Day trips from Graz
A clifftop fortress, a zoo with a castle and a cave near Semriach share the same ticket — one that only works on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, not every day.
- Riegersburg
- A full day
- Herberstein
- A full day
- Lurgrotte
- Half a day, about 43 min, bus 140
Three destinations around Graz share the same regional Freizeit-Ticket Steiermark, €15 per person (Freizeit-Ticket Steiermark). The ticket is valid only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. On a weekday a regular fare is needed, and its price is not confirmed in this round, so it does not appear here.
Riegersburg — a fortress on a volcanic rock
Riegersburg Castle sits on a rock above the town of the same name, south-east of Graz. Getting there takes S3 train to Feldbach, then RegioBus 406, about 2 h one way. The ticket is part of the Freizeit-Ticket, €15 per person (Freizeit-Ticket Steiermark), and the visit with the journey takes a full day.
Herberstein — a zoo and a castle in one visit
Tierwelt Herberstein combines a zoo and a castle on one site, bus 300 to Kaibing P+R, then RegioBus 209, about 1 h 30 one way. The same ticket as Riegersburg, €15 per person (Freizeit-Ticket Steiermark). Again a full day, counting the journey.
Lurgrotte — a cave near Semriach, half a day
Lurgrotte is the closest of the three, bus 140, about 43 min one way. It is the only one of the three that fits into half a day rather than a full one.
The Freizeit-Ticket Steiermark — weekends and holidays only
All three tickets cost the same, €15 per person (Freizeit-Ticket Steiermark), because it is one and the same regional ticket covering the journey and the entry to all three destinations. The limit is the date. The ticket is valid only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. This form of the ticket does not exist on a weekday. A regular fare applies instead, at a price not confirmed by two independent sources, so it does not appear in this text.
How long each one takes
Time covers the one-way journey by train and regional bus, not the visit itself.
Worth knowing in advance
- There is no weekday version of the ticket. Anyone planning a midweek trip needs a different, regular fare; the Freizeit-Ticket does not cover that journey.
- Riegersburg and Herberstein do not fit into the same day. Each wants nearly a full day with the journey, on transport that does not lead to the other.
- Lurgrotte is the only one for half a day. The rest of that day is left for the city, or for another trip the following weekend.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Does the Freizeit-Ticket work on weekdays?
No — only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. A weekday needs a regular fare instead.
Which trip fits into half a day?
Lurgrotte — about 43 min one way, with the whole visit fitting into half a day.
Can Riegersburg and Herberstein be done on the same day?
Not sensibly — each wants nearly a full day with the journey, on transport that does not lead to the other.
Ready for Graz?
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