Travel Dates: October 2025
TLDR: If you’re in Salzburg or Hallstatt and looking for a nearby day trip, visiting one of the many Salzkammergut lakes is a great choice. We only had time to see a few, but I highly recommend Wolfgangsee, a large lake with plenty of activities and charming lakeside towns. For something quieter and more peaceful, Grundlsee is a wonderful alternative: smaller, less crowded, and beautifully serene.
What to do in Wolfgangsee Lake
Schafbergbahn Cog Railway – One of the top things to do at Wolfgangsee is to ride the historic cog railway up Schafberg Mountain. The 35-minute journey is incredibly scenic, and the panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and lakes from the top are absolutely breathtaking.
Tickets
We managed to grab the last few tickets right at the office, just minutes before the 11:10am departure time, but I highly recommend buying tickets in advance to secure your spot—especially if you know what time you’d like to go up. It’s also €3 cheaper online. You can find the schedule and prices here. If you’re also intreated in doing the Wolfgangsee ferry (which we unfortunately didn’t have time), you can purchase a combo ticket which will be cheaper.
Keep in mind that the railway is open only when weather permits—if there’s been rain or snow, it may close. It’s best to call them the morning of your visit to confirm whether they’re running.
When you buy your railway ticket, you’ll select both your departure and return times. Keep your ticket—it’s scanned at the turnstiles both going up and coming down.
The Ride Up
The train has two stops:
- The first stop is about 10 minutes before the summit, allowing hikers to walk the last stretch. Be aware, the hike is steep, takes about an hour, and offers little shade.
- At the final stop, you can walk around the top of the mountain, where there’s a hotel, a small restaurant, and free restrooms. (There’s also a free restroom at the base of the mountain)
For the best views:
- Sit on the left side going up—the early part of the ride has beautiful lake views.
- After the first stop, the right side gets the better views during the final ascent.
At the Summit
Instead of walking straight ahead toward the restaurant and hotel, turn around and walk in the opposite direction—you’ll get a stunning view of Wolfgangsee on your right and an impressive mountain panorama to your left. Depending on the time of the day you go, you may even spot paragliders.
If you plan to eat, note that the restaurant food is mediocre. I strongly do not recommend the frankfurter—it was very bland—but the apple strudel was warm and quite good. Near the restrooms, there’s also a machine where you can change your return train time if needed.
Timing
If you’re only walking around and exploring briefly, 1 hour may be enough. But if you’d like to relax, eat, and enjoy the views, allow for more time. We took the 11:10am train up and the 2:05pm train down, and started waiting about 30 minutes before departure to get window seats. Arriving 20 minutes early should also be fine; any later and you might not get the best spots.
Parking
Park at P7, the lot right next to the ticket office. When paying at the machine, scan your Schafbergbahn ticket first and then your parking ticket—you’ll only need to pay €4 for the entire day.
Strobl – We made a quick stop in Strobl as well as a few nearby towns. While each was lovely, you can skip them if you’re short on time. In Strobl, we drove down Bürglstein Road along the lake and found a free parking area on the side of the road. From there, we took a short walk along the lakeshore to the Wooden Lotus Seat Point, where several lounge chairs are arranged in the shape of lotus flowers. It’s a peaceful spot to relax and take in the beautiful lake views.
Gschwendt – Park for free at Parkplatz Gschwendt. From there, you can stroll through the nearby park along the lakeshore, enjoying a lovely view of St. Wolfgang Kirche across the water.
St. Gilgen – If you have a parking disc, you can park at Parkplatz Steinklüftstraße for up to three hours. A parking disc is a small clock card that you place on your dashboard to indicate your arrival time in time-restricted parking zones. Your rental car may already come with one—ours did; we found it in the driver-side door compartment. From the parking lot, it’s about an 8-minute walk to the lakeshore. On the way, you can stop by Mozart-Brunnen, a charming little square featuring a statue and fountain dedicated to Mozart.
What to do in Grundlsee Lake
Driving along Bräuhof Road – There are plenty of street parking along Bräuhof Road where you can pay the meter and take a walk by the lake. The views of the lake and surrounding mountains, along with Villa Castiglioni across the water, are especially picturesque. Grundlsee was also the first lake where we spotted large fish swimming near the shore.
Gößl – At the far end of Grundlsee Lake lies the small village of Gößl, where you can find metered parking (€3 per hour) and enjoy a peaceful walk along the lake or try one of several nearby hikes. We did a short hike to Ranftlmühle, a charming waterfall and small watermill. The lakeside park here also has picnic tables, and a bonus for visitors is the free public restroom nearby—just search “Öffentliches WC” on Google Maps.
What to do in Traunsee Lake
Schloss Ort – This small castle, built on a wooden dock extending into the lake, offers charming waterfront views. It’s connected to a lovely park where you can take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the scenery. Since it was raining when we visited, we only stayed briefly. Parking costs €0.30 for 40 minutes, and there’s a paid restroom (€0.50) in the parking area. We were lucky that a kind worker saw us and let us use the restrooms for free.
Globe Trotter 