/1/05235_66d87fac-7601Vid.mp4?dcsdesign=feratel4

Another vote for Bad Ischl. Went back there this trip, the first time since the pandemic.

This time I decided to see the town instead of focusing on the Kaiservilla which I had done on previous visits. Its interior is only accessible by a restrictive guided tour, given only in German, no individual meandering is permitted at all.

If you're interested in Habsburg history, this town is it and , above all, visiting and taking the tour of the Kaiservilla. In mid-August the town does its reenactment of the k.u k days (monarchial ). The military bands in uniform are part of it playing the traditional Austrian marches.

Bad Ischl (including the surrounding Salzkammergut) is the European Capital of Culture this year. Therefore there are much more events as usual.

https://www.salzkammergut-2024.at/en/home/

Thanks for your replies
I think covering Hallstat leg is becoming a pain. I have booked a free cancellation accommodation near Bad Goisern Bahnst. So now the options are
1. Start early from Salzburg take bus 150 to st gilgen and kid's stroller too, Whether this will fit in the bus no 150? Also we will have a small suitcase (for our night stay at Bad Goisern). Also not sure if there is a place to carry stroller in the cog wheel train. Get around the St Wolfgangsee area and go to the accommodation at Bad Goisern for the night stay.
Very next day start early .Hallstat is 20 mins train ride, spend time there probably 4-5 hours spend at Hallstat and then come back to the apartment at Salzburg.
2. Cancel the accommodation at Bad Goisern. Instead, on day 1 do a day trip with cog wheel train and come back to Salzburg (looks like the same time from St Wolfgangsee to Salzburg than to Bad Goisern . Advantage is no more suitcase to carry. Next day, start early go to Hallstat spend 4-5 hours there and come back on the same day.

Hey There, I just wanted to encourage you to keep traveling with your little one! I don't have any itinerary advice for you, but had a quick thought about what kind of stroller you might be using? Is it a big or clunky one? I loved my BOB stroller, but left it at home while traveling internationally. Have you considered a sturdy umbrella stroller and/or backpack carrier? Kids and luggage and stroller can be a lot to manage, especially on public transit. Happy travels!

Seriously consider Traunkirchen as an alternative to Hallstatt. Much less hassle and the lake is gorgeous, as are the views of the Alps in the background. A boat tour of the Traunsee would be delightful.

I leave for Hallstatt and Salzburg on Tuesday. I will post a trip report. Maybe something in it will help you. Here is my plan: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/austria/hallstatt-salzburg-input-applied