The Salzkummergut Region is one of the most beautiful regions in Europe in my opinion. It offers the clearest lakes, charming lakeside villages and surrounded by the Alps mountain range. In this post I am going to list the best lakes in Austria found in this region and show you how they are all great options for day trips from Salzburg. These are all easily accessible by public transport, although renting a car in this region is not the worst idea as it will allow you to stop wherever you want alongside the lake.
Salzburg is a great base to explore the Salzkummergut region as it is a nice small city in itself bustling with life as well as easy access to train station and buses to other lakes. In fact there are plenty of things to do in Salzburg but that is a story for another post. The best lakes in Austria are found near Salzburg and not Vienna including the postcard like and famous Hallstatt. You can visit a majority of these lakes for free. Keep reading for which lakes are included in the free list and what you need to do to get your hands on free travel!
1. Lake Wolfgangsee
One of the easiest day trips from Salzburg is Lake Wolfgangsee and the surrounding towns of St.Gilgen and St.Wolfgang. St. Gilgen is a charming lakeside village where you can stroll along the waterfront, visit Mozartplatz, or hop on a boat to explore other lakeside spots like St. Wolfgang. The cable car from St.Gilgen offer fantastic views and hikes to do. More information can be found on the official Zwölferhorn Cable Car website. Availability in winter is limited.
How to Get to St.Gilgen from Salzburg
Take Bus 150 from Salzburg’s main bus station to St. Gilgen (about 1 hour). Buses run regularly throughout the day. Check the official website for the 150 bus timetable.
The bus costs approximately €15 return and if you opt a boat ride on the lake that is a further €10.
2. Lake Fuschlsee
Another lake that you can combine with the above is Fuschl am See. Fuschl is a village which is peaceful and small, perfect for renting a paddleboat or enjoying a swim in the clear turquoise waters. There are many lakeside cafes and walking trails which is perfect for a relaxing time. I personally enjoyed stopping off at Lake Fuschl as it is home to the Red Bull HQ, in a time where Max Verstappen was dominating!
How to Get to Fuschl from Salzburg
Bus 150 is once again your friend and that is why it can be combined. Catch the bus from Salzburg main station toward St. Gilgen, but get off earlier at Fuschl am See (about 40 minutes). Costs are about €10-12 return
3. Hallstätter See (Lake Hallstatt)
The only reason that this is not on the absolute top of our list of best day trips from Salzburg is it that it is a bit tricky to get to by public transport. However, The UNESCO-listed village of Hallstatt is a must visit as a day trip from Salzburg. Halstatt is famous and magical and is pictured a million times but it is not without reason. It sits right on the lake and either a 25 minute walk uphill from the village or paying for the funicular takes you to the Halstatt viewpoint. Further up the trek you can visit the famous salt mines and make sure you take some salt with you back home it is absolutely delicious.
How to Get To Halstatt From Salzburg
You will need to catch a train from Salzburg to Hallstatt Bahnhof then ferry across the lake to the village. This will take you around between 2-2.5 hrs. Unfortunately this is not free because Hallstatt does not quite fall in the Salzburg region but it worth every penny. It will cost you around €35 for a round trip. This includes the price for the ferry. For further details, read our cheapest way to get to Hallstatt post. It has in depth guide on methods not even found on google maps and as such makes the trip cheaper.
4. Lake Mondsee
Mondsee is most famous thanks to the biggest musical there is: The Sound of Music. Personally I don’t really appreciate musicals but I know that a lot of people are obsessed with that film so Mondsee has to be included in the list of great day trips from Salzburg.
It is a town with relaxed lakeside promenades, restaurants, and you can rent paddleboats or cycle around the lake. Mondsee Abbey is the reason that sound of music fans gather here.
How to Get to Mondsee from Salzburg
From Salzburg, take Bus 140 directly to Mondsee town. It takes around an hour and it is €15 return. (Keep reading to check how you will get this for free!)
5. Atter See
Obertrum am See village offers a peaceful lakeside park ideal for picnics and swimming. Enjoy nature trails and a relaxed atmosphere.
