Austria discount cards: which ones do you buy, and which ones come with your accommodation?
In Austria, the true cost of accommodation is not always the price you see on the booking page. A guest card included by a participating property can replace several days of cable-car tickets, local buses, lake beaches, boat trips or attraction entry fees. That is why it makes sense to first check which card system operates in the region, and only then compare accommodation prices.
Some cards can be bought independently, while others are guest cards issued only by participating accommodation providers.
Free guest cards are almost always tied to designated partner hotels, apartments or a minimum length of stay.
On an active holiday, just a few uphill and downhill rides can decide whether a card—or a more expensive partner hotel—is worth it.
There may be one cable-car ride per day, arrival-day exclusions, minimum stays of 2–3 nights, or partners that offer only a discount rather than free admission.
- Touring several regionsLook first at cards you can buy independently, such as the Kärnten Card or SalzburgerLand Card.
- Staying in one valleyA Summer Card or Guest Card included with partner accommodation often gives the best value.
- Planning lots of cable-car ridesStubai, Ötztal, Schladming-Dachstein, Zell am See-Kaprun and Nassfeld can be particularly strong choices.
- Travelling without a carInnsbruck and Bregenzerwald are especially worth checking for their public-transport packages.
Start with this table: can you buy the card, or does it only come with accommodation?
Quick overview
The “how do I get it?” column matters more than the price alone.| Card | How do you get it? | Price / condition | Main strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kärnten Card | Can be purchased; some accommodation providers include it at no extra charge | 1 week, high season: €69 adult / €37 child | 130 attractions across Carinthia |
| SalzburgerLand Card | Purchased separately | 6 days: €103 / €52 · 12 days: €129 / €65 | around 180 attractions across the province |
| Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card | Only with participating accommodation | €0 extra for eligible guests | cable cars, boat, beaches, gorge |
| Schladming-Dachstein Card | With participating accommodation, from just 1 night | €0 extra | 1 selected cable car per day + 100+ activities |
| Stubai Super Card | Only with partner accommodation | €0 extra | several mountain lifts + bus + tram + pool |
| Ötztal Summer Card | With partner accommodation or purchased separately | 3 days: €89 adult / €53 child | cable cars, bus, lakes, pools, attractions |
| Innsbruck Welcome Card | With partner accommodation from 2 nights | €0 extra | transport; selected cable cars from 3 nights |
| Nassfeld +CARD holiday | With Premium Partner accommodation from 1 night | €0 extra | summer lifts, buses, Pressegger See, activities |
| Bregenzerwald & Großes Walsertal Guest Card | Usually from 3 nights in participating locations | €0 extra | 7 cable cars, 7 outdoor pools, broad transport network |
“€0” means there is no separate card fee for eligible guests staying with a participating partner. It does not mean every hotel automatically includes the card.
Kärnten Card or Nassfeld +CARD holiday? It depends on whether you plan to explore the whole province
Kärnten Card – the broad Carinthia-wide option
Best if you want to visit several lakes, mountains and excursion destinations.
The Kärnten Card gives free admission to 130 excursion destinations in Carinthia, plus discounts with additional bonus partners. The system includes cable cars, boat trips, panoramic roads, museums, wildlife parks, pools and natural attractions.
| Kärnten Card | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week – high season 7 Jun – 12 Sep | €69 | €37 |
| 2 weeks – high season | €86 | €45 |
| 5 weeks – high season | €93 | €49 |
| 1 week – early/late season | €64 | €33 |
| Full season 4 Apr – 1 Nov | €99 | €54 |
Important: some accommodation providers in Carinthia include the Kärnten Card for the duration of your stay at no extra charge, so you may not need to buy the same card in advance.
Nassfeld +CARD holiday – if you use Nassfeld as your base
Designed for the Nassfeld–Pressegger See area rather than all of Carinthia.€0 with a Premium Partner
From 9 May to 1 November, guests at more than 155 Premium Partner properties receive it from the first night. It includes summer cable cars, regional buses, the Pressegger See beach, guided hikes and additional discounts.
Wider coverage
If Villach, Gerlitzen, Goldeck, Petzen, Ankogel or other destinations elsewhere in Carinthia are also on your itinerary, the province-wide card is more flexible.
SalzburgerLand Card or Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card? These are two completely different strategies
SalzburgerLand Card – if you want to explore several regions
A purchasable card that is not tied to accommodation.| SalzburgerLand Card | Adult | Child 4–15.9 years |
|---|---|---|
| 6 days | €103 | €52 |
| 12 days | €129 | €65 |
It can be used from 1 May to 1 November and covers around 180 partner attractions: cable cars, lakes, castles, museums, pools and family attractions. During the 6- or 12-day period, you can also choose either a 24-hour Salzburg Card or one free use of the Großglockner High Alpine Road.
The third and every additional child aged 4–15.9 years receives the card free of charge.
Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card – if you are staying there as well
It cannot be purchased separately: it comes with a booking at a participating hotel or apartment.The card can be used from 15 May to 31 October by guests staying with participating accommodation providers. Its main value comes from Schmittenhöhe, Kitzsteinhorn and Maiskogel, the Kaprun high-mountain reservoirs, Lake Zell boat trips, beaches, Sigmund Thun Gorge and other local attractions.
Who is it better for? If you are staying entirely in Zell am See-Kaprun, the Summer Card included with partner accommodation is often more logical than buying the province-wide SalzburgerLand Card separately.
You can receive the card from just one night—and it includes daily cable-car use
Schladming-Dachstein Card – the new name for the former Sommercard
As a guest at participating accommodation, you receive it without a separate card fee.
