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Ice Caves- Werfen or Dachstein?

Posted by (Texas) on

I will be beginning my trip to Europe (still very much in the planning stages) passing through Slazburg and Hallstatt for one night each. I would love to visit one of the ice caves, and I have been very impressed by pictures I've seen of the Eisriesenwelt in Werfen, which seems easily accessible from Salzburg. I have seen a small amount of info about the Dachstein Ice Caves closer to Hallstatt, but can't seem to find a good website with times, prices and transportation info. Which one would make the better trip? The two options seem to be:

1) On my day in Salzburg, take a half-day excursion to Werfen and spend a half day wandering Salzburg (I would like to see the town, but I'm not overwhelmingly interested in any of the sights...) then proceed on to Hallstatt for the next day.

or

2) Skip Salzburg, go straight to Hallstatt and have two days there... visiting the ice caves one day and the salt mines the other day, relaxing in between.

Which would you do? I have seen both caves billed as the largest in the world (hmm, unless there's a difference between the "largest" and the "longest"?). Is Eisriesenwelt really more impressive, or do they just ahve better marketing? How easy is each to get to with public transportation? (No rental car for me...) Any info available on times and prices for Dachstein?

Thanks so much!!

Posted by
41 posts

Have you been to Salzburg ? The sights in and around the city are worth more than a day in itself !. Ice Caves, i have been to both, tho cannot recall prices. I would suggest Werfen as it is easier to get to. From Salzburg, there are vans (ps its a WHOLE-Day trip) which take you directly to the gondola base mid-mountain. The gondola goes part-way to a restaurant (Very nice),,,then a fair walk to the entrance. PS both are VERY cold inside (near freezing) as to be expected. There are a LOT of stairs inside ,comfortable shoes/boots recommended, ankle support a plus! At Dachstein there are 2 separate caves and the mid-way restaurant(with Hotel rooms)is bigger. The insides are barely any different. You can also get to Werfen by train, its a short walk over the river to the town tourist info office from which vans leave for the gondola parking lot. One advantage to Werfen is the separate half day-tour of the Castle(rent Clint Eastwood's "Where Eagles Dare"movie to see it).To me this was more worthwhile than the ice cave. If you are in Hallstat, Dachstein is just a 15min or so, public-bus ride away. You go up another gondola to restaurant/hotel. Then another long walk to either ice cave entrances. Consider Obertraun as an alternate to Hallstat for accomodations. Its closer to Dachstein. Hallstat of course has its salt mine tour. PS there is also a salt mine tour halfway between Salzburg and Werfen. Finally, if you have time, there is a full-day van tour from Salzburg to Hitlers Berchtesgaden "EagleNest" house,,that is WELL-Worth the time !!

Posted by
484 posts

Hi Bethany,
The Ice Caves are very nice but its a very long hike to get to them, and then once inside there is a lot of walking up stairs. I am anaemic and it was very difficult for me. If you are not physically fit then I would think twice. Mind you, once you get to the top the view of the valley and the river below is fantastic and I now remember that particular hike more than any other. It was easy with public transportation. We took the train from Salzburg to Werfen and after a 10 minutes walk across the river from the train station there is a bus that takes you to the gondola (I think that after you get dropped off you have to walk to the lift). But everything worked like clockwork. We arrived in the morning from Vienna so we were able to use our rail pass without adding another day to it.
If you do go I am sure you will enjoy it. I did not visit Hallstatt and the saltmines but fellow travelers raved about it.
Happy travels!

Posted by
216 posts

Werfen is acknowledged to be the largest of the cave systems, but my experience is with the Dachstein caves near Hallstadt. A short, steep hike up from the parking lot takes you to the gondola ride up Upper Austria's tallest mountain. Caves are extensive and the tour is worth every penny.

Werfen also has the incredible Hohenwerfen castle, so consider that in your plans.

Posted by
12313 posts

I agree with other comments that Salzburg is a great city and worth some time.

If your time at a destination is spent on daytrips to somewhere else, maybe you should just stay near your daytrip destinations.

There are salt mines at Berchtesgaden also but it sounds like your in a pretty big hurry.

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