How to Get to Salzburg
Get In - By Plane
Salzburg W. A. Mozart Airport is a significant airport in Austria and is well-served by a variety of airlines. Moreover, it is noteworthy that, with public transportation, the main international airports in Vienna and Munich are conveniently reachable in a two to three hour travel time.
Salzburg Airport
Ideally situated just 3.9 km from Salzburg city center, Salzburg W.A. Mozart Airport (SZG) is Austria’s second largest airport. Along with Salzburg, Austria’s fourth largest city, this well-located center is an important access point to the country’s diverse and well-known ski resorts.
The airport offers easy access to important European centers, including Frankfurt, Vienna, London and Istanbul, through its well-selected network of connections. This, combined with a large number of flights planned to important European cities, positions W.A. Mozart Salzburg Airport in a central role in stimulating regional tourism to hitherto unprecedented levels. Fascinatingly, the airport satisfies seasonal demand, providing a consistent flow of charter flights, which in summer transport sun seekers to dreamy Mediterranean resorts and winter sports aficionados to Northern Europe.
By taxi or public transport, Salzburg’s interesting historic city center and its busy main train station are just a 15-minute drive away. There are two useful trolleybus options if you want a quicker route to Salzburg’s charming old town: line 10 (direction Sam) takes around 15 minutes; line 2 (direction Obergnigl) takes around 23 minutes.
An excellent illustration of Salzurg W.A. Mozart Airport’s commitment to usability are the well-considered twin terminals. Fascinatingly, Amadeus Terminal 2 was designed specifically to manage the winter peak in Saturday charter flights. This flexible space changes throughout the year and easily adapts to a variety of activities.
Vienna International Airport
Conveniently situated in Schwechat, only 16 kilometers southeast of Vienna’s city center, Vienna International Airport offers a simple train connection to Salzburg. This eliminates the need for transfers and guarantees a comfortable travel.
The largest airport in Austria, Vienna International Airport also serves as a major base for Austrian Airlines. It provides first-rate multimodal means of mobility. The S-Bahn commuter rail network makes regular connections within the Vienna metropolitan area possible. Furthermore offering long-distance and regional train services is Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). For a quite quick and direct connection to Vienna’s city center, the City Airport Train (CAT) is accessible.
Train ride from Vienna International Airport to Salzburg just takes three hours. With this simple path, you can comfortably see the breathtaking Austrian countryside.
For those who would rather have more freedom when getting to Salzburg, driving there takes roughly three hours as well. By having you take the A4 autobahn then move onto the A1, the suggested path gets you straight to your destination.
Munich Airport
Munich Airport sits quite near Salzburg. Salzburg is reachable in less than three hours with plenty of handy and cosy choices for tourists. Driving, rail, shuttle taxis run by Salzburger Mietwagen Service, or Flixbus, are among their several choices for there.
Because Munich Airport is so close to Salzburg, it is a handy base from which visitors planning trips there can start. From Munich Airport, passengers may use quick rail connections to Salzburg in around 2.5 hours; Munich’s Ostbahnhof provides simple transfers. Visit websites www.bahn.de and www.oebb.at to find rail connections. Driving a car covers around 180 kilometers in an hour and forty-five minutes. Not one motorway toll sticker is required from the Walserberg border crossing to the Salzburg-Nord exit. Using the motorway will call for a motorway vignette. This is on the edge.
Get In - By Bus
For those seeking the ideal mix between comfort and cost, coach travel over great distances is often the best option. With connections from Germany and all around Austria that are practical, including central stops in Salzburg, they offer a reasonably priced means of reaching Salzburg.
There are several long-distance bus lines that straight forward Salzburg. Many buses visit the City of Mozart several times over the day. Two conveniently located bus stops are the Salzburg Main Station, near the city center, and the “Salzburg Süd” Park & Ride parking lot. Once you arrive, public transit will swiftly and conveniently get you to the center of Salzburg.
From Cesky Krumlov or Ceske Budejovice to Salzburg and back, Budweis-shuttle “http://www.budweis-shuttle.cz” and Czechowicz.com offer a door-to– door shuttle bus for 1.101 CZK (€44) per person.
