Have you ever wanted to step into a real-life frozen world? The Werfen Ice Caves offer just that. Personally, it was a surreal moment when I stepped through the world’s largest accessible ice cave system. These ice caves are located just 40 minutes south of Salzburg and I will walk you through everything you need to know on how to get to Werfen Ice Caves from Salzburg. This can be via public transport, or by car. Whatever you choose you still have to walk to reach these caves.
Do not get discouraged as this is a once in a lifetime experience and these caves are quite unique. While there are plenty of things to see in Salzburg, I would still make it a point and make some time to have a stop over here. So, without further a do, put on your jackets as you are ready to step into an icy world!
Table of Contents
- Werfen Ice Caves 2025 Information
- What Exactly Are the Werfen Ice Caves?
- How to Get to Werfen Ice Caves
- Reaching the Ice Cave Entrance: Hike or Cable Car?
- Inside the Werfen Ice Caves: What to Expect
- Dining Options At Werfen Caves
- What to Combine Werfen Ice Caves With?
- Conclusion: Is It Worth It?
- Werfen Ice Caves FAQs
Werfen Ice Caves 2025 Information
- Season: 1 May – 31 October, 2025. Ticket office 08:30–15:00; last cable car 15:20; last guided cave entry 15:45.
- Timed tickets: Book a 30-minute arrival slot online (€4 cheaper than on-site). Miss it and you join the standby line, which can add an hour in July.
- Budget check: Return train €10, shuttle €7 cash, online combo ticket €38 adult / €27 youth 15-18 / €19 child 5-14 (on-site €42/€29/€21). Total from Salzburg Hbf: €55–€60 per adult.
- Steps inside: 1,400 (134 m vertical). Equivalent to a 40-storey tower — doable but not for strollers or wheelchairs.
- Temperature: −1 °C to −4 °C year-round. Expect a 100 kph gust when the door opens
What Exactly Are the Werfen Ice Caves?
The Werfen Ice Caves (In German: Eisriesenwelt, meaning “World of the Ice Giants”) are a natural limestone and ice cave system located in the Tennengebirge mountains near the village of Werfen. These caves stretch over 42 km but don’t worry you are not going to walk that much! Visitors are only guided through about 1 km of illuminated icy chambers. Inside, you’ll find spectacular frozen waterfalls, vast ice formations, and towering icy halls that seem to belong in a book.
How to Get to Werfen Ice Caves
While visiting here may be a bit tricky by public transport, where there is a will there is a way. The good news is that there are other things to do in the area (keep reading for suggestions).Here is the complete guide and all the methods of how to get to Werfen Ice Caves. This is based off a stay in Salzburg.
From Salzburg by Public Transport
First, you need to get a train to Werfen. This will cost you around €10 and takes you 40-50 minutes to arrive. Trains are quite frequent and depart from Salzburg’s main station. This will only get you to the town of Werfen.
From the train station you need to walk around 10 minutes to the Eisriesenwelt shuttle bus stop. This will get you to the base of the ice caves, the visitor center. This bus costs about €7 return and runs regularly in the summer months.
Note: The shuttle bus only accepts cash.
How to Get to Werfen Ice Caves By Car
In my case it was slightly easier to get to the ice caves. I was merely a passenger in the back of the car as my father drove up the narrow winding uphill streets. The journey took us about 40 minutes from Salzburg. You can easily combine this visit with Hellbrunn Palace, one of the must visits in Salzburg, as it is on the way to Werfen if you’re road-tripping. Parking is free at the Eisriesenwelt visitor car park.
Reaching the Ice Cave Entrance: Hike or Cable Car?
If you think you are ready to start visiting ice sculptures like Elsa in Frozen think again! Your journey is just about to begin. The question whether you are going to hike it or catch the cable car is answered for you as the cable car is included in your ticket. This does not mean that you don’t have to do some walking though. In the image below it is explained clearly of what is expected.
Hiking to the Cable Car
The first part of the hike takes you from the Visitor Center to the cable car station. This is a 20 minutes uphill on a well-maintained gravel and stone path. It is easy to navigate and can easily be done by all fitness levels. This section offers stunning panoramic views of the Salzach Valley. You’ll pass alpine meadows, cliffs, and occasionally even mountain goats. Benches along the way let you rest and take in the views.
Cable Car To The Ice Caves
Once I made it to the cable car, I thought finally made it, and looked forward to seeing frozen ice sculptures. But, no. After a 3 minute ride inside the steepest cable car in Austria (500m elevation) another 20 minute hike awaits to the actual cave entrance. This path is carved into the side of the mountain and includes some narrow sections with safety barriers. It’s very scenic, with dramatic cliffside views and going even inside a tunnel. I really didn’t see the 20 minutes pass by.
Total time from base to entrance is about 45 minutes depending on pace.
Hardcore Option: Hike all the way up
This is definitely the most courageous option on how to get to Werfen Ice Caves. If you want to hike all the way up to the ice caves then Trail #213 starts behind the visitor center. It is about 4.3 miles long and takes about 2 hrs to the cave entrance. Be careful though it is advised only for experienced hikers and only attempt in dry weather and proper boots. It will save you around €14 but you will gain some nice calf burn in return.
