Transfer to Rauris

[Jonas25]

I have booked a trip to Rauris as per previous thread. I managed to get reasonably priced flights in the end as our half term dates seem to be out of sync with rest of the UK. But now wondering how to transfer from Salzburg to Rauris? Previous threads have mentioned 'easy train ride' but it doesn't look that easy as the train station is not near the airport. Am I missing something? Also the tickets all seem to unavailable! Sold out maybe? I am travelling with a fair amount of luggage and a young child so I'm thinking a hire car might be simpler? Any experiences?

Options (to and from Salzburg Airport):

1. Postbus #260 from outside the Airport direct to Zell am See. It costs just €15 for an adult and the child ticket will either be discounted or maybe even free. There are departures every 2 hours on Saturdays, at 06.53, 08.53, 10.53, 12.53, 14.53, 16.53 and then 18.53, 19.53 and 21.53. Your luggage goes into the compartment under the bus (it's really a coach). From Zell am See take a taxi to Rauris - taxis wait at the railway station and at the bus station in Zell (or your accommodation can probably pre-book one for you).

2. Train from Salzburg to Zell am See, then taxi to Rauris as #1. The main railway station in Salzburg is a taxi or bus ride from the Airport. With luggage and a child, take a taxi.

3. Shared transfer coach/taxi to Zell am See, and then a taxi (as #1). The transfer service might actually take you to Rauris for a small additional fee. The Salzburg Airport website has a list of reliable transfer services - Taxi & Transfer Service (salzburg-airport.com)

4. Hire a car. Which while convenient will be expensive, and you don't need a car to get around Rauris, which is a very small village. You might also have to dig it out of the snow at least once during the week.

5. Private taxi transfer. Even more expensive, but nice if you can afford it (and cost effective if there are 4 or more in the group). Don't pick a cab off the rank at the airport - pre-book for the best prices (use the transfer companies as above).

Hello!!

I've been to Rauris twice, so it may have been my that recommended it.

The airport doesn't have a train station, no, but there is a direct bus that takes you from the airport to the train station, and takes about 10 minutes.

From the train station you can get a direct train to Taxenbach-Rauris Station.

From there you can either get a taxi directly to Rauris itself, or get on the local bus. We've done both, if you've got loads of luggage, a taxi is easier.

Where are you staying in Rauris?

@Havanananana thanks for such a detailed response. Very useful indeed. I think the train must be fully booked so will exlpore the bus option.

@RhubarbFairy yes I think it was your recommendation! We are staying at Hotel Sonnhof Rauris. There was very little to choose from given the late booking. I think you recommended some new apartments wfich look lovely but they are fully booked. I did get manage to get DS booked on a beginners course booked with Adventure Ski which sounds great.

Adventure Rauris are absolutely brilliant. We've used both ski schools there, and they were the ones we preferred.

You'll likely be better with a taxi from Taxenbach-Rauris Station than a bus, as whilst the hotel is in a fantastic central location in the town, the bus doesn't go past it, so you'll end up dragging your luggage back up the street. We didn't prebook the train. Just bought our tickets on arrival. It's the local train, so people just squeeze on.

I can highly recommend Stadl Cafe Pizzeria, which is almost directly opposite your hotel. Up on the mountain, stop for lunch or a drink at Kreuzbodenhutte. From the middle station, take Blue 1 all the way down until you go under a bridge, and the pub will be in front of you, next to a gondola. To be honest, Adventure will probably have you meet your DS there for lunch on about the Tuesday. The views are incredible, there are deckchairs to sit on and enjoy them, and it's the perfect place for a lunchtime play in the snow before afternoon lessons. There's a toboggan run from there, too.

It really is such a pretty little town. Have a fantastic time!

Thanks to @RhubarbFairy for correcting the info about the train - I'd overlooked that Taxenbach station serves Rauris.

If you do decide on the 260 Postbus, it is best to get off at the railway station at Zell am See (the bus stops there before going to the bus terminus) as that is where the biggest taxi rank is located. You could also take the local train to Taxenbach-Rauris from Zell am See - it is only a couple of stops.

Sounds like a perfect setup I can't wait! OK so travel plan is now - taxi from airport to train station, train to Taxenbach (ignoring the fact that I can't pre-book the tickets), taxi from Taxenback to hotel in Rauris.

I'm assuming this will be still be a lot cheaper than the hire car. I have seen some deals come out at around 230 EUR with basic insurance.

Will look up the restaurants thanks.

