After many years of using complicated radio systems of varying degrees of complication and reliability, we have finally settled on a foolproof method for communicating callouts from top camp to base camp: mobile phones. Cheap Austrian pay-as-you-go mobiles have sufficiently good reception on the plateau for sending SMS messages, and even occasionally for conversation.
+After many years of using complicated radio systems of varying degrees of complication and reliability, +we have finally settled on a foolproof method for communicating callouts from top camp to base camp: mobile phones. +Cheap Austrian pay-as-you-go mobiles have sufficiently good reception on the plateau for sending SMS messages, +and even occasionally for conversation.
For some years (including 2018) we have been using the "B-Free" mobile scheme provided by the A1 company. +We get reception even inside the Stone Bridge bivvy. (In 2011 we tried using another provider which picked up the T-Mobile network, however the reception was not as good as B-Free.) -
B-Free has an annual renewal of the SIM which gets you the phone number and connection (plus some credit). More credit comes in the form of a receipt with a printed code or a card with a scratch-off secret number.
+B-Free has an annual renewal of the SIM which gets you the phone number and connection (plus some credit). +More credit comes in the form of a receipt with a printed code or a card with a scratch-off secret number.
This has to be done in less than 13 months otherwise it costs a more as you essentially have to start from scratch (~€10 for a new SIM with &euro5 of credit). The phone cannot be used in the last month, but renewal is cheaper -than starting from scratch.
+than starting from scratch. "Renewal" is just a matter of buying another €20 credit.The simplest way (which doesn't require understanding a number read out to you in German) is to dial *101# ("0 BALANCE" in the contacts list in the phone book). This doesn't actually make a @@ -63,7 +68,7 @@ possibly under the name "0 ADD CREDIT" or "_ ADD CREDIT") particular spot to check messages, try dialling the balance request number (*101#) once there - this usually seems to trigger delivery of any pending SMS messages. -
The last bit: from Bad Aussee to the campsite +
This is (these days) pretty easy to arrange and has the advantage of allowing for stopping off en route in Paris, Cologne, Frankfurt, @@ -41,7 +46,8 @@ expo is here.
spend a night in a city en-route and arrive the next day, or use the night-train to Vienna.If part of the train journey has a bus replacement service (as in 2018), it can be easier to simply - get the bus all the way from Salzburg (bus station is at the train station) to Bad Aussee, with a change at Bad Ischl.
+ get the bus all the way from Salzburg (bus station is at the train station) to Bad Aussee, with a change at Bad Ischl. +See below.Use bahn.de for timetabling, and Seat61.com for good advice, especially if you are not familiar with long-distance rail @@ -85,9 +91,13 @@ even if you don't actually get off the train there, just change ticket! Book ear
There is a bus, 956 from Bad Ausee Bahnhof (Station) to 'Grundlesee', timed to meet train arrivals. -It should be there abou 15 mins after you get off the train. -It goes straight past the campsite and you can see the times of all the buses posted at the bus stop (a sign with a big "H" in green on a yellow background). Cost is €2.40 (2018). Get off at stop named 'Staudnwirt Gallhof', -about 100m slightly downhill from, and before the bus reaches, the Gasthof/campsite.
+It should be there about 15 mins after you get off the train. +It goes straight past the campsite and you can see the times of all the buses posted at the bus stop +(a sign with a big green "H" on a yellow background). Cost is €2.40 (2018). Get off at stop named 'Staudnwirt Gallhof', +about 100m slightly downhill from, and before the bus reaches, +the Gasthof/campsite. + +To walk to the centre of town, turn right out of the station and just follow your nose up the road (past playing fields on the left, keeping left at the only junction, then @@ -99,11 +109,26 @@ about 100m slightly downhill from, and before the bus reaches, the +http://fahrplan.oebb.at.
It's a little over 3km (2 miles) from the Post Office to Base Camp; to walk, take the exit of the roundabout to the right, following signs to Gössl. Now follow - the route description given below for this section of road.
+ the route description given below for this section of road. +On foot or by bike ou can avoid walking along the bit of the road without fottpaths by taking the path labelled "Waldruhe" on the left just over the river bridge as you leave the town. +This path is on the other side of the river and is shady and cool in hot weather. The path rejoins the road about 250m from Staudnwirt.There is a taxi service @@ -180,14 +205,15 @@ a map of the stopping points: the Gasthof is #14 and the train station is #2 town centre. Both routes meet up in the town centre at a peculiar three-way junction. There seem to be no obvious rules here, except not to bump into anything. -
Take a bus to the main railway station (Salzburg Hbf) and a train to +
Take a bus to the main railway station (Salzburg Hbf)for €2.70 (2018) and a train to Attnang-Puchheim. The train will probably be bound for Wein (Vienna). Change at Attnang-Puchheim and get on a local train to Bad Aussee. This train will probably be bound @@ -234,13 +260,17 @@ From the three-way junction, which is just by the Post Office ("Postampt"), foll right-hand side. The train continues for a few minutes to arrive at Bad Aussee.
+If part of the train journey has a bus replacement service (as in 2018), it can be easier to simply + get the bus all the way from Salzburg (bus station is at the train station) to Bad Aussee, with a change at Bad Ischl. +If done as two tickets this is €10:80 to Bad Ischl and then + €6.40 from Bad Ischl to Bad Aussee (in 2018). There is often a long wait at Bad Ischl.
See 'Bad Aussee Railway station to expo campsite' in Train section above
Bus can be the cheapest way to get to expo (and probably the +
Bus can be the cheapest way to get to expo (and possibly the lowest-carbon). Not as nice as the train, but practical. It takes about 30 hours. International buses to Linz (on the route to 'Vienna'/'Wien') exist, otherwise Munich (£50)