4 beautiful lakes you can easily reach from Vienna by public transport
Spring is here and summer is on its way. It is the perfect time of the year for visiting some of Austria's most beautiful lakes.
The days are getting longer and sunnier, and going to a beautiful lake on a day off is a great idea.
But if you live in Vienna, you do not have many options within the city if you do not want to go to Donauinsel or Alte Donau. However, just by catching a train, you can reach beautiful or even breath-taking lake locations in other parts of the country.
Here we list four lakes that you should definitely visit.
Neusiedlersee
Neusiedlersee or Lake Neusiedl is located in Burgenland, only about one hour away by train from Vienna, depending on where exactly on the lake you want to spend your time. The lake is the largest one in Austria and is famous for being very shallow, making it a great place for swimming, especially for families with kids.
The lake is a perfect spot for swimming, relaxing, or doing sports. Windsurfing and sailing are popular activities on the lake since it is often quite windy. Another good idea is to bike along the lake or visit some of the cute towns around, such as Podersdorf am See.
There are nice beaches around the lake where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful surrounding and if you want to camp in the area, there are also camping places available close to the water, such as Camping Podersdorf.
A part of the lake area belongs to the UNESCO heritage (Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park) and is home to many different birds, making it a popular spot for birdwatching.
You can take a train from Vienna Central Station to different areas of the lake. For example, you can take the train to Neusiedl am See, which takes around 40 minutes, and from there you can easily walk a few minutes to the nearest beach.
Evening at Neusiedlersee in Burgenland. Photo by Christian Holzinger on Unsplash
Neufelder See
Neufelder See is only a 40-minute train ride away from Vienna, making it a convenient spot for people living in the capital.
It is a beautiful and popular lake to visit during the warmer months and it has nice sandy beaches where you can spread out your blanket or towel. The lake is also surrounded by many areas with tables and benches where you can have a picnic with friends and family, and if you instead want to eat in a restaurant, you have many places to choose from in the area.
At and around the lake you can enjoy swimming, biking and walking, all meanwhile surrounded by beautiful nature.
To get to the lake you can take a train from Vienna central station to Neufeld/Leita and then you just need ten minutes by walk to reach the water.
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READ ALSO: MAP: Austria's 12 World Heritage sites you have to visit at least once
Attersee
Attersee is seen as one of Austria's most beautiful lakes and is located in the famous area of Salzkammergut, around 2-3 hours away from Vienna by train.
Even though getting there from Vienna requires a little more time, it is still doable for a day trip and definitely worth it due to the crystal clear water, the mountains surrounding the lake, the charming towns, and the possibility to go biking or hiking in amazing nature.
At the lake, you can enjoy swimming, relaxing, or going on a boat ride. The mountains surrounding it also offer many different hiking routes, and if you do not want to walk, biking around the lake is also a popular activity.
If you have time, you can also visit all the other lakes and cities in the area of Salzkammergut, such as Mondsee, which is really near to Attersee.
There are different ways of getting to Attersee by train from Vienna. One of the fastest ways involves taking a train from Vienna's central station to Vöcklabruck and there change trains to Kammer-Schörfling Bahnhof, where you get off. The trip takes 2.5 hours in total.
Beautiful Attersee is well worth a visit from Vienna. Photo by Thomas Gabernig on Unsplash
Erlaufsee
Erlaufsee is a beautiful lake with crystal clear water surrounded by mountains. It is located near Mariazell in Styria and is a great place to go for a longer day trip or maybe even a weekend getaway. Even though it's a bit of a longer journey, taking around 3 hours, many people from Vienna still tend to go there because of its beauty.
Here you can enjoy beautiful nature and a variety of activities. You can walk or bike around the lake and explore the great views and in the summer, you can enjoy swimming or rent a paddleboat to go out on the water. If you want to explore the mountains around, there are many different hiking trails to choose from.
The lake also offers various picnic areas with tables and benches where you can enjoy some food. If you prefer to eat at a restaurant, there are also different options available around the lake.
You can get to Erlaufsee from Vienna Central Station in around 3 to 3.5 hours, depending on which connections you choose. One comfortable option where you do not have to change trains so many times is to take the train from Vienna central station to Murzzuschlag and then take bus 189 to Erlaufsee Herrenhaus.