We actually visited Atter See briefly as we were making our way back to Salzburg and found a quiet spot by the side of the road. The lake was too peaceful to resist a quick swim here.
How to Get to Obertum Am See from Salzburg
From Salzburg, take Bus 120 directly to Obertrum am See. This takes around 40 minutes and a bus ticket costs around €10 return.
6. Zell am See
Nearby Village & Things to Do:
Zell am See is a lively lakeside town with the beautiful Hohe Tauern mountains as a backdrop. This town is most famous for watersports as well as casinos and resorts found here. I would say it seemed more popular wtih the older generation but still worth a visit to everyone on a day trip.
How to Get To Zell am See from Salzburg:
There is a direct train from Salzburg to Zell am See which takes around 1h 45m. This will cost you €30 return.
7. Königssee (Germany)
While not necessarily in Austria this lake is too beautiful to miss out and is best done as one of the many day trips from Salzburg you can make. Right on the Germany Austria border, this will take you a total of 1.5hours to get to.
Berchtesgaden is the main town near Königssee. Here you can also find the Eagle’s Nest a place frequently visited by no other than Adolf Hitler. Sadly it was closed due to maintenance when I happened to be in the region but it offers breathtaking views
When on the lake you need to get on the electrical boat ride. There are two main options here either keep crossing the entire length of the lake or stop at St. Bartholomä Church. This is what we opted to do as it was a great area to explore and relax. You can even take a dip in the lake. Tickets for the boat ride can be bought directly on the Konigsee Lake website.
Read our Complete Guide on how to spend your day trip in Konigssee for more information!
How to Get To Berchetsgaden From Salzburg
Take Bus 840 from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden (~40 minutes), then transfer to Bus 841 or walk 20 minutes to Königssee (~1.5 hours total).
How to Get to the Best Lakes in Austria for Free!
You might be wondering if this was clickbait as I have mentioned price tags for all the buses and trains mentioned in this post. These prices can be significantly reduced or become zero if you are staying in Salzburg.
On checking in at your accommodation in Salzburg from the 1 May 2025 you should receive a guest mobility ticket. This will give you free public transport in the region and facilitate any day trips from Salzburg you desire to go on. For a full list of routes check out the Salzburg Guest Mobility website.
List of Free Lakes You Can Visit
- Wolfgangsee
- FuschlSee
- Mondsee
- St Gilgen
- Zell Am See
Prices Without Mobility Ticket
| Lake | Transport Mode | Approx. Travel Time | One-Way Transport Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolfgangsee | Bus | 1 hr | €7–€9 |
| Fuschlsee | Bus | 40 min | €5–€7 |
| Mondsee | Bus | 1 hr | €8–€10 |
| Hallstatt | Train + Ferry | 2.5 hrs | €25–€32 |
| Obertrumer See | Bus | 40 min | €4–€6 |
| Mattsee | Bus | 45 min | €5–€7 |
| Zell am See | Train | 1 hr 45 min | €25–€30 |
| Königssee (Germany) | Bus + Bus/Walk | 1.5 hrs | €7–€9 |
My Recommendations
If you only have time for a couple of day trips from Salzburg then I would look no further then Konnigsee and Hallstatt. Although every lake was stunning, these 2 were simply magical and offer other things to do as well as just exploring the lake.
For this reason alone I would put them on the very top of the best lakes in Austria as I had the best time here and will definitely be back to visit if I ever find myself in the region again. This time I will incorporate some nice long hikes as I visited here with my parents and some of the hikes I go are definitely not suited for them! Another unique day trip not mentioned here is a visit to the Werfen Ice Caves. They are the biggest ice caves in the world and are not to be missed.
Like I said the lakes in Austria are definitely up there in terms of the most beautiful in Europe. However one lake that has a say on that subject is definitely Lake Bled. Find out what to do in Lake Bled – one of Europe’s most picturesque lakes
If you do want to visit Austria another excellent time is for the Christmas markets. The ones in Vienna are one of the more famous ones in Europe and here is a list of the top Christmas markets in Vienna you should visit
