5 Day Trips from Salzburg Without a Car

By The Travel Fieldbook October 4, 2026 October 7, 2026

Sankt Gilgen on the shore of the Wolfgangsee in Salzburg. (H · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited)

From Salzburg, you can reach Mondsee’s basilica, Golling’s waterfall or Hohenwerfen’s fortress and still leave part of the day for the city. Wolfgangsee and Königssee reward a full day, with boat journeys that are as much part of the outing as the places ashore.

Choose by what you want to do, not just the train or bus ride. A short rail journey can lead to a substantial walk, while a lake trip needs room for the boat and the connections home. All five outings work independently by public transport from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, the main railway station.

Five trips compared

Criterion	Mondsee	Golling Waterfall	Hohenwerfen	Wolfgangsee	Königssee
Approach from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof	Bus: about 32 km, about three quarters of an hour; walk: about 450 metres, about 6 minutes; total: about 32 km, just under an hour to St Michael’s Basilica	RJ: about 29 km, about 19 minutes; walk: about 2.9 km, about 42 minutes; total: about 32 km, about an hour to waterfall	IR: about 45 km, about 38 minutes; walk: about 2.1 km, about 35 minutes; total: about 47 km, about an hour and a quarter to fortress	Bus: about 32 km, about 44 minutes; walk: about 450 metres, about 6 minutes; total: about 32 km, about three quarters of an hour to St Gilgen pier	840 to Berchtesgaden: about 26 km, about an hour; 841 to Königssee stop: about 4.7 km, about 13 minutes; walk: about 600 metres, about 8 minutes; total: about 31 km, about an hour and a quarter to Königssee pier
Transport, then walk	Bus 140	RJ to Golling-Abtenau	IR to Werfen	Bus 150X, seasonal outward runs	Buses 840 and 841 via Berchtesgaden
Published journey tickets	—	—	—	€8.30 regional single to St Gilgen, 6 zones; one direction, no stopovers	€14.10 RVO whole-route 840 day ticket without guest card; €7 Austria-section single, Zollhäuser–Salzburg; Schönau–Berchtesgaden special single €2 adult/€1 child
Final returns towards Salzburg	140: 22:45 daily, from 14 September 2026	RJ: 22:27 daily, from 14 June 2026	IR: 22:10 daily, 14 December 2025–12 December 2026	150X from St Gilgen: 19:07 daily, from 14 December 2025; weekend through-boat from St Wolfgang Markt: 17:00, 7 September–26 October 2026	Boat from St Bartholomew’s: 17:30 daily, 15 September–11 October 2026; 841 from Königssee: 19:24; 840 from Berchtesgaden: 19:15, both weekends/public holidays, summer 24 May–24 October 2026
Time to allow	Half day	Half day, substantial walking	Half day, uphill approach	Full day with both villages	Full day
Admission or boat single	—	2025: adult €7; child 6–14 €5; family (2 adults and their children) €15	Footpath Basic: adult €13.90, child 6–14 €4.60; All-Inclusive from €16.90/€6.10	St Gilgen–St Wolfgang Markt single, September 2025: adult €11.80, child 4–14 €3.60; RMS Kaiser Franz Josef I surcharge €1.50 adult/€1 child	Seelände–St Bartholomew’s single, 2026: adult €11.70; ages 6–17 half price; under 6 free

Golling and Werfen are the rail choices, while Mondsee is the gentlest town outing. The lake approach times end at the departure piers, before any sailing. Walking back to the station matters at both rail destinations. For the lakes, leave room for a boat return and the onward bus rather than treating each final departure as a connection.

Mondsee

Mondsee suits you if you want a handsome town and lakeside stroll rather than a boat-led day. St Michael’s Basilica is the church used for the wedding scene in The Sound of Music. Its twin-towered front gives you a clear focal point in the centre. Visit the church, then make time for the surrounding town and waterfront.

Take bus 140 from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof to Mondsee bus terminal, about 32 km and about three quarters of an hour. The walk to the basilica is about 450 metres and about 6 minutes. This leaves a half-day visit flexible: spend longer in the town or by the lake without adding another transport connection.

In the timetable valid from 14 December 2025, daytime buses run roughly half-hourly on weekdays and Saturdays, and hourly on Sundays and public holidays. The weekday pattern is clearest from morning into mid-afternoon. Extra runs and school-holiday conditions affect parts of the day. On 24 and 31 December, the Saturday timetable applies unless the date falls on a Sunday.

Return through Mondsee bus terminal after your lakeside walk. Keep the waterfront as part of the visit, not a separate excursion: the basilica and lake together make Mondsee a good choice when you want both architecture and an unhurried break outdoors.

Golling Waterfall

Golling Waterfall is the nature choice, with a wooded gorge rather than a lakeside town as its focus. Follow the waterfall path for views of the falling water and the rock around it. Give the visit its own time rather than arriving at the falls only to turn straight back for a train.

From Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, the RJ train to Golling-Abtenau covers about 29 km in about 19 minutes. The approach on foot is about 2.9 km and about 42 minutes. That walk, repeated on the way back, is the main reason to allow a half day even though the railway journey is short. Wear shoes suited to walking paths and keep your return to Golling-Abtenau station in mind before extending the visit.

Summer opening is daily, 09:00–19:00. Winter access is also possible, but wear shoes suited to wet or icy paths for a winter visit. Wet surfaces around a waterfall deserve care in any season.

Admission, 2025 price list: Adults €7; ages 6–14 €5; under 6 free
Family ticket: €15, 2 adults and their children
Seniors and students: €5 with valid ID
Tennengau Guest Card: Adults €6; children €4
Groups of 15 or more: €6 per person
School groups: €3 per person
Free entry: People with disabilities with valid ID; SalzburgerLand Card holders, one-time entry

Name: Golling Waterfall
Location: Wasserfallstraße 23 5440 Golling an der Salzach Maps
Typical visit: 1 hour
Essential fact: Golling Waterfall is a waterfall near Golling an der Salzach, south of Salzburg.

