Hiking in Austria Without a Car: Best Base Towns

Hiking in Austria without a car is absolutely possible. I know, because it’s how we’ve done it for years. 

Austria’s well-connected trains and buses make traveling from the country’s main cities to its alpine hiking towns effortless. However, it’s important to research transit routes in advance, as some bus lines run infrequently. 

If you’re searching for the perfect base for day hiking in the Austrian Alps, this guide is for you. These are the hiking towns we’ve explored car-free, and can wholeheartedly recommend.

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Lech am Arlberg

Lech am Arlberg, a dreamy alpine village in Austria’s westernmost state of Vorarlberg, is perfectly situated between the enchanting Lechquellen Mountains and the dramatic Lechtal Alps. 

This is one of the few places in Austria where having a car is entirely unnecessary, as most hikes are accessible by bus, or cable car. If you plan to use the local cableways and buses, consider purchasing the Lech Card. Often, it’s more cost-effective than buying individual tickets.

Because Lech am Arlberg has been historically marketed as one of Austria’s most luxurious ski resorts, very few people know that Lech is actually a worthy summer hiking destination. Unlike other ski resorts (e.g. St. Anton am Arlberg), I’d argue that the ski infrastructure doesn’t detract from the area’s natural beauty, except around Lake Zürser See.

My favorite hikes are stage 1 of the Lechweg from Lake Formarinsee to Lech village (easy),  Lake Formarinsee to Lake Spullersee Hike (moderate – moderately difficult) Spuller Schafberg (difficult). We’ve also hiked Rüfikopf – Stuttgarter Hütte Hike (moderate) and Oberlech – Göppinger Hütte Hike (moderately difficult).

Extremely experienced alpine hikers can trek hut-to-hut across the Lechtal Alps following the Eagle Walk to Lech am Arlberg.

Where to Stay in Lech am Arlberg | Lech Hostel (budget), Haus Melitta (midrange), Hotel Berghof (luxury)

How to Get to Lech Without a Car | Take an ÖBB train to St. Anton am Arlberg (Tyrol) and take bus 760 to Lech. 

Learn More: Best Hikes in Lech am Arlberg

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Brand

Nestled in Vorarlberg’s Brandnertal Valley, Brand is a small village that serves as a gateway to the Rätikon Alps, one of my favorite limestone ranges in the Alps.

There are many hikes that start directly in the village, including Kellenegg (moderate), Sarotlahütte (moderate), to Lünersee via Zimbajoch (challenging), Oberzalimhütte and Untere Brüggle Alp Loop (moderately difficult). 

Even more spectacular trails start at Lake Lünersee, accessible via cable car from the valley’s end, which is easily reached by bus. You can circuit the lake (easy), hike to Schafgafall Peak, summit Schesaplana (difficult), and start the  4-day Rätikon Alps High Trail Circuit.

During our first trip to Brand without a car, we tackled the Rätikon Alps High Trail. In our original 5-day itinerary, we extended the route to Mannheimer Hütte. However, given the rugged terrain and difficulty of the glacier crossing (very slippery in the morning), we decided to remove it from our recommended route for safety reasons. 

During our second car-free trip, we stayed in Hotel Lün in Brand (read our Hotel Lün review) and tackled several day hikes starting in the village and at Lünersee. Though Hotel Lün doesn’t have an on-site restaurant, it’s conveniently located across Restaurant Gufer55 (Google Maps), the best place to eat in the village. 

Where to Stay in Brand | Pension Bergkristall (midrange), Hotel Garni Tannleger (midrange), Hotel Lün (midrange), and Hotel Sarotla (luxury)

How to Get to Brand Without a Car | Take an ÖBB train to Bludenz and then hop on bus line 580 (direction: Lünerseebahn) to Brand. 

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Schladming

Schladming is a mountain town in Enns Valley in Styria, advantageously located between the Schladminger Tauern, a crystalline mountain range in the Austrian Central Alps, and the Dachstein, a limestone mountain range in the Northern Limestone Alps.

Because Schladming is a popular ski resort, there is no shortage of excellent accommodations and restaurants in and around town. Our favorite restaurants are Restaurant die tischlerei (Google Maps), Boutiquehotel Stadthotel brunner’s on-site restaurant, and das Friedrich (Google Maps).

Overnight guests visiting during the hiking season receive a complimentary Schladming‑Dachstein Summer Card, which includes free use of the region’s hiking buses along with more than 100 additional services and discounts, ranging from mountain cableways to swimming pools. 