The other thing I was wondering was a Sunday vs Monday start with Adventure Ski. All going well we should arrive by 6pm Saturday. Currently booked for a Monday start but might ask to change if there's enough time to sort out rentals etc.? It's been a while since I rented anything but I can remember long queues.

Ski school group lessons tend to start on Sundays, so even missing just the first day puts you behind everyone else, particularly for beginners. Start Sunday if you can.

I don't know about the shops in Rauris, but the resorts where I ski don't seem to experience the issues with queues for ski rental that used to be common. Also, as you are not travelling with a tour operator, you (hopefully) won't be arriving at the same time as the other 60 guests from the travel company.

The adult train ticket Salzburg - Taxenbach/Rauris costs just €15 for a single, so even with the taxis at each end of the journey, this is still going to be cheaper than hiring a car, which will cost €230+ plus fuel, insurance for crossing into Germany and the hassle of finding a parking space and the very high liklihood of having to either dig the car out or spend half an hour scraping ice and snow off the windows on the departure day. Let somebody else have the hassle!

The first time we went, we arrived at 11pm on the Saturday and still got into ski school on the Sunday morning after collecting our equipment. You won't be the only people doing that, so they sort of set the first hour or so of lessons on a Sunday aside as sorting and filtering people into the right groups as they arrive with equipment.

The Sunday morning 0830am scrum is a bit mad in the shop, but actually they're really good at getting you sorted efficiently and ready for the ski school start time. It just looks a bit crazy when you first walk in.

The initial Sunday lesson starts with them assessing each child (though as a total beginner, your DC will go directly to the nursery area next to the shop), so don't worry too much. If you're all renting but you're not having lessons, get DSs equipment first, walk him up the steps to the nursery area, and then go back and get your equipment once he's settled in.

We are here in Rauris! The conditions are awful though which is a shame and surprising for mid- Feb. Also it is the busiest resort I have ever been to. Horrendous lift queues. On the plus side Adventure Ski are great and have somehow motivated the kids to spend 4 hours on the baby slopes in the rain.

I went with the train option and it was fine. Even took the tram across town from the airport to the station. Arriving at Taxenbach I was lucky to be able to share with someone who had asked a local to phone a taxi! It is fairly remote so I would definitely pre-arrange a taxi if doing it again.

Sorry to hear that OP - always a risk with small resorts I guess. Glad though the kids are enjoying, which was your main aim I guess! Next time you can pick somewhere that’s a sure thing now you know you’ll get your moneys worth.
I’m also surprised by the report of crowds this week - I had understood last week to be the busy week for most of uK and Europe but where I was, the slopes were pretty quiet.

I had to wait 45 minutes in the queue just to take the cable car up the mountain yesterday. Never seen anything like it.

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear that. Surprised to hear of the February conditions.

Also surprised to hear of the crowds. I know there's usually a bit of a queue to get onto the gondola straight after ski school drop off as its a pinch point. I used to drop off and go for a cup of tea at the hut on the nursery slopes to wait for it to go down.

We had half term last week, but friends of mine have theirs this week, so I wonder if it's coincided with that?

Fingers crossed for improvements the rest of the week!

I've just looked at the webcams. Oh my goodness. I've never seen the nursery area look like that in February before! I know there's been unseasonably high temperatures in the Alps recently.

When we went, the beginners headed up the mountain on about the Tuesday, so hopefully you're all heading up away from the valley soon. I can see snow is predicted over the week and it's snowing up at the top station of the blue gondola.

I've just been up top and it is much better today thank goodness. My instructor said he's never seen it like this in Feb! DS hasn't made it onto the big nursery slope yet (in the slow group ha ha) so not sure he'll make it up the mountain but at least he's enjoying it.

It is Dutch half term apparently so the busiest week of the season.

Doh!

Glad to hear it was better up top today.

@RhubarbFairy what do you think is ballpark for tipping the Adventure Rauris instructors? They have been fabulous with the little ones. I'm so impressed.

We tipped our boys instructor €50. Apparently they don't earn much, and like you, we thought they were fantastic with the kids.

How has the rest of your week been? Did they race today?

Yes ski race was today! Rescheduled due to a huge snow dump forecast for tomorrow. Typical. DS is over the moon with his medal. It was a great day. I sat and watched the lesson after and the work that was put in...taking kids to the loo, helping on lifts, rescuing falls off lifts, chasing stray kids, not to mention actual teaching of ski-ing. It's above and beyond. I was thinking along similar lines for the tips so thanks for that.