redbanksia wrote:
Re knowledge of around the Achensee, I have both the 1997 NCC Achensee booklet by Joy Wotton & the 2001 FOCS booklet by Sally Dore. Obviously locations etc won't change, but is there anything a solo gal might need to know that may have changed since these booklets were published? The Achensee thread has already been very helpful-sorted the hotel out though its links.
Some of the things have changed. In fact, I wrote the following after my 2006 trip - but be warned that some of
these might have changed now! *lol*
Before you go
1) The Information Office at Pertisau now contains the Bücherei and includes some of the early (paperback) Chalet School books. There is a 1 Euro cost for borrowing books from this library.
4) The most recent Lonely Planet Austria makes no mention of the Chalet School books, even in its literature sections.
Things To Take
4) Even the very posh hotels don’t seem to have kettles. (They do have hair dryers and some will let you borrow minibars if you ask nicely.)
15) I was reliably informed that snow in June in the Achensee has happened several times in the last few years. A warm jumper is vital, as even on sunny days, the wind can be quite cold.
General Tips about Austria
5) The toilet at Jenbach railway station requires a 50 cent piece, as do others at Innsbruck railway station, etc.
Chalet Connections in Pertisau
2) The plaque is now on a wall inside the Information Office in Pertisau, along with the books that were formerly in the Bücherei.
The Achensee and Pertisau – Useful Information
5) Often when buying postcards, the shop assistant will ask you want stamps (briefmarken).
6) The Spar supermarkets, unlike many others in Austria, are open on Sunday mornings as well as until 5pm on Saturdays.
23) The Tourist Office not only does NOT have a copy of the Achensee handbook, they seem never to have heard of it! Having shown mine off, they may now know what you’re talking about, but I wouldn’t count on it!
Things To Do
The walks to various places around the lake, particularly up the mountains, may be unexpectedly blocked by solid lumps of icy snow, particularly around the time of the pre-tourist season (Vorsaison). It is possible to cross these, but you would want excellent shoes, an alpenstock and a good friend to run for help if you slip into the lake! If you would like to know how I know this, I suggest reading
this.
5) The Dorf Express does not go up the Feilalm, even by request and in the morning.
6) It is possible to walk up to the ‘Sonnalpe’, beginning from Maurach. However, it is a very long, hard climb (min 4 hours) and the way may be unexpectedly blocked by the result of icy snow left over from winter that is dangerous (and probably suicidal) to try and cross, particularly if you aren’t wearing hiking books, don’t have an alpenstock and are on your own. The Fußweg (footpath) from the Dalfaz alm may be somewhat broken up, particularly near the Dalfaz waterfall.
14) The Nachtmusik cruises don’t generally begin until June.
Expeditions Further Afield
1) There is one tour daily of Hall’s mock-up of a salt mine and in 2006 it took place at 11.45am, immediately after a city tour that begin at 10.30am. However, a very realistic imitation of the Maynard/Richardson’s trip to Hall can be found at the Salzbergwerk Berchtesgaden. This is about a 45 min. trip on the train from Berchtesgaden and includes illuminated underground caves, a trip on a train and a glorious slide!
2) The Lonely Planet book suggests catching a bus from Innsbruck to the Swarovski mines, but this is an additional cost (15 Euro in 2006) and, as the buses only run every two hours, is not very convenient! Far better to get transport from Wattens, the closest town, which can be reached by train from Jenbach in about 20 mins. If you get a daily pass for public transport, this trip to the Swarovski Crystal Worlds from Wattens is included in the cost. The special buses from Innsbruck cost extra.
3) The Stubai glacier should be visited in the morning, as it is about 1.5 hours bus trip from Innsbruck or 2 hours by train from Jenbach and any visitors arriving after 3.30pm will not be allowed to go on to the glacier itself.
5) An excellent trip from Salzburg is to Oberndorf, where one can visit the Stille-Nacht-Kapelle (Silent Night Chapel), mentioned in A Future Chalet School Girl. Oberndorf is reached by the local train from Salzburg and the Chapel is about 20-30 mins walk away. (Most locals can give directions, as signs are severely lacking.)
10) The Silver Mines at Schwaz are very good indeed, but everything is on a very small scale. The Salzbergwerk at Berchtesgaden give a much better picture of things (see point 1).
12) To see the other side of the Nazi regime, while in Berchtesgaden, there is an excellent four-hour tour of the Obersalzberg where Hitler had his Berghof and Eagle’s Nest. If the weather is clear, the views are spectacular. The tours (in English) begin at 1.30pm from the Information Office in Berchestagen, but bookings are essential. It is possible to visit both the Obersalzberg and also the salt mines in one day, but if coming from Salzberg, it means arriving very early in Berchtesgaden (the salt mines require at least two+ hours) and leaving by the 18.06 train at the earliest.
Transport
1) Buses run every hour from Pertisau to Jenbach, although the 10.10am, as does the 8.10am bus seems to be a bit iffy. The Achensee Pass includes free travel around the lake, but only to Maurach. It is therefore necessary to buy tickets from Maurach to Jenbach. Timetables for buses can be found
here but only in German.
2) If you are travelling beyond Jenbach on the normal trains (not the Zillerthalbahn) you can buy a day ticket (Tagesticket) on the bus for your destination that will give you absolute freedom. You can change between train and bus and get on and off as much as you like.
3) The last bus from Jenbach now leaves the station at 19.05 (the one before that is the 17.52 and is the last one on weekends and non-work days). Taxis to Pertisau cost about 25 Euro.
7) Both the Achenseebahn and the little white steamer begin a week before the Achensee Erlebniskarte (and thus the Rofan-Seilbahn up to the ‘Sonnalpe’ and the Karwendelbahn up the Bärenbadalm) start for the season. The open carriages are NOT pleasant places to sit in wet/cold weather.
Food
1) If you are staying at the Hotel Post (which is really good value), the half-pension, which gives you both breakfast and dinner, has a delicious vegetarian option every night. They have a public restaurant so you can always eat there.
redbanksia wrote:
KB, I might have some questions for you!
I'm happy to answer anything you might want to ask!
)
I loved my week there and will go back some day!
I am spending five days there in mid June, staying at the Garni Alpenrose and am utterly excited. 
