Austria

Map

Not to be missed

• Kessel (Hallstatt) →

  A sidemount spring near Hallstatt to 65 m; diving only with an exemption permit.

• Hirschbrunn →

  A tight spring in Upper Austria to 80 m that becomes active every afternoon after rain or snowmelt.

• Rötelseehöhle →

  A cave to 48 m on land of the Österreichische Bundesforste, with water at about 6 °C.

• Schwarzbachfall-Höhle (Gollinger Wasserfall) →

  The cave behind the Gollinger Wasserfall goes to 76 m, and its entrance lies above the upper fall.

• Palfauer Wasserloch →

  A spring to 71 m in Styria, with the Palfauer Wasserlochklamm gorge as a fine walk next to it.

Regions

• AustriaCold, deep karst springs in the Salzkammergut and the Northern Limestone Alps — the Kessel and Hirschbrunn at the Hallstätter See, the sumps of the Koppenbrüllerhöhle, the Rötelseehöhle above the Traunsee, the Gollinger Wasserfall and the Palfauer Wasserloch — nearly all protected and permit-only; the Pießling-Ursprung is closed.7 sites · down to 87 m

Good to know

• Almost all springs and caves are a Naturdenkmal or a 'besonders geschützte Höhle'. In practice permits go to the research teams of the Höhlenvereine: ask well in advance.
• Kessel: diving is prohibited without an exemption from the BH Gmunden, and there are checks. The Pießling-Ursprung has had a diving ban since 1987.
• In Salzburg any intervention contrary to the protection purpose is prohibited in a 'besonders geschützte Höhle', and cave expeditions of more than 3 days need a permit. Fines run up to €7,300.
• The Grüner See at Tragöß is not a cave but is often asked about: the owner has banned diving since 1 January 2016.
• The water is 4–7 °C: drysuit and heating. The entrances lie at 508–710 m altitude.

Tips for safe and enjoyable diving

• Plan for winter: the water is low and visibility at its best. Spring snowmelt and heavy rain bring high discharge; the Kessel overflows about twice a year on average.
• Gas: at the Attersee, Nautilus in Unterach fills (air 24/7, nitrox, trimix, argon, rebreather support), as does Attersee Tauchsport Service in Steinbach (by appointment only). Ask everywhere in advance about O₂ and sofnolime.
• Emergency: call 112 or 144 and say 'Tauchunfall'. In a cave accident call the Alpin-Notruf 140: the Austrian cave rescue has its own diving team.
• Graz is the only Austrian chamber with guaranteed 24-hour readiness. Upper Austria also refers to Munich and Traunstein.
• Rest day: a tour of the Koppenbrüllerhöhle (May–September), the Gollinger Wasserfall or the Palfauer Wasserlochklamm (April–October).

Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training.

News

No recent news found about the caves in this region.

Searched automatically, last on 5 Oct 2026.