Sunday 8 April 2018

How to Visit Hallstatt from Salzburg in One Day


A wonderful village which is home to a few locals, it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to in my entire life. Since I was young, I’ve been dreaming of visiting this quaint town. Hallstatt is indeed a fairytale come to life. I literally fell in love with that small, gorgeous town in an instant. 

I went to Hallstatt from Salzburg by taking the public transport. It was March and places such as salt mine and the funicular were closed until May. It was still wintery with a lot of snow and I felt like I was a kid, very giddy and excited to wander around the place! To catch the 6:03 am bus at Salzburg Volksschule Gnigl going to Bad Ischl, I left my hotel in Salzburg early in the morning. I arrived at Bad Ischl Station and had some time to kill before taking Bus 542 going to Hallstatt Gosaumühle so I decided to have some coffee to combat the cold morning and walked around the station while waiting too. It was a 32-minute bus ride and as soon as I arrived at Hallstatt Gosaumühle, I looked for Bus 543 which took me to Hallstatt Lahn (Busterminal). The bus left the terminal at 8:49 and after 8 minutes, I finally arrived at Hallstatt Lahn. After getting off the bus, I descended a short flight of stairs to the ferry terminal. The ferry's timetable changes depending on the season of the year but during my visit, I didn't have to wait for so long. I hopped on to the ferry when it was ready, bought a ticket to the ferry man, and then sit comfortably, feeling very ecstatic that I am finally setting my feet on Hallstatt’s ground!

It was chilly and there were tourists everywhere. I started wandering around Hallstatt Town, admiring that charming little town. I still couldn’t believe I was there! I walked to the multi-colored Market Square, ducked into any souvenir shops that I saw, visited the cemetery and Hallstatt Evangelical Parish Church, climbed up through the little staircases until I found myself above the crowds, and took a cable car up to the World Heritage View. The wonderful view of the valley and the lake was inexplicable! I walked and walked until I can’t walk anymore. I took a mental picture of the place in my mind because I want to remember this place vividly – something I always do whenever I am totally engrossed by something. After strolling for hours I felt the need to rest my swollen feet so I looked for a decent place where I can eat and of course, where there is a really good view of the lake. In a place called Restaurant am See located at the Market Square, I indulged myself with some fish, baked potatoes, and wine before deciding to leave that lovely village, half-heartedly. If I had more time to spend, I would definitely stay longer. Maybe next time. x 





Here’s how to get to Hallstatt by Bus from Salzburg. Take note that I didn’t pre-book anything on this trip, I just bought the ticket directly from the bus driver. These links were really helpful during my planning stage. 

1. Take Bus 150 from Strobl Busbahnhof and get off at Bad Ischl Bahnhof.  To enjoy the beautiful scenery on the way to Bad Ischl, sit on the left side of the bus.(17 minutes, 1 stop) 
2. From Bad Ischl Bahnhof, take Bus 542 toward Gosausee and get off at Hallstatt Gosaumühle. To enjoy the view, make sure you are seated on the right side of the bus. (32 minutes, 20 stops)
3. From Hallstatt Gosaumühle, take Bus 543 towards Dachsteinseilbahn and get off at Hallstatt Lahn (Busterminal). (8 minutes, 1 stop)
4. From Hallstatt Lahn (Busterminal), walk and descend a short flight of stairs to the ferry terminal.

Ciao for now xx

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