Inside the Werfen Ice Caves: What to Expect
Congratulations you figured out how to get to Werfen Ice Caves. Now you have reached the entrance, you’ll join a guided tour (tours are included in your ticket and leave every ~30 minutes). I really found the experience quite surreal, here are some details on the tour of the ice caves themselves.
- Duration: ~70 minutes
- Distance: ~1 km
- Steps: 1,400+ steps inside.
At the start, we were handed a traditional carbide lamp every pair or so. These old-school lanterns glow a warm orange and added a bit of Indiana Jones atmosphere to the adventure. The cave is entirely natural and unlit by electric lights, so the flicker of the lamps combined with occasional magnesium flares from the guide are the only light source inside the cave as not to create too much heat. It definitely create a bit of an eerie environment especially if you are the last person on the tour and look in the darkness behind.
As you descend into the cave, the temperature drops instantly to below freezing. The cave path takes you through
- Posselt Hall – The first grand chamber, showcasing immense blocks of shimmering ice that glisten in the lantern light
- Great Ice Embankment – A steep, icy slope inside the cave that you carefully walk along with handrails and steps
- Hymir’s Castle – A vast frozen formation resembling a giant fortress
- Mörk Cathedral – A cavernous chamber with ceiling-high ice columns and an echoing chill
- Ice Palace – The breathtaking final chamber filled with delicate, cathedral-like ice formations that look carved by an artist
The tour moves at a steady pace, with frequent stops to explain geology, ice formation, and some local legends. There are handrails and wooden walkways throughout, but the steps can be slippery and steep.
Important Tips:
- Flash Photography is not allowed inside the cave (apologies for the low quality images)
- Temperatures are freezing, so dress in layers, wear gloves, and bring a hat — even in July
- Tours are available in both English and German
- Book your ticket online as it will save you some money.
I like to clarify my photography point. Photos are banned but it is to keep the tour flowing. Sometimes you get those tourists that need to stop at every interesting piece of rock they find and stop to take a photo with it. (You know who you are) So, photos for the ice sculptures themselves are allowed just be quick. And if you ask nicely I am sure the guide will let you take a photo of yourself inside the cave. Try and grab some selfies and keep up with the tour.
Werfen Ice Caves Ticket Prices (2025 Update)
Here’s a quick breakdown of prices to help you plan your budget:
| Ticket Type | Price (Adult) | Price (Child 5-14) |
|---|---|---|
| Cave + Cable Car Combo | €38 | €18 |
| Shuttle Bus (Werfen – Center) | €7 (return, cash only) | / |
| Train to Werfen | €9 | / |
You can book tickets online via eisriesenwelt.at or purchase at the Visitor Center. As I explained before it is better to book your tickets online as it is cheaper. However, if you want to book cable-car only or cave-only then you can only buy these at the visitor center. These cost €18 and €16 respectively.
Dining Options At Werfen Caves
If you want to have something for lunch there is only two options near the caves. First one is at the visitor center itself. They sell coffee and a selection of prezels and strudel. This closes at 4pm.
The other option is Dr.Oedl-Haus. This is a rustic hut near the upper cable-car station and its menu includes Kaspressknödel soup (€9) or Apfelstrudel with vanilla sauce (€6). They also sell beer which despite its location is not too badly priced at €5 a pint.
For a budget eat, in the town of Werfen you will find Cafe Bella where a budget schnitzel sandwich and an espresso only costs €7.
What to Combine Werfen Ice Caves With?
If you are making the trip down to Werfen whether by car or by train there are some options for you to visit if you so wish. Here are the 3 most viable options:
Hohenwerfen Castle
Hohenwerfen Castle is a medieval fortress perched above the town. This is just a 15-minute walk from Werfen Station, and you can either explore the grounds or watch a falconry demonstration. Optional entry is €12 and the falconry shows start at 11am and 2pm. So make sure you time your visit well if you want to see the falconry shows.
Do-Re-Mi Meadow (Sound of Music Spot)
Continuing on from the Sound of Music theme from things to do in Salzburg, here you will find a famous location in the film. The Sound of Music Trail as found on google maps, is a 20 minute walk away from the Hohenwerfen castle car park / funciular. We were lazy and we drove all the way up a narrow road and crammed the car parked to the side while we went to the open fields with the most gorgeous mountain drops.
It was the first time I was truly taken aback by the sights, everywhere you look is a giant mountain. I could have stayed there for hours, so please even if you don’t care about Sound of Music it is worth checking out this spot.
Hellbrunn Palace
Another prominent thing to do during your visit in Salzburg, you can combine this after your visit to Werfen caves but only if you have a rental car. Hellbrunn Palace is on the way to Werfen so it is perfect for a stop in between and see its famous mountains or a visit to the zoo for the kids.
Conclusion: Is It Worth It?
Absolutely. The Werfen Ice Caves are one of the most unique places you can visit in Austria and all for approximately €40. It is not everyday you get to experience ice caves and I haven’t yet encountered another one on my travels. Book in advance for convenience as tours do tend to fill up. Be prepared for a bit of a hike and then cool yourself off inside the caves.
For more inspiration read our best day trips from Salzburg post. Of course, Werfen is included but there are 7 more with a focus on the best lakes in Austria! Thanks for reading!
