In this guide
💡 The Short Version: This is a May-to-October trip, and the season ends on 1 and 2 November 2026. The Eisriesenwelt ice cave closes on 1 November 2026 and Hohenwerfen castle on 2 November, a Monday, which is a closed day, so plan for Sunday 1 November. Werfen is 38 to 46 minutes from the Hauptbahnhof by train. The cave and cable car are €41 online (€45 at the desk) and need about 3 hours, with 1,400 steps at below 0°C. The castle is from €13.90. Do one or the other in a day. No 2027 dates have been published for either. Prices are in euros. Or book now: the Hohenwerfen castle ticketad is from €13.90 (GetYourGuide), the operator’s own price.
The two sights compared
| Eisriesenwelt | Hohenwerfen castle | |
|---|---|---|
| Season 2026 | 1 May to 1 November | 1 April to 2 November |
| Price | €41 online, €45 at the desk (cave and cable car) | From €13.90 on foot; €20.90 All-inclusive with the lift |
| Time | About 3 hours in all | The guided tour is about 50 minutes |
| From Werfen station | Bus to the car park, then two 20-minute walks and a cable car | A footpath of about half an hour, or a shuttle |
| Cold | Below 0°C inside | Outdoors |
Getting to Werfen
Regional trains run about every half hour from the Hauptbahnhof to Werfen and take 38 to 46 minutes. Overnight guests ride the regional trains inside the province of Salzburg free on the Guest Mobility Ticket, and Werfen is inside it. Salzburg public transport has the rules.
The Eisriesenwelt
€41 online, €45 at the desk · 1 May to 1 November 2026 · about 3 hours
The operator describes caves over 40 kilometres long. The visit is a chain: a bus, a walk, a cable car, a walk, then the tour.
- Bus from Werfen station to the car park. At 8:26, 10:26, 12:26 and 14:26, and otherwise about every 25 minutes from the Gries stop. The last bus down leaves at 17:42.
- A 20-minute walk to the cable car, then 3 minutes in the cable car (a 500 m climb), then a 20-minute walk to the entrance at 1,641 metres.
- The tour, about 75 minutes, with 1,400 steps and a climb of 134 metres inside. There is no electric light: guides use carbide lamps and magnesium torches. Photography and filming are not allowed inside. Dogs are allowed.
The ticket office is open 8:30 to 15:00, the cable car runs 8:45 to 15:20 and tours leave every 30 minutes from 9:30 to 15:45. An online ticket gives a 30-minute arrival slot with no further time checks; walk-up visitors get only free seats. Cancellation is possible with reasonable proof, by email (eisriesenwelt.at).
| Ticket | Online | At the desk |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (19+) | €41 | €45 |
| Youth (15 to 18) | €30 | €32 |
| Child (5 to 14) | €22 | €24 |
What to wear: warm clothing and sturdy shoes. It is usually below 0°C inside, even in summer.
The entrance to the Eisriesenwelt. Photo: Maik Meid, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Hohenwerfen castle
From €13.90 · 1 April to 2 November 2026 · closed Mondays in April, October and November
The castle stands on a steep peak above the Salzach valley. The interior is open only on the guided tour, about 50 minutes and included in every ticket, with tours between 10:00 and 16:00 in April, October and November. The castle also has the State Falconry Centre’s flight demonstrations, at 11:15 and 15:15, and the Austrian Falconry Museum.
Hohenwerfen castle on its rock above the Salzach valley. Photo: Arne Müseler, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 de.
| Ticket | Adult | Child (6 to 14) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic, on foot | €13.90 | €4.60 |
| Basic, with the lift | €17.90 | €7.10 |
| All-inclusive, on foot | €16.90 | €6.10 |
| All-inclusive, with the lift | €20.90 | €8.60 |
Hours are 9:30 to 16:00 in April, October and November, 9:00 to 17:00 from May to September and 9:00 to 18:00 from 20 July to 21 August. From the station it is a footpath of about half an hour; a shuttle can be ordered an hour ahead on +43 664 1266700, and it is 15 minutes to the ticket office (burg-hohenwerfen.at). The GetYourGuide Basic ticketad is sold by the castle’s operator at €13.90.
According to Panorama Tours, Hohenwerfen was a backdrop in the film’s “Do-Re-Mi” scene; Sound of Music locations in Salzburg separates the real places from the studio sets.
One day or two
The cave bus connects only from the station, the cave takes about 3 hours and the castle tour 50 minutes, so a day holds one sight and lunch. The castle is the shorter, cheaper visit.
Before you go
- 1 November 2026: the Eisriesenwelt closes. 2 November: the castle’s last day, a Monday.
- After that: no 2027 dates for either have been published.
- The one thing that ruins the day: the cave’s cold and steps; the tour has no shelter from either.
Day trips from Salzburg compares every trip, and Hallein’s salt mine is the other trip by train, open all winter. What to book in Salzburg lists the city’s closed days, and where to stay in Salzburg compares the areas.
Common questions
How do I get from Salzburg to the Eisriesenwelt?
Take the regional train from the Hauptbahnhof to Werfen (38 to 46 minutes, about every half hour), then the bus from the station to the car park, then walk 20 minutes to the cable car, ride it for 3 minutes and walk another 20 minutes to the cave entrance.
How much is the Eisriesenwelt?
€41 for an adult online and €45 at the desk, including the cave tour and the cable car. Youths aged 15 to 18 pay €30 online and €32 at the desk, and children aged 5 to 14 €22 and €24.
When is the Eisriesenwelt open?
Daily from 1 May to 1 November 2026. The cave then closes for the winter, and no 2027 dates have been published.
What should I wear in the Eisriesenwelt?
Warm clothing and sturdy shoes: it is usually below 0°C inside, with 1,400 steps and a climb of 134 metres on the 75-minute tour.
When does Hohenwerfen castle close?
Its 2026 season runs from 1 April to 2 November. In April, October and November it is closed on Mondays and open 9:30 to 16:00, and 2 November 2026 is a Monday.
How much is Hohenwerfen castle?
From €13.90 for the Basic ticket on foot, €17.90 with the lift, €16.90 for the All-inclusive ticket on foot and €20.90 with the lift. Interiors are open only on the guided tour, about 50 minutes and included.
