Salzkammergut Lakes

What should you know before visiting Salzkammergut Lakes?

No motorway tolls or vignettes expected for a car.

• Hallstatt, Obertraun, Gosau and Bad Goisern form the core zone of the UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed in 1997. The area spans three Austrian states.
• Hallstatt is heavily visited, with up to about 10,000 people on peak days. Tour coaches need a booked entry slot (since 2020). Motorhomes: clarify access and parking with Hallstatt's parking management beforehand.
• In Upper Austria camping outside campsites is not generally banned, but municipalities can restrict it locally or ban it entirely. On green land, notifying the nature conservation authority is generally required.

The drive

One possible order: Salzburg, then Mondsee and Attersee, on to the Wolfgangsee with St. Gilgen and St. Wolfgang. Next come Bad Ischl, Hallstatt on the Hallstätter See, and Gosau or Bad Aussee. The Traunsee with Gmunden is a detour. This is a suggestion, not a signed route; check traffic and local access rules beforehand.

Camping

According to the Austrian government portal, camping outside campsites is not generally banned in Upper Austria. A stay beyond a brief rest in or beside a tent or motorhome counts as camping. Municipalities can ban or allow it locally, and on green land outside built-up areas the nature conservation authority generally has to be notified. Salzburg and Styria have their own rules. A motorhome magazine (April 2026) lists pitches in places such as Bad Ischl, Nußdorf am Attersee and Hallstatt. Check prices and opening times beforehand.

FAQs