Vienna Tours to Salzburg: city view

Vienna Tours To Salzburg: Best Day Trips From Wien to Salzburg

Vienna Tours to Salzburg. Are you up for Salzburg while in Vienna? At 250 km (155 miles), Austria’s second most popular city is not far off. However, ensure you don’t spend redundant hours in transit. In my case, I travelled twice from Vienna to Salzburg for a day in a friend’s car: great company and good journey but no highlights on the way, and we got up too late. On the whole, check three criteria when searching for a tour to Salzburg:

a) door-to-door option, or convenient meeting point, to save time;
b) means of transport: will impact your trip experience;
c) transfer optimisation: visit carefully selected places on the go.

I’m starting my list of the best Vienna Tours to Salzburg with those that tick all of those criteria. They are all day trips from Vienna, except for the last (5 day tour).

Small Group Luxury Day Trip To Salzburg

Vienna tours to Salzburg: St. GilgenVienna Tours to Salzburg. Unless you are a fan of microphones and waving umbrellas this way of experiencing Salzburg is bound to appeal. I joined one of those tours and liked it for three reasons. First, you stop by fabulous lake Attersee and St. Gilgen (a Sound of Music location) on lake Wolfgang in Salzkammergutand. Second, you can use free Wi-Fi and iPads; and third, you have free time for lunch and later in the afternoon. Not only is the group limited to eight people you also travel in a super comfortable Mercedes minivan. You will also get a truly local guide to show you around Salzburg.

Altogether, you will maximise this 12-hour tour in the most enjoyable and efficient way.  Even though there is no direct hotel pick up, the tour operator pays your taxi fare from a central Vienna hotel. Read about my own trip experience in Vienna Salzburg Day Trip.

Private Day Trip To Salzburg

Vienna tours to Salzburg: village museum St. GilgenVienna Tours to Salzburg. Just as enjoyable as that small group tour is this private trip by limousine or minivan to Salzburg. In this case, you can choose your own private company and your own pace, which makes it an ideal family day out. If any of your group members love the ‘Sound of Music’ your driver will cover some of the best film locations on your way to Salzburg.

The suggested trip itinerary is very similar to the small group tour. Hence, the Austrian lake district with its amazing photo (and toe dipping!) opportunities will equally cross your path, as will Mozart’s birth house and Mirabell castle. This photo was taken from the village museum in St. Gilgen. Access the full itinerary and further details.

Bus Trip To Salzburg

Vienna Tours To Salzburg: GetreidegasseVienna Tours to Salzburg. Though this tour doesn’t tick all my boxes I still include it because it is hugely popular and amazing value for money. Like the other tours, it includes all the key sites and landmarks, including some of the ‘Sound Of Music’ in the city, like Mirabell Palace and the Horse Well. To start your journey, mount the bus at the Vienna State Opera and by lunchtime you’ll be in Salzburg. During the whole trip a licensed tour guide will accompany you, and show you the great sights, from Getreidegasse and Mozart’s birthplace to the Cathedral (Salburger Dom) and the Festival Theatre.

Small caveat: You will only pass magnificent Fortress Hohensalzburg on your way back. Find out more.

Extended Vienna Tours To Salzburg

Vienna Tours to Salzburg. If you haven’t got round to fully planning your trip to both Vienna and Salzburg and aren’t the most seasoned traveller, check out this 5-day organised tour. It bundles up hotels and transfers, two city tours, and train tickets. What I like about this tour: you won’t ‘live’ on the bus and have enough free time to independently roam around. The tour operator will pick you up from and drop you off at the airport, too. There is a 3-star and a 4-star hotel package, which doesn’t make much difference pricewise. See customer reviews and find out more.

go to Vienna Budapest Day Trip
go to Mini Danube Cruise – Day Trip to Bratislava By Boat
go to Burgenland – Neusiedlersee, Wine and Esterhazy Palace
back to Day Trips from Vienna – Salzburg, Bratislava, Budapest, Wachau, Vienna Woods, Burgenland
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