Boat tour Hallstatt
If you are looking for something special to experience on your holiday, go on a boat tour on the Lake Hallstatt. You can take your whole family or a group of friends, enjoy the cruise through the lake and don’t worry about anything.
Lake Hallstatt
The Hallstatt Lake is 2,5 kilometers wide and 6 kilometers long. It is surrounded by mountains and beautiful small towns such as Hallstatt or Obertraun. It offers amazing views of the landscapes once you are on the water. On the southern side the River Traun flows into the lake and continues to flow away on the other side in Bad Goisern. That causes that even in winter the lake almost never freeze.
On the other hand it means that even in summer the water does not reach very high temperatures. But this should not discourage you from swimming in the lake. You can also rent a boat or get on a boat tour
to explore this are a little bit more. One of the best ways to experience Hallstatt is right from the water.
Boat cruise
An interesting way to explore this region is from the boat. You have a lot of possibilities how to get on the water. One of them is a boat tour. You can take a long tour around the whole lake or just a short one and decide where to go. There are several options of the tours. You can easily start at the town Hallstatt and go on the cruise from there. More ports are on the other side of the lake like Obertraun or Bad Goisern. In case you decide you want to explore the lake by yourself, you can rent a boat in one of the rental around the lake. There is also o possibility to plan a hike with the use of ferry or a discovery cruise
Boat transport in Hallstatt
There is a regular boat line from Hallstatt boat station to the city of Hallstatt, because the train station is located on the other side of the lake. Another port is Obertraun boat station in the South coastal town. Both of these docks are located right next to the train stations. The boats are following up the train time schedules, so if you are traveling by train, you can easily plan a transfer to a boat. All of these ports are on the South side of the lake. You can either use the boat as a transfer to the train or your car or simply just hop on the round trip tour.
What boat tours are there to go
In Hallstatt you can find two ports – the main port “Markt” is in the center and other one named “Lahn” at the bus station. On the South side of the lake is also one port in Obertraun. You have two choices of round trips on the lake – short one named “South” and long one named “North”. Both of them are only working during summer, but the ferry from train stations works all the year.
Boat tour Hallstatt North – ATO Hallstatt markt (schiffstation)
Boat tour Hallstatt – south port – Hallstatt Lahn
Round trip South
This is the short round – as the name says, it only goes on the south part of the lake. It takes about 50 minutes of time and there are three stops. Hallstatt Markt, Hallstatt Lahn and Obertraun. You can start anywhere and also use it when you only want to transfer from one town to another. But you should know the pricing is better if you take the whole route (via prices). The cruise will offer you some beautiful views on the landscape of Hallstatt and nature around
Round trip North
The larger round trip is going to take you to the North side of the lake. You will go to the
port Steeg near the Bad Goisern city. It takes about 80 minutes. You can see a large part
of the lake and the landscapes all around. But you should be aware, that this trip is only
happening in summer – July and August.
Reviews
- I arrived by train and after 3 minutes the boat left for Hallstatt. The price is 3.5 euros for one trip. I took some photos while waiting for the train back. I will come back here in the summer.
- The ride is nice and the ship is waiting for the train. Even on the way back. But you have to be careful not to miss the last ferry. Especially if you visit the salt mines, walk around town a bit and want to eat.
Hiking or cycling with the use of a boat
Using a boat transfer is very popular in this area. Not only you will see amazing landscapes you could never see from the ground, but you can make even more of this trip. If you are a cyclist or a hiker, plan a trip part on ground and part on boat. You can bike around the whole lake.
If you are traveling with your kids and want to shorten the bike trip, you can you ferry from Hallstatt and go on the other side. Than bike around the lake to your start point. If you rather hike, than start with a boat trip from Hallstatt to Obertraun. From there you can visit the viewpoint Five Fingers. Another option is ferry to Hallstatt station and hike on the eastern side of the lake with the highest peak Hoher Sarstein.
How much a boat tour cost?
Ferry Hallstatt City – Hallstatt station
one way 3,5 €; return 7 €
Hallstatt – Obertraun
10 €
Round trip South
14 € adult; 6 € bicycle
Please check details Hallstattschifffahrt
What should I know before I go on boat tour Hallstatt
Always have in mind, that most of the places takes only cash. When you are in Hallstatt and going to a boat cruise, be prepared that in the stormy weather the trip could be cancelled. It is also important to know that the managed boat tours are only working partly of the year (May to September). But if you are traveling with a group, it is possible to arrange a round trip off season, after some advanced booking.
You can also travel with your bike (see bike rental around Hallstatt lake ) for a charge 6 € or with your dog. Be aware that dogs can only go with their leash and muzzle. Also don’t panic if you don’t speak German, English information are available on both managed boat tours.
Is it worth it?
Going on a boat at Hallstatt Lake is definitely worth it! The landscapes it offers you are like nothing else. Also the view on Hallstatt town is really spectacular from the water. Whether you set off the boat tour around the lake to get to know it or you just simply use it as a part of your all day trip, we would absolutely recommend it. We also recommend renting a boat just for you.
