Quick answer
In five days, spend two in Vienna for Schönbrunn, the Belvedere and an evening concert, take the 2.5-hour train to Salzburg, give one full day to Hallstatt, and finish with the Sound of Music tour before returning to Vienna for your flight. Land costs start at about ₹68,000 per person, twin sharing.
The route
- Vienna
- Salzburg
- Hallstatt
- Salzburg
- Vienna
Day-by-day plan
- 1
Day 1
Arrive in Vienna
Morning: Land at Vienna airport and take the S-Bahn or City Airport Train into the city (16–25 minutes). Drop bags at the hotel.
Afternoon: Ride a tram around the Ringstrasse, then walk to St Stephen's Cathedral, the Graben and Kärntner Strasse.
Evening: Coffee and Sachertorte in a classic café, then the Prater's Giant Ferris Wheel at sunset.
Stay: Innere Stadt or near the Westbahnhof, Vienna
- 2
Day 2
Imperial Vienna
Morning: Schönbrunn Palace on a timed Grand Tour, then climb to the Gloriette for the view.
Afternoon: Lunch at the Naschmarkt, then the Upper Belvedere for Klimt's The Kiss, or the Hofburg and Sisi Museum.
Evening: A concert at the Musikverein or a standing place at the State Opera.
Stay: Innere Stadt or near the Westbahnhof, Vienna
Book concerts directly with the venue, not through costumed sellers on the street.
- 3
Day 3
Train to Salzburg
Morning: Railjet from Wien Hauptbahnhof to Salzburg, about 2.5 hours through the Danube countryside.
Afternoon: Mirabell Gardens, the Getreidegasse and Mozart's birthplace, then the funicular to Hohensalzburg fortress.
Evening: Walk along the Salzach river and over the Makartsteg bridge as the old town lights up.
Stay: Old town or near Salzburg Hauptbahnhof
Advance Railjet fares can be a fraction of the walk-up price; book when your dates are fixed.
- 4
Day 4
Hallstatt day trip
Morning: Leave Salzburg by 7.30 am by bus or train and ferry to reach Hallstatt before the tour groups, around 9.30 am.
Afternoon: Take the funicular to the Skywalk viewpoint and tour the salt mine, then walk the lakeside lanes.
Evening: Return to Salzburg by early evening for dinner in the old town.
Stay: Old town or near Salzburg Hauptbahnhof
A private driver for this day lets you add St Wolfgang or the Fuschlsee on the way back.
- 5
Day 5
Sound of Music tour and departure
Morning: Half-day Sound of Music tour to the gazebo, lakeside villas and Mondsee wedding church.
Afternoon: Train back towards Vienna; some Railjets run through to Vienna airport, about three hours.
Evening: Evening flight home via the Gulf or a European hub.
If your flight leaves before 6 pm, skip the tour and leave Salzburg by mid-morning. Munich airport is another option, about two hours from Salzburg.
Is 5 days enough for Austria?
Five days covers Austria's best-known trio: Vienna, Salzburg and Hallstatt. It does not leave time for the high Alps. If snow and mountains matter to your family, add two or three days for Zell am See, the Kitzsteinhorn glacier or Innsbruck, and fly out of Munich or Innsbruck instead of Vienna.
How the route works
Trains do the heavy lifting. Vienna to Salzburg is about 2.5 hours by Railjet, with departures roughly every 30 minutes. Hallstatt is a day trip from Salzburg, not from Vienna, because the journey from Vienna takes over three hours each way. Staying two nights in Salzburg avoids moving hotels on the Hallstatt day.
Hallstatt is small and limits tour coaches. Arriving before 9.30 am and leaving by mid-afternoon gives you the village at its quietest.
What this itinerary costs
Land costs start at about ₹68,000 per person for four nights in mid-range hotels, twin sharing, with trains, Schönbrunn, a concert, the Hallstatt salt mine, the Sound of Music tour and meals. Flights and the Schengen visa are extra. See the Austria trip cost for a 5-night version with flights.
Many cafés and shops in Austria close on Sundays, especially outside Vienna. Plan your Salzburg shopping for a weekday.
Before you book
Read the Austria visa guide and check the best time to visit Austria; some sights, including the Hallstatt salt mine, have shorter winter hours. For more ideas see things to do in Austria, and for meals, the vegetarian food guide to Austria.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do Vienna and Salzburg without a car?
Should I add Innsbruck to a 5-day Austria trip?
Is this itinerary good for a December trip?
How we checked this page
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Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
