Salzkammergut Cycle Trail

Cycling is a very enjoyable pastime here in the land of lakes and mountains – the Salzkammergut. The Salzkammergut Cycle Trail is 345 km long and winds its way through some of the most beautiful parts of Europe. If you love cycling, this trail is for you. It is rich in variation, gentle but also full of surprises, and is situated amongst lavishly beautiful scenery!

Cycling through the Dachstein Salzkammergut

To complete the Salzkammergut Cycle Trail is to experience the many different aspects of the Dachstein Salzkammergut. The Salzkammergut Cycle Trail passes almost exclusively alongside the lakes and rivers of the region. At the start you cycle along the wild River Traun and then picturesque Lake Hallstatt before leaving us behind and entering the Steiermark Province at the Koppentraun.

A cycle trail along lakeshores and passing sites of local interest

Even if you pass through the area at a fast pace, there is lots of stunning natural scenery to admire. Picturesque Hallstatt is right on the trail, or how about a stop-off at Bad Goisern at Lake Hallstatt? Worth a visit is the Hand.Werk.Haus Salzkammergut included in the UNESCO “list of best practices for the preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage“. Here at the Hand.Werk.Haus there is a shop where you can purchase hand-crafted souvenirs for friends and family. Otherwise you might choose to visit two floors of exhibitions where you can learn about traditional handicrafts in our region.

Sites of interest when cycling along the shores of Lake Hallstatt

You will no doubt have heard lots about Hallstatt in the media and wanted to take a picture for yourself! A breather at this stunning World Heritage Site with its many international visitors is well worth it. We also recommend a trip up to the World Heritage View Point by “salt mine train”. If you have several hours to spare during your cycling trip, why not take a trip by cable car up the Dachstein Krippenstein (2 200 metres)? Here you have stunning views, not just of the Dachstein, but you can also visit the 5fingers viewing platform, the Dachstein Giant Ice Cave, the World Heritage Spiral and the Mammoth Cave.

The following photo gallery can be navigated with the arrow keys (left, right).

Two people ride their bikes along the Salzkammergut Cycle Trail along the Lake Hallstatt. (photo: OOE Tourismus / Hochhauser)

A cyclist rides the Salzkammergut Cycle Trail on a meadow path (photo: Torsten Kraft)

On the Salzkammergut Cycle Trail you can take a break at the Lake Hallstatt and enjoy the view. (photo: Torsten Kraft)

Exploring the Salzkammergut by bike and enjoying the landscape (photo: Torsten Kraft)

From Hallstatt train station you can take a boat trip to Hallstatt. (photo: OOE Tourismus / Hochhauser)

On the Salzkammergut Cycle Trail you have a beautiful view of the mountains and lakes. (photo: OOE Tourismus / Hochhauser)

Route description of the Salzkammergut Cycle Trail in the Dachstein Salzkammergut

At the start we cycle along the Esplanade in Bad Ischl and then continue along an asphalt side road, the so-called “Engleiten”, until we reach Lauffen - a historic pilgrimage site. In Lauffen we bear right after the bridge on to the main road through the village. At the end of the village the route continues along a short section to the right alongside the main road before we turn into the village of Weißenbach and join the Traunreiterweg trail.

We continue now along the shore of the River Traun until we reach the Goisern Bridge. Take the time to admire the stunning views of Goisern’s dominating feature – the Kalmberg Mountain – with its crowning Goisern Hut. Follow the road through the village now and after another short section parallel to the main road we reach the neighbourhood of Steeg. It is here that the Eastern Shore Trail begins. The easy route continues along the flat shore of Lake Hallstatt and we soon arrive in Obertraun.

On the opposite side of the lake is Hallstatt itself. If there is any space available for your bike on the boat, a trip from Hallstatt train station across to “Hallstatt Lahn” is recommended. After a short stroll through Hallstatt you can continue to Obertraun.

We then leave the Holiday Region Dachstein Salzkammergut as we join the R2 cycle trail along the Koppentraun. This is at the border with the Steiermark Province and route R19. Continue via the Koppen Pass into the picturesque Ausseerland region. If you want to save some time and energy and avoid cycling over the pass, take the train from Obertraun to Bad Aussee. You can purchase tickets at our tourist information offices in Bad Goisern and Hallstatt.