Austria is a lovely solo trip: easy to navigate by train, with historic city centres, memorable food and beautiful mountain scenery. This route spends three days in Vienna, two in Salzburg and two in Innsbruck, keeping each day’s stops close together and leaving room to enjoy the pace.
Budget
About €1,200–€2,000 per person for 7 days, excluding international travel; includes mid-range lodging, meals, local transport, intercity trains and paid sights.
Best time to visit
May–June or September for mild weather and fewer crowds; July–August is lively but busier. Mountain lift operations and conditions vary by season.
Vienna’s historic centre
Get your bearings among Vienna’s grand landmarks, all within a pleasant walk of the city centre.
Morning
Visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Explore the cathedral and, if you like, climb the tower for city views. It’s a central starting point for the trip.
About €0–€7Afternoon
Explore the
Walk about 10 minutes from the cathedral to the former imperial palace complex. Choose a museum or simply wander its courtyards and nearby Heldenplatz.
About €0–€20Evening
Dine at
Walk about 15 minutes back towards the old town for a classic Viennese schnitzel dinner; booking ahead is wise.
About €25–€40
MuseumsQuartier and the Ring
Pair Vienna’s art museums with a relaxed stroll through its monumental central boulevard district.
Morning
See the Kunsthistorisches Museum
Spend the morning with the museum’s remarkable European art collection. It’s a short walk from the MuseumsQuartier area.
About €22Afternoon
Browse MuseumsQuartier
Walk about 10 minutes to this lively cultural complex for contemporary art, courtyards and a café break.
About €0–€16Evening
Have dinner at
Walk around 15 minutes to this historic café near for a relaxed meal in classic Viennese surroundings.
About €15–€30
Schönbrunn and Naschmarkt
Spend the day in Vienna’s west, combining imperial gardens with the city’s best-known market area.
Morning
Explore
Take the U4 metro from the central area to Schönbrunn, usually about 15–20 minutes door to door. Tour the palace or focus on its grounds.
About €0–€35Afternoon
Walk the Schönbrunn gardens
Stay in the palace grounds and stroll towards the Gloriette for broad views; allow about 20 minutes uphill from the palace.
About €0Evening
Eat around
Take the U4 from Schönbrunn to Kettenbrückengasse, around 15 minutes, then choose from market stalls and nearby restaurants.
About €15–€35
Travel to Salzburg and explore the old town
Ride the train west and spend your first Salzburg day among the riverfront, historic lanes and fortress views.
Morning
Take the train to Salzburg
Travel from to Salzburg Hbf; direct trains usually take about 2.5 hours. Check the timetable and fares when booking.
About €20–€60Afternoon
Wander
From Salzburg Hbf, take a bus or walk about 20–25 minutes to the old town’s famous shopping street and its historic passageways.
About €0Evening
See and Residenzplatz
Walk about 5 minutes from into the cathedral quarter, then enjoy dinner nearby.
About €0–€10
Salzburg fortress and gardens
Keep to the compact centre for a fortress visit, riverside scenery and a peaceful garden stroll.
Morning
Visit
Walk about 10 minutes from the cathedral to the funicular station, then ride up to the fortress for museum rooms and panoramic views.
About €14–€18Afternoon
Walk through
Cross the Salzach River and walk about 20 minutes from the old town to the formal gardens and their mountain-framed views.
About €0Evening
Enjoy dinner in the old town
Walk around 15 minutes back across the river and choose a restaurant near the cathedral quarter; reserve ahead during busy periods.
About €30–€60
Travel to Innsbruck and the old town
Head into the Tyrol and spend the afternoon exploring Innsbruck’s compact historic centre beneath the Nordkette mountains.
Morning
Take the train to Innsbruck
Travel from Salzburg Hbf to Innsbruck Hbf, usually around 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Check whether your service is direct when booking.
About €15–€45Afternoon
See the
Walk about 15 minutes from Innsbruck Hbf to this landmark in the old town, then explore the surrounding medieval streets.
About €0Evening
Try Tyrolean food at Stiftskeller
Walk around 5 minutes from the for regional dishes in a historic setting.
About €20–€40
Nordkette and riverside Innsbruck
Finish with mountain scenery close to town, then return to the Inn River for an easy final evening.
Morning
Ride up to Nordkette
Walk about 10 minutes from the old town to the Congress station, then take the Nordkette lifts towards the mountain viewpoints. Check weather and lift operations before setting out.
About €40–€55Afternoon
Visit the Imperial Palace
Return by cable car and walk about 10 minutes from Congress to this Habsburg residence in the centre.
About €10–€15Evening
Take a gentle Inn River walk
Walk about 5 minutes from the palace towards the river and enjoy the colourful houses and mountain backdrop before dinner nearby.
About €0
Good to know
Getting around
Book intercity trains in advance for better fares. In each city, the historic centre is walkable and public transport fills the gaps.
Solo travel
Austria is generally straightforward to explore alone. Keep an eye on belongings in busy stations and confirm late-night transport if you stay out.
Reservations
Reserve popular restaurants and check museum opening days, train schedules and mountain lift conditions before your visit.
Budget
The estimate varies most with accommodation and train booking time; hotel prices are especially seasonal in Salzburg and Innsbruck.