Questions & Answers (FAQs)

The Hohe Tauern National Park is the largest National Park in Austria and one of the largest in Europe. It covers an area of 1,856 km2 square kilometres in the provinces of Salzburg, Carinthia and Tyrol and includes a variety of mountain ranges, glaciers, valleys, lakes and waterfalls.

The Hohe Tauern National Park is located in the Austrian Alps and extends across the provinces of Salzburg, Tyrol and Carinthia.

More than half of all amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals that live in Austria are found in the Hohe Tauern National Park. The ibex, chamois, marmot, golden eagle and bearded vulture are considered the Big Five in the Hohe Tauern National Park. Read more >>

In 1971, the three provincial governors of Salzburg, Carinthia and Tyrol signed the Three Provinces Agreement in Heiligenblut, thereby committing themselves to creating a national park. The actual implementation period varied in length from province to province and took place in several stages. In the 1980s, National Park Hohe Tauern finally opened, Austria’s first and largest national park, since when this project has continued to evolve

The Hohe Tauern National Park is free of charge and - depending on the weather and snow situation - accessible around the clock all year round.

Please always keep in mind:

• Out of consideration for animals and plants, stay on the paths and avoid unnecessary noise.
• Dogs must be kept on a leash throughout the National Park.
• Do not leave waste behind, carry all rubbish out yourself.
• Wear good shoes and weatherproof clothing.
• You are in alpine terrain. Pay attention to the weather, to alpine dangers such as avalanches or falling rocks. Find out about risks from people on site who are experienced in the mountains.
• Leave flowers, insects and minerals alone.
• Camping and making fires in the wild is not allowed. Camp sites are available for this purpose in the National Park localities.

The Sulzbachtäler – a region spanning more than 6700 ha, 17 glaciers and 25 three thousand meter peaks are an internationally recognized wilderness area under the protection of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Here are some of the topographical features of the Hohe Tauern National Park:

1. Peaks: The Hohe Tauern National Park comprises 266 three-thousand-metre peaks (mountains with an altitude <3000 m), including the Großglockner (3,798 m), the highest mountain in Austria, and the Großvenediger (3,657 m).
    
2. Glaciers: In the Hohe Tauern there are about 130 km² of glaciers, including the Pasterze glacier at the foot of the Großglockner, the largest glacier in the Eastern Alps.
    
3. Valleys: The National Park includes many deep valleys, such as the Stubachtal, the Raurisertal and the Gasteinertal.
    
4. Rivers: Numerous rivers flow through the National Park region, such as the Salzach.
    
5. Lakes: There are 550 lakes in the National Park.
    
6. Alpine pastures: there are many traditional alpine pastures and alpine meadows in the National Park, which have been farmed for centuries.

The Hohe Tauern National Park holiday region is a popular holiday destination in the province of Salzburg in Austria, known for its breathtaking scenery, varied leisure activities and its national park. The Hohe Tauern National Park holiday region includes 18 Salzburg National Park resorts from Krimml to the Grossarl Valley and 13 National Park valleys. The holiday region offers a unique combination of impressive mountain landscapes, glaciers, lakes and rivers inhabited by a rich flora and fauna. In addition, there are many cultural sights such as historic towns, castles and museums to visit.

The Hohe Tauern National Park holiday region is a popular destination for those who want to experience the beauty of the Alps and at the same time have the opportunity to actively relax and get to know Austrian culture.

The towns in the Hohe Tauern National Park holiday region in Salzburger Land are: Bad Gastein, Bramberg, Bruck an der Glocknerstrasse, Fusch an der Glocknerstrasse, Embach, Großarl and Hüttschlag, Kaprun, Krimml, Mittersill, Hollersbach, Stuhlfelden, Neukirchen am Großvenediger, Niedernsill, Piesendorf, Rauris, Taxenbach, Uttendorf and Wald-Königsleiten.

Yes, there are a variety of accommodation options in the holiday region, including hotels, guesthouses, holiday flats, farms and campsites. There are options for all budgets and needs. To the accomodation >>

Crystal-clear glacial streams and historic trade routes, ibexes and marmots, emeralds and thousand-year-old stone pine trees: the Hohe Tauern National Park is a natural paradise that is hard to beat in beauty, richness and diversity. Around Austria's highest mountains, outdoor lovers, families, pleasure hikers and ambitious alpinists will find one of the most fascinating and exciting landscapes on earth. In addition, the holiday region offers a rich culture, traditional villages, first-class gastronomy and excellent accommodation.

