In my Vienna post, I said that I’d write about my Hallstatt day trip. So, here it is! The first part of this post will mostly contain pictures, but at the end, I’ll tell you how to get to Hallstatt from Vienna by train, and then how to take the train from Hallstatt to Vienna.

About Hallstatt

I found out about Hallstatt while I was researching day trip options from Vienna. Initially, I planned on visiting Salzburg and Hallstatt, but figured I did not have enough time since the train ride is at least 3 hours each way. I chose Hallstatt based on my assumption that more people visit Salzburg than Hallstatt. Hallstatt is a small village in the Salzkammergut area surrounded by a lake and beautiful mountains. Hallstatt is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

How to Get to Hallstatt from Vienna by Train

Note: These are the instructions I followed in November 2018. Please double check these instructions, in case they are outdated

There’s more than one way to do so, but here’s what I did:

Getting to the train station and buying tickets

• In Vienna, I rode the metro to the main train station, Wien Hauptbahnhof (Hbf). It’s one of the stops on the U1 (red) line
• Walked up at least 2 flights of stairs and looked for an OBB ticket kiosk

• Next to the self-serve OBB ticket kiosks, there’s the OBB office where you can go to the counter and someone will help you buy your tickets. After you enter the office, there’s a large screen where you press a button to get your number. Go to the counter when your number appears on the overhead screen.
• The attendant who helped me spoke English. I asked for a train ticket going to Hallstatt. It was about €54 for a 2nd class seat. The attendant told me the platform to go to for the train, but there are plenty of screens around the area that will give you that information as well. The attendant printed a piece of paper that stated the train route, the station where I needed to get off to transfer trains, and the second train I needed to take to finally get to Hallstatt.

Using the OBB ticket kiosk

• If you use the kiosk, it will guide you through the steps needed to get your ticket. The languages available are Deutsch, English, and Italian. Using the kiosk screen, you will select:
  • your destination (Hallstatt Bahnhst)
  • the type of travelers (adult, children, etc)
  • if you have a dog
  • if you have a bike
  • any applicable discounts
• I don’t remember if the kiosk automatically prefills your current location. If not, select Wien Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) (it might say Vienna main station, instead) in the FROM section at the top of the screen. You can pay using cash or credit or debit card. Your ticket(s) and receipt will be printed from the kiosk.

Board the first train

• I went upstairs to Platform to Platform 8, but I don’t know if it’s always the same platform. Over the intercom, someone announced the arrival of the train (in either Deutsch or German) then English. They also stated which section of the train is for first class and business class. I recall seeing the seat classes noted on the outside of the train.
• On the train, there are screens that display the train’s list of stops and transfer information for the stops. Also, someone announces the transfer over the intercom.

Transfer trains

• I took the Railjet 662 (toward Bregenz Bahnhof) and got off at the Attnang-Puchheim Bahnhof stop to transfer. The ride from Wien Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) to Attnang-Puchheim Bahnhof was a 2-hour ride.
• At Attnang-Puchheim Bahnhof, I transferred to the Regional Express 3412 (toward Stainach-Irdning Bahnhof).
• I got off this train at Hallstatt station. This train ride was about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

In Hallstatt

• When you get off the train, you’ll immediately see the station area. It’s pretty small and I did not see anyone working at the station, although there’s an OBB kiosk inside.

• If you walk past the station to the lake, you’ll see the ferry (called Stefanie), or at least, the ferry’s dock. It costs €2,50 each way on the ferry. I bought two tickets (roundtrip) for €5. Make sure you don’t lose the other ticket (if you buy a second ticket in advance), because you will need to show that ticket to board the ferry again (or pay €2,50 for another ticket).
• The ferry is a small boat with two seating areas and the option to stand outside. The views are pretty good either way, but I took the best pictures from outside the ferry. The ride is barely 5 minutes to the village. The schedule for the ferry is posted outside of each pickup/dropoff place. Here’s one of the schedules which includes the times for the train leaving Hallstatt.

Leaving Hallstatt for Vienna

• To get back to Wien Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) in Vienna, take the ferry across the lake, back to Hallstatt station. If you don’t have your return ticket for the train, go inside the station’s building and use the kiosk to purchase your ticket(s).
• The same place where I got off the train from Vienna was where I got on the train to go back to Vienna. At Hallstatt station, there’s one platform and one set of tracks, so you don’t have to worry about being at the correct platform or the correct side of the platform. Just make sure that the train is coming in the opposite direction because you’re going back to Vienna.
• I took the same route back to Vienna, except in reverse. So, leaving Hallstatt, I took the Regional Express 3412 train and got off at Attnang Puchheim Bahnhof. Then I transferred to the Railjet 662 and the last stop was Vienna’s Wien Hauptbahnhof (Hbf).

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Train Tips

• There are seats that face different directions. If you don’t want a seat that faces the opposite direction that the train is traveling, make sure that you pay attention to the direction in which the train arrives. Most likely, the train will continue in the same direction that it arrived.  
• If you need the bathroom, look for small signs labeled WC in between seats that will point you to to the bathrooms
• While riding the train, keep your train ticket handy. At some point, someone will check and stamp tickets while you’re on the train.
• This might be common on trains, but some people reserve seats in advance. A few people had to move from their seats because they were unaware that the seats were reserved (until the person who reserved them told them that they reserved those seats) I don’t know if there’s a way to mitigate this.

Hallstatt Tips

• In Hallstatt, there are indoor and outdoor cafes, restaurants, etc. The restaurant where I ate, only accepted cash. There are at least two ATMs, and I imagine there are more, but it might be easier/faster if you already have cash with you.
• I saw one public restroom (across from a grocery store) but it required you to pay to use it. I didn’t look to see how much, but it was probably €1
• Hallstatt is a residential area, so please be respectful, especially of people’s privacy. You may encounter “no picture” signs and “no drone” signs.

Whew. This was long-winded, but I’d prefer to be comprehensive. I hope it was helpful!

Enjoyed this Hallstatt, Austria post? More posts from my travels in Europe:

• Vienna Gluten Free Food, Street Art & Chocolate
• Visiting Lake Como, Italy for a Winter Day Trip
• Top 3 Things I Did in Madrid, Spain

Don’t forget to pin this guide for your upcoming trip!