I would like to travel from Basel to Hallstatt either by train or car. Which is the best way to travel ? How are the roads between the two towns? Are the roads very curvey or steep if I decide to drive. I would like to stop halfway over night around the lakes, then continue to Hallstatt . What town would be the most picturesque? How easy is it to get on and off the train . Any suggestions would be helpful.
Diane
Hiring a car in one country and returning it in another is very expensive. Unless you are returning to Switzerland hiring a car for this trip could be too expensive.
According to https://www.viamichelin.com/ Time: 06h28, Distance: 594 km including 516 km on Autobahn
That time assumes no stopping, I would add 10-25%
You would need Swiss and Austrian Vignettes to cover the Autobahn tolls. A car hired in Switzerland would already have a Swiss Vignette for 2018. You would have to buy an Austrian one at the border.
"Are the roads very curvey or steep if I decide to drive." - as you can see above, it is mostly Autobahn.
"I would like to stop halfway over night around the lakes, then continue to Hallstatt" - not sure which lakes you mean. Your route passes Bodensee, and Lindau is a good place to stop, but Bodensee is only about 1/3 of the way.
By train, look up times on the ÖBB (Austrian Railways) website: https://www.oebb.at/en/
This takes minimum 9 hours. But you are sitting in a comfortable train looking at the scenery. Salzburg is a good place to stop off for a night en route, but no lake there.
"How easy is it to get on and off the train ." - not sure I understand this question. Easier than getting in and out of a car, about as easy as getting in and out of a building. Sometimes one or two steps, sometimes none.
kitchen,
Some additional information would be helpful, for example.....
As Chris mentioned, it's going to be a long train ride but it's certainly possible to do that in one day. The trip ranges from about 9H:15M to 10H:35M with 3 / 4 changes, depending on which train you use. Some changes are inevitable, such as the one at Attnang-Pucheim. In the same situation with the same options, I'd probably still take the train, but might break it up with an intermediate stop for a night or two if I had the time.
Again as Chris mentioned, there's normally a hefty fee for renting a car in one country and dropping in another. You'd need to be sure to buy an Austrian highway tax vignette as soon as you cross the border, as there are hefty fines if caught without it. The fines are usually collected on the spot! According to the Austrian Embassy, "An international drivers permit (IDP) is required for Austria" - http://www.austria.org/driving-a-vehicle/ . You can easily obtain an IDP at any AAA / CAA office for a small fee. These must be used in conjunction with your home D.L., and are valid for one year.
You can check all the rail solutions at https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml .
Good luck!
Thanks !
Here are answers to the questions...
how many days do you have for the trip to Hallstatt?
where do you go after that.
I was thinking of breaking the trip up by driving to the area near Lindau near Lake Constance in Germany to spend the night and drive to Hallstatt the next day, I would spend a day and night in Hallstatt and drive or take train back to Basel .
Question...
could you elaborate on "how easy is it to get on and off the train"?
Can you hop off train in Lindau or another town near half way to visit and get back on next day in route to Hallstatt. That is what I meant by hopping on and off.
If I rented a car is the terrain steep and curvy like mountain roads etc. I had a friend who did drive to Hallstatt and she said it was not a bad drive.
Thanks so much for all your information
Can you hop off train in Lindau or another town near half way to visit and get back on next day in route to Hallstatt.
You need to buy two tickets for the two days, Basel to Lindau on day 1, and Lindau to Hallstatt on day 2. Lindau is not on the shortest rail route from Basel to Hallstatt, a detour is required.
Salzburg is also a good place to stop en route, and the train route does go through there.
If I rented a car is the terrain steep and curvy like mountain roads etc. I had a friend who did drive to Hallstatt and she said it was not a bad drive.
According to Michelin "594 km including 516 km on Autobahn", so you only have 78 Km not on Autobahn.
I would spend a day and night in Hallstatt
Seems a long way to go just fro a day and a night.
If I drive Lindau is on the route . What route does train take ? I will be traveling other places and will be In Basel and thought about driving the scenic route to Halllstatt , a 7 hr drive by car , longer on train . Only 3 hrs half way if we stop and 4 to Hallstatt .
Any other suggestions ?
