You can get to Hallstatt by car, train or bus. A car is particularly useful if you’re travelling around the wider area and wish to visit Gosau, Krippenstein, Loser or other places in the region.

For Hallstatt itself, it may be easier to leave your car outside the village and take the train or bus for the final stretch. It depends on the direction you’re travelling from, the number of passengers and the time of your arrival.

Check hotel prices in Hallstatt and the surrounding area

Where’s the best place to park?

Option	Parking price	Journey to Hallstatt	When to choose it
P1, P2 in Hallstatt	Full-day trip 15 eur	15 to 20 minutes’ walk	Arrive early in the morning (before 9.00 am) or late in the afternoon
Gosaumühle	Free	10 minutes by bus	Are you looking for the quickest free option?
Bad Goisern	Free	15 minutes by train + 7 minutes by boat	Would you like a better chance of getting a seat?
Obertraun	Free	15 to 20 minutes by bus	Are you travelling from Bad Aussee or Graz?

Free parking outside Hallstatt may not be the cheapest option.

If there are three or four of you travelling, 15 eur it work out cheaper for the whole car than return tickets for all passengers.

Parking outside the town makes sense mainly because of the limited capacity of car parks in Hallstatt and the stress of finding a free space.

Travelling to Hallstatt by car

When approaching from Salzburg, Linz or Bad Ischl, you’ll drive through Bad Goisern and past the Gosaumühle junction.

From Graz and Bad Aussee, the route goes via Obertraun.

There is no special toll to pay on the road (or in the tunnel) to Hallstatt. You will need an ASFINAG motorway vignette to drive on Austrian motorways.

You cannot drive into the historic centre. The entrance is closed by barriers and ordinary visitors must use car parks P1, P2 or the more distant P4.

Therefore, do not simply enter ‘Hallstatt’ into your sat-nav; enter the specific car park directly.

P2 – best for Salzwelten and the Skywalk

Car park P2 is situated right next to the lower station of the Salzberg cable car. It has 140 spaces and is clearly the first choice for visitors to Salzwelten or the Skywalk.

• Salzberg cable car – 1-minute walk
• Hallstatt Lahn – 5 minutes’ walk
• Marktplatz – 15 minutes’ walk
• Usually open from 5.00 am to 10.00 pm
• The car park is open during the season

I’d also choose P2 for a standard visit to Hallstatt. It’s a little closer to the centre than P1, and on the way you’ll pass most of the main attractions.

How often is car park P2 full?

• Weekdays – usually fully occupied between 9.30 am and 4.00 pm
• Weekends – usually full between 8.30 am and 6.00 pm

P1 – the largest car park + garages and hotel shuttle

Car park P1 is situated next to the petrol station on the southern outskirts of Hallstatt. It is open all year round, 24 hours a day.

As well as outdoor parking spaces, it is the only public car park in Hallstatt to also have a covered underground car park (at the same price as outdoor parking).

• Salzberg cable car – 10 minutes’ walk
• Hallstatt Lahn – 10-minute walk
• Marktplatz – 20 minutes’ walk
• Shuttle to hotels in the centre
• Two charging points for electric cars

P1 is the best option if you’re staying right in the centre, and also serves as an alternative if P2 is full.

I’ve set out the details of the hotel shuttle below.

How often is the P1 car park full?

• Weekdays – usually fully occupied between 10.00 and 14.00
• Weekends – usually fully occupied between 9.30 and 18.00

P4 – a remote seasonal car park

Car park P4 is situated near the Kessel bathing spot, towards Obertraun. It is about a 45-minute walk from the centre and there is no bus service from here.

P4 is mainly used as a seasonal backup when P1 and P2 are full. It opens in April and normal opening hours are from 6.00 am to 8.00 pm.

How much does parking cost in Hallstatt? Is a booking required?

The same price list applies to P1, P2 and P4.

Parking duration	Price
Up to 15 minutes	0 eur
1 hour	5 eur
2 hours	9 eur
3 to 4 hours	10 eur
5 to 6 hours	12 eur
7 to 12 hours	15 eur
13 to 24 hours	20 eur

Payment is always made at the pay machine. On arrival at the car park, take a ticket from the barrier and, before leaving, insert it into the pay machine, where you will also pay – by card or in cash.

Take the ticket again and insert it into the barrier when leaving.

Alternatively, you can pay via the EasyPark mobile app.

Parking spaces cannot be reserved. The number of available spaces is shown on information boards on the approach road and also in the online overview of car parks P1 to P4, which is updated every minute.

If you want to park in Hallstatt itself, I’d definitely recommend arriving before 9.00 am. If you arrive later during the summer or at the weekend, I’d suggest considering Bad Goisern or Obertraun instead.

Parking when staying in the centre

You cannot drive right up to the hotels in the historic centre. Park at P1 and the hotel shuttle will take you and your luggage to your accommodation.

The shuttle runs every 30 minutes from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm, and the price of the hotel parking ticket includes the journey on arrival and departure.

