Here are a few things we would consider before planning a trip to Austria—from choosing the right season to deciding where to stay and how to get around.
When to Visit Austria
Austria is one of those destinations where the best time to visit really depends on what you want from your trip. If you want to experience Austria's natural beauty at its best and spend time around its beautiful lakes and mountains, we would recommend planning your trip from June to September as the weather is. Austria's official tourism information also recommend these months for activities like hiking, cycling, boat trips and enjoying Austria's Alpine landscapes without the winter cold.
However if you want to specifically plan your trip for snowy days and Christmas markets, Late November to December is the time to go. Most of these Christmas markets start from November end and may go upto 1st week of January. However the main are only up to Christmas. Late December is a good choice if you are hoping to experience "White Christmas". Although experiencing snow in cities and lower-altitude destinations like Vienna or Salzburg is never something we would plan a trip around as weather can vary significantly. However to increases your chances of experience good snowfall, we would recommend higher altitudes in Alpine regions (our one big reason for choosing Seefeld).
Getting Around Austria
One of the things we really liked about Austria was how easy and hassle free it was to travel around. The country has an excellent network of trains, local rail services, trams and buses. There are two main train companies that operate: ÖBB Austrian Railways and Westbahn, the first covering the entire country and the latter operating on the main routes. For travelling between cities, we would recommend checking routes and tickets through the official site ÖBB. Austria's national rail network connects major cities as well as many smaller destinations, making it easy to build a trip around trains.
For inter country journeys:
Check the train connection directly through ÖBB and compare the available ticket options for your travel date.
For intercity connections:
If you are travelling as a group, the Einfach-Raus-Ticket can be worth checking. It is designed for 2–5 people and allows unlimited travel for a day on eligible ÖBB local and regional trains and S-Bahn services. However, it does not cover long-distance services such as Railjet, ICE, EC or IC trains, so always check whether your particular journey is eligible.
For Vienna: If you are planning to use public transport frequently, look at the time-based tickets offered by Wiener Linien. As of 2026, options include 24-hour and 7-day tickets, among others, so it is worth comparing the current fares with how much you expect to travel.
For Salzburg: Depending on where you stay, check whether your accommodation includes the regional Guest Mobility Ticket. In participating accommodation, this can provide access to public transport across Salzburg's region, including buses and trains.
For our own trip, we had purchased a train pass as we also had a few days in Switzerland and Czech Republic in the same trip. we travelled between Seefeld, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Hallstatt and Vienna using public transport.
Our advice: Before buying any pass, first map out your actual journeys. A travel pass is not automatically cheaper just because you are taking trains every day.
Where to Stay in Austria
Where you stay can completely change the feel of your Austria trip. We divided our trip between Seefeld, Salzburg and Vienna, which gave us a nice mix of mountains, a smaller historic city and the full experience of Austria's capital.
Vienna — For the Full City Experience
If Vienna is part of your itinerary, we would definitely recommend staying there rather than trying to squeeze it into a day trip. There is simply too much to see, and staying in the city gives you time to enjoy it beyond the major sights.
For us, Vienna was all about imperial architecture, grand buildings, cafés and, in December, Christmas lights and festive markets.
Seefeld — For a Winter Alpine Escape
If your idea of Austria involves snowy streets, mountains outside your window and a quieter pace, we would strongly consider staying in an Alpine town such as Seefeld.
It worked particularly well for us because we wanted a proper mountain-town experience rather than staying in a large city. We also used it as our base for a day trip to Innsbruck, so it gave us the best of both worlds.
Salzburg — For a Smaller City With Easy Access to Day Trips
Salzburg is a great choice if you want a city that feels more relaxed than Vienna but still has plenty to explore. It also worked well as a base for our day trip to Hallstatt.
We spent a few days here and found it easy to combine exploring Salzburg itself with getting out to see more of the surrounding region.
Hallstatt — Best for a Short, Scenic Stay
If Hallstatt is high on your list, staying overnight can be a lovely option if you want to experience the village after the daytime crowds have left.
However, we wouldn't necessarily use Hallstatt as the main base for an entire Austria trip. Public transport connections exist, but for a multi-city itinerary, places such as Salzburg, Vienna or an Alpine base like Seefeld are generally more practical.
What to expect in Austria in December?
Austria in December was exactly the kind of winter trip we had hoped for—but it is important to know what you are signing up for before packing your bags.
Expect Christmas Everywhere
The biggest reason to visit in December is the Christmas season. Markets, lights, festive decorations and seasonal food are everywhere, particularly in places such as Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck. Austria's Christmas markets generally begin from the second half of November, with some continuing beyond Christmas and into early January.
If you are planning a trip specifically around Christmas markets, check the dates before booking. Not every market operates every day, and smaller markets may only open on selected weekends.
Expect Cold Weather—But It Varies
December temperatures depend heavily on where you are in Austria and the altitude. In Vienna, long-term December averages are around 4°C for daytime highs and just below 0°C for nighttime lows. Salzburg is similarly cold, with average December highs around 4°C and lows below freezing.
So I would not specifically write “0–10°C” as the expected temperature throughout Austria. A more accurate and useful line for your readers would be:
Expect cold winter weather, often around or below 5°C in cities, with temperatures dropping below freezing at night and becoming significantly colder at higher altitudes. Milder days can occasionally feel warmer.
Packing Tips
This is one thing we would definitely recommend. Rather than relying on one extremely heavy outfit, pack layers that you can add or remove throughout the day.
Our winter essentials would be:
And if snow is part of your plan, good footwear matters more than you might think.
Plan Around the Shorter Days
This is worth keeping in mind, especially if you are used to travelling in summer.
Around late December, Vienna gets roughly 8 hours and 20 minutes of daylight. Around Christmas, the sun rises at approximately 7:44 am and sets around 4:05 pm. Salzburg has similar daylight hours, with sunrise around 7:55 am and sunset around 4:20 pm.
Our advice would be to keep your outdoor sightseeing and scenic day trips for daylight hours, and save Christmas markets, cafés, dinners and evening walks for after sunset. In December, it gets dark early—but honestly, that also happens to be when the Christmas lights look their best.
