Into Styria, by way of the Enns valley
About 280 kilometres, roughly three hours and one regional border: your chauffeur drives you from Salzburg through the Enns valley and down the Pyhrn motorway to Graz, with an optional stop at the largest monastery library in the world.
- approx. 3 h door to door
- Enns valley or A9, your choice
- Admont Abbey stop on request
- Flat rate fixed at booking
A drive that ends in a different Austria
Driving from Salzburg to Graz you change more than cities; you change regions. Past Mandling on the Enns river the province of Salzburg ends and Styria begins, and so does a different landscape: wider valleys, alpine pastures instead of lake scenery, later vineyards, pumpkin fields and a regional capital that looks south rather than west. We drive this road regularly, with business travellers heading to meetings in Graz, with families continuing to South Styria, and with guests who simply want to see the prettier half of Austria between two cities.
Because this is a regional and not a national border, there is no passport check. What the journey does need is a decision at the start: through the Enns valley via Radstadt and Schladming, or briskly along the A1 and the Pyhrn motorway. Both take roughly the same time but feel completely different. The route below follows the version we drive most often and recommend to most guests.
From the Salzach to the Mur, stop by stop
01Salzburg
Pick-up
We collect you wherever you are: at your hotel in the old town, at Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, at W. A. Mozart airport or at a private address in the surrounding area. Your chauffeur arrives a few minutes before the agreed time, loads the luggage and runs through the route with you briefly: Enns valley with a stop, Enns valley without one, or the direct motorway option.
We leave town via the Salzburg Süd junction onto the A10 Tauern motorway, past Hallein and through the Lueg pass into the Pongau. On weekday mornings this stretch is usually relaxed. On Friday afternoons and on Saturdays in the holiday season we expect slow southbound traffic and deliberately leave a little earlier.
02The Enns valley near Liezen
approx. 1 h 45 min from Salzburg
Near Altenmarkt we leave the A10 and follow the B320 Enns valley road downstream. Just after Mandling we cross into Styria, and then the valley opens up: the south face of the Dachstein on the left, later the Planai above Schladming, and beyond it the Grimming, rising like a single block of rock from the valley floor. This is usually the stretch where conversation in the car stops, because the landscape takes over.
The B320 is not a motorway. It is well built but has long no-overtaking zones, roundabouts and tractors at harvest time. Here we drive steadily rather than fast. Near Liezen we reach the wide, flat end of the upper Enns valley, where the road meets the Pyhrn motorway. Guests who prefer to skip Admont join the A9 directly at Selzthal.
03Admont Abbey
60 to 90 minute stop recommended
About a quarter of an hour east of Liezen, at the gateway to the Gesäuse national park, stands the Benedictine abbey of Admont. Most guests have never heard of it, which is exactly why this stop works so well. Its baroque library hall from the late 18th century is considered the largest monastery library in the world: a long, bright room in white and gold, with ceiling frescoes, sculptures and tens of thousands of volumes. You walk in after three hours of road and find yourself in one of the most striking interiors in Austria.
Sixty to ninety minutes is enough for the library and the museum. Your chauffeur waits at the abbey car park and your luggage stays secure in the vehicle. Opening hours are seasonal and reduced in winter; we check them before your trip and tell you honestly if the detour is not worth it on your travel day. Afterwards it is about 15 minutes back to the A9.
04The Pyhrn motorway A9
approx. 1 h 15 min to Graz
From Selzthal the A9 takes over. It climbs over the Schober pass into the Liesing valley, passes St. Michael in Upper Styria and then runs through the Gleinalm tunnel, at roughly eight kilometres one of Austria's longer road tunnels. Beyond it the motorway drops into the Mur valley and the landscape becomes noticeably softer and greener. This tunnel section carries its own toll; it is factored into our flat rate, so you pay nothing on the way.
This is the stretch where business travellers get work done: the ride is smooth and steady, without the bends that make reading difficult. What can go wrong are roadworks with contraflow sections, which have appeared on parts of the A9 for years, and the approach into Graz at rush hour. We know the alternatives via Gratkorn and aim to arrive before 5 pm when an appointment is fixed.
