Travel to Salzburg

Traveling to Salzburg

Mozart Airport is the most likely entry point for international visitors and by far the easiest way to get to Salzburg. The airport is a few kilometers from the city center. Hauptbahnhof train station is in the center of town, around a 10 minute walk from the Old Town. Buses get into the Südtirolerplatz stop, just outside the main train station.

Know before you go

• Salzburg Airport is the 2nd biggest airport in Austria.
• Flying takes an average of 2 hours from London.
• Airlines serving routes to Salzburg include EasyJet and Germanwings.
• Flights depart several times a day from airports across London including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
• Buses and trains only run from the continent and not direct from the U.K.

Airport Information and Getting to the City Center

Departing from the U.K: Airports across the country serve the city of Salzburg and an average of one flight per hour leaves each airport in London, outside of London this is reduced but usually at least daily, depending on the airline. Make sure to arrive at the airport with good time to allow for security checks.

Arriving in Salzburg: The easiest way to get from the airport to the city center is by bus. The number 2 and 8 buses run a service to and from the airport every 10-20 minutes and the journey lasts a duration of 15 - 20 minutes. Alternatively, there are also taxi services available offered by the airport that can take you to the city center. This will cost between €20 and €35. Public transportation in Salzburg is limited to bus and tram services which are provided by StadtBus and Obus, a ticket will cost about €2.50. The bus system is relatively popular but locals and tourists tend to travel on foot given the small size of the city.

If you're arriving from the continent by train, you'll arrive into Salzburg Hauptbahnhof. Travellers can catch the S-Bahn or intercity train to then travel by bus into the center of Salzburg. Lines 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 depart and arrive from the train station. Südtiroler Platz also has a taxi rank, where travelers can access the city center with ease.

The coach station is also found at Salzburg Hauptbahof, which provides passengers with alternative ways of travelling around Austria and Europe. The main coach operator serving routes to Salzburg is Flixbus.

Local Tips

• The buses are the best way to get around Salzburg. However, be sure to buy your tickets from a Trafik Kiosk, as it's much cheaper than buying on board.
• When you have got your bearings, one must-see sight is the Salzburger Dom. This Baroque cathedral is simply magnificent and offers free guided tours.
• The best way to experience Salzburg is simply on foot. The UNESCO listed city center is sublime, and can only be appreciated from ground level.
• Mozart Week is held in January and February, it probably has the world's finest program of classical concerts.

Best Time to Visit Salzburg

Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart, with its historic Altstadt city center and Alpine river valley, delightfully picturesque in any season. To avoid the crowds, the low-season from September to October is a good time to visit. Prices are lower, availability is higher and the weather has the colors of fall and cool temperatures of summer's end. As of November, if you're lucky, snow begins to blanket the town and surrounding heights, transforming Salzburg into a winter wonderland. The powdered rooftops and cobblestone streets, framed by the clifftop Hohensalzburg Fortress above the icy Salzach River, paint a romantic winter picture. The winter months are also considered low-season, except during Christmas time. The hills are alive in the Salzburg spring - The Sound Of Music was filmed here, after all. It can stay chilly however through to May when warmer temperatures arrive - along with the high-season of visitors. The weather is beautiful throughout the warmer months, though not unbearably hot. While the summer months from June to August are pleasant, prices and visitor numbers are at their peak, and rainfall can be higher. August is best avoided as Austrians and most Europeans typically vacation during this month.  

Coffee Shops in Salzburg

If Vienna's cafe culture is world famous, it could be argued that Salzburg's deserves equal respect. The Alpine city's coffee scene includes some of the most venerable establishments in Europe, alongside some hip new arrivals. Coffee lovers will want to start at Cafe Tomaselli on the Alter Markt Square, which dates from 1703 and has claims to be one of Europe's oldest coffee houses. Mozart would drop in for a coffee and pastry in between symphonies. The rich chocolate confections named after the composer were first created nearby at Cafe Fürst on Brodgasse and are still served with the excellent coffee. Austria's other coffee shop cake specialty, the Sacher Torte, is available in authentic form in the upscale Cafe Sacher at the city hotel of the same name. If traditional establishments in Salzburg offer elegant Imperial decor, austere waiters and 19th century recipes, the new breed of Salzburg cafe is less formal. Cafe Shakespeare is typical of the new wave, a cool hangout housed in a church on Mirabellplatz, with modern art on the walls, and a diverse lunch menu. Similarly, Coffeesmith, in the old town, has stylish art deco interiors, single origin coffees and vegan pastries.