Driven by English-speaking drivers via Eurobusways, three times a week, door-to- door transportation from Bosnia (Banja Luka or Doboj) via Boro Bus Bus transfer has a possible stop in Vienna.
Get In - By Car
Thanks to the autobahns A8 (Munich – Salzburg) and A1 (Salzburg – Vienna), Salzburg’s proximity to Munich (Munchen) and Vienna (Wien) in Germany is exceptional. One must buy the “Vignette” toll for a motorway in Austria. The price will depend on whether you decide to purchase an annual or 10-day vignette.
Getting around Salzburg can prove rather challenging. The road names are written in a “Traditional” German typeface, and their small font size can make reading difficult. Driving into the city, spotting a parking space, and then walking public transit would be the best line of action. Make sure your car has snow tires for cold seasons. Using snow chains is advised especially in severe conditions. Law requires all vehicles, from October to April, to have snow tires (Winterreifen).
Salzburg is quite reachable by car from several directions. Your three choices are the 8. Westautobahn A1, the Tauernautobahn A10, and the You can also follow this path if you are heading from Germany. Using the highway costs money in Austria. The required vignettes span one year, two months, and ten days among other timesframes. Along with the traffic clubs ARB and AMTC, they are also found at several gas stations near the border, tobacco stores called tobacconists, and You need the vignette if you are crossing the border.You can reach Bad Reichenhall from exit 115 of the 8 highway without a vignette. Drive about twenty kilometers in a car to Freilassing; then, cross the Saalach Bridge to reach Salzburg.The vignette need applies to all motor vehicles, including cars, motorbikes, scooters, quads, and trikes, on motorways and expressways among others.
When in the city, you should park your car in one of the outer Park & Ride lots. From there, you can fast switch to public transportation. One should keep in mind that city parking is rather costly.Moreover, a good portion of the old town has already been set aside as a pedestrian or meeting space.The city center’s every parking spot is labeled as a temporary parking zone. With a maximum parking length of three hours, these parking zones are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. One must pay.Every single bollard will be raised starting at eleven in a morning.You will have to pay the police to obtain an exit code if you fail to leave by the allotted time.Only the designated access roads of the hotel allow guests with bookings to enter and leave the grounds.
If you plan to drive into town, park at the Altstadtgaragen – Mönchsberggaragen.The hourly rate is €3; the maximum daily parking cost is €18.Though motorcycles and LPG-powered vehicles are not allowed, there are 1296 parking spaces overall.It just reaches 2.05 meters in height.
Toll in Austria – Vignette
Every motor car using Austrian expressways and motorways has to pay the toll. Online scheduling is simple for the ten days, two months, or one year vignettes available.
Toll stickers are sold in about 6,000 ticket offices—including gas stations, auto clubs, toll booths, and tobacco shops. One can clearly see the locations by a badge displaying the toll sticker. As of November 2017, the toll sticker could be bought from the ASFINAG webshop. With this solution, the ASFINAG provides motorcyclists and drivers of cars with an inventive and useful alternative for the adhesive vignette.
Toll stickers must be affixed to vehicles whose maximum authorized total weight (MATW) falls between and including 3.5 t. This spans passenger cars, motorcycles, and motor homes. Toll rates for vehicles towing trailers are computed using just the maximum allowed total weight of the towing vehicle. Not even stickers are needed for the trailers. Any truck, bus, or RV weighing more than 3.5 tons needs a GO Box and pay a toll depending on distance driven.
Police and ASFINAG enforcement staff review toll stickers. Should the original toll not be paid, an immediate replacement toll must be paid.
Congestion management in July and August
On days when the July and August weather is poor, visitors are diverted to the P&R exhibition center by the Munich federal road and to the P&R airport by the Innsbruck federal road. Exempt from this rule are a few non-Austrian vehicles owned by persons with disabilities, those having hotel reservations, and vehicles from the districts of Berchtesgadener Land and Traunstein. The €12 parking fee covers a day pass good for up to five bus passengers.
