Bad Gastein is a small city in the eastern part of the Alps, in the Salzburg region in Austria. It is located in the middle of the Hohe Tauern National Park in the Salzburg region, and gets visitors all year around. Most people visit for skiing during the winter season. For summer activities, there are hiking trails, running and Nordic walking routes, biking and bike tours in and around the national park.

Understand

Bad Gastein - a view of the town

"Gastein" means gray rock, and "Bad" is spa. The area has been settled from around the 10th century AD, and used to thrive on agriculture and gold-mining. In the 19th century, the waters of Bad Gastein became a fashionable resort, visited by European monarchs as well as the rich and famous.

The town centre is located at the Gastein Falls, about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) above sea level. It is characterized by numerous historic multi-story hotel buildings erected on the steep slopes.

Get in

By plane

Fly to Salzburg, Munich (München) or Klagenfurt. From there you can go by car or train.

By car

Coming from the Salzburg area, take the toll Tauern motorway A10 southwards to Bischofshofen and the Gasteinertal exit, then continue on the Austrian federal highway B311 to Lend and turn off onto the B167 into the Gasteinertal. Continue via Bad Hofgastein to Bad Gastein.

The toll-free journey from the north via Lofer and on well-developed federal highways, albeit with some through towns, is from the Munich - Salzburg motorway, Traunstein-Siegsdorf exit in Germany and then on the B306 (D) via Inzell, Schneizlreuth (border ), B178 (A) to Lofer, from there you can continue on the B 311 to Lend at the entrance to the Gastein Valley. Distance from the Traunstein motorway exit approx. 134 km.

Coming from the south, Bad Gastein is reached via the Tauernschleuse Mallnitz (car on train). From autumn 2024 to the beginning of summer 2025, the Tauernschleuse will be closed due to tunnel work.

By train

There is a railway station in the center of Bad Gastein, and trains go by approximately every second hour. Connections are available from many Austrian cities like Vienna, Linz, Salzburg and Graz.

For operational reasons (the platforms at the Dorfgastein and Bad Gastein stations are too low), ICE trains will not stop in Bad Gastein until 2025. During this time the trains only stop in Bad Hofgastein. From there there is a rail replacement service to Bad Gastein. AVISO: From autumn 2024 to the beginning of summer 2025, the railway line between Schwarzach-St.Veit and Spital-Millstädtersee will be renovated. The route between Bad Gastein and Spital will therefore be closed for seven months. The route from the north to Bad Gastein will be in operation as a feeder to the ski areas until the beginning of March. Train traffic will then also be stopped here.

Get around

Within the Gastein Valley there are several bus lines that connect the towns. In winter there is an extensive network of ski buses that connects all districts to the ski slopes.

See

• 1 Gastein waterfall — the main thing to see within Bad Gastein. The waterfall is 341 m in height and cascades down in three steps through to the valley floor.
• 2 Glocknerblick viewing platform — At the summit of the Stubnerkogel mountain, there is a 140-m suspension bridge which provides scenic views. Right next to it is the Glocknerblick viewing platform which offers a scenic viewing area for the surrounding mountains - including the Großglockner, which is the tallest mountain in Austria.

Do

Skiing

• 1 Stubnerkogelbahn — Stubnerkogelbahn is a cable car starting behind the train station running up to Stubnerkogel mountain. It is the Bad Gastein entrance to the Gastein Ski resort.
• 2 Skizentrum Angertal — Angertal is a valley south of stubnerkogel and links the Stubnerkogel and Schlossalm areas of the ski resort. In Angertal you can access lifts to both mountains.
• 3 Sportgastein — Sportgastein is a ski resort at the very end of the valley. It can be accessed via a toll road or the free skibus from Bad Gastein. It has only one gondola and a parallel ski lift but offers a variety of slopes and due to its height and remoteness is mostly less crowded.

Spa

As you can see by the prefix "Bad" in the name of the town Bad Gastein has its mineral water spring and a health centre.

The 4 Felsentherme is the most famous swimming and spa facility located next to the railway station.

Eat

Bellevue Alm, Windiszgrätzhöhe and Orania Stubrl are three very good, Austrian restaurants located in and around the city. If you're skiing, make sure you visit Jungerstube.

Go next

• Zell am See
• St. Johann im Pongau
• Wagrain