Day Trip to Hallstatt, Austria
Mike’s Chauffeur Service (link at www.mike-chauffeur.cz) offers all day trips to Hallstatt (see link at www.hallstatt.at with an English language option if you click the phrase "World Heritage Hallstatt"). Guests at Castle View Apartments receive a 3% discount, and his vehicle holds four passengers for 5,500 CZK (less 3%). If more passengers make the trip, a larger vehicle holding up to eight passengers is available for 7,000 CZK less 3%. (If there are at least 6 passengers, there is thus a reduced rate per person compared to 4 passengers in the smaller vehicle). The trips are usually on Mondays when the Cesky Krumlov Castle is closed; however this day will shift as needed. Rick Steeves calls this spectacular, lakeside town his „alpine Oz.“ This trip is also an easy way for people to move themselves and their luggage to the beautiful mountain lake region of Austria (and vice versa) in less than three hours.
The trip by public transportation requires many transfers and at least five and a half hours even when one is able to make every close connection; on almost all schedules one needs first to go NORTH (to Ceske Budejovice) for almost an hour in order to take the train SOUTH (to Linz). One saves an hour by taking the short taxi ride from Cesky Krumlov to Kaplice then taking the train to Linz rather than going out of one's way to Ceske Budejovice first. Many people take a private shuttle from Cesky Krumlov directly to Linz and then take the train from Linz to Hallstatt (the Hallstatt train station is located across the lake from the town). Although Lobobus goes from Cesky Krumlov to Linz nonstop for the first part of the trip for 450 CZK, they may be fully booked when you want to travel. To avoid the transfer in Linz and another train transfer just south of Linz, "Shuttlebus" (www.shuttlebus.cz/ ) has started direct shuttle services between Cesky Krumlov and Hallstatt (1,100 CZK); the van that leaves Cesky Krumlov at 10:00 am would arrive in Hallstatt only two and a half hours later, less than half the time required by the train transfers. At their website click "Timetable" for details about departure times. prices, duration of trips, etc. They can be reached at info@shuttlebus.cz or by telephoning +420 604 914 496. As of this writing, they do not have a local office in Cesky Krumlov.
To make Hallstatt a day trip, using a chauffeur service would avoid paying for special arrangements with a shuttle service or taking a taxi between Cesky Krumlov and the Linz train station to avoid long connections. It would also add the option of seeing Traunkirchen along the way. One could leave Cesky Krumlov’s main square (just a few steps from Castle View Apartments) at 8:00 am., arrive in Hallstatt about 10:30, depart Hallstatt at 4:00 pm and arrive back in Cesky Krumlov about 6:30 pm (8:00 pm if one stops at a restaurant in Traunkirchen for dinner). Since the highway to Hallstatt goes through the mountain lake town of Traunkirchen, it is a good place to stretch one's legs for thirty minutes. The town is famous for the Fischerkanzel (Fisherman's Pulpit) located in the lakeside parish church. After a brief walk inside the church, go to the water's edge at the back on the church for a spectacular photo op of the mountains up and down the lake. In Hallstatt, be sure to ride the ferry across the lake to the Hallstatt train station and back to Hallstatt; remember to bring your camera for the gorgeous mountain views. Since there are different ferry rides to various locations on the lake, make sure you are taking the round trip ride to the TRAIN station. Drop by the Information Center just south of the Main Square to pick up a free town map and information about local museums, riding the cable car up the mountain and then walking down for views of the lake from a different angle, the salt mine, etc. One can dine in a restaurant overlooking the lake or eat a picnic lunch in the lakeside park in the southern part of Hallstatt across the street from a large grocery store. There is even a lakeside internet cafe to check your email. Many people who visit these mountain towns change their travel plans immediately so they can stay longer in them. Spectacular ice caves can be found in nearby Obertraun. If you go to the Caves, be able to walk up steep inclines and take warm clothes even during the middle of summer!
Many tourists use such lakeside towns as St. Wolfgang as a base from which to visit Salzburg. Lodging in such towns as St. Wolfgang is much less expensive than in Salzburg; several years ago I stayed in a lakeside pension where a double room cost 20 Euros, breakfast included. Each day I took the less than an hour bus ride (easy transfer in Strobl on a route by another mountain lake) to Salzburg’s main bus station (in front of the main train station); several times I even saw people in Salzburg that I had seen at breakfast in St. Wolfgang who were also saving over 60 to 70 Euros each night on their lodging. In the Salzburg train station the Information Center has a free city map and sells the Salzburg Card that gives discounts on public transportation and major museums. Be sure to see Mozart’s "childhood home" museum (located on the same side of the river as the train station) and NOT his "birthplace" museum (located on the same side of the river as the Castle and Cathedral) which is less interesting.