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National Park & Nature

Dachstein Rieseneishöhle

📍 Dachstein Rieseneishöhle, Hallstatt, Austria
Dachstein Rieseneishöhle
1 photos
4.5/ 5.0
★★★★★

Introduction

The Giant Ice Cave of Dachstein opens at about 1,350 metres on the Schönbergalm pastures, a steep fifteen-minute walk from the cable car's middle station above Obertraun, and ranks among the largest ice caves in the Alps. Sub-zero temperatures persist year-round: curtains, towers and frozen waterfalls glow blue under the lights, and several domed chambers take their names from the legend of King Arthur, the ice columns of the Arthur Dome imagined as petrified knights. The guided round trip lasts about an hour, and even in August a warm jacket is mandatory.

Highlights

1
Arthur's Dome
Chambers named for the Round Table legend, with ice ranks like petrified knights.
2
Blue ice forest
Centuries-old ice glows glass-blue under the cave lighting.
3
Freezing in August
The entrance exhales cold air even midsummer, twenty degrees below the sunshine.
4
Mammoth Cave pairing
The karst-focused Mammoth Cave shares the same middle station — see both for the full picture.

🛈 Practical Info

LocationOn the Schönbergalm pastures above Obertraun, at the cable car's middle station.
TransportTrain to Obertraun, twenty minutes' walk to the valley station, then the cable car up.
TicketsGuided cave entry is sold in various combinations with the lift and Mammoth Cave.
SeasonOpen about May to October with timed guided tours; the cave closes in winter.
Time neededRoughly three hours door to door including the lift and walks.
ClothingNear-zero and slippery inside — warm layers and grippy shoes are non-negotiable.

💡 Tips

Check the tour departure board at the middle station before planning your walk up.
Steps inside are wet and dim — hold children's hands and keep to the rails.
First morning tours offer the best lighting and the smallest groups.
Combining with the 5fingers platform on the same day? Note the last cable car down.

FAQ

Any practical tips for visiting Dachstein Rieseneishöhle?

Check the tour departure board at the middle station before planning your walk up. Steps inside are wet and dim — hold children's hands and keep to the rails.

Information on this page is compiled from public sources. Opening hours, ticket prices and other details may change — please verify with official sources before your visit.