In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Germany
Bad Reichenhall
Give it one full day plus a night: the salt works, the spa garden and the Predigtstuhl lift, with Salzburg 30 min away by train.
Bad Reichenhall is a small Bavarian spa town built on salt, 20 km from Salzburg and on the S3 line to Berchtesgaden. The old town is compact and walkable, the Alte Saline and the Kurgarten are the two set-piece sights, and the Predigtstuhl cable car climbs to 1,614 m from the edge of the centre. Most travellers see it in a day or use it as a quieter, cheaper bed base for Salzburg and the Berchtesgaden Alps.
- Country
- Germany
- Best months
- May–Oct for the lift, lakes and spa garden; Dec–Mar for snow and the Berchtesgaden ski areas
- Avoid
- Nov (grey, wet, lifts and lake baths often shut); mid-July–Aug if you dislike heat and crowds
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Card acceptance has improved but some bakeries, bars and small restaurants are still cash only.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–95 excl. bed · Mid €95–160 excl. bed · High €160+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telekom, Vodafone and O2 are the networks; Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect and congstar resell them cheaply in supermarkets and electronics shops.
- Emergency
- Fire and ambulance 112 · Police 110
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US devices need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Round up or add 5–10%; say the total you want to pay as you hand over money or card.; Bar and café: Round up to the nearest euro.; Taxi: Round up by €1–2.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night, optional.; Free walking tour: €10–15 per person.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Restaurants usually sell bottled water; fizzy (mit Kohlensäure) is the default, ask for 'still' or 'ohne'.
- Toilets
- Station toilets cost €0.50–1.50 (Rail&Fresh WC); restaurant toilets are for customers; the 'WC' at motorway rest stops takes coins and gives a voucher.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee and cake in a café | €4–8 |
| Bavarian main course in a tavern | €12–20 |
| Beer, 0.5 l in a tavern | €4–6 |
| Town bus single ride | €2–3 |
| S3 train Bad Reichenhall → Salzburg | about €7–10 |
| Bike rental, touring bike per day | €7.50 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SZG · Salzburg
- Closest airport, about 20 km; bus or train via Salzburg, roughly 1 h door to doorClosest airport, about 12 mi; bus or train via Salzburg, roughly 1 h door to door
- MUC · Munich
- About 150 km; train to Freilassing or Salzburg, then the S3, roughly 2.5–3 hAbout 93 mi; train to Freilassing or Salzburg, then the S3, roughly 2.5–3 h
Typical fares
- S3 Bad Reichenhall → Salzburg
- about €7–10, 30–40 min
- Predigtstuhl cable car, return
- €34 adult
- RupertusTherme, adult
- €23.50
Get around
The centre is walkable and largely car-free. Three town bus routes run (1, 2 and the CityBus 4); all stop at the station and Rathausplatz. Buses reach Thumsee and the outskirts. Trains: the S3 Salzburg–Berchtesgaden stops every 30–60 min. A car helps for the Alps and lakes.
See and do
Known for
- Alte Saline salt works and salt museum
- Kurgarten with its saltwater graduation tower
- Predigtstuhl cable car
- RupertusTherme thermal spa
- Lake Thumsee
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Salzburg | S3 train from Bad Reichenhall station, about 30–40 min | About 1 h |
| Berchtesgaden and Königssee | S3 train to Berchtesgaden, then bus 841 to Königssee | About 1.5 h |
| Lake Thumsee | Bus route 1 or 2, or a 4 km walk/cycleBus route 1 or 2, or a 2.5 mi walk/cycle | About 20–30 min |
| Munich | Train via Freilassing or Salzburg, then fast train | About 2.5–3 h |
Sleep
- Old town and Rathausplatz
- Pedestrian core, cafés and shops at the door; best for one night without a car.
- Around the station (Bahnhofplatz)
- S3 to Salzburg and Berchtesgaden; practical for rail arrivals and early departures.
- Thumsee
- Lake 4 km south-west, swimming and quiet; bus route 1 or 2, or a car.Lake 2.5 mi south-west, swimming and quiet; bus route 1 or 2, or a car.
- Bayerisch Gmain and Marzoll
- Village outskirts with guesthouses and the sled run; car useful.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Grüß Gottgruess got |
| Thank you | Dankedahn-kuh |
| Please | Bittebit-tuh |
| The bill, please | Die Rechnung, bittedee rekh-noong bit-tuh |
| Can I pay by card? | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit kar-tuh tsah-len |
| Where is the station? | Wo ist der Bahnhof?voh ist dair bahn-hohf |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; 'Guten Tag' or 'Hallo'; avoid: Hugs with people you have just met
- Names: Herr / Frau plus surname until invited to use first names; avoid: Using 'du' with officials or older strangers
- Punctuality: Arrive on time for tours, dinners and appointments; avoid: Being more than 5–10 minutes late without a message
- Queues and rules: Follow signs, wait at red lights, sort rubbish; avoid: Walking in cycle lanes
- Conversation: Direct and factual; people say what they mean; avoid: Taking directness as rudeness, or joking about the Nazi era
- Home visit: Bring flowers (odd number, not red roses) or wine; shoes off if the hosts do; avoid: Arriving early
- Paying: Say the total including tip as you pay; avoid: Leaving coins on the table and walking off
Scams and watch-outs
- The Predigtstuhl cable car and the Thumseebad lake baths close outside their season: check dates before you build a day around them.
- Many small guesthouses and restaurants take cash only; carry euros.
- Summer afternoon thunderstorms build fast in the Alps; start hikes and the lift early.
- Sunday: most shops shut, including in the pedestrian zone.
Very safe for a town of its size; the real risks are Alpine weather, unlit paths after dark and cash-only bills. Standard German emergency numbers apply.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bad Reichenhall yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Alte Saline salt works and salt museum
- Kurgarten with its saltwater graduation tower
- Predigtstuhl cable car
- RupertusTherme thermal spa
- Lake Thumsee
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Bad Reichenhall official town site: www.stadt-bad-reichenhall.de/
- Alte Saline Bad Reichenhall: www.alte-saline.de
- Predigtstuhlbahn: www.predigtstuhlbahn.de
- RupertusTherme: www.rupertustherme.de
- Wikivoyage: Bad Reichenhall, revision 5237796 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5237796
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Bad Reichenhall
Zu dieser Adresse, bitte
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies here; the US consulate-general is in Munich and most embassies are in Berlin. Austrian border services are in Salzburg.
Cash is still common in small guesthouses and taverns.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bad-reichenhall). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.