Thumersbach on Lake Zell: the quiet shore opposite town

In short: Thumersbach is the eastern shore of Lake Zell — a district of Zell am See rather than a village of its own, around 1,070 residents at roughly 770 metres. You stay more quietly and usually more cheaply than in town, you look at the Schmittenhöhe over breakfast instead of at a street, and the town bus puts you on the Postplatz in about eleven minutes. The price: after dark you depend on that bus or on a car, and from October to April there is no boat.

The quiet shore

Arrive in Zell am See and you land on the western side: station, old town, promenade, the Schmittenhöhe cable cars behind you. Thumersbach sits directly opposite, across the water. It was an independent municipality until 1 January 1939 and has been a district of Zell am See ever since — which matters more in practice than it sounds, because every card, tariff and guest benefit of the town applies here too.

The district has around 1,069 residents (as of 1 January 2026) and sits at roughly 770 metres. Behind the houses the ground rises quickly: the Hundstein at 2,117 metres to the east, the Schwalbenwand at 2,011 metres to the north. In front of the houses is the lake, and behind that — this is the actual point — the Schmittenhöhe.

Which produces the difference no brochure mentions: Thumersbach faces west. The town opposite faces east. Stay in Zell am See and you get morning light on the façade; stay in Thumersbach and you get evening light on the mountains across the water. For photographs that is not a small difference, it is the whole difference. The classic shot of the lake with the Schmittenhöhe behind it is taken from this side, not from the promenade.

Otherwise Thumersbach is chiefly one thing: unhurried. A lido, a spa park, a sculpture trail, houses, a handful of hotels and guesthouses along the shore. There is no pedestrian zone here, no density of bars and no nightlife. That is not a shortcoming; it is why people come back.

Thumersbach as a base

The important question first: can you manage without a car? Yes — with one caveat.

The town bus, line 70, links Thumersbach with Bruckberg via the Postplatz and runs every half hour during the day. From the Erlberg lido into town takes about eleven minutes. For a district that is a genuinely good frequency, and it is why Thumersbach works without a car. Check the evening departures before you book all the same: the interval thins out later on, and the last bus decides how long you can linger over dinner on the other side. Current timetables are with the Salzburg transport authority.

In summer the water route is added. The boats on Lake Zell run seasonally, typically from around May to September, and dock on the Thumersbach side. Across the lake is the shortest and by some distance the finest way into town. But it is seasonal and weather-dependent. From October to April the bus is the connection, not the boat.

What the Summer Card actually covers here

You receive the Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card from your first night in a participating property, and it is valid between 15 May and 31 October. Two points matter in Thumersbach:

• The lidos are included — all three on Lake Zell, meaning Zell am See centre, Thumersbach and Schüttdorf-Seespitz, plus the indoor pool. Stay in Thumersbach and one of them is on your doorstep.
• The panoramic boat trip is discounted, not free. This is frequently reported wrongly, including by accommodation providers. The tourist board lists a reduction for the boat service, not free travel, and additionally names special conditions for the period 15 July to 15 September without spelling them out. So do not budget the crossings as free, and if in doubt ask the tourist board directly.

The Schmittenhöhe, Kitzsteinhorn (excluding the 3K K-onnection and the ski lifts) and Maiskogel cable cars are included with the card. For the Schmittenhöhe that means taking the bus into town and continuing to the valley station from there — there is no separate starting point in Thumersbach.

Where to stay

Expect something different from the town here: Thumersbach is predominantly apartments, guesthouses and holiday flats rather than hotels. That is the reason for the price difference, and it is also why a hotel list here is short. Right on the shore and expressly in Thumersbach:

On prices: a dependable Thumersbach-versus-town comparison cannot honestly be given as a single number — it depends on season, on fittings, and on whether you are comparing hotels or apartments. What can be said is that the holiday flats on this side generally sit below what a comparable position on the promenade costs, and that the premium for “right on the water” is smaller here because almost everything here is on the water. Take your own sample for your own travel dates rather than trusting a rule of thumb.

A trip to Thumersbach from Zell am See

You do not have to stay over there to go — it is worth half a day from town as well.

Getting there: line 70 from the Postplatz, about eleven minutes. By car around the northern shore, a few kilometres. In summer by boat across the lake. There is parking at the lido and at the spa park; on hot July afternoons both fill up, which is when the bus or the boat is the calmer choice.

What to do when you get there:

• The sculpture park runs along the shore and folds neatly into an unhurried walk. Free, open at any hour, and the most obvious reason to spend an afternoon here.
• The Thumersbach lido is the quietest of the three on the lake — noticeably less busy than the one in Zell am See, and included with the Summer Card.
• The shore path towards Erlberg is flat and largely surfaced, so it works with a pushchair or a wheelchair. It is the reason many guests discover this side at all.
• The view back. This sounds trite and is not: from here you see Zell am See whole, with the Schmittenhöhe behind it. In the late afternoon the sun is in the right place for it.

As a half-day that is plenty. As a full day only if you intend to swim anyway — there is no museum here, no gorge and no cable car to carry a whole day. If you want more of a programme, look through the attractions around Zell am See-Kaprun.

Who Thumersbach suits — and who it does not

First, what could spoil the booking for you:

• You want to walk out of the door in the evening. Then you are staying in the wrong place. The restaurants and bars are over in the town, and the way back is a bus timetable or a taxi.
• You are travelling in winter and counting on the boat. It does not run. Between October and April the connection is the bus, and the drive around the northern shore takes longer than the view across the water suggests.
• You want to be first at the lift in the morning. From Thumersbach a bus ride sits between your bed and the gondola. If skiing is the main purpose of the trip, Schüttdorf or Kaprun suits you better.

And what it is the right choice for:

• Families with small children. Flat shore path, quiet lido, little through traffic. The afternoon nap works here; on the promenade it works less well.
• Anyone for whom the lake is the point of the trip. You stay on the water, not near it.
• Photographers. Facing west is a real advantage, and you do not have to get up early for it.
• Anyone who has been to Zell am See before and wants the same area more quietly next time.

In short: Thumersbach is the same region, the same cards and the same mountains — seen from the other side and a few decibels quieter. If you are still placing the town itself, our overview of Zell am See will help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Thumersbach part of Zell am See?

Yes. Thumersbach was an independent municipality until 1 January 1939 and has been a district of Zell am See ever since. Every guest card and tariff of the town applies there too.

How do you get from Zell am See to Thumersbach?

By town bus line 70 from the Postplatz in about eleven minutes, running every half hour during the day. In summer also by boat across the lake, typically from around May to September. By car you drive around the northern shore.

Is the boat included in the Summer Card?

Not as free travel. The tourist board lists a reduction for the panoramic trip on Lake Zell and additionally names special conditions between 15 July and 15 September. All three lidos including Thumersbach are included. So do not budget the crossings as free.

Can you manage in Thumersbach without a car?

During the day yes, thanks to the half-hourly line 70. Check the evening departures before booking though: the interval thins out later on, and the last bus decides how long you can stay out for dinner in town.

Is Thumersbach a good base for a ski holiday?

Only up to a point. A bus ride sits between your accommodation and the gondola, and the boat does not run in winter. If skiing is the main purpose of the trip, Schuttdorf or Kaprun puts you closer to the lift.