• Day 1 – 20 eur
• Day 2 – 18 eur
• Day 3 – 12 eur
• Days 4 to 7 – 10 eur per day
• From day 8 – 7 eur per day

If you arrive after 7.00 pm, please arrange the check-in procedure with the accommodation provider in advance. Outside the shuttle’s operating hours, you will need to take a taxi.

Free parking outside Hallstatt

There is no free car park or on-street parking available in Hallstatt itself.

Gosaumühle – the quickest route by bus

The Gosaumühle car park is situated on the northern shore of the lake, next to the Hallstatt Gosaumühle bus stop.

• 20 free spaces
• Open 24 hours
• Bus stop approximately 100 metres from the car park
• Direct buses 543 (towards Hallstatt) and 544 (from Hallstatt) run to Gosau; bus 542 goes to Gosausee
• The journey to Hallstatt Lahn takes about 10 minutes

The bus will take you to the southern entrance to Hallstatt ( Hallstatt-Lahn bus stop) directly below the Salzberg cable car. There’s no need to change to a boat (which is necessary if travelling by train) and the journey is significantly shorter than from Bad Goisern.

The car park is also used by visitors to the Gosaumühle bathing area. As it has a capacity of just 20 spaces, it can fill up quickly on summer days (usually as early as around 8.30 am).

I would choose Gosaumühle if arriving early in the morning or if, according to your sat-nav, you don’t want to drive all the way into crowded Hallstatt and you see a free space at Gosaumühle. 

If you arrive later, I wouldn’t count on finding a free space.

Bad Goisern or Steeg-Gosau – greater capacity and access by train and boat

There are 38 free spaces at Bad Goisern main station and around 25 spaces at the nearby Steeg-Gosau station.

From Bad Goisern or Steeg-Gosau, you can travel:

1. Take a direct train to Hallstatt station (15 minutes from Bad Goisern, 7 minutes from Steeg-Gosau)
2. By boat across the lake to Hallstatt Markt jetty (7 minutes)

Not all trains connect with the boats, and you may have to wait up to 40 minutes at the railway station or the harbour.

A return train ticket costs:

• 12,40 eur from Bad Goisern
• 8,80 eur from Steeg/Hallstäatter See-Gosau

The boat fare is 4 eur ne way. Payment is by cash only and the boat ticket is not included in the train ticket.

Arriving by boat is one of the most beautiful ways to see Hallstatt for the first time. You’ll disembark right in the centre, near the Marktplatz and the Protestant church.

I recommend Bad Goisern or Steeg as the main alternative options when travelling from Bad Ischl and Salzburg. They offer greater documented capacity than Gosaumühle, and more trains stop at the main station than at the smaller surrounding stations.

You’ll find a further 30 free spaces at Bad Goisern Jodschwefelbad station. This car park is highly recommended as a Park & Ride facility for trips to Hallstatt, as it’s situated right next to the main road when approaching from Salzburg or Linz.

Obertraun – best when arriving from the south

At Obertraun-Dachsteinhöhlen railway station, you’ll find 25 free spaces designated for P+R.

Buses 543 and 544 run directly to Hallstatt Lahn. The journey takes 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the specific service.

Choose Obertraun when arriving from Bad Aussee or Graz. You do not need to drive through Hallstatt or continue on to Gosaumühle.

Map of car parks and public transport

Where to stay when travelling by car?

Staying right in the centre of Hallstatt allows you to explore the town early in the morning or in the evening, when most day-trippers have left.

• Dormio Resort Obertraun – free on-site parking, a bus stop for the service to Hallstatt, and a good location for trips to Krippenstein
• Heritage Hotel Hallstatt – accommodation right by the Marktplatz; you can leave your car at P1 and use the shuttle service on arrival

Choose accommodation in the centre of Hallstatt for the atmosphere and the chance to enjoy the village without the daytime crowds.

Accommodation in the surrounding area will probably be considerably cheaper and more convenient if you’re planning to travel by car to places other than the centre of Hallstatt.

• Obertraun: hotel prices and availability
• Bad Goisern: hotel prices and availability
• Gosau: hotel prices and availability (usually the cheapest option)

By train to Hallstatt

Hallstatt railway station is on the opposite shore of the lake. You will therefore need to continue by boat to the centre.

The ferry runs every day, and its departures are timed to coincide with the arrivals and departures of most trains, though by no means all of them.

When we left just before midday, we waited for the train for about 40 minutes.

• Journey time – 7 minutes
• One-way ticket – 4 eur
• Payment – cash only!
• Pier in the centre – Hallstatt Markt

The last boat from the station departs at 18:30.

You can find timetables and tickets at oebb.at. The boat timetable is available at hallstattschifffahrt.at.

How long does the train journey take?