05Graz: Schlossberg and old town
Arrival
Graz greets you with the clock tower on the Schlossberg, the landmark you can already see as you come in along Wiener Straße. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with Renaissance courtyards, red tiled roofs and an atmosphere closer to northern Italy than to Salzburg. Across the Mur river stand the Kunsthaus and the Murinsel, modern counterpoints to the historic city.
Large parts of the centre are pedestrian zones. Hotels with vehicle access we reach directly; for all others we stop at the closest permitted point and carry the luggage to reception if needed. To end the day in style, take the Schlossberg funicular up and look over the city in the evening light.
Admont Abbey in the Enns valley
Admont lies almost exactly halfway between Salzburg and Graz, only minutes off the Pyhrn motorway. Ideal for a break that is more than a service station.
From the abbey back to the A9 at Selzthal takes about 15 minutes.
Which road we take, and what goes wrong on this route
VPC Chauffeur-Team
Chauffeurs who drive Salzburg to Graz regularly
There are two sensible ways to Graz. The first runs via the A10 and the Enns valley on the B320; the second via the A1 to the Voralpenkreuz interchange and then along the A9 through the Bosruck tunnel. The motorway option is a few kilometres longer but motorway throughout; the Enns valley is shorter, far more scenic and more dependent on traffic. On an ordinary weekday there is little between them. We decide on the morning of the trip based on current traffic and tell you why.
What actually goes wrong: winter Saturdays on the B320 around Schladming, when the ski resorts change over their guests. Arrivals and departures jam at the same time, and three hours become four. On those days we take the A9 through the Bosruck. In summer it is the holiday weekends on the A10 southbound, before we even turn off. And all year round: roadworks on the A9 that change at short notice.
To be honest, the train is the better choice for some travellers. ÖBB connects Salzburg and Graz with direct Intercity trains via Bischofshofen and Selzthal; the journey takes somewhat longer than by car but is comfortable. If you travel alone, carry little luggage and are staying near Graz Hauptbahnhof, it serves you well. A chauffeur makes sense when you travel as two or more, carry ski equipment or several suitcases, want door-to-door service, plan a stop at Admont, or are not heading into Graz itself but, say, on to South Styria.
The same road, two different Styrias
| Summer (May to October) | Winter (November to March) | |
|---|---|---|
| Our usual route | Enns valley via the B320, or on request the variant via Bad Aussee and the Pötschen pass past the Styrian lakes | Enns valley on weekdays; on Saturdays usually A1 and A9 through the Bosruck tunnel to avoid ski traffic around Schladming |
| Road conditions | Dry and clear, occasional afternoon thunderstorms; farm vehicles on the B320 | Winter tyres are mandatory and standard in our fleet, snow chains on board; Schober pass and Gleinalm slower in fresh snow |
| Admont Abbey | Main season, library and museum on regular hours; ideal for a midday stop | Reduced opening; we check in advance whether the detour is worthwhile |
| Detour worth taking | Grundlsee and Altaussee in the Ausseerland, an hour's detour with lake views | Schladming with the Planai and Hochwurzen; ski guests we drop directly at the valley station |
| In Graz | Schlossberg terraces, beer and wine gardens in the old town, pumpkin seed oil at the farmers' market on Kaiser-Josef-Platz | Advent markets across the old town from late November, and the ice nativity scene in the Landhaushof |
| Onward trip | South Styrian wine road near Gamlitz and Ehrenhausen, oil mills, Buschenschank taverns; about an hour south of Graz | The spa region of eastern Styria for quiet winter days |
| Timing tip | Avoid Friday midday, when holiday traffic builds on the A10 | Arrive early in Advent: parking and access in central Graz are tight in the evenings |
| Vehicle | Mercedes E-Class for two, V-Class with room for wine cartons on the way back | V-Class for ski bags and families, all-wheel-drive vehicles subject to availability |
Schlossberg, seed oil and wine: what makes Graz
Graz is Austria's second-largest city and yet feels easy to take in. The Schlossberg rises right out of the old town, a former fortress of which little more than the clock tower and bell tower remain, because the townspeople paid to save them in the 19th century rather than see them razed. From the top you see the sea of tiled roofs, the Mur river and, on clear days, the hills of South Styria.
