← Salzburg Marathon·2 nights

Hallein and the Salt Heritage: Two Quiet Nights

A small salt town south of Salzburg with a Celtic museum, a mine reached by cable car and a flat river path, with a second night back in the city.

Duration2 nights
TransitS-Bahn S3 from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof; check the timetable
DepartsSalzburg

After the Salzburg Marathon: Hallein

The Route: Salzburg → Hallein → Salzburg → Salzburg Airport (SZG) Logistics: S-Bahn S3 from Salzburg to Hallein, one night there, then back to Salzburg for the second night and the airport. Marathon Month: May Duration: 2 nights

Salzburg Hbf ──(S-Bahn S3)──> Hallein ──(S-Bahn S3)──> Salzburg
                                                          │
                          Salzburg Airport (SZG) ◄──(bus 2)┘

Salzburg got its name from salt, and Hallein, a few stops up the river, is where much of it came from. The Celtic miners worked the Dürrnberg above the town long before the archbishops grew rich on it.

May in Hallein: the valley is green, the Salzach is high with meltwater and the weather is changeable. The Salzburg airport normal for May is a daytime high of about 19°C, and the mine is cool all year, so bring a warm layer. Check the opening times for the mine and the museum on your dates.

Take the S-Bahn S3 from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof to Hallein. It is a short run, so check the timetable and the fare at salzburg-verkehr.at. Ask your hotel in Salzburg for the Guest Mobility Ticket, which covers public transport in the province during your stay.

Night One: Hallein

Hallein is a small town on the Salzach with a compact old centre. The Celtic Museum is in the old town and holds finds from the Dürrnberg, where Celtic miners worked and were buried. The walk from the station is short and level, so it is a gentle first afternoon. Check the museum's opening days, since small museums often close on a Monday.

The salt mine is on the Dürrnberg above the town. A cable car runs from Hallein, which saves the climb. Underground tours involve stairs, a warm overall and a chilly passage, and some include a slide between levels that you can usually bypass, so ask about the walking, stairs and clothing before you book. The age and fitness notes on the mine's website are worth reading before you commit.

For a bed, book a small hotel or guesthouse in the old town through the Hallein tourist office, and ask about lift access. For dinner, ask the hotel for a local inn serving a Salzburg dish such as Kasnocken, a bowl of cheese dumplings with fried onions.

Night Two: Salzburg

Return to Salzburg for the second night, in the old town. Altstadthotel Weisse Taube at Kaigasse 9 was the race's partner hotel for the marathon and is a short walk from the finish area, and PLAZA INN Salzburg Messe is a bus ride out at the exhibition centre. Check rates and availability for your dates.

The Salzach path is a flat, level walk along the river in the centre, with benches. At post-marathon pace it takes about 30 minutes to stroll the central stretch.

Getting to Salzburg Airport

Bus 2 runs from the main station to Salzburg Airport (SZG) in about 23 minutes by the airport's published estimate. Check for diversions on your travel day.