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You can plan and book your lake trips on ÖBB's website.
READ NEXT: 6 great alternatives to Austria's overcrowded tourists hotspots
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The days are getting longer and sunnier, and going to a beautiful lake on a day off is a great idea.
But if you live in Vienna, you do not have many options within the city if you do not want to go to Donauinsel or Alte Donau. However, just by catching a train, you can reach beautiful or even breath-taking lake locations in other parts of the country.
Here we list four lakes that you should definitely visit.
Neusiedlersee
Neusiedlersee or Lake Neusiedl is located in Burgenland, only about one hour away by train from Vienna, depending on where exactly on the lake you want to spend your time. The lake is the largest one in Austria and is famous for being very shallow, making it a great place for swimming, especially for families with kids.
The lake is a perfect spot for swimming, relaxing, or doing sports. Windsurfing and sailing are popular activities on the lake since it is often quite windy. Another good idea is to bike along the lake or visit some of the cute towns around, such as Podersdorf am See.
There are nice beaches around the lake where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful surrounding and if you want to camp in the area, there are also camping places available close to the water, such as Camping Podersdorf.
A part of the lake area belongs to the UNESCO heritage (Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park) and is home to many different birds, making it a popular spot for birdwatching.
You can take a train from Vienna Central Station to different areas of the lake. For example, you can take the train to Neusiedl am See, which takes around 40 minutes, and from there you can easily walk a few minutes to the nearest beach.
Neufelder See
Neufelder See is only a 40-minute train ride away from Vienna, making it a convenient spot for people living in the capital.
It is a beautiful and popular lake to visit during the warmer months and it has nice sandy beaches where you can spread out your blanket or towel. The lake is also surrounded by many areas with tables and benches where you can have a picnic with friends and family, and if you instead want to eat in a restaurant, you have many places to choose from in the area.
At and around the lake you can enjoy swimming, biking and walking, all meanwhile surrounded by beautiful nature.
To get to the lake you can take a train from Vienna central station to Neufeld/Leita and then you just need ten minutes by walk to reach the water.
View this post on Instagram
READ ALSO: MAP: Austria's 12 World Heritage sites you have to visit at least once
Attersee
Attersee is seen as one of Austria's most beautiful lakes and is located in the famous area of Salzkammergut, around 2-3 hours away from Vienna by train.
Even though getting there from Vienna requires a little more time, it is still doable for a day trip and definitely worth it due to the crystal clear water, the mountains surrounding the lake, the charming towns, and the possibility to go biking or hiking in amazing nature.
At the lake, you can enjoy swimming, relaxing, or going on a boat ride. The mountains surrounding it also offer many different hiking routes, and if you do not want to walk, biking around the lake is also a popular activity.
If you have time, you can also visit all the other lakes and cities in the area of Salzkammergut, such as Mondsee, which is really near to Attersee.
There are different ways of getting to Attersee by train from Vienna. One of the fastest ways involves taking a train from Vienna's central station to Vöcklabruck and there change trains to Kammer-Schörfling Bahnhof, where you get off. The trip takes 2.5 hours in total.
Erlaufsee
Erlaufsee is a beautiful lake with crystal clear water surrounded by mountains. It is located near Mariazell in Styria and is a great place to go for a longer day trip or maybe even a weekend getaway. Even though it's a bit of a longer journey, taking around 3 hours, many people from Vienna still tend to go there because of its beauty.
Here you can enjoy beautiful nature and a variety of activities. You can walk or bike around the lake and explore the great views and in the summer, you can enjoy swimming or rent a paddleboat to go out on the water. If you want to explore the mountains around, there are many different hiking trails to choose from.
The lake also offers various picnic areas with tables and benches where you can enjoy some food. If you prefer to eat at a restaurant, there are also different options available around the lake.
You can get to Erlaufsee from Vienna Central Station in around 3 to 3.5 hours, depending on which connections you choose. One comfortable option where you do not have to change trains so many times is to take the train from Vienna central station to Murzzuschlag and then take bus 189 to Erlaufsee Herrenhaus.
View this post on Instagram
You can plan and book your lake trips on ÖBB's website.
READ NEXT: 6 great alternatives to Austria's overcrowded tourists hotspots
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