Austria is full of history, stunning architecture, pretty villages, glorious Alps scenery, and much more. It has something for everyone.
We visited Austria for 10 days and fell in love with this beautiful country instantaneously.
To help you plan your travel, here is our ultimate Austria travel guide.
Table of Contents
Currency
The currency in Austria is Euro (EUR) where EUR 1 = ~INR 90 (As of 29 March 2025).
Credit Card Acceptance?
Credit cards were widely accepted in all the popular cities (Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck) of Austria so much so that we hardly got to use the cash. We used cards everywhere be it restaurants, supermarkets, attraction ticket counters, and even buying public transport tickets. The only place in Vienna where we had to use cash was Prater Amusement Park as cash can only be used to purchase rides ticket there.
Hallstatt being the small village had some resistance to credit card acceptance, like ferry or bus tickets can only be purchased by cash whereas cards are accepted for payment above EUR 5 or 10.
But it is always a good idea to keep a little bit of cash for emergencies. You don’t want to be running around to withdraw cash or exchange currency in case a card is not accepted.
ATM Cash Withdrawal
There are abundant ATMs in Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. All the ATMs we tried were charging some fee for cash withdrawal except Bawag Bank ATM. There is one Bawag Bank ATM at the Vienna and Innsbruck main train stations.
There are not many ATMs in Hallstatt, so it’s better to withdraw some money before arriving in Hallstatt.
Apart from the ATM fee, you may also be charged a forex markup fee (2 – 4%) by your home bank for withdrawing cash in foreign currency. So, it is better to bring a debit card that does not charge any forex markup fee. I have this debit card from IndusInd Bank with a nil forex markup fee.
Visa
Austria is a Schengen country, so you need a Schengen Visa to enter Austria. If you have a Schengen Visa, you can enter Austria from another Schengen country as if you are travelling domestically.
Language
German is the official language of Austria. English was widely spoken everywhere we went and faced no problems with communication.
Best Time To Travel
The best time to travel to Austria is June – September when the weather is warm and sunny. But it is also a peak season so be prepared to get surrounded by tourists everywhere. April – May and October is a shoulder season and also a good time to visit Austria.
How To Reach Austria
Air India is the only airline currently which has a non-stop flight from Delhi to Vienna. It flies to Vienna 3 times a week – Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
But you will find many one-stop flights from many Indian cities to Vienna. Popular airlines for one-stop flights are Middle Eastern carriers (Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways), Turkish Airlines, and European carriers (Lufthansa, KLM).
If coming from other European countries, you have the option of travelling via flight or bus or train. Trainline and Omio are two apps/websites for bus and train bookings.
How To Get Around in Austria
Intercity Travel
Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck are easily reachable from each other by both train and bus. Multiple trains and buses operate daily between each of these cities.
Currently, there is no direct connection to reach Hallstatt from major popular cities. The easiest way to reach Hallstatt is from Salzburg which involves a train change at Attnang Puchheim.
Intracity Travel
Vienna
Vienna has an excellent network of subway (U-bahn), rapid railway (S-bahn), buses, and trams. A single journey ticket costs EUR 2.4 (~ INR 215) and you can use any combination of trams, buses, U-bahn, and S-bahn to reach the destination.
If your travel involves multiple uses of public transport in a day, it is cheaper to purchase a short-term pass that allows unlimited use of public transport for a specified time duration. There are 24-hour, 48-hour, 72-hour, weekly, and flexible weekly tickets. You can check the latest prices here. We were in Vienna for 4 days and purchased a flexible weekly ticket for EUR 17.10 (~INR 1,540).
A ticket in Vienna or very much anywhere in Europe is not dated and hence, it needs to be validated first before using it. Read this article to get more information about using public transport in Europe.
Salzburg
Bus is the only public transport in Salzburg and it covers every popular tourist attraction including Untersberg Mountain. A single journey ticket costs EUR 2.3 (~INR 210) and a 24-hour ticket costs EUR 4.7 (~INR 420). Check the latest prices here.