The Hohe Tauern National Park holiday region is easily accessible by public transport. The Pinzgau local railway runs from Zell am See to Krimml (note: there is currently a rail replacement service between Mittersill and Krimml) and is the ideal means of transport to discover the region. Cyclists also greatly appreciate the narrow-gauge railway to get to the starting point of the Tauern Cycle Path. We have summarised the most important information on your journey to the holiday region by bus or train for you here.

The best time to travel depends on the activities you want to do. From Spring to Autumn the region is ideal for hiking and cycling, while in Winter the focus is on skiing, ski touring and cross-country skiing.

The Hohe Tauern Panoram Trail is a long-distance hiking trail that leads across the Hohe Tauern National Park region in 17 stages.

From the starting point at the foot of the Krimml Waterfalls to Hüttschlag in the Grossarl Valley, hikers cover 275 kilometres and 14,000 metres in altitude. Overnight stays are alternately available in the valley or on the mountains. The trail offers breathtaking views of Austria's highest mountains.

The focus at the National Park Centre is on sustainability. With the photovoltaic system, a significant part of the energy is generated in the building itself. In the in-house national park shop the focus is on regional products and sustainable materials. There is also a cooperation with the Salzburg clothing manufacturer Erdbär, with whom a sustainable clothing line was created.

Since 2001 the Hohe Tauern National Park holiday region has been paying particular attention to sustainability, and it is now one of the most treasured tourist destinations in Austria. It is a true natural paradise with crystal-clear glacial streams and historic trade routes, ibexes and marmots, emeralds and thousand-year-old Swiss stone pines. In recent years, many projects and initiatives have already been implemented to promote sustainable tourism development. For example, the National Park SummerCard also includes public transport. Then there is the GreenSpirit package on the Hohe Tauern Panorama Trail, which markets initiatives for a car-free holiday. The National Park Rangers, the ambassadors of the region, host informative adventure tours for National Park guests and visitors.

The National Park Hohe Tauern holiday region is a partner of the Guest Mobility Ticket. From check-in at your accommodation in the National Park Hohe Tauern holiday region, you can use all public transport throughout SalzburgerLand free of charge – for the entire duration of your stay. You will receive the ticket electronically as a wallet or PDF directly at check-in or pre-check-in at your accommodation in the province of Salzburg. This allows you to travel comfortably, flexibly, and sustainably.

The Nationalpark SommerCard is available for all guests who stay in a participating partner establishment. You get the card directly from your host.The Nationalpark SommerCard is available for all guests who stay in a participating partner establishment. You get the card directly from your host.

The Nationalpark SommerCard is valid for the entire duration of your stay in the period from 1 May to 31 October.

All participating accommodations can be found at nationalpark-sommercard.at.

The National Park SummerCard can already be used as a digital card for arrival via the Großglockner High Alpine Road and the Gerlos Alpine Road. This mobility service is available in addition to the free attraction per day. The partner business will be happy to send you the card.

The Nationalpark SommerCard is not available for purchase.

One of the 60 inclusive services can be used or visited free of charge per day.
In addition, many service partners grant every holder of a valid SommerCard a 50% discount on the regular admission price if the daily free admission has been used up. Details can be found in the National Park SommerCard folder or on the website. In addition to the inclusive service, the mobility services (hiking buses, day ticket for the Grossglockner High Alpine Road,...) can be used free of charge.

If you have any questions about the Nationalpark SommerCard,the team at the Hohe Tauern National Park Holiday Region GmbH will be happy to help you at card@nationalpark.at or by phone +43 6562 409 39.

The Nationalpark WinterCard is not available for purchase.

The Nationalpark WinterCard is valid for the entire duration of your stay in the period from 1 December to 15 April.

The Nationalpark WinterCard is issued by the partner companies on the day of arrival. This is possible in the form of a shell card or as a digital card.

All inclusive and bonus partners are listed in the Nationalpark SommerCard map - nationalpark-wintercard.at

If you have any questions about the Nationalpark WinterCard,the booked accommodation and the team at the Hohe Tauern National Park Holiday Region GmbH will be happy to help you at ferienregion@nationalpark.at or by phone +43 6562 409 39.

Yes, the Hohe Tauern National Park holiday region is an attractive destination for paragliders because of its impressive natural landscape and good thermals. The Pinzgau grass mountains are considered a popular take-off site. In order to protect the Hohe Tauern National Park, we ask all paragliders to observe the points below.

• As provided by law, take-offs and landings may only take place outside the core and outer zones of the National Park (except in emergency situations).
   
