Ever thought of a holiday in Austria? Here are some reasons why you should!

Well, it really does have it all, beautiful scenery, sun, snow, lakes mountains, and tourists get a very warm welcome. There is plenty to do both in summer and winter and it won't cost the earth either! Food, drink and transport are of a very high quality and a fair bit cheaper than in the uk too.Weather: The climate is one of extremes, but of course depends on altitude. In summer in the alpine valleys it can be very hot, and the water temperature in the alpine lakes can reach 24degrees, which is very pleasant for swimming and a host of water sports. From April through to October you can enjoy weather far better than in the UK! By Late october however, up on the higher mountain tops, the snow starts to fall in preparation for the long ski season.

What you can do: It is of course an outdoor persuits paradise with all year round skiing, walking, biking, climbing, white water rafting, horseriding etc all very easily accessible. But it's not just for the ultra active types, there are plenty of great tourist attractions to visit, castles, caves, waterfalls, glaciers, gorges and beautiful old towns and cities. The lakes also cater for families who like a seaside holiday with great lakeside bathing facilities and children are very well catered for with flumes, funparks, etc. The resort also has its own top class golf course, gliding, paragliding and flying school, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and championship ice rink. For more information on the activities available in Zell, click on the links to summer activities or skiing. For details of our accommodation click on the accomodation link.

Getting there: The nearest airport to Zell is Salzburg which is 1 hr plus away from Zell. Next nearest (2 hrs) is Innsbruck and then Munich (3 hrs) www.ryanair.com operate  up to two flights per day to Salzburg, and they alos fly to Munich  www.flybe.com operate flights to Salzburg from Birmingham, Southhampton and Exeter. www.easyjet.com also operate services from Gatwick to salzburg, Innbruck and Munich. Jet 2 fly to Salzburg from Leeds and  British airways also fly to all three aiports at very resonable rates. There as do a number of charter operators....  including Thomas cook and Thomson who offer flight only deals.  More operators are joining all the time. .

Getting to Zell from Salzburg airport is easy!  Here are the options:

Car hire is a little more expensive in Austria but it's very efficient and cars are collected direct from the centre of the airport terminal. (not recommended in the ski season)

Local bus service No.260 costs approx. 10 euros each way. This is frequent, cheap and fairly fast, only taking 1hr 47 in total from opposite the airport terminal. There are also private airport express coaches 3 times per day in the peak season.

Taxis: we can book you a taxi for up to 8 persons for just 120 euros.  This will cost you 140 euros at the airport.  This is the most suitable and economical if you have a larger party to share the cost. Click here to book direct or cantact us.

Train: This is our favoured option for smaller groups at approx. 14 euros each way. A shuttle bus leaves the airport every 10 minutes to Salzburg station. Trains run every hour direct to the centre of Zell am See and are always on time. The journey is very scenic and takes around 1 hour 40 minutes. This is the best option if the weather is bad as they always keep the lines open. Last train leaves at 10.18 pm.

Airport Express:  In the ski season an express bus service operates 3 times per day. This costs 29 euros each way. 

Driving to Austria. Driving to Austria is an option but even for those in the South of the UK it’s a very long drive and you should allow 2 days of driving with at least one overnight stop. Although Zell am See is very well linked to the motorway system and the resort itself is not high up the mountain, you will need to allow extra time during holiday periods and in bad weather.  

IMPORTANT LEGISLATION YOU NEED TO KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO DRIVE!

If you are planning to drive to Austria in the winter you should be aware of the legislation regarding winter tyres. Here is an extract from information on site

http://www.etyres.co.uk/winter-tyres-law#austria

We recommend that you also consult the site for the other countries through which you may be travelling.

“Winter tyres are mandatory in Austria. The law states that passenger cars with a permissible maximum weight of up to 3.5 tonnes may be operated only between 1 November and 15 April in winter conditions such as snow, slush or ice if winter tyres have been installed on all wheels. All-season tyres are also considered winter tyres if they have the "M + S" mark.

As an alternative to winter tyres, snow chains may be used on at least two driving wheels, however, these may only be used in case the road is covered by a complete or scarcely broken snow cover or sheet of ice. Failure to comply with the law results in a fine up to 5,000 Euros and the vehicle could be impounded. Insurance is deemed void if a vehicle which is involved in an accident between November 1 and April 15 is not fitted with winter tyres”

Info. courtesy of etyres.co.uk

We hope you too will discover the delights of Zell am See, we absolutely love it!