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Table of Contents:
How to get to Bad Gastein from Salzburg
How to get to Bad Gastein from Munich
How to get to Bad Gastein from Vienna
When to travel to Bad Gastein
The resort of Bad Gastein is ready to offer different types of activities, including skiing, relaxing in thermal complexes, sightseeing and even more specific, like, for example, a casino. The resort does not look typical; instead of low-rise alpine chalets, there are historical buildings of the 19th century. Bad Gastein is located in the Gastein Valley, where 4 ski resorts in total can be found, including Dorfgastein, Bad Hofgastein, Bad Gastein and Sportgastein. They are located at different altitudes, and each of them, in addition to skiing, has a thermal complex with a full range of spa services.
After some research, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Bad Gastein. I figured out how to get to the town, where to stay & what to do there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Bad Gastein.
You can travel to Bad Gastein any time of the year. During the period of December-March, the main activities at the resort are skiing and snowboarding; during the period of April-November, the main activities are sightseeing, hiking and other seasonal kinds of sport. Thermal and spa complexes are open all year round.
How to get to Bad Gastein
Where do you fly into to get to Bad Gastein? The closest major city to Bad Gastein is Salzburg, but tourists also often visit the resort from Munich or Vienna. All these cities have airports where travellers can fly to get to Bad Gastein. You can find available flights from your city at the Aviasales booking service and others. In my point of view, this service is very convenient as it has a lot of options to sort the results as you need. I often use it when planning my upcoming trips. Then from these cities you can get directly to Bad Gastein by public transport, by taxi, by transfer service or by rented car.
How to get to Bad Gastein from Salzburg
By public transport: The distance between Salzburg and Bad Gastein is about 105 km. The convenience of Bad Gastein location is that the resort has a railway connection between the north and south of the country, so you can get to Bad Gastein from any city in Austria by high-speed train. From Salzburg, trains run every 2 hours, starting at 8 am and then throughout the day (except at night). The travel time is about 1,5 hours. Trains are direct, no changes are required. You can check the timetable and buy tickets online at the Raileurope ticket service. This online service has a convenient search with detailed information on duration of the trip, departure and arrival points, number of changes if applicable, prices, etc. I personally use Raileurope very often to check out the available train connections.
By transfer service: Also, at any time of the day you can get from Salzburg to Bad Gastein using transfer services. An individual transfer can be ordered via specialized international services. These include Kiwitaxi and others. Travel time is approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. It is convenient to transport ski equipment using a transfer service. I examined the reviews and most of them are positive so I can recommend this transfer service.
By rented car: You can also get to Bad Gastein from Salzburg by rented car. This service is very common in Salzburg; you can even find rental points at the airport. You can also book a car in advance on specialized services like Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. To rent a car you need to have a passport, an international driving license and a bank card to pay for services. Salzburg and Bad Gastein are connected with highway No. A10. The distance is 105 km; the travel time is 1 hour 20 minutes (see on the map).
How to get to Bad Gastein from Munich
By public transport: Munich and Bad Gastein are located 224 km apart. As for public transport, you can travel from Munich to Bad Gastein 4 times a day by direct high-speed train; the travel time is 3,5 hours. Trains depart from Munich Main Train Station. You can check the timetable and buy tickets online at the Raileurope ticket service.
By transfer service: From Munich you can also order a private transfer to Bad Gastein, directly from the airport and at any time of the day. In this case, the travel time is about 2 hours 50 minutes. You can order transfer services on such booking services as Kiwitaxi, Intui.Travel and other similar ones. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I found out that most of them are positive. For sure, there are a lot of other taxi services available at the airport.
By rented car: Another way to get from Munich to Bad Gastein is to rent a car. Car rental in Munich is an extremely popular option among tourists; rental offices can be found in any area of the city, as well as at the airport. Munich and Bad Gastein are connected with highway No. A8, and can also be reached via the neighboring highway No. A10. The distance is 225 km; the travel time is about 2,5 hours, depending on traffic (see on the map). You can also book a car for renting in advance via various international services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. Based on my experience, both services have a decent search with a lot of options for sorting the results.
How to get to Bad Gastein from Vienna
By public transport: Vienna is located 379 km from Bad Gastein. Direct trains run between the cities, although the travel time is at least 4,5 hours one way. Trains depart from Vienna twice a day – in the morning and in the afternoon. You can check the timetable and buy tickets online at the Raileurope ticket service. I can recommend Raileurope as I use it quite often. I can say it has a convenient search with detailed information on each train connection.
By transfer service: Getting by transfer car from Vienna to Bad Gastein takes slightly less time – about 4 hours. You can book services in advance on Kiwitaxi, Intui.Travel and other similar services. You can depart directly from the airport, or from any other area of Vienna, if needed.
By rented car: Renting a car is another popular option in Vienna. Vienna and Bad Gastein are connected with highway No. S6. The distance is 379 km; the travel time is 4-4,5 hours. You can also drive along highway No. A1 via Salzburg. In that case, the distance is 395 km; the travel time is 4-4,5 hours (see on the map). Rental offices can be found at the Vienna airport or at the center of the city. You also can book a car for renting in advance via different services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. Both services are good for comparing the different available options. I often use them when planning trips.
