How To Get Around In Graz
Graz is a very reachable city even for people without cars because to its extensive public transportation system. Together with the eight-line Graz tram system, the city boasts a vast bus network. Four lines service the subterranean tram stop at the Hauptbahnhof, the main train station, and they continue into the city center before splitting off in separate directions. Moreover, seven bus lines run at night. Regretfully, these routes are only open on weekends and evenings before public holidays.
Transporting to the Schlossberg from the city center is made easy by the funicular railway Schlossbergbahn and the vertical lift Schlossberg lift.
Easy links to other regions of Styria are provided by trains leaving from the main railway station, Hauptbahnhof. Numerous large surrounding cities, including Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Maribor, and Ljubljana in Slovenia, are served by direct train. Apart from that, you may travel to Zagreb in Croatia, Budapest in Hungary, Prague and Brno in the Czech Republic, Zürich in Switzerland, Munich, Stuttgart, Heidelberg, and Frankfurt in Germany. Vienna trains depart hourly. In recent years, there has been a noticeable effort to modernize and refurbish several railway stations in the city and the environs. The stations are today crucial parts of the “S-Bahn Graz,” a commuter train service that effectively connects the city with its suburbs and neighboring cities.
Situated conveniently just 10 km (6 mi) south of the city center, Graz Airport is easily accessible by bus, train, taxi, or vehicle. Direct flights are offered to Amsterdam, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Istanbul, Vienna, and Zurich.Two lines of a metro system were proposed for Graz in 2021. Should this scheme be implemented, Graz would join Vienna as the second city in Austria to have a fast transit system.
It takes no more than twenty minutes to walk to the main train station from the old town of Graz. If you visit any hotel lobby in Graz or the rail station, be sure to stop by the tourist information. They have brochures about the local sites. Within the booklet is a map that highlights the town’s many attractions and offers suggested self-guided walking paths.
Public Transport
Graz boasts a well-developed public transport network that is seamlessly integrated into the larger Styrian transport network.The city area is criss-crossed by six regular tram lines and numerous bus lines.The network is extensive and heavily utilized, consisting of 66.4 kilometers of trams and 250 kilometers of buses.The Graz Linien operates the Grazer Schloßbergbahn, which consists of a funicular and a chargeable elevator that provides access to the Schloßberg. Both the funicular and the elevator can be used with regular tickets.Night bus lines operate on Friday nights, Saturday nights, and the nights before public holidays.
The original horse trams, which were in operation from 1878 to 1895, were eventually replaced by electric trams.The initial Graz tram line covered a distance of 2.2 km, starting from the old Südbahnhof (now known as Hauptbahnhof) and ending at Jakominiplatz.Following the continuous expansion of the route network until the end of the Second World War, certain routes were adversely affected by the surge in private transportation during the 1950s and 1960s.Circular Line 2, which is no longer in operation, was impacted. The event was canceled and no alternative was provided. Additionally, it is not included in the line numbering.The Tramway Museum at the Mariatroster terminus showcases exhibits that reflect the historical development of the Graz tram.
The central hub for inner-city public transport in Graz is Jakominiplatz. This is where all tram lines, ten bus lines, and all night bus lines converge. Another important transfer point is Europaplatz, located in front of Graz Central Station. Europaplatz serves as a connecting point for numerous city and regional bus lines.The largest hub in the regional bus sector is located at Andreas-Hofer-Platz.From 2005 to 2007, there were notable extensions made to tram lines 4, 5, and 6. These extensions, totaling 3.5 km in length, marked the first significant expansion since nearly half of the tram network was shut down during the post-war era.The municipal council has made the decision to expand the tram network in a southwesterly direction towards the Don Bosco local transport hub and the Reininghaus urban development area. Additionally, they have also approved the construction of an inner city unbundling route.Due to financial constraints, other projects such as the northwest line and the connection to Karl Franzens University have been postponed.Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about the increased noise levels, both in the air and on the ground, caused by the new Variobahn railcars. These railcars are heavier and slightly wider than the previous models, which has raised concerns among the public.
The project company “Modern Urban Mobility 2030+” was established in April 2019 by a resolution of the supervisory board of the municipal utility Holding Graz, on behalf of the Graz city coalition (ÖVP and FPÖ). The company has a budget of one million euros.On February 17, 2021, the company unveiled its plans for the construction of a subway system consisting of two lines, which will be named “Metro”.The Graz SPÖ and KPÖ have criticized the project due to its high cost, while the Greens propose an S-Bahn ring as an alternative.The Graz City Audit Office has previously criticized the establishment of this company due to the lack of involvement from the responsible city councilor and specialist department. Additionally, they raised concerns about the blending of party and city government agendas.Following the municipal elections in 2021, the previous city coalition of ÖVP and FPÖ lost its majority. As a result, a new coalition consisting of KPÖ, Greens, and SPÖ was formed in 2022. Under this new coalition, the decision was made to halt the planning for the subway and instead focus on the development of an inner-city underground S-Bahn line and the expansion of the tram network.