Hohenwerfen Fortress

Hohenwerfen combines a medieval fortress visit with falconry displays. Its position on a rocky outcrop makes the climb part of the outing, while a display gives the visit a different rhythm from simply exploring the fortress. Choose whether the birds are central to your day before deciding when to leave Salzburg.

Hohenwerfen Castle on its rocky outcrop above Werfen. — Hohenwerfen Castle, above the town of Werfen in the Salzach valley.
*Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited*

Take the IR train from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof to Werfen, about 45 km and about 38 minutes. The uphill approach is about 2.1 km and about 35 minutes. Allow for the descent and the walk back to Werfen station too: this is a half-day heritage trip with real walking, rather than an attraction directly beside a platform.

In 2026, displays run at 11:15 and 15:15 from 1 April–19 July and 22 August–8 November. During 20 July–21 August, they run at 11:15, 14:15 and 16:30. Arrive with time for the uphill approach before your chosen display, rather than treating its start as your arrival time at Werfen.

Individual visitors can buy tickets on site, subject to availability, so advance purchase is optional. The footpath tickets distinguish Basic and All-Inclusive entry, and special programmes cost extra. Children under 6 enter free.

The 2026 fortress season runs from 1 April–8 November. Opening is 09:30–16:00 in April, October and November, and 09:00–17:00 in May–September, extended to 18:00 during 20 July–21 August.

Name: Hohenwerfen Fortress
Location: Burgstraße 2 5450 Werfen Maps
Site: burg-hohenwerfen.at
Hours: Mon Closed; Tue–Sun 09:30–16:00
Typical visit: 2 hours
Essential fact: Hohenwerfen Fortress is a medieval fortress above Werfen in the Salzach valley, south of Salzburg.

After the visit, return through Werfen. IR trains towards Salzburg run every two hours through the daytime and evening, daily in the timetable valid 14 December 2025–12 December 2026. Give yourself room to descend without rushing for a particular train.

Wolfgangsee: St Gilgen and St Wolfgang

Wolfgangsee earns a full day when you combine St Gilgen, a boat crossing and St Wolfgang’s pilgrimage church. Begin with St Gilgen’s waterfront, then sail to St Wolfgang Markt for the church and time in the village. For a half-day shortening, stay in St Gilgen and enjoy the shore without adding a crossing.

Sankt Wolfgang on the shore of Wolfgangsee, with the Schafberg behind the town. — Sankt Wolfgang and the Schafberg on the shore of Wolfgangsee.
*Marion & christoph Aistleitner · Public domain · Edited*

Bus 150X takes about 44 minutes from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof to St Gilgen bus station, and the walk to the pier is about 450 metres and about 6 minutes. In the timetable valid from 1 May 2026, outward 150X services are selected runs, not a regular interval or a daily service throughout the season, with seasonal bands of 1 May–27 September and 28 November–20 December 2026. Outside those bands, use the regular 150 rather than assuming the express operates. The return 150X service in the comparison has its own operating scope.

The boat to St Wolfgang Markt takes about 40–43 minutes. During the late-season timetable, 7 September–26 October 2026, departures follow these patterns:

Monday–Friday except 26 October: 09:20, 10:20, 12:00, 13:30, 15:00, 16:30 and 18:00.
Weekends and the public holiday on 26 October: 09:20, 10:20, 11:00, 12:00, 12:40, 13:30, 14:20, 15:00, 16:30, 17:10 and 18:00.

Individual passengers do not need advance reservations. Once back at St Gilgen’s pier, walk up to the bus station for Salzburg. Choose your return across the lake before settling into a long village break, so the church and waterfront remain enjoyable rather than hurried.

Bus 149 provides a road alternative between the villages, about 18 km and about 31 minutes for the link between their landing-stage areas. Use it as a different way to reach St Wolfgang, not as a lake crossing.

Königssee and St Bartholomew’s

Königssee is the full-day mountain-lake choice, centred on the boat to St Bartholomew’s beneath the Watzmann. The church’s red domes and its position beside the shore make this a distinct destination, not just a cruise to turn around immediately. Leave time ashore for the church and lakeside before sailing back.

St Bartholomew’s Church beside Königssee, with the east face of Mount Watzmann behind it. — St Bartholomew’s Church on Königssee, with Mount Watzmann in the background.
*Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited*

From Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, take bus 840 to Berchtesgaden station, about an hour, then bus 841 to Königssee, about 13 minutes. Walk from the bus stop to the Seelände landing stage, about 600 metres and about 8 minutes. The boat leaves from here for St Bartholomew’s.

In the summer timetable, 24 May–24 October 2026, bus 840 has a broadly hourly daytime pattern with additional runs, but operating days vary by departure. Bus 841’s weekday pattern is hourly from 10:15 to 18:15. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, its pattern includes hourly departures from 09:40 to 16:40 and a later 18:15 run, with further trips restricted to particular day groups.

Individual passengers can buy boat tickets at the ticket office without advance booking, and limited tickets are also available online. Advance purchase is optional, rather than a requirement for an independent visit.

Return through Berchtesgaden on an earlier local bus, not the final 841. On the weekend and public-holiday services in the comparison, the last local departure leaves Königssee after the final Salzburg-bound 840 has already left Berchtesgaden. The last boat therefore is not a complete return plan either: allow for disembarking, the walk back to the bus stop and the interchange before heading home.

Sources & fact-checking

Checks against the sources below cover: services, fares and charges, opening hours, and closures.