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Suggestions needed for designing a 10 day Austria

Suggestions needed for designing a 10 day Austria

Old Apr 15th, 2017, 12:23 PM
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Suggestions needed for designing a 10 day Austria

Hi,

I wish to visit Austria in June 2017 for 10 days (including fly-in fly-out). I am a nature enthusiast, not very passionate about the historical aspect of Austria. I would only like to cover some of the most significant monuments while the main focus being natural beauty. I have enlisted some of the places i wish to explore, need your guidance to make it a wonderful trip:

Day 1: Arrive Vienna before noon, explore the city in the evening and night
Day 2: Day trip to Wachau valley
Day 3: Start for Salzburg by train, explore salzburg in the evening
Day 4: Day trip to Salzkammergut, and evening back to Salzburg
Day 5: Day trip to Hallstatt and evening back to Salzburg
Day 6: Day trip to Zell am See and Krimml waterfalls and evening back to Salzburg
Day 7: Day trip to Königssee and back to Salzburg
Day 8: Salzburg to Prague, explore prague
Day 9: explore prague, leave for vienna in the evening
Day 10: Fly out of vienna

I m open to suggestions of any kind to my trip. This is a rough draft and no bookings have been made as yet. I would also like to know the preferable mode of transport (train/car/bus) to traverse the beautiful landscapes of Austria...

Looking forward to your responses
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Old Apr 15th, 2017, 02:02 PM
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Trains will get you everywhere on your list - for lots on info on Austrian trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Your plate is too full as is -no time for Salzburg itself -Hallstatt is best savored by spending the whole day there - to commute from Salzburg and back takes about a half day.
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Old Apr 15th, 2017, 02:53 PM
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Have you checked the time it takes to get from Salzburg to Prague?
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Old Apr 16th, 2017, 12:09 AM
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@PalenQ

Thanks for your response

Hallstatt I can plan a night stay there. Ha a question there. As i have incorporated both Salzkammergut and Hallstatt, will it be wise to do only one of them.

I am also interested in Eisriesenwelt Ice caves.. Is there anything in the list that can be a given a miss.


@tonfromleiden
It takes around 4.5 hours from Salzburg to Prague (acc. to google) using a taxi. I planned to start early around 5-6am and reach by 10-11 am and then roam the city. Next day late night take a taxi to Vienna to fly out in the morning.

Do let me know for better alternatives for the above itinerary
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Old Apr 16th, 2017, 05:59 AM
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We live in Vienna and have spent several holidays in Salzburgland and Tirol, and I offer a few considerations to help with your planning.

Since you are not interested in the historical aspect of Austria, and natural beauty is your focus, skip Vienna, and Prague as well for that matter. Fly into/out of Munich to maximize your expressed enthusiasm for Austrian nature. The only "exploring" you have given yourself time for in both cities is to wander the usual tourist path; snap the same photos as the tourists; and enjoy a meal or two with your fellow tourists.

The Salzkammergut is a region comprised of at least 50 lakes and dozens of beautiful villages, Hallstatt being among its most beautiful. You can't "do" Hallstatt and not be in the Salzkammergut.

Your plan to base in Salzburg and take days trips is costly in terms of the time spent on transportation. The one-way from Salzburg to Krimml is 2 hours; if all you want to do is walk into the park to appreciate the falls, you'll need at least an additional hour, and hiking to the top and back will take 3 hours. This does not leave much time to appreciate the natural beauty of Zell am See in a day trip.

You've completely overlooked the Großglockner, truly one of Austria's most impressive natural monuments, as well. With a little research you can develop a circular itinerary that truly allows you to appreciate this part of Austria.

