Untersbergbahn: Take the cable car to the summit adventure
The Untersbergbahn takes you in just a few minutes to the 1,853 meter high Untersberg, one of the most striking mountains in SalzburgOnce at the top, a breathtaking panorama awaits you with a view of the city of Salzburg, the Berchtesgadener Land and the impressive mountain world of the Alps. The Untersbergbahn is in operation all year round and offers hikers and nature lovers alike convenient access to numerous hiking trails and alpine experiences. A must for anyone who wants to enjoy the beauty of the Alps from lofty heights.
Short info:
- What can you do at Untersberg? Hiking, skiing and enjoying the view.
- How long does the trip up take? 8 minutes.
- Where is the valley station? Near Grödig, south of Salzburg; Ödlweg 2, 5083
- How much does the train cost? Round trip costs about 30€. You can find the exact prices here. With the Salzburg Card the ride is free once.
- What are the highlights on the mountain? Spectacular views, caves and hiking trails.
Directions
With the car via the A10 Tauern motorway. There are enough parking spaces available.
Public you can get there with different buses from Salzburg:
By bus from the city of Salzburg:
Bus line 25:
Main station – center – Hellbrunn – Anif – Grödig – St. Leonhard – Untersbergbahn
Bus line 28:
Center – Nonntal – Alpenstraße – Anif – Grödig – St. Leonhard – Untersbergbahn
Bus line 5:
Main station – center – Birkensiedlg – Grödig – Untersbergbahn
Bus line 35:
Fürstenbrunn – Grödig – St. Leonhard – Untersbergbahn
The operating hours
The times vary depending on the season. The train runs from about 9:00h -17:00h. Be sure to check beforehand the homepage, as it is possible that the train may not run at all due to bad weather conditions.
The train runs every half hour, always on the half or full hour.
Tip: Put on something warm. It is of course colder up there than in the valley
The Untersberg and the Untersbergbahn
The Untersberg, an imposing mountain south of Salzburg, offers numerous activities for nature lovers. The Untersberg cable car, which takes you to the summit in a short time, is the ideal starting point for hikes.
Once at the top, you will be amazed by breathtaking views of Salzburg and the surrounding landscape. The Untersberg is famous for its panoramic views, which are among the best in the region.
We recommend visiting the terrace right next to the exit at the mountain station. It is often overlooked by visitors, but it is a real insider tip. This terrace offers the ideal environment for recording interference-free videos.
hikes and highlights
The Untersberg is a paradise for hikers. Numerous well-marked hiking trails stretch across the mountain. A particularly popular path leads to the “Schellenberger Eishöhle”, the largest ice cave in Germany. You can also climb the “Salzburger Hochthron”, the highest point of the Untersberg, which offers spectacular views.
Popular hikes include the Dopplersteig, Reit Steig and Thomas Eder Steig.
The Untersberg in „The Sound of Music“
The Untersberg plays an iconic role in the film The Sound of Music (1965). In the film's final scene, the von Trapp family flees across the mountains—symbolically towards Switzerland—while the majestic Untersberg is visible in the background. In reality, however, the mountain lies directly on the Austrian-German border near Salzburg, not on the Swiss border. This artistic license was used for the film's dramatic conclusion.
Many film fans today make a pilgrimage to the Untersberg mountain to see the location of that famous final scene, in which Mary and the children sing as they walk across the alpine meadows. From the summit, or even from the Untersberg cable car's mountain station, it's easy to understand why the Untersberg was chosen for this scene: the view of Salzburg, the Alps, and the vast landscape is simply breathtaking. Even if the film's location isn't entirely geographically accurate at this point, the sight of the Untersberg perfectly conveys the feeling of freedom and new beginnings that makes the ending of The Sound of Music so unforgettable.
If you want to learn more about everything Sound of MusicIf you'd like to learn about filming locations with exciting background information, read our article: The Ultimate Sound of Music Tour
cave adventure (already in Germany)
The Schellenberger Ice Cave, located at an altitude of 1570 meters, is the largest ice cave in Germany. It is an extremely fascinating tourist destination located in both Berchtesgadener Land and Salzburger Land. On a guided tour lasting around 50 minutes, you will discover magnificent halls and impressive ice formations. These formations have grown continuously since the last ice age and have transformed the cave into a place with permanent ice enclosure.
mountain huts
There are several places to stop for refreshments on the mountain:
- Restaurant at the valley and mountain station
- Zepezauer Haus
- Toni-Lenz-Hütte (10 minutes walk from the ice cave)
- Störhaus
- Hochalm
- mountain rescue hut
Other sports opportunities
To ski
The challenging ski route stretches over 7.5 kilometers and can be easily reached on foot in about 20 minutes from the mountain station of the Untersbergbahn. With an altitude difference of around 1400 meters, it offers an exciting downhill experience.
To get from Füstenbrunn to the valley station of the Untersbergbahn, bus line 35 is available, which offers a convenient means of transport.
The ski route is particularly popular with local winter sports enthusiasts and is used most frequently by them.
Also ski tours and snowshoeing are very popular on the Untersberg.
In summer you can paragliding.
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| day | opening hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 08:30 – 17:30 |
| Tuesday | 08:30 – 17:30 |
| Wednesday | 08:30 – 17:30 |
| Thursday | 08:30 – 17:30 |
| Friday | 08:30 – 17:30 |
| Saturday | 08:30 – 17:30 |
| Sunday | 08:30 – 17:30 |
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