Where to stay in Bad Gastein
Bad Gastein is a very popular tourist destination, and accommodations are in demand here all year round. Bad Gastein is famous not only for skiing, but also for thermal springs. Based on my research, travellers can stay in Bad Gastein in hotels of various star categories, apartments, holiday homes, guest houses, chalets. In addition to Bad Gastein, you can also find places to stay in neighboring resorts such as Bad Hofgastein, Dorfgastein, Mallnitz, etc. – they all have a united ski area.
In Bad Gastein, you can find both classic hotels and apart-hotels, the difference is in their equipment (the rooms of apart-hotels, as a rule, have their own kitchen area). As for the winter season, I would recommend booking accommodation in advance. There are some popular options to stay in Bad Gastein:
Hotel Salzburger Hof 4* – the hotel is located close to the ski lifts and the thermal complex. It offers an indoor pool, hydromassage, a sauna, a panoramic terrace for relaxation, a bar and a restaurant. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories. Breakfast or half board is offered. All rooms are also equipped with a kettle or coffee pot. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge. Free private parking is available on site. The front desk is open 24 hours a day. There are places for storing luggage and skis, if needed;
Design Hotel Miramonte 3* – the hotel is located at the foot of the mountain, within the walking distance from the town center. The hotel has a restaurant and a wellness center. Here you can find a thermal and spa area, hydromassage, a relaxation room with a panoramic view of the mountains. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories; some of the rooms have a view of the mountains. Breakfast or half board is offered. Wi-Fi is available in public areas free of charge. Free public parking is provided on site. Luggage and ski storage services can be found at the front desk;
Das Schneider Bad Gastein 3* – this apart-hotel is within walking distance from the local waterfall. The nearest spa center is located less than a kilometer from the hotel. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Some rooms have a balcony. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is available free of charge. Free private parking is provided on site upon reservation. Children’s playground is also available;
Ski Lodge Reineke 3* – the hotel has a good location within walking distance from the town center, the thermal complex and ski lifts. You can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Breakfast is included in the room rate. Wi-Fi is free of charge. Free private parking is available nearby upon reservation. The front desk operates 24 hours a day. The hotel has storage area for luggage and skis;
Kurhotel & Hotel Mozart 3* – the hotel is located 500 meters from the resort center and the thermal complex. The hotel has a steam bath, a sauna and hydromassage; a restaurant and bar are also open. You can stay in rooms of varying categories, including family rooms. Breakfast or half board is offered. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge. Free public parking is available on site. Luggage and ski storage services are available at the front desk; there is also an ATM.
As for the apartments, you can rent any options here – from standard to luxurious. So, the following apartments are popular:
- Haus Klaffenbock in Alpine style with a panoramic terrace;
- Appartement Anne with a balcony and mountain views, with family rooms and free parking.
You can view the available accommodation options in Bad Gastein and the surrounding area for the dates you are interested in using specialized booking services.
What to do in Bad Gastein
Bad Gastein is famous for its skiing. The length of the trails here is more than 220 km, with 60 km of easy trails, 117 km of medium difficulty and 28 km of difficult ones. The total number of lifts serving the resort is 50. A snow park is open in Bad Gastein. There is an extensive freeride area and 2 half-pipes in the snow park. The total length for cross-country skiing is 90 km.
In general, we can say that, due to its specifics, Bad Gastein is more suitable for those skaters who already have some experience in skating. Bad Gastein is also considered to be a snowboard-friendly resort. There are also 3 toboggan runs here. The high season lasts in Bad Gastein from December to March incl.
In addition to skiing, Bad Gastein is famous for its thermal baths. The region has radon springs and salt adits, which are believed to have a beneficial effect on the body. The most famous thermal complex in the resort is Felsentherme. The pools use water from natural springs containing radon.
In the area of the complex, you can find outdoor and indoor swimming pools, a sports pool, a pool with various types of underwater massage, a waterfall and a grotto. There is some useful information for visiting that I discovered:
- The wellness center is open year-round from 9 am to 9 pm.
- Ticket prices, which include access to the swimming pool complex and sauna, start from 29 euros per person.
There are also various thermal complexes in neighboring villages. Thus, the Solarbad aquatic center is located in Dorfgastein; its difference is that there is a large water slide and a children’s playground, which together makes the complex attractive for families with children. Bad Hofgastein also has its own thermal complex, which is called Alpentherme. This complex has themed spa areas for relaxation.
Bad Gastein itself also has a lot to see. The Gastein waterfall is a particularly popular place, located in the center of the resort. The height of the waterfall is 340 meters, and it has 3 rapids. The attraction is open for free. To my mind, the town also has several interesting churches and chapels of different historical periods, villas and other historical buildings.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Austria, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: library_mistress
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…
I had no idea about Bad Gastein. We visited Salzburg for just a couple of days and left wanting more. Will have to add this to our list for next time! thanks
I love how this post highlights the year-round appeal of Bad Gastein! It’s great to know that there’s just as much to do in the warmer months as there is during ski season.
Hello!
Absolutely!
You are welcomed to visit Bad Gastein at any time of the year!
Cheers,
Julia
Thank you for so much practical advice. How far in advance should you start planning a trip to Austria from the US?
Hello!
I would say at least 3 months before visiting the ski resorts. The optimal period will be 6 months, if you want to find affordable prices for accommodation. In case you would like to visit some large cities like Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck etc, it is ok to plan your trip before 2-3 weeks.
Cheers,
Julia
Thanks for the tips on Bad Gastein, saving this for my Austrian itinerary!