When we visited without a car, we used the local hiking buses to reach a number of trailheads, including Ursprungalm (Giglach Lakes trailhead), Eschachalm in Obertal (Lake Duisitzkarsee trailhead), Riesachfall in Untertal (Alpinsteig “Durch die Höll” Wilde Wasser and Preintalerhütte trailheads), and Seewigtal (Hans Wödl Hütte trailhead).

There’s also a bus connection to Ramsau am Dachstein, an attractive village located at the staggering southern foot of the Dachstein chain. To hike the 5-Huts Trail, ride bus line 960 to Ramsau langegasse.

On our very first visit, we hiked the 5-day Schladminger Tauern High Trail, a route made unforgettable by its cozy huts and the abundance of mountain lakes along the way.

Where to Stay in Schladming | TUI BLUE Schladming (budget-midrange), Boutiquehotel Stadthotel brunner (luxury), or JOHANN Schladming (luxury)

How to Get to Schladming Without a Car | Take an ÖBB train to Schladming from Salzburg, Graz, or Vienna. The train station is walking distance to the village. There are also buses and taxis. 

Learn More: Schladming Hiking Trails

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Pertisau

Lake Achensee, cradled by the Karwendel and Rofan mountains, is a standout hiking destination in Tyrol, located northeast of Innsbruck. We love hiking here in autumn, when the summer crowds have thinned and the trails are quieter, though far from empty.

There are three main villages around Lake Achensee: Pertisau, Maurach, and Achenkirch. I’m partial to Pertisau, because of its location and proximity to the lakeshore. Directly from the village, you can hike along the lake to Gasthaus Gaisalm (easy-moderate), walk through Falzthurntal Valley to Gramai Alm (easy), and ride the Karwendelbahn cableway to start the Bärenkopf summit hike (moderate). 

My personal favorite hike in the area, Seekarspitze & Seebergspitze Ridge Hike, starts in Achenkirch (Bus Stop: Achenkirch Abzw Achensee) and ends in Pertisau. 

To summit Hochiss, the highest peak in the Rofan mountains, take the Rofan Seilbahn cableway from Maurach.

If you want to hike the Gramaialm – Lamsenjochhütte – Hahnkampel Circuit Trail, I recommend taking a taxi to the trailhead. After completing the hike, I would return to Pertisau on foot, following the Falzthurntal valley trail (2 hours). 

Where to Stay in Pertisau | Hotel Bergland (midrange), Seehotel Einwaller – Adults Only (luxury, private lake access), or Nova Moments (luxury)

How to Get to Achensee without a Car | Take a train to Jenbach Bahnhof in Inn Valley and then take a bus to Maurach (20 minutes) and another bus to Pertisau (10 minutes). 

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Mayrhofen

Mayrhofen is a lively mountain town in Tyrol’s Zillertal Valley, featuring a dense cluster of shops, accommodations, and restaurants.

Just south of Mayrhofen, the valley splits into four main side valleys (Zemmtal, Stilluptal, Zillergrund, and Tuxertal), each of which serve as a gateway into the Zillertal Alps. 

Hikers flock to the Zillertal Alps each summer to walk across the Olpererhütte suspension bridge and hike the famous Berlin High Trail.  

Buses connect the town with various trailheads like Schlegeis Reservoir (Olpererhütte trailhead), Zillergrund Staumauer (Plauener Hütte trailhead), Ginzling Abzw Gh Breitlahner (Berliner Hütte trailhead), and more. Given the popularity of these hiking destinations, it’s best to catch an early bus.

Where to Stay in Mayrhofen | Landhotel Rauchenwalderhof (budget), Der Siegeler B&B (budget-midrange), Gästehaus Hornegger (budget-midrange), ElisabethHotel Premium Private Retreat- Adults only (luxury)

How to Get to Mayrhofen without a Car | Take a train to Jenbach Bahnhof in Inntal valley and then ride the Zillertalbahn (Zillertal Railway) to Mayrhofen Bahnhof. 

Learn More: Mayrhofen Summer Travel Guide

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More Car-Free Hiking Destinations

More Hiking Destinations in Austria:

• Filzmoos Hiking Trails in Salzburg
• Salzkammergut in Styria, Salzburg, and Upper Austria
• Grosser Ahornboden in Tyrol
• Innsbruck Hiking Trails in Tyrol 
• Wachau Valley in Lower Austria

Car-Free Europe Travel Destinations:

• Europe Travel Itineraries Without a Car
• Lucerne – Engelberg Itinerary in Switzerland
• 2-Week Portugal Itinerary with 4-Day Fisherman’s Trail
• Marseille and Calanques National Park Itinerary in Southern France
• Zermatt Itinerary in Switzerland 
• Dolomites Without a Car in Italy
• Slovenia Without a Car

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