Stubai, Ötztal and Innsbruck: three different card models in the same province
What is each Tyrolean card best for?
These three should not be treated as the same type of product.| Card | How to get it | Main value | Important detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stubai Super Card | With partner accommodation | Stubai Glacier, Serlesbahnen, Schlick 2000, Elferbahnen; bus, tram, pool | 14 May – 1 Nov; valid from the first day of your stay |
| Ötztal Summer Card | With partner accommodation or purchased separately | each summer cable car once per day return, buses, lakes, pools, museums | with the inclusive version, arrival day is not valid |
| Innsbruck Welcome Card | With partner accommodation from 2 nights | local transport, activities; selected cable cars from 3 nights | cannot be purchased separately |
Ötztal Summer Card – the Tyrolean exception you can also buy separately
It remains available even if you are not staying with a partner property.| Ötztal Summer Card | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | €89 | €53 |
| 5 days | €128 | €77 |
| 7 days | €159 | €96 |
| 10 days | €203 | €121 |
At more than 400 partner properties, the card is part of the booking. Its main advantage is that each of the valley’s summer cable cars can be used once per day for a return trip. AQUA DOME conditions vary by period: at some times a 3-hour admission is included, while at others a discount applies.
Bregenzerwald Guest Card: especially strong if you do not want to drive everywhere
Bregenzerwald & Großes Walsertal Guest Card
In participating municipalities it is typically tied to a stay of at least 3 nights.The system includes 7 mountain cable cars, 7 outdoor swimming pools and a substantial part of Vorarlberg’s public-transport network. That makes it valuable not only for admission fees, but also for holidays where you reach hiking trailheads by bus.
Check the exact condition for your municipality and accommodation. In Schröcken, for example, the card is available from 3 nights.
Not every card gives you the same things: this is how to compare the benefits
Four categories decide how much a card is worth to you
Do not start with the number of partners; start with what you would actually use on your itinerary.| If this is your main goal | Look at these first |
|---|---|
| Lots of cable-car use | Stubai Super Card, Ötztal Summer Card, Schladming-Dachstein Card, Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card, Nassfeld +CARD holiday |
| Touring an entire province | Kärnten Card, SalzburgerLand Card |
| Car-free holiday | Innsbruck Welcome Card, Bregenzerwald Guest Card, Stubai Super Card |
| Family holiday based in one place | Zell am See-Kaprun, Schladming-Dachstein, Nassfeld, Stubai |
Do not choose the card first—choose the itinerary and accommodation first
Quick decision guide
Short answers for six typical holiday situations.Kärnten Card
Many regions, cable cars, boats and excursion destinations on one card.
+CARD holiday
No separate card fee with Premium Partner accommodation, plus local cable cars and buses.
SalzburgerLand Card
A good choice if you are not staying in just one valley.
Partner accommodation
Here the card included with your stay may be the biggest saving of all.
Stubai or Ötztal
Daily mountain access can create a lot of value very quickly.
Innsbruck or Bregenzerwald
The public-transport package is particularly important here.
Check these 5 things before booking
This prevents “card included” from turning out to mean something different once you arrive.- Is the exact accommodation actually a partner? Being in the same town is not enough.
- From which day is the card valid? Some can be used on arrival day, while others start only the next day.
- How many cable cars can you use per day? It may be one selected lift, every lift once, or another rule.
- What is the child age limit? Different cards use different age brackets.
- Does “included” mean free admission? With bonus partners, it may mean only a discount.
Frequently asked questions
The most important misunderstandings, briefly explained.Does every accommodation in Carinthia include the Kärnten Card?
No. The card can be purchased separately, but selected accommodation providers in Carinthia include it for the duration of your stay at no extra charge. Always check with the exact property.
Can I buy the Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card separately?
No. Under the current system, it is issued to guests staying with participating partner accommodation providers.
What is the difference between the SalzburgerLand Card and a local Summer Card?
The SalzburgerLand Card can be purchased and is designed for the whole province. A local Summer Card focuses on a smaller region, but with partner accommodation it is often included at no extra charge.
Can a more expensive partner hotel actually be better value?
Yes, if you really use the included cable cars and attractions. On an active mountain holiday, the value of the card can easily exceed the difference in accommodation price.
Is it enough to check the list of benefits once?
No. Cable cars, gorges, boats and outdoor pools may have shorter operating seasons or opening hours than the overall validity period of the card.
Comparing only the nightly accommodation price.
A cable-car and public-transport card included with a partner hotel can easily be worth more than the room itself costs extra.
Region → itinerary → card → partner accommodation → final cost.
This is how you find out which offer is genuinely cheaper, rather than simply which one has the lower nightly rate.
Sources and background
Prices, validity periods and main benefits were checked in September on the official websites of the cards and tourism regions. Some cable cars, pools, boat services and outdoor attractions may operate for a shorter period than the card’s overall validity window.
- Kärnten Card — weekly prices
- Kärnten Card — season cards
- Kärnten Card — accommodation providers including the card
- SalzburgerLand Card — prices
- Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card — partner attractions and eligibility
- Schladming-Dachstein Card — benefits
- Stubai Super Card — official information
- Ötztal Summer Card — benefits
- Ötztal Summer Card — purchase prices
- Innsbruck Welcome Card
- Nassfeld +CARD holiday
- Guest Card Bregenzerwald & Großes Walsertal
- Wolfgang Weiser / Pexels — index image
- Wolfgang Weiser / Pexels — Alpine cable car
- Ronny Siegel / Pexels — Kitzbühel Alps