Departure town	Route	Journey time
Salzburg	Change at Attnang-Puchheim	Approx. 2.5 hours
Vienna	Via Attnang-Puchheim; 1 train a day runs direct	Approx. 3.5 to 4 hours
Linz	Via Attnang-Puchheim, 1 direct train per day	About 2 hours
Graz	Via Stainach-Irdning	About 3 hours

Please allow for waiting times and a 7-minute boat journey in addition to the train journey.

I’d choose the train and boat combination for the comfort and the experience of travelling across the lake. The bus is more practical if you want to get off at the Salzberg cable car.

Approximate train ticket prices

• Steeg/Hallstätter See-Gosau -> Hallstatt: 4,60 eur
• Bad Goisern -> Hallstatt: 6,20 eur
• Salzburg -> Hallstatt: 9,90 eur
• Linz -> Hallstatt: 9,90 eur

By bus to Hallstatt

Buses stop at the Hallstatt Lahn terminal at the southern entrance to the village.

From there, you can walk:

• To the Salzberg cable car in 3 minutes
• To the Marktplatz in 10 to 15 minutes
• To the main viewpoint over Hallstatt in 20 minutes

Only two bus routes run directly to the centre of Hallstatt:

• 543 (Gosaumühle → Hallstatt → Obertraun → Krippenstein Cable Car)
• 544 (Krippenstein Cable Car -> Obertraun -> Hallstatt -> Gosaumühle)

Routes 543 and 544 therefore follow exactly the same route, but have different numbers for each direction.

All services also stop at the Hallstatt Nord stop on the northern outskirts, but Hallstatt Lahn is slightly closer; furthermore, when leaving the town and boarding at the Hallstatt Nord stop, the buses will be completely full.

From Salzburg

The most common bus route involves two changes:

1. Bus 150 from Salzburg Hbf to Bad Ischl
2. Bus 541 or 542 to Hallstatt Gosaumühle
3. Bus 543 to Hallstatt Lahn

The entire journey takes around 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes. The advantage is that the route takes you past Lakes Fuschlsee and Wolfgangsee and arrives directly in the village.

From Bad Ischl and Gosau

From Bad Ischl or Gosau, take bus 541 or 542 to Gosaumühle. There, change to the 543 to Hallstatt.

From Bad Ischl, allow 45 to 60 minutes; from Gosau, the journey time varies depending on your starting point.

From Obertraun

Buses 543 and 544 connect Obertraun with Hallstatt without the need to change buses. You can also use them when travelling from the railway station, from accommodation around the lake or from the Krippenstein area.

Where can you check timetables and pay for tickets?

Search for connections via theOÖVV website, where you can also buy tickets online.

It is not possible to reserve a seat on the bus; these are standard regional services where passengers may stand whilst the bus is in motion.

Fares are paid to the driver: you can pay in cash or by card.

Google Maps does not currently work at all in this region, so it is really best to search for connections via theOÖVV website.

Approximate ticket prices

• Gosaumühle -> Hallstatt: 3,50 eur
• Obertraun -> Hallstatt: 3 eur
• Gosau -> Hallstatt: 6,20 eur
• Bad Ischl → Hallstatt: 7,60 eur

Organised tour

There are day-trip coach services to Hallstatt from Salzburg and Vienna. These are ideal for visitors who don’t want to worry about changing buses, tickets or parking.

For trips from Salzburg, check the length of your stay in Hallstatt itself. Half-day trips are usually enough to cover the town centre, the ossuary and the viewpoints. To visit the Salzwelten, you’ll need a full-day trip with more free time.

Compare organised trips to Hallstatt

Flying to Hallstatt

The nearest convenient airport is Salzburg (SZG). From the airport, take public transport to Salzburg Hbf and then continue by bus or train as described above.

If you hire a car, the journey from Salzburg Airport to Hallstatt takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes, assuming there is no heavy traffic.

For travellers via Vienna, it makes the most sense to continue by train. From the airport, first travel to Wien Hauptbahnhof and from there continue towards Attnang-Puchheim and Hallstatt.

Caravans and motorhomes

In Hallstatt, motorhomes may only be parked at the Camping Klausner-Höll campsite near the petrol station and at car park P1.

Short-term parking at P3 may be permitted only in exceptional circumstances. Overnight stays are prohibited.

A more practical option is the Wohnmobilstellplatz P5 in Obertraun.

• 8 marked spaces for motorhomes
• 2 eur per hour or part thereof
• 26 eur per 24 hours
• Electricity, water, toilet and shower
• No bookings accepted
• Bus connections to Hallstatt

The free Gosaumühle car park serves the bathing area and has no facilities or designated spaces for overnight stays in motorhomes.

Which option should I choose?

• Salzwelten or Skywalk and arrival before 9.00 am – P2
• A standard visit and an early morning arrival – P1 or P2
• Free parking and the shortest possible transfer – Gosaumühle
• Later arrival from Linz/Salzburg – Bad Goisern
• Arriving from Bad Aussee or Graz – Obertraun
• Travelling without a car – train and boat
• A day trip from Salzburg without planning – an organised excursion