This 5-day Austria road trip guide will take you to beautiful mountain views, alpine lakes, a bucket list hike and more! Spend 5 unforgettable days road tripping through the Austrian Alps with this itinerary.
Although Austria is a small country, you probably won’t get to see and do everything in 5 days. Think of this 5-day Austria road trip guide as an intro to Austria. We recommend pairing a trip to Austria with another nearby country such as Italy or Switzerland.
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5-Day Austria Road Trip Overview
Day 0: Land in Vienna
Day 1: Explore Vienna
Day 2: Hallstatt
Day 3: Mayrhofen
Day 4: Ehrwald
Day 5: Salzburg
How to Get to Austria
For this 5-day Austria road trip itinerary, we would recommend flying into Vienna International Airport. Alternatively, you could fly into Salzburg and begin your trip there.
If you are traveling to Austria as part of a multi-country Europe trip, you can take a train directly to Vienna from more than 12 countries.
Tips for Renting a Car in Austria
As this is a road trip itinerary, obviously you will need to rent a car. If you are flying in and out of Vienna, you can easily pick up your rental car from the airport. If you are continuing your travels through Europe, we would recommend picking your car up in Vienna and dropping it off in Salzburg. While one-way rentals are usually more expensive, this will save you from having to drive from Salzburg back to Vienna, adding additional hours to your road trip.
Whether you pick up your rental car from the airport or train station, here are a few important things to know.
- An International Driving Permit is required to rent a car in Austria. This can be obtained from your local AAA office and is valid for one year.
- A vignette (toll pass/sticker) is required to drive on all motorways and expressways in Austria. Most rental cars include a vignette, but we would recommend asking at the rental car counter just to be sure.
- Some sections of your driving route will include additional toll fees.
- Make sure you know if you can take your rental car to neighboring countries. Some rental companies require advanced approval, while some rental companies have a set cross-border fee. One of our driving routes had us crossing into Germany for a few miles, and we were hit with a hefty fine.
When to Visit Austria
If you’re looking for a less crowded time of year to visit Austria, spring (April and May) and late summer (September) are ideal. If you’re looking for the time of year with the best weather, we would recommend visiting in June. We did this 5-day Austria road trip in mid-June and honestly, the crowds were not too bad and we had perfect weather the whole time.
5-Day Austria Road Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Vienna
Vienna, the capital city of Austria is a center for art, history, and culture. You can easily spend more than a day here exploring museums, admiring the beautiful architecture, and sipping coffee in one of Vienna’s many cozy cafes. However, you have a lot more to see and do on your short trip, so here is how to spend one day in Vienna.
Belvedere Palace and Gardens
The Belvedere Palace (specifically the Upper Belvedere) is home to George Klimt’s world famous painting The Kiss.
If you’re not interested in art and architecture, you may enjoy a stroll through the gardens. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the impressive Baroque gardens connect the Upper and Lower Belvedere Palaces. They are open to the public and free to visit. Within the gardens you’ll find sculptures, fountains, and an intricately designed layout of flowers. You won’t want to miss the Belvedere Gardens, especially when everything is in bloom.
Fenster Cafe
A small window in Vienna, Fenster Cafe serves coffee (and only coffee) in a unique way. Here you can order coffee served inside of a waffle cone. The Fensterccino, a cappuccino served in a chocolate lined waffle cone, is the most ordered and most expensive drink at Fenster Cafe.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral and City Center
St. Stephen’s Cathedral marks the center of Vienna and is the tallest church in Austria. This Gothic cathedral has several tour options available. More information on visiting St. Stephen’s Cathedral can be found here.
Day 2: Hallstatt
The drive from Vienna to Hallstatt is about 3.5 hours, so we recommend starting your day early. The drive is quite scenic with stunning mountain views and green fields.
After arriving in Hallstatt, park your car at either P1 (year round) or P2 (summer). Depending on the time of year you visit, Hallstatt can be quite crowded. We arrived around 10 am, and there were only a handful of parking spaces available. Parking fees are reasonable with 3-4 hours only costing €10 when we visited last summer.
Panoramic Viewpoint
If you’re looking for the postcard worthy view of Hallstatt, head to Panoramic Viewpoint. As it is such a well-known spot, it will be crowded. Consider visiting in the early morning hours or late evening.
Hallstatt’s Market Square
Spend some time wandering through the Market Square. Here you can find cafes, restaurants, and souvenir shops.
Lake Gosau
Don’t visit Hallstatt without also visiting Lake Gosau. This beautiful alpine lake is about a half hour away from Hallstatt. Here you can hike around the lake, swim, and even rent a boat or paddle board. When we visited in June, we enjoyed swimming after our hike around the lake. It was our first time swimming in an alpine lake, and it was quite the experience.
Day 3: Mayrhofen
The drive from Hallstatt to Mayrhofen is about 3 hours, but we promise the Olperehutte hike is worth it. If you follow any travel creators on Instagram, you’ve probably seen photos of the suspension bridge along this trail. It’s a popular hike and for good reason.
Because this hike is so well known, you’ll want to arrive at the trailhead early in the morning or later in the afternoon/evening. Parking fills up fast.
Olpererhutte Hike and Suspension Bridge Info
- You will begin your hike at the Schlegeis Reservoir. To get there, you will drive along the Schlegeis Alpine Road. The last part of this road is a toll road; it is open from 6am-6pm in July and August and 7am-6pm in May, June, and September. As of June 2026, the toll fee is €19.
- It is a moderate, 6.4km out and back trail.
- The suspension bridge is about 5-10 minutes past the Olperehutte. Expect to wait in line for photos.
We loved how scenic this hike was and enjoyed a meal at the Olpererhutte restaurant after our ascent.
Day 4: Ehrwald
From Mayrhofen to Ehrwald is about a 2 hour drive. We recommend an early start to your day, so you can beat the crowds to the stunning hike to Seebensee and Drachensee.
Seebensee and Drachensee Hike
For this hike, you’ll park at the Ehrwalder Almbahn cable car station. It is a large lot with a parking fee of €5. You can also purchase a round trip cable car ticket to save time (and 400 meters of elevation gain). You can find current pricing for the summer months here.
This 14.9km hike is moderately difficult and takes you past the two beautiful alpine lakes-Seebensee and Drachensee.
Day 5: Salzburg
To end your time in Austria, head to Salzburg where you’ll find The Sound of Music filming locations, Mozart’s birthplace, and a historic city center that is another UNESCO World Heritage site.
We’ll admit we avoided the city and instead headed about 30 minutes away to Werfen. Here you’ll find the Sound of Music Trail. This easy 1.4km walk has views of Hohenwerfen Castle and takes you past the field where The Sound of Music picnic scene was filmed. We visited midday and had it all to ourselves.
We tried to see and do as much as possible in our short time here, and we hope you found this 5-day Austria road trip itinerary helpful as you plan your trip.
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