If you are in Salzburg for 1 or 2 days and planning to visit many attractions, you are better off purchasing a 24/48 hour Salzburg Card. Salzburg Card not only includes one-time free entry to popular tourist attractions but also includes unlimited use of public transport.
Innsbruck
Bus and Tram are the only public transport in Innsbruck. A single journey ticket costs EUR 2.8 (~INR 250), a 24-hour ticket costs EUR 6.1 (~INR 550) and a 24-hour family ticket (2 adults + 3 children) costs EUR 9 (~INR 810). Check the latest prices here.
Similar to Salzburg, Innsbruck also has a 24/48/72 hour Innsbruck Card that also includes unlimited use of public transportation.
Hallstatt
Hallstatt is a small village that can be easily covered on foot. But if you are coming to Hallstatt by train, you will have to take a ferry from Hallstatt station to reach the village. A one-way ferry costs EUR 3.5 (~INR 315).
The only time you may need a bus ride is to visit Dachstein Ice Cave. A one-way bus ride to the Dachstein cable car station to take the Giant Ice Cave Tour costs EUR 2.5 (~INR 225).
Stay In Austria
Austria is cheaper than Western European countries but more expensive than other Central European countries like the Czech Republic and Hungary. A 3-star hotel in a central location in Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck will cost upward of INR 10,000/night. You can get a decent room at Airbnb between INR 5,000 to 8,000 per night.
Hotels are fewer in number but expensive in Hallstatt and Airbnb is non-existent. You will be lucky to find accommodation for less than INR 13,000.
We had booked Airbnb in Vienna (next to Prater station) for INR 19,800 for 4 nights (~INR 4,950/night), Salzburg (about a km away from main train station) for INR 13,550 for 2 nights (~INR 6,775/night), Innsbruck (about a km away from main train station) for INR 24,000 for 3 nights (~INR 8,000/night). A night at Hotel Weisses Lamm in Hallstatt did cost us INR 13,900.
Top Places To Visit In Austria
Vienna
Vienna has no dearth of museums, palaces, and pretty architectural buildings. Spend a minimum of 3 days to explore Vienna. These are the top things to do in Vienna:-
St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Vienna is home to many beautiful cathedrals and churches but none is more stunning than St. Stephen’s Cathedral. We were awestruck to see the incredible architecture of this 12th-century Gothic cathedral. Only a small area of the cathedral is free for public viewing. A ticket ranging from EUR 6 (~INR 540) to EUR 20 (~INR 1,800) is needed to access other areas. More information is available here.
Other churches worth visiting are St. Peter’s Church (free) and St. Charles Church (EUR 9.5 or ~INR 850).
Historic Centre Of Vienna
The Historic Centre of Vienna is an area that houses many historical buildings like Hofburg Palace, Vienna Opera House, City Hall, Parliament and many more. Just roam around and spend a few hours admiring their beautiful architecture.
Palaces and Gardens
Vienna has two very popular palaces – Hofburg Palace and Schonbrunn Palace. The courtyard of both palaces is free to enter but a ticket is needed to visit the palace rooms. A Hofburg Palace ticket starts from EUR 17.5 (~INR 1,575) whereas a Schonbrunn Palace ticket starts from EUR 20 (~INR 1,800).
We didn’t have any interest in seeing staterooms and old royal clothes, so we skipped purchasing the ticket. If it is something that interests you, then you should purchase a ticket for at least one of the palaces.
If you like flowers and gardens, you can also visit Schonbrunn Gardens and Volksgarden which are part of Schonnbrunn Palace and Hofburg Palace respectively. Both the gardens are free to enter.
Schonbrunn Zoo
Schonbrunn Zoo is a wonderful zoo and will not take more than a half day to go through all the enclosures. The best thing about the zoo was that all the enclosures had animals and we enjoyed a lot. We saw Polar Bear, Penguins, Panda, Rhinoceros and many other animals. We had also visited Prague Zoo in Prague on the same trip but we liked Schonbrunn Zoo a lot more. A ticket to Schonbrunn Zoo costs EUR 26 (~INR 2,350).
