National Park & Nature

Dachstein Rieseneishöhle

📍 Dachstein Rieseneishöhle, Hallstatt, Austria

1 photos

4.5/ 5.0

★★★★★

Quick Facts

Location: Austria, Hallstatt
Category: National Park & Nature
Duration: 3 hours
Ticket Price: Guided cave entry is sold in various combinations with the lift and Mammoth Cave.
Address: Dachstein Rieseneishöhle, Hallstatt, Austria
Coordinates: 47.5230, 13.7070

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

Arthur's Dome

Chambers named for the Round Table legend, with ice ranks like petrified knights.

Blue ice forest

Centuries-old ice glows glass-blue under the cave lighting.

Freezing in August

The entrance exhales cold air even midsummer, twenty degrees below the sunshine.

Mammoth Cave pairing

The karst-focused Mammoth Cave shares the same middle station — see both for the full picture.

🛈 Practical Info

→Location：On the Schönbergalm pastures above Obertraun, at the cable car's middle station.

→Transport：Train to Obertraun, twenty minutes' walk to the valley station, then the cable car up.

→Season：Open about May to October with timed guided tours; the cave closes in winter.

→Time needed：Roughly three hours door to door including the lift and walks.

→Clothing：Near-zero and slippery inside — warm layers and grippy shoes are non-negotiable.

→Ticket Information：Guided cave entry is sold in various combinations with the lift and Mammoth Cave.

💡 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

How much is the admission for Dachstein Rieseneishöhle?

Guided cave entry is sold in various combinations with the lift and Mammoth Cave.

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.