I hope this is helpful.
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Old Apr 16th, 2017, 08:38 AM
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Your trip sounds nice, but I would skip Prague. Vienna offers so much but you've given it too little time.
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Old Apr 16th, 2017, 09:08 AM
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Hallstatt I can plan a night stay there. Ha a question there. As i have incorporated both Salzkammergut and Hallstatt, will it be wise to do only one of them.>

Well you can take a post bus from Salzburg to Lake District -like St Wolfgang and go on by bus to Bad Ischl then train to Hallstatt- at least see Sound of Music Country as you go. Better stay a night in St Wolfgang and Hallstatt.
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Old Apr 16th, 2017, 11:11 PM
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Based on the suggestions, I have modified the itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive Vienna before noon, explore the city in the evening and night

Day 2: Start for Salzburg by train, explore Salzburg in the evening

Day 3: Day trip to Königssee and back to Salzburg

Day 4: Start from Salzburg and then St Gilgen

Day 5: Start from St Gilgen and proceed to Hallstatt( Mammoth cave and 5 fingers lookout)

Day 6: Zell Am See and Eisriesenwelt Ice caves

Day 8: Zell Am See and Krimml Waterfalls

Day 9: Zell Am see to Vienna and fly out of vienna
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Old Apr 16th, 2017, 11:15 PM
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We are a couple and whether it will be wise to take Passes (which pass will be the most suited) for trains or point to point tickets
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Old Apr 17th, 2017, 02:54 AM
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Your itinerary is much improved, though I caution you are underestimating some of the time for sightseeing. With this itinerary I would rent a car, lest you be held hostage to bus and train schedules; pick up the car on Day 4 in Salzburg and drop it in Vienna on Day 9. There are bus and train options (as well as taxi) to/from the airport.

Day 5: Start from St Gilgen and proceed to Hallstatt( Mammoth cave and 5 fingers lookout)
The cave and the lookout require about 4 hours or so to appreciate, once you are there. This leaves you will almost no time for Hallstatt proper.

Day 6: Zell Am See and Eisriesenwelt Ice caves.
Ice caves can be beautiful, but two-in-a-row might minimize your appreciation.
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Old Apr 17th, 2017, 02:07 PM
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We are a couple and whether it will be wise to take Passes (which pass will be the most suited) for trains or point to point tickets>

the only one possibly that may be useful is the Austrian Railpass-check sources I gave in post above. especially good if you want full flexibility to hop any train just about anytime -no advance pre-booking, etc.

But as many of your trips are short and some by bus I doubt if any pass would be really useful.
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Old Apr 18th, 2017, 04:53 AM
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We spent a week in Maria Alm last summer, just 1/2 an hour from Zell am See and could have easily spent 2 weeks there. It was a phenomenal visit.

Instead of Eisriesenwelt, consider Burg Hohenwerfen. It is just about an hour from Zell am See and they have a phenomenal falconry show. We were 12" from bald eagle. My husband still raves about the "finale" when at least 5 different birds were flying together just feet about our heads. It was a wonderful day that we did in lieu of Eisriesenwelt.

They also have exhibits to walk through which we, with two young boys did not really bother to look at, as they wanted to just see the falconry show.

I would really recommend driving the High Alpine Road one of your days in Zell am See. It was also one of the highlights of our trip.

I can't speak to the Krimml Waterfalls, which were on our list, but once in the area didn't end up making our short list. We did visit the "Salaachtaler Naturwelten" and purchased the combo ticket which allowed us to visit two gorges and a cave....you could probably do all three in one day, as they are fairly close and not strenuous. They provided breathtaking scenery for us.

Of course, most of the places I mentioned would be easiest with a car. We enjoy the flexibility of the car and couldn't beat the price of a rental car. The train, passes or tickets purchased individually, couldn't beat the price of a rental car for us.
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Old Apr 18th, 2017, 05:24 AM
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I did a similar trip some years back, I would recommend staying somewhere near Halstatt for a night or two, do some hikes and mountain lifts around.
Here's my TR: https://ashwinbahulkar.wordpress.com...ia-and-prague/
And 1.5 days in Prague is barely enough. I would keep it for another time and do Munich which is closeby, so that you spend less time traveling, unless ofcourse you dont plan to visit the area for several years.
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Old Apr 19th, 2017, 10:16 PM
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Unfortunately we will not be driving, hence renting a car not be an option. We will have to solely rely on the public transportation during the entire duration.
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