Styria eats differently from Salzburg. Dark green pumpkin seed oil is not a souvenir here but everyday food: on salad, on potatoes, even on vanilla ice cream. Many oil mills in the south of the region let visitors watch the roasted seeds being pressed. Then there is the wine, above all Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling and Gelber Muskateller from the steep slopes along the Slovenian border.
For us this means many guests do not stop in Graz but carry on. If you are staying at a winery or country hotel on the wine road, we take you straight there without detouring through the city, and on the return to Salzburg there is room in the boot for whatever you bought.
What your chauffeur handles between Salzburg and Graz
Flat rate
The price is fixed at booking, with vignette and tunnel tolls factored in. No meter, no surcharge for traffic jams.
Stops on request
Admont, the Ausseerland or a coffee in Schladming: we build stops into your booking.
Room for everything
Ski bags, pushchairs, wine cartons: in the V-Class the luggage travels as comfortably as you do.
Work on the way
A smooth ride on the A9, invoicing to your company, discreet and without small talk if you prefer.
Your journey into Styria, at a flat rate
Enter your pick-up, destination and date and the booking calculator shows your flat rate. For stops, onward trips to South Styria or groups, simply send us an enquiry.
Salzburg to Graz transfer: what travellers ask
Can't find your answer? Message us on WhatsApp – we typically reply within minutes.
WhatsAppHow long does it take to drive from Salzburg to Graz?+
On clear roads about three hours for roughly 280 kilometres, whether via the Enns valley or the A1 and A9. With a stop at Admont Abbey allow four and a half hours. On winter Saturdays and holiday weekends traffic can add an hour; we then choose the faster route.
Is there a direct train from Salzburg to Graz?+
Yes, ÖBB runs direct Intercity trains via Bischofshofen and Selzthal, taking somewhat longer than the car. For solo travellers with light luggage it is a good choice. A chauffeur pays off for groups, heavy luggage, door-to-door service or destinations outside central Graz.
Can we stop at Admont Abbey on the way?+
Certainly. Admont is only about 15 minutes off the A9. Mention the stop when booking or in your enquiry and we plan the waiting time in. Your chauffeur waits at the car park and the luggage stays in the vehicle. In winter we check the reduced opening hours in advance.
Are the vignette and tunnel tolls included?+
Yes. The motorway vignette and the section tolls for the Gleinalm and, where used, Bosruck tunnels are factored into the flat rate the booking calculator shows. You pay nothing on the way.
Is the route safe to drive in winter?+
Yes, the Enns valley and the Pyhrn motorway are cleared reliably. Our vehicles run on winter tyres from November to April and carry snow chains. In heavy snow on the Schober pass we drive more slowly and keep you updated on the expected arrival time.
Can you drive us from Salzburg airport straight to Graz?+
Yes. We meet you with a name sign in the arrivals hall, track your flight and wait if it is delayed. From W. A. Mozart airport we join the A1 or A10 directly without crossing the city.
Can you continue to South Styria or the wine road?+
Yes, many guests go straight to a winery or country hotel near Gamlitz, Ehrenhausen or Leutschach, about an hour south of Graz. Send us an enquiry with your destination address.
Do you provide child seats?+
Yes, we provide infant carriers, child seats and boosters. Tell us the age and number of children when booking so the right seat is fitted before we collect you.
From Salzburg in other directions
Ski transfer to Schladming
The winter branch of this route: straight to the Planai and the Dachstein region.
→Salzburg → Vienna
The Danube detour through the Wachau instead of the fast A1.
→Salzburg → Budapest
The long run along the Danube into Hungary.
→Transfer to Ljubljana
Across the Alps to Slovenia, for guests heading further south.
→Transfer to Hallstatt
Into the Salzkammergut, right next to Styria's Ausseerland.
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