Museums
Vienna is full of museums, especially art museums. Some of the popular art museums are Belvedere, Albertina and Leopold Museum. Other non-art museums you may visit are the Natural History Museum, Beethoven Museum, and Jewish Museum.
We are not into museums, so we did not visit museums much. We only visited the Natural History Museum as we had never visited one before.
Try Local Food
Vienna is also home to many delicious treats. You must try Wiener Schnitzel and Goulash at least once. Both of them are meat dishes but Vegan versions are also available at a few restaurants. Velani is one such restaurant.
Do not miss trying Austrian desserts especially Sachertorte (sponge chocolate cake), and Apple Strudel (apple pie).
Other Attractions
Other attractions that are worth visiting are
- Time Travel Vienna to learn Vienna’s history by interactive means through 5-D cinema, VR, and multimedia shows.
- Danube Tower for breathtaking views of Vienna.
- Prater Amusement Park for thrill and dark rides. You can also ride the Giant Ferris Wheel to enjoy views of Vienna. Do note that you need to buy a ticket for each ride and it generally costs EUR 4-6 (~INR 360-540).
Day Trip To Bratislava (Slovakia)
You can visit another country on a day trip from Vienna. Bratislava (the capital of Slovakia) is just an hour away from Vienna by bus or train. You can take a leisure stroll in the old town and stop for photo stops at Blue Church, Cumil statue, and Schone Naci statue. Outside of the old town, you may visit the UFO Observation Deck and Bratislava Castle.
Salzburg
We visited Salzburg for 1 day only but we could have easily spent another day. These are the top things to do in Salzburg:-
Untersberg Mountain
Untersberg Mountain has to be the top attraction in Salzburg. It is a little outside of Salzburg but easily reachable by bus. From the bus stop, you need to take a 10-minute cable car ride to reach the top station. There you will find incredible views of mountains and valleys. If you are into hiking, you can further hike for an hour to reach the highest point. A roundtrip cable car journey costs EUR 28 (~INR 2,520).
Hellbrunn Palace And Trick Fountains
Most of the people visiting this place do not come for the palace but for the trick fountains. The garden has several grottoes, fountains, statues of Greek gods and mythical creatures. It also has a mechanical, water-operated theatre from 1750, depicting various professions at work.
But the highlight is many fountains hidden in plain sight that get activated from time to time to surprise and spray the visitors. A ticket to Hellbrunn Palace and Trick Fountains costs EUR 15 (~INR 1,350).
Hohensalzburg Fortress
Go to Hohensalzburg Fortress for the amazing views of the town. There are also a few museums inside that you may visit but they are not must-visit. The fortress can be reached by taking a 1-minute funicular ride. A ticket to Hohensalzburg Fortress costs EUR 14 (~INR 1,360) which includes a roundtrip funicular ride and entry to many museums.
Other Attractions
Other places that you may visit are Old Town, Dom Quartier, and Mirabell Palace and Gardens.
Hallstatt
Hallstatt is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Austrian Alps. We stayed in Hallstatt for a night but many people visit Hallstatt as a day trip from Salzburg. These are the top things to do in Hallstatt:-
Walk Along Lake
The top and free thing to do in Hallstatt is to walk along the lake admiring the beautiful landscape and stopping now and then to take numerous photos. The most popular spot to take photos of Hallstatt is Hallstatt Viewpoint. The majority of photos of Hallstatt that you find on the internet are taken from this spot.
Take a Boat Tour
Taking a boat ride in the tranquil water of Lake Hallstatt and admiring the incredible views of the Alps and Hallstatt is a must-do activity in Hallstatt.
The boat tour starts from EUR 10 (~INR 900). If you are coming to Hallstatt by train like most tourists, you don’t need to take any boat tour as you will anyway have to take the ferry to reach Hallstatt from the train station. Just be early to board the ferry and grab your spot on the deck for photos.
See Painted Skulls at Ossuary
Adjacent to St. Michael’s chapel is Ossuary which houses over 600 painted skulls. The chapel also provides incredible views of Hallstatt Lake. The entry ticket to Ossuary is EUR 2 (~INR 180).
