AUSTRIAN ALPS
GREAT ESCAPE
ON THE ROAD
HOW TO GET THERE
Innsbruck is the entry point for this trip –
Lufthansa flies from Singapore with one
stop in Frankfurt (from US$1,493;
lufthansa.com). There are no single-
carrier flights from from Kuala Lumpur,
but a viable alternative is to fly into
London Gatwick and take a connecting
flight to Innsbruck. The choice of direct
routes from the UK to Innsbruck is lower
in summer than it is in ski season.
HOW TO GET AROUND
Having your own car is really the only
practical way to explore the mountains.
All the main car hire firms can be found at
Innsbruck’s airport and train station. A
week’s hire with Europcar starts at around
US$203 (europcar.com). Weather can
change quickly in the mountains, so it’s
worth checking road conditions and the
latest forecast before you set out.
In winter, snow chains are mandatory on
many roads. Many places in this feature
are linked by trains, but may require
multiple connections (oebb.at).
HOW LONG TO SPEND
Austria is a relatively compact country,
but mountain roads can be long and
winding, especially once you get off
the autobahn. A week should be long
enough to cover the route, but 10
days would allow some time to factor in
extra outdoor activities such as hiking,
climbing and sailing.
WHAT TO BUDGET
Apart from popular ski resorts in peak
winter weeks, accommodation prices are
standard for Western Europe. Walkers’
hostels are the cheapest places to stay,
generally costing under US$40 a night;
mid-range hotels cost between US$105
and US$157 for a double room, while
luxury venues with spas and pools are
likely to cost upwards of US$183 per
night. In places that stay open during the
off-season, discounts are often available.
Main dishes in restaurants generally cost
from US$13 to US$33, and while beer is
cheap (around US$4 for a large stein),
wine can be expensive. Petrol is
considerably cheap, at just over US$1
a litre.WHEN TO GO
In tourism terms, the Alpine year
divides into a ski season (December to
mid-April), a summer season (roughly
June to mid-September) and quiet
months in between when many
hotels, restaurants and visitor facilities
close. In our itinerary, the
Grossglockner Road and Eisriesenwelt
are only open in summer, and this
short season can mean crowds and
high ticket demand in July and August
especially. Summer temperatures
average between 25 ̊C and 28 ̊C –
although it can feel substantially
colder at higher altitudes, so it’s
always worth packing some extra base
layers and a warm fleece.WHO CAN HELP
This trip is best planned independently,
but some companies offer tours to
parts of the itinerary. Inntravel, which
specialises in ‘slow holidays’, offers
dozens of Austrian tours, including a
four-night walking holiday in the
country’s Lake District (from US$635
incl accommodation, most meals and
bag forwarding; inntravel.co.uk).HOW TO PLAN
Lonely Planet’s Austria (US$24.99) has
all you need to know about travelling
in the mountains, and you can
download its regional chapters for
US$4.95 each (lonelyplanet.com). The
Austrian
National Tourist
Office website is
packed with
useful
information on
sights,
attractions
and activities
(austria.info).Take on
Carbs to fuel mountain activities,
in the form of knödel. These
traditional boiled dumplings are
an Austrian staple, and are eaten
both sweet and savoury. Try
spinatkäseknödel (spinach and
cheese dumplings).Buy
Austria’s ‘white gold’. Salzburg
salt was worth a fortune in the
days before fridges; the mineral
content gives it a unique flavour.Watch
The Sound of Music, filmed
entirely on location in the
mountains around Salzburg.
Altogether now:
‘The hills are alive...’Sip
Schnapps – a fiery spirit usually
drunk after dinner as a digestif.
Local flavours include apple,
blueberry and even hay.Practise
Yodelling – it features in practically every Austrian
folk song, but takes years to master. Nearly
every valley and village has its own
variation; the ululating sound helps the
voice to travel over long distances,
making it ideal for cross-mountain
communication.Spot
Marmots (a type of ground
squirrel) in the mountains; listen
out for their distinctive high-
pitched whistle. Ibex and golden
eagles are much harder to find –
bring binoculars.