Get In - By Train
The Hauptbahnhof, the train station of Salzburg, is located in the northern part of the city near the Salzach River. Generally speaking, the train journey from Munich to Salzburg takes 1.5 hours. Still, regional trains could run about two hours. Moreover, there are train lines running internationally from several cities, including Budapest, Ljubljana, Zurich, and Zagreb. Particularly to Vienna, where trains leave almost every hour, trains between cities run often. The station recently underwent extensive renovations, completed by end of 2014. Any information published before that time about its design and features is thus most likely out of current.
The station is run by joint National German Railway Company (DB) and Austrian Federal Railway Company (ÖBB). Both companies have ticket booths and machines in the station. The common DB Bayern Ticket pass for Bavaria includes train travel from Salzburg. Remember that this pass is only valid on regional trains bearing codes RE and RB. The DB ticket booths and DB ticket vending machines at the station let one buy the rail pass.
From Salzburg, direct train connections to several cities are readily available: Vienna, Linz, Feldkirch (next to the Liechtenstein border), and Zürich (in Switzerland).
The station has a supermarket open from 6 AM to 11 PM, with somewhat shortened Sundays’ hours. Additionally available are pay lockers with rates ranging from €2 to €3.50. Please be advised, though, that the lockers sometimes run full. Including free access to restrooms. To reach the city center, either stroll leisurely for roughly fifteen minutes or ride one of the accessible trolley buses.
From Germany:
- About two hours will pass from Munich to Salzburg using a range of ticket choices. The Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket runs €42–70; the Bayern-Ticket costs €25–57; the Bayern-Ticket-Nacht runs €23–43. These expenses fit the ticket choices already mentioned. There are groups of tickets based on passenger count, ranging from one to five.Not qualified for use with the Bayernticket is any kind of public transportation available in Salzburg outside of the main station area, including buses, trolleybuses, and S-Bahn trains.
- For between €20 and €52, the Südwestbayernticket lets you travel to Salzburg. All Südwestbayernbahn lines call for this ticket. See the route map supplied here for further information.This also holds true for ÖBB’s regional express trains (REX) running Salzburg to Freilassing.
- Travelwise, you have three choices: IC/EC; Railjet; BRB (formerly Meridian). On the IC/EC you will pay €32 and one hour and forty-one minutes. Traveling the one hour and twenty-eight minutes, the Railjet costs €38. And last, the BRB needs an hour and forty-six minutes and will run you €30.10.
- There are several simple connections to Salzburg if you are taking a train from Landshut, Mühldorf am Inn, Berchtesgaden, or Bad Reichenhall to Freilassing. Every quarter to half hour, lines S 2 (Freilassing – Salzburg – Straßwalchen), S 3 (Bad Reichenhall – Freilassing – Salzburg – Hallein – Golling-Abtenau – Schwarzach-St. Veit) and individual trains S 4 (Berchtesgaden – Bad Reichenhall – Freilassing – Salzburg). Moreover, you can make use of the BRB (formerly Meridian) and DB Regio’s regional trains.
- Südtiroler Platz, in northeastern part of the city, is where the Salzburg main station’s internet is located.In five to ten minutes from the station forecourt, one of the several buses accessible will let you quickly reach the city center.The “Salzburger Lokalbahn” finishes at the same location as the last stop for S-Bahn line 1 traveling north (Bergheim, Oberndorf, Lamprechtshausen).At the main station also are the connections between the S2 eastbound towards Seekirchen am Wallersee and Straßwalchen and the S3 southbound towards Hallein and Golling a der Salzach.
- Service lines S-Bahn lines 2 and 3 cover the railway line from Freilassing to Salzburg Hbf. Salzburg Liefering by the banks of the Saalach; Salzburg Taxham Europark train station close to the Europark shopping center; Salzburg Aiglhof by the Salzburg State Hospital; and Salzburg Mülln-Altsadt train station, handy walking distance to the old town and city. These four stations fall inside the Salzburg city limits.The next stop on the German path network is Freilassing.
From Linz/Vienna:
- Twice an hour, ÖBB-run trains link Vienna to Salzburg. The journey, from Vienna’s main station, takes two hours and twenty-two minutes or two hours and fifty-three minutes. There are savings options available, but the fare from Vienna’s main station is roughly €55. Those who show their ÖBB VorteilsCard will get half price off.One of the two connections ends directly at Vienna International Airport, or starts there.
