Driving in Austria
 

Hi everyone,
Im after some advice regarding driving through Veinna.
In August i will be in Vienna from the 1-3 and then we are planning to hire a rental car on the 4th and spend the 4th, 5th and 6th, driving from Vienna to Hallstatt and around the Salzkammergut region. We are returning our rental car on the 6th and then heading to Bled in Slovenia.
Are there any nice routes or places along the way to Salzkammergut region anyone could suggest? And would if be better in anyones opinion to drive towards Salzburg and then train to Bled or head toward Villach and then train across into Bled?
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks

The prettiest parts of the Vienna-Salzburg route include Melk Abbey and points west after the Mostviertl section of Öberösterreich. That is, the alps come into view west of Linz; everything before that is dull Autobahn and soundwalls.

Gmunden and its Wasserschloss could also be a lovely stop en route.

If the weather is nice, the Mondsee Raststation is the perfect spot for the first gorgeous views of the mountains.

The drive from Salzburg to Villach can be pretty, but can also become repetitious. I might be tempted to drop the car in Salzburg, pack a picnic and a good book, and enjoy the train ride instead, especially so if the weather is inclement.

Hope this helps.

great advice thank you so much. A lot of people have said not to stay overnight in Hallstatt. Are there any villages people would recommend to stay around the area? We have two night in between Vienna and Salzburg. Thanks again fourfortravel

Also if you had the choice would it rather be more worth our wild to train from vienna to salzburg and then hire and car and drive from that part of austria. Would it be more scenic than driving from vienna?
Thanks

I just reread your initial post and can now offer more options to further confuse you. :)

If you are interested in seeing Melk, drive from Vienna to Salzburg with a stop in Melk to tour the abbey. Keep the car while in Salzburg to explore the Salzkammergut (Hallstatt, Bad Ischl, Gmunden, St. Gilgen, St. Wolfgang), then drop the car and train to Villach.

If you are interested in the Wachau Valley, drive from Vienna to Krems on the Autobahn, then exit onto the 33 toward Melk, enjoying the towns of Krems and Durnstein. In Melk, tour the abbey and/or reconnect to the Autobahn and motor on toward Salzburg.

If neither interest you, then take the Westbahn from Vienna to Salzburg and rent the car there to explore the Salzkammergut. It is possible to explore the Salzkammergut by public, but we prefer the flexibility of our own vehicle to move about as desired. Others can speak to how the public transportation works.

All in all, I think I might still take the train from Salzburg to Villach. Again, the scenery can be pretty, but it's just Autobahn for a couple hundred kilometers.

As for where to stay, you might find St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen or even Bad Ischl to be good destinations. We have never stayed more than an overnight in Hallstatt, and that includes an early afternoon arrival and morning departure. The village is extraordinarily picturesque, but small.