Why this road
The fastest way to Hallstatt goes past the Wolfgangsee and is about half an hour quicker. This route is longer but quieter, and it has the Gosausee: a lake at the end of a valley road, framed by forest and the jagged Gosaukamm, with the Dachstein glacier at the far end. On the way you drive through the green Lammertal with its farms and gorge, over Pass Gschütt, and down to the Hallstätter See from the north, along its western shore into Hallstatt.
The route
- ASalzburg
Leave Salzburg to the south towards Hallein.
- 1Hallein
The old salt town on the Salzach. From here the B159 runs along the river to Golling, right next to the motorway.
- 2Golling an der Salzach
A small market town with a well-known waterfall nearby. Here you turn east into the Lammertal.
- 3Abtenau
The main village of the Lammertal, with green meadows and the Tennengebirge above.
- 4Pass Gschütt
A gentle forest pass below 1,000 m, past Russbach. On the other side the road drops into the Gosau valley.
- 5Gosausee
From Gosau a side road leads to the lake and ends at the car park. The Dachstein glacier is at the far end of the water.
- BHallstatt
Back through Gosau and down to the Hallstätter See, then along the western shore and through the tunnels to Hallstatt. Park at the car parks before the village.
Stops worth it
The highlight. Walk a few minutes along the shore for the classic view of the Dachstein in the water, or round the whole lake in about an hour.
The postcard view is from the path at the northern end of the village. In the evening the day trippers are gone and the lights come on.
Light and the best time
The Gosausee looks south-east to the Dachstein. In the late afternoon and evening the sun is behind you from the west and lights the glacier and the Gosaukamm, and the wind usually drops, so the lake is often calm and mirror-like again. That is why this route is best driven in the afternoon: leave Salzburg around 2:30 pm, be at the Gosausee for the evening light and reach Hallstatt at dusk, when the village is quiet. Hallstatt faces east and is in shadow by then, so if you want it sunlit, come back another morning.
May to October is best. In June the meadows are green and the snow is still on the Dachstein, in October the larches turn gold. The road is open all year, the Gosausee road too, but in winter you need winter tyres and the lake may be frozen. Summer weekends are busy at the Gosausee and in Hallstatt, though less so in the evening.
By vehicle
Lovely with the roof down: gentle curves, meadows, forest air and the lake at the end. Bring a jacket, it cools down fast in the evening.
Relaxed with some nice curves over Pass Gschütt. Combine it with the Postalm road or the Wolfgangsee for a longer loop.
Easy driving all the way, no high passes. Good for families.
Fine with a camper. The car park at the Gosausee is large, and in Hallstatt you park at the big car parks before the village.
Good to know
The road is free. The quickest way from Salzburg to Golling is the Tauern motorway, which needs the Austrian vignette; the B159 along the Salzach runs right next to it and takes only a few minutes longer, so you can do the whole route without a vignette. Parking at the Gosausee and in Hallstatt is paid. Hallstatt is closed to through traffic for visitors, you park before the village and walk.
Route checked against OpenStreetMap on 2 November 2026. Roads, closures and rules change: always check before you go and follow local signs.
Questions
How long does the drive from Salzburg to Hallstatt via Gosausee take?
About 1 hour 45 of pure driving, including the side road to the Gosausee and back. With time at the lake and in Hallstatt, plan an afternoon and evening.
When is the Dachstein reflected in the Gosausee?
When the water is calm, most often early in the morning and in the evening. In the evening the Dachstein is also lit by the low sun from the west.
Do I need a vignette for this route?
No, if you take the B159 from Hallein to Golling instead of the motorway. The rest of the route uses only normal roads.
Can I drive to the Gosausee?
Yes, a road leads from Gosau to a large car park right at the lake. Parking is paid.