Obertraun
Obertraun is a small village at the southern end of Lake Hallstatt, at the foot of the Dachstein. It is the base for the Dachstein cable car and for two of the largest show caves in the Alps. The area is part of the Hallstatt–Dachstein UNESCO World Heritage region.
It is a quiet place, with a lakeside path and a train station on the lake. In summer and winter it opens onto the high plateau above.
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Quand partir
May to October is best for the cable car, caves and hikes. The caves are open from spring and have guided tours. Winter has skiing and snow on the plateau. Some mountain paths are closed in winter.
Sites incontournables
- Krippenstein is the upper cable car station, with views, huts and trails.
- Dachstein Ice Cave is a huge ice cave with frozen formations, reached on guided tours.
- Rieseneishöhle is the entrance to the Giant Ice Cave and the Dachstein Mammoth Cave nearby, with guided tours.
- Eispalast is a section of the ice cave system.
- 5 Fingers is a steel viewing platform over the Hallstatt valley.
- Treppe ins Nichts is a glass-floored viewpoint on the Dachstein plateau, known as the stairs into nothing.
- Hallstätter Gletscher is a glacier near the high plateau.
- Höhlenmuseum explains the history of cave research.
- Schloss Grub is a manor house in the village.
- Krippensteinkapelle is a small mountain chapel.
Listes recommandées
Obertraun Essentials
Obertraun serves as the primary access point for the Dachstein Krippenstein region and its diverse geological features. This selection includes the world-famous Giant Ice Cave and the extensive Mammoth Cave system, alongside high-altitude viewpoints like the 5 Fingers and the Skywalk. The list also covers the Hallstätter Glacier, the largest in the Dachstein range, and historic landmarks such as the lakeside Schloss Grub and the memorial chapel on Mount Krippenstein.
12 lieux
Scenic Viewpoints
The Dachstein massif features several high-altitude viewing platforms accessible via the Dachstein Krippenstein cable car and the Dachstein Glacier lift. These sites include the 5 Fingers, which extends over a 400-meter drop, and the Stairway to Nothingness, a glass-bottomed platform suspended over the mountain face. The Hoher Krippenstein peak serves as a central hub for hikers at 2,108 meters, while the Skywalk provides views across the UNESCO World Heritage region of Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut.
5 lieuxExpériences à vivre
- Take a guided ice cave tour.
- Ride the cable car to the plateau.
- Walk to a viewpoint on the plateau.
- Cycle or walk the lake path to Hallstatt.
- Ski the Dachstein slopes in winter.
Visites et activités
Obertraun — Carte
Ouvrir la carte interactive Excursions à la journée
- Hallstatt is about 10 minutes away by car or 25 minutes by boat from the station.
- Gosau is about 40 minutes away by car.
- Bad Ischl is about 35 minutes away by car.
- Bad Aussee is about 30 minutes away by car.
- Schladming is about 1 hour away by car.
Où s'aventurer
S'y rendre
- By air: Salzburg Airport is about 1 hour 30 minutes away by car.
- By train: Obertraun-Dachsteinhöhlen station is on the Salzkammergut line. Trains from Attnang-Puchheim take about 2 hours. Check times on ÖBB.
- By car: The road runs from Bad Ischl through Bad Goisern.
Se déplacer
The village is small. Local buses run to the cable car base and nearby villages. The lake path leads to Hallstatt.
Conduite
A car is helpful but not essential. Parking is available at the cable car station. Winter tyres or chains are required in snow. Motorways in Austria need a vignette.
Gastronomie
Mountain huts serve warm soups, dumplings and cakes. Lake fish and Kaiserschmarrn are common in village inns.
Sécurité et santé
Obertraun is very safe. Caves are cold, so bring a warm jacket and sturdy shoes. High plateau paths need care in changing weather. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112. The mountain rescue number is 140.
Histoire
The caves were explored in the 19th and 20th centuries and opened to visitors in the early 1900s. The Dachstein cable car opened in 1950. The village lies in a landscape with traces of salt mining and settlement from the Bronze Age, which earned UNESCO status in 1997.
Infos pays
Quick practical facts for Austria at a glance:
- Devise
- euro EUR € · Paiements par carte · Couramment acceptées
- Numéros d'urgence
- 112
- Électricité
- 230 V · 50 HzType C / Type F
- Langues
- allemand
- Eau du robinet
- Potable
- Sens de conduite
- À droite
- Indicatif téléphonique
- +43
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