Bad Hofgastein suits families and spa visitors who want the Alpentherme and the Schlossalmbahn lift in the same town centre. Homes here are small and compact, none has a pool, and only some have a sauna.
Bad Hofgastein is a market town at 859 metres, roughly halfway between Dorfgastein to the north and Bad Gastein to the south. It sits directly under the Schlossalm-Angertal-Stubnerkogel ski area, and the Schlossalmbahn runs from downtown up to the Schlossalm, starting right by the Alpentherme. Our homes cluster tightly around the town, mostly small and sleeping about four, with a minority offering a sauna. None has a pool, which is why the Alpentherme matters. A spa park and a thermal water fountain sit in the town centre, and the main square is often the site of live music bands. Bad Gastein is a short way up the valley.
The waterfall town up the valley, with Belle Epoque hotels and houses and the Felsentherme spa.
The village to the north of Bad Hofgastein, with its own station on the same valley railway.
The Schlossalmbahn mountain station sits at about 2,000 metres, on a stage of the Salzburger Almenweg walking route.
Home to the valley's mining museum, which has a show mine and gold washing for visitors.
Fly to Salzburg, which is about 95 km from Bad Gastein by road; Bad Hofgastein lies a little way down the valley from there. The town has access to the Tauern Railway, so a car is optional, and the Schlossalmbahn starts downtown.
Winter brings around 200 km of pistes across the valley in Ski amadé, plus 40 km of cross-country trails. Summer offers more than 600 km of hiking trails, and Bad Hofgastein itself has family-friendly trails, bike parks and small mountain lakes. Three stages of the 350 km Salzburger Almenweg run through the area, covering about 24 km.
Yes. Bad Hofgastein has family-friendly trails, bike parks and small mountain lakes, and the Alpentherme is right by the Schlossalmbahn base. The centre also has a spa park and a thermal water fountain.
Yes. The Schlossalmbahn leaves from downtown and takes you up into the Schlossalm-Angertal-Stubnerkogel area, which also connects to Bad Gastein. Its mountain station is at about 2,000 metres.
Choose Bad Hofgastein for a lower town at 859 metres with the Alpentherme and a lift from the centre. Bad Gastein has the waterfall and Belle Epoque hotels, but its centre climbs a slope steep enough to need a car park lift.
No. Trains stop at Bad Hofgastein as well as Dorfgastein and Bad Gastein, so you can move around the valley without driving. A car only helps for day trips outside the valley.
Salzburg. It is about 95 km from Bad Gastein by road, and Bad Hofgastein is down the valley from there. Bus plus train from the airport to Bad Gastein takes about two and a half hours.
Written by the TrustedVillas team. Last reviewed October 2026.
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