- Moreover, there is hourly Westbahn connection from Vienna West. The average cost is roughly €34 and the journey takes two hours and twenty-six minutes.Tickets may also be purchased online, at tobacco stores, or on the train itself for a nominal additional fee. Kindly be advised that the ÖBB machines or counters cannot provide tickets.
From southern directions:
ÖBB links leaving Carinthia from Klagenfurt to Salzburg every two hours. The journey lasts roughly two hours and thirty-two minutes from Villach main station. The Villach ticket runs roughly €25 at full price, but using the ÖBB VorteilsCard entitles one half price discount.Each hour the S-Bahn line 3 leaves Schwarzach-St. Veit. Every two hours there are also ÖBB links from Graz to Bischofshofen. The expected travel time from Graz main station is around 4:30 hours; the cost falls between 25 and 35 euros. Along with exclusive offers, an ÖBB VorteilsCard entitrates you a half-price discount.
Salzburg Main Station
Salzburg Main Station is a vital rail hub in Western Austria because of its several local and international links. German Rail (DB) and Austrian Railways (ÖBB) share management of the station since it is exactly on the German border.
Salzburg Main Station originally opened for business in the 19th century. Salzburg’s transportation history underwent a major turning point when the project was finished in 1860. The City of Mozart appeals especially to travellers because of its worldwide Eurocity, Intercity, and ICE links as well as its several ties to neighbouring Bavaria.
The station underwent total renovation and remodeling between 2009 and 2014, resulting in a modern and fresh look. The central platform, designated as historically significant, and the main entrance hall remain the only traces of its rich past. Usually, the walk from the station to the City Hall takes twenty minutes. Forum 1, a large shopping centre with a variety of stores, restaurants and a supermarket, lies beneath the main station. Besides, the area boasts several hotels.
Designed especially for suburban transportation, the S-Bahn rail line connects the city with the nearby towns. The Salzburger Lokalbahn runs across 35 kilometers of rails. Between the city and the northern Flachgau area, roughly 15,000 people commute daily using it. At Südtiroler Platz, a sizable plaza right in front of the station, moving between ÖBB and DB trains and a range of public buses is handy. If you intend to drive to Salzburg, make sure you maximize the handy Park+Ride areas at the station. Total there are 110 spots available. The hotel offers handy conveniences including travel agency services and luggage lockers. The taxi stand is on the right side of the main entrance when one leaves the station.
ÖBB trains
The reputable Austrian rail system offers an ever growing range of (inter)national train connections. This makes ÖBB trains the best way of mobility for your Salzburg trip.
ÖBB runs the fastest train known as the Railjet, which can reach 230 km/h. The buildings are constructed to the best standards for comfort, design, and utility. Business, First, and Economy classes—each of which offers a range of conveniences including free WiFi, a restaurant car, and family and quiet areas—are available to passengers.
Included on the Railjet network are the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Switzerland. On the Vienna-Salzburg line, two Railjets run an hour. From Vienna to Salzburg via St Pölten and Linz, the Railjet Xpress (RJX) offers the fastest choice; it takes 2 hours and 22 minutes.
Austria’s vast rail network makes it easy to get from other Austrian cities to Salzburg Every two hours from Graz and Villach there are regular Eurocity and Intercity trains. Moreover, every day there are several fast and cosy trains from Innsbruck to Salzburg. For as little €19.90, the cheap ÖBB “Sparschiene” (saver) tickets let you travel to Salzburg from many cities.
Between Salzburg and Vienna Airport, the ÖBB provides quick and reliable transportation for both leisure and business travellers. All day there is an hourly direct connection available. The journey with Railjet takes around two hours and forty-49 minutes.
- Budapest-Salzburg: duration from 5h 12min
- Munich-Salzburg: duration from 1h 29min
- Stuttgart-Salzburg: duration from 4h 01min
- Frankfurt-Salzburg: duration from 5h 04min, change in Munich
- Zürich-Salzburg: duration from 5h 23min
- Ljubljana-Salzburg: duration from 4h 21min, sometimes change in Villach
- Zagreb-Salzburg: duration from 6h 45min, sometimes change in Villach
- Venice-Salzburg: duration from 5h 52min, change in Villach
- Bratislava-Salzburg: duration from 3h 44min, change in Vienna
Westbahn trains
Passengers using the private railway operator WESTbahn can readily reach Salzburg from Munich and Vienna several times a day with reasonable fares.