Hallstatt Saltmine Tour
Hallstatt saltmine is the oldest saltmine in the world dating back to 7,000 years. The salt mine can be visited on a 1.5-hour guided tour only that costs EUR 40 (~INR 3,600). The tour spends the majority of time on childish and touristy stuff like a couple of times use of miner’s slides, riding the miner’s train, and weird light and sound shows on rock formations. I felt very little time was spent on the educational portion like the history of the salt mine and the procedure of salt mining.
On your way to Hallstatt Saltmine, do not forget to visit World Heritage Skywalk which offers panoramic views of Lake Hallstatt and the surrounding Alps.
Dachstein Giant Ice Cave Tour
Dachstein Ice Cave is in Obertraun which is a ~30-minute bus ride away from Hallstatt. You need to first take the cable car and then a 20-minute hike to reach the tour starting point. The tour lasts ~1 hour and involves walking 500 steps, but none of them are very difficult. You will get to see some ice formations and an animatronic bear. This tour also, like the Saltmine Tour, makes unnecessary use of light and sound. It is not a must-visit activity and can be skipped if you are on budget or short on time. The tour costs EUR 45.3 (~INR 4,050) which also includes a roundtrip cable car ride.
If you have time in hand, you can also purchase an all-inclusive ticket for EUR 59.9 (~INR 5,400) which includes unlimited use of cable car, Ice Cave and Mammut Cave tour. Do not forget to visit the Five Fingers platform for incredible views of the Alps.
Innsbruck
Innsbruck is a popular ski resort town in Austria. We were in two minds on visiting Innsbruck, but ultimately spent a couple of days there. These are the top things to do in Innsbruck:-
Nordkette
Nordkette is the highest peak in Innsbruck and has to be your numero uno attraction in Innsbruck. You need to take a cable car to reach the top station from where you can see great views of the mountains. I would recommend you let your feet do some work and take a short hike to reach the summit cross for far more incredible views. A roundtrip cable car ticket to Nordkette costs EUR 47 (~INR 4,230).
There are also a couple of intermediate stations at which you can deboard; one of them even has a zoo.
Old Town and Its Attractions
Wander in Old Town and admire the medieval-era architecture. While strolling in the old town, you can visit some of the nearby attractions. Some of the popular ones are Golden Roof, Hofburg, Hofgarten, and Hofkirche.
Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium
Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium is a must-visit for ski-jumping enthusiasts. You can take lifts to the viewing terrace and tower overlooking Bergisel Ski Jump. If you are lucky, you can even see ski jumpers training and jumping.
A ticket to Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium costs EUR 11 (~INR 990).
Swarovski Crystal World
It is hard for me to put words to this attraction. One of the increasingly popular tourist attractions of Innsbruck, Swarovski Crystal World has to be one of the most overrated and overhyped attractions we have visited so far in our lives. There is an indoor and an outdoor section. The indoor section has multiple supposedly themed sub-sections with Swarovski Crystal being the common thread. To be honest, it was all just a random display of crystals in low and multi-coloured lights. Only a 3-year-old might enjoy it. We were in and out within 30 minutes. The outdoor section is still better with a giant face-shaped waterfall and crystal cloud which lit up in the evening.
A Swarovski Crystal World ticket costs EUR 23 (~INR 2,070) but you need a ticket only to access the indoor section. The outdoor area can be accessed for free. Swarovski Crystal World is located outside of Innsbruck and the return fare by shuttle costs EUR 11 (~INR 990).
Day Trip To Zugspitze
Zugspitze is the highest peak in Germany and can be visited from both the Austrian and German sides. Most tourists visit Zugspitze from the German side and so do we. Regular Flixbus are available from Innsbruck to Garmisch-Partenkirchen village of Germany from where you need to take a combination of cogwheel train and cable car to reach the top of Zugspitze. We had not seen more incredible views than this one in our life. You can spend the entire day just admiring the views.
A ticket to Zugspitze costs EUR 68 (~INR 6,120) in summer and a roundtrip Flixbus ride costs EUR 35 – 40 (~INR 3,150 – 3,600).
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