• Flying over special protection areas (e.g. the Sulzbach valleys wilderness area) is generally prohibited in accordance with the respective regulations.
   
• Flight taboo zones such as special protection areas, nests of golden eagles, bearded vultures and other birds protected under the Birds Directive as well as roosting sites of griffon vultures and temporary research areas are shown on the seasonally updated map below.
   
• The nests of golden eagles, bearded vultures and other birds protected under the Birds Directive as well as roosting sites of griffon vultures may not be overflown within a radius of 1 km.
   
• Surprise emergence from behind ridges must be avoided.
   
• Wild animals and packs of wild animals as well as mountain hikers and mountaineers may not be approached.The entire Hohe Tauern National Park may only be flown over in the period from April to the end of September from 9:00 in the morning until sunset.

You can find more about paragliding here >>

Yes, the app Erlebnis National Park is available free of charge in the app stores.

It contains a topographical hiking map (scale 1 : 25,000) of the holiday region, current tours for hikers, as well as information on viewpoints, huts, inns and leisure facilities.

Yes, there are a variety of animals to observe in the Hohe Tauern National Park, including chamois, marmots, eagles and many types of birds. Special tours are offered in the National Park Ranger Programme, for example deer rutting in Autumn or wildlife watching in Winter. To the ranger program >>

Yes, the region offers a variety of climbing routes for all levels of difficulty. Examples include in Neukrichen am Großvenediger in the municipality of Uttendorf/Weißsee or at the Hochgebiergs reservoirs in Kaprun. There are also via ferratas suitable for families in places like Taxenbach. More about the climbing possibilities >>

Yes, the holiday region is a great place for families with children. There are many recreational opportunities for children and families, including playgrounds, childcare, wildlife watching and other adventurous activities.

Yes, it is possible to book a National Park Ranger to explore the Hohe Tauern National Park and learn more about the region and its history. A varied programme of tours is offered in the Winter and Summer months. Under the motto "Meet a Ranger", in the Summer months they are the first port of call for hikers and holiday guests in the National Park valleys. During the Summer months they can be found several times a week in the information huts at the valley entrances. They provide maps, answer questions and give hiking tips. More about the possibilities >>

Yes, fishing is possible in the Hohe Tauern National Park holiday region. You can find many places to fish from Rauris to Gastein, Mittersill and Großarl here>>.

In the Hohe Tauern National Park holiday region there are many ways to spend your time even in bad weather:

• Visit a museum: There are several museums in the region that shed light on the history and culture of the Alps.
   
• Wellness: The region offers many opportunities to relax and unwind, for example - in a spa or an indoor swimming pool.
   
• Shopping: There are many shops and boutiques in the region where you can pass the time and shop.
   
• Cinemas: There is also a cinema in the region where you can attend films and other events.
   
• Cultural events: There are also regular cultural events in the region, such as concerts, theatre performances and more.
   
• Dining out: There are many good restaurants in the region where you can indulge in regional dishes.
   
• Indoor activities: There are also indoor activities such as climbing, bouldering, tennis and indoor golf ranges.

The most popular Winter activities in the Hohe Tauern National Park are skiing, snowboarding, ski tours, tobogganing and Winter hiking. To the winter possibilities>>

The holiday region offers a variety of activities such as hiking, mountaineering, cycling, skiing, cross-country skiing, horseback riding and fishing. There are also many cultural sights to visit.

In the Summer and Winter months, the National Park Rangers will take you on various tours. If you don't want to set out on your own you can join the guided tours with knowledgeable National Park Rangers: With their knowledge, they open up a whole new world for hiking guests. Click here for the tour program >>

There are 8 ski areas. These stretch from the Grossarl Valley, the Gastein Valley, the Rauris Valley, Kitzsteinhorn, the Weißsee Glacier World, the Panoramabahn Hollersbach, and the Wildkogel Arena to the Zillertal Arena. Varied terrain, perfect pistes & great freeride areas are available.To the skiing areas >>

Every village in the National Park region offers entry points for hikes. Whether crossing the Tauern, family hikes or geological excursions - the offerings in the 18 villages and 13 valleys of the Hohe Tauern National Park holiday region are rich with variety. The network of hiking trails leads from the outer zone, where a cultural landscape cultivated over centuries is preserved, to the core zone of the National Park with its pristine natural landscape. Details incl. tour description and GPX data can be found in the tour portal >>

Yes, the region offers numerous opportunities for rest and relaxation, including thermal baths and wellness hotels.