Travel the WESTbahn from Vienna (Westbahnhof or Hütteldorf) to Linz and Salzburg stopping at St Pölten, Amstetten, Linz, Wels, Attnang-Puchheim, and Vöcklabruck for just €56.90 (Standard price). Apart from the discounted tickets and special offers, the fact that the journey just takes two hours and twenty-eight minutes is another advantage.
Six daily train lines passing Salzburg service Vienna to Munich Central Station. Apart from regular stops at every usual Austrian station, these trains stop at Munich East Station.
From Munich Central Station to Salzburg, the ticket prices €37.90 and the journey takes one hour and thirty minutes.
Great personal service guarantees a nice trip. Thanks to its many conveniences, families and business visitors will also find the WESTbahn to be a great choice. Among these conveniences are free WiFi, lots of power outlets, low-floor train access, changing tables, ergonomic leather seats, and the four WESTcafés—which carry hot and cold beverages along with little nibbles.
Tickets and further WESTbahn-related information can be accessed at www.westbahn.at.
SBB – Swiss Federal Railways
To and from Salzburg, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) offer fast and simple train service. Every day, exactly!
From Zurich Main Station, where you can enjoy the fresh air of this magnificent city, it will just take you six hours to reach Salzburg. For greatest convenience, enjoy direct service on Railjet. Bid farewell since the difficulty of changing trains is no more relevant. To maximize your trip, it is quite advised that you book a seat in First or Business Class. These classes offer specific conveniences including tailored seat-side assistance.
Use the cheap saver tickets available for travel from Salzburg or the other way around from Switzerland. Only available online and in limited quantities, first and second class saver tickets are These tickets are sold anywhere between ninety-nine and three days before the departure date. There is only one reserved train for which the discounted tickets are good. Not covered are refunds and exchanges.
Get In - By RV
For those with their own RV, Salzburg’s central location makes it a great place. Nestled in Salzburg’s “green belt,” the campgrounds give public transportation’s simple access to the city.
Salzburg boasts several well-located campgrounds with complete camping facilities and proximity to the city. Visiting our city with the Salzburg Card is a cheap, stress-free, ecologically friendly trip. The card provides free access to public transportation, thus it is a practical choice.
December 2017 saw the opening of a sizable parking lot just for motorhaves on Carl-Zuckmayer-Straße in Salzburg-Kasern. For campers, this parking lot with 110 spots is quite handy. It’s especially reasonably priced for RV aficionados looking to spend the night outside of Mozart. Located in Salzburg’s northern part, the property gains from a nearby bus stop providing simple access to the public transportation system of the city. Stated differently, nothing gets in the way of a wonderful tour through Salzburg’s old city.
RV parking lot owned by Salzburg-Kasern is open all year long.
Usually allowed in the blue zone and at city parking lots like the one next Mirabell Palace, parking is Parking overnight is not let. Usually Thursdays, market days call for the Mirabell parking lot to be closed from midnight until four o’clock in evening. But should Thursday be a public holiday, the parking lot will also be closed on Wednesdays. Please be advised RVs longer than seven meters are not allowed in the Mirabell parking lot.
Golling boasts an RV park open all year long. It is near Aqua Salza, the spa resort.
Bad Reichenhall, the nearby town, has a specific motorhome camping area. Motorhome campers are the only ones who can access the campsite. Not allowed are caravans and trailers.
Get In - By bike
Complementing the Salzach River, the Tauern cycle path links Salzburg to the north and south.Salzburg also connects via several long-distance and themed bike paths.The Mozart Cycle Path is a fictional path with imagined starting and ending points that circles Salzburg.
Should you be riding from the German side of Freilassing, there is a longer, car-free path available. Riding the bike paths beside the Saalach River will get you to the city center. Go downstream till crossing the border river Saalach meets the Salzach. Proceed upstream along the river then until you reach the central state bridge. This path spans nine kilometers to link the border to the central state bridge.After crossing the Saalach, the road upstream towards the railway is roughly 1 km shorter and runs all the way along the railway.
