Felsentherme Bad Gastein

What to expect

The Felsentherme is the thermal bath of Bad Gastein, the steep, belle-époque spa town at the head of the Gastein valley in the Austrian state of Salzburg. It opened on September 28, 1968, to a design by the architect Gerhard Garstenauer, and was cut directly into the rock of the mountainside. The operator calls it Austria’s first public thermal bath; SalzburgerLand, the state tourist board, calls it Salzburg’s first and highest. At about 1,100 m (3,600 ft) it is the highest thermal spa in the state.

It is a small spa by modern standards, and that is part of its appeal. The main pool sits among bare rock walls, and big windows and the outdoor pool look across to the peaks of the Hohe Tauern. The building is next to Bad Gastein railway station and opposite the valley station of the Stubnerkogel cable car, so skiers and hikers often drop in at the end of the day.

The water is genuine Gastein thermal water. SalzburgerLand says it comes from 18 thermal springs in Bad Gastein and picks up minerals and radon as it rises through the rock, reaching 112°F44.3°C underground. The operator says more than one million litres of it feed the pools every day. That much fresh inflow means the pools need hardly any chemical treatment, according to the Felsentherme. The operator does not say whether radon is removed from the bathing water, as the Alpentherme does; radon cures in Gastein are taken separately in medical settings.

The pools

The spa is split into a few zones:

• Ruhetherme (relaxation spa): the main thermal pool, surrounded by natural rock walls. SalzburgerLand puts the water at about 86°F30°C.
• Erlebnistherme (family spa): massage loungers, geysers, a lazy river, a 70 m (230 ft) adventure slide, a toddler pool and the Felsengrotte, a rock grotto with a thermal waterfall. A swimming channel leads outside.
• Freilufttherme (outdoor spa): a relaxation pool at about 93°F34°C, a children’s outdoor pool and a 25 m stainless-steel sports pool. The outdoor water is at its best in winter, with snow on the edges and steam in the air.
• Panorama wellness area: saunas and a summit pool on the roof (see below).

There is also a 150 m² gym and the Silberkrug panorama restaurant. Massages start at €42.50 and are only sold with a spa visit; book them on +43 6434 2223-111.

Sauna culture

The sauna area is on top of the building. It includes a panorama sauna with views over the Gastein mountains, a Swiss pine (Zirbe) sauna, the Knappen sauna with infusion sessions, the Graukogel sauna, the Stollensauna (tunnel sauna) on the roof at 1,110 m, a sanarium, a steam room, a brine grotto, an infrared cabin and the Gipfelbecken, a small summit pool. The price list marks an FKK (nudist) zone in this area.

Textile-free saunas are the norm across Austria, and that is how Austrians expect them to be used. You wear a swimsuit in the pools, take it off for the saunas and sit or lie on a large towel. A towel or robe between rooms is fine. Children’s tickets do not include the sauna.

The operator says partial refurbishment work is under way in the sauna area in autumn 2026, so some rooms may be closed. Closures of individual attractions for maintenance do not bring a price reduction.

Getting there

Bad Gastein sits at the southern end of the Gastein valley, reached from the Salzach valley on the Gasteiner Straße (B167), which climbs past Dorfgastein and Bad Hofgastein. The address is Bahnhofplatz 5, 5640 Bad Gastein.

• By train: the ÖBB Tauern railway stops at Bad Gastein. The operator says you can walk straight from the station into the spa, and ÖBB customers get a discount.
• By car: the Felsentherme recommends that day visitors use the free Stubnerkogel car park, which is linked to the spa by a panoramic footbridge. The free parking offer does not apply in winter.

Bad Gastein is a steep town, so the train is often the easier choice.

When to go

The Felsentherme is open every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the sauna from 10 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. On December 24 it closes at 2 p.m. Ski season brings crowds after the lifts close, and summer rain sends hikers indoors. Weekday mornings are the quiet times. The evening ticket starts 3 hours before closing, so from 6 p.m., and is the cheapest way in.

Prices and booking

Prices are valid from December 1, 2025 to November 30, 2026 and include VAT. You do not need to book for entry.

• 3-hour ticket: adults €34 (spa and sauna), children 6-15 €18 (spa only).
• Day ticket (no re-entry): adults €40, children €23.
• Evening ticket (from 3 hours before closing): adults €28, children €14.50.
• With the Gastein Card: adults €31, €37 and €25; children €17, €22 and €11.50.
• Children under 6: free.

Family tickets for two adults with one or two children are sold too, and from the third child entry is free with a family ID card. Multi-visit blocks, weekly passes and annual passes come with an €11 card deposit. You get in free on your birthday with photo ID, and a meal in the restaurant or a booked massage adds at least 30 minutes to your time.

Rentals: towel €4.80, bathrobe €5.80, swimsuit or trunks €4.30, pool shoes €3.70. For the sauna, bring or rent a towel large enough to sit on.

Where to stay nearby

The Felsentherme has no hotel of its own, but it is in the centre of Bad Gastein, which has plenty of hotels and guesthouses within walking distance. Staying in the valley gets you the Gastein Card and its lower entry prices. Bad Hofgastein, a few kilometres down the valley, is the other main base.

Bad Gastein’s other thermal bath

The Alpentherme Gastein in Bad Hofgastein uses the same Gastein thermal water on a far bigger scale, with two chlorine-free thermal lakes, a large family slide zone and a separate women-only sauna area. It is the better pick for a full day with children; the Felsentherme suits a shorter, quieter soak. The two are about 7 km (4 miles) apart as the crow flies, one train stop apart on the Tauern line.

Safety notes

• Altitude and heat: at 1,100 m, hot pools and saunas tire you faster than you expect. Drink water and take breaks. Check with a doctor before using the sauna if you have heart or blood pressure problems.
• Winter footing: outdoor paths, the station square and the footbridge can be icy. Wear proper shoes outside and bathing slippers inside.
• Children: keep young children close in the outdoor pools and on the slide.