Get Around - By Tram
Graz has first-rate tram service that runs via Jakominiplatz, a hub where many tram lines converge. Passengers can easily buy tickets and change between trams at Jakominiplatz at the nearby tobacco kiosk, Tabak. Please verify your ticket inside the tram to be sure it is valid. Should you be found without a valid or validated ticket, you could be fined €60. Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, three-day tourist, and 10-strip permits are among the lengths for which you can purchase permits. Please note that to buy these tickets from a vending machine inside the tram, coins or a working European V debit card or credit card are necessary. Inside Zone 101, which includes Graz and its near surrounds, including the airport, these tickets are valid for all public transportation options.
Get Around - By Bus
Additionally serving areas not reachable by trams is Graz’s outstanding city transit system. Bus lines abound that go via Jakominiplatz, Hauptbahnhof, and Geidorfplatz. The tickets for the trams and the tickets for the bus are same. If you plan to use the network often, you really need get a network map from Jakominiplatz.
Single tickets cost €2.10 and are good for one hour. One may buy it from the driver. Additionally available from the driver, a day ticket costs €4.70 and is good for 24 hours. The weekly ticket costs €12.70 at the Office of Transportation at Jakominiplatz. An additional ticket good for ten single rides is the 10-single-ride ticket. Most tobacco shops, or Tabaks, charge €19.20.
Please be aware that daily bus and tram services run from 5 a.m. to midnight. Without exception, trams from Jakominiplatz usually stop running at around 23:30. The days before public holidays and Fridays and Saturdays are the only days where night transports are available. All directions are served by buses leaving Jakominiplatz at 00:30, 01:30, and 02:30.
Get Around - By Car
If at all practical, I would advise against doing so. There is a complicated one-way system in some parts of Graz that might be confusing and lead to lost direction. Centrally located parking spaces are few and expensive. The charge is imposed Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (except in the area of Hauptbahnhof, when it is extended until 9:00 p.m.). The Saturday fee is in force from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Purchases of tickets can be made at ticket dispensers located conveniently on each roadway. In the “blue zones” and “green zones,” the ticket price for a half-hour is slightly less, €0.60. Maximum parking duration in blue zones is three hours, whereas in green zones it is one day. Kindly be aware that the area is home to many parking enforcement officials. Having a current parking ticket is highly advised to avoid paying a €25 fine. One of the several subterranean car parks in the city center is the Pfauengarten Parkgarage, which is located underneath Karmeliterplatz. There is open parking here around-the-clock. A €2 one-hour ticket costs €12 for a 24-hour pass. Moreover, there exist other ticket choices that cost €4 each hour.
There are about a thousand kilometers in Graz’s transportation network. On September 1, 1992, one of the first Austrian communities started the “Tempo 30” model test. This test shown to be quite effective in reducing the number of accidents. “Tempo 30” zones are now found on almost 80% of Graz’s road network.
Subterranean car parks were built in the city center with much effort to satisfy the increasing demand for parking places. One example is the substantial costs spent to build a parking garage beneath the old Kastner & Öhler retail store. Moreover, by 2007 parking lots had been added at a number of department stores, major businesses, and the city’s outskirts. These steps aimed to meet the growing need for more convenient parking options.Large-scale effective capacities were produced by adding the second tube in the Plabutsch tunnel, the northern clasp (Gürtel underpass), and extensions to the southern belt.
Two kinds of short-term parking zones are set aside in the city center and neighboring districts: blue zones and green zones.In the blue zone, a 30-minute period requires a minimum of one euro payment; a three-hour parking period requires a maximum of six euros payment.In the green zone, a half-hourly minimum charge is EUR 0.80. Moreover, day permits cost EUR 9.Paying is done with parking ticket machines. To finish the procedure, one needs to get a parking receipt within 10 minutes. Once purchased, the ticket should be taken to the car and prominently displayed behind the windshield.Refunds for excess payments will not be given, and this ticket cannot be transferred to another person.Mobile phone parking is another payment system that is put in place and involves using mobile phones for payments.The monitoring organizations of the city closely watch the system.
Multi-story parking lots located on main arterial and motorway access routes are part of the recently put in place Park&Ride system.The package comes with a 9 euro day pass for public transit for one person.
A minor level crossing in Gösting was closed in 2013 without a replacement in spite of local protests.Future plans call for building an extra railway underpass in the Reininghaus urban development area’s western Josef-Huber-Gasse extension. Still, there is opposition to this project because of worries about its possible effects on the climate and urban environment.Assessment of the environmental impact is required.
