{"id":12693,"date":"2019-03-21T06:15:02","date_gmt":"2019-03-21T05:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=12693"},"modified":"2025-08-18T10:31:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T09:31:53","slug":"salzburg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/mapsgeography\/salzburg\/","title":{"rendered":"Day trip to Salzburg"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/salzburg_small.jpg\" alt=\"Salzburg old town\" class=\"wp-image-12697\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/salzburg_small.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/salzburg_small-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>As a Viennese lad, I probably shouldn&#8217;t say it, but&#8230;Salzburg is a lovely place and an easy day trip from Vienna. Here&#8217;s some quick info on how to get there and what you can do in the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The train journey takes around 2\u00bd hours<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Walk to and through the old town in an hour or so<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Visit Mozart&#8217;s birthplace, the palace, the fortress and the Getreidegasse shopping street<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/salzburg-concerts-l215327\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Salzburg\" rel=\"sponsored\">classical concert<\/a>* in Salzburg<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/activities\/day-trips\/\">Day trips from Vienna<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-get-to-salzburg\">How to get to Salzburg<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/salzburgoldtown.jpg\" alt=\"Salzburg old town and fortress\" class=\"wp-image-44213\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/salzburgoldtown.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/salzburgoldtown-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Salzburg old town and fortress)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"by-train\">By train<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re not on an  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/vienna-attractions-c60335\/tickets-for-from-vienna-day-trip-to-salzburg-p1035290\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Salzburg\" rel=\"sponsored\">organised day tour<\/a>* from Vienna, then this is probably your best unguided option<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The train is fast, comfortable, and drops you off within walking distance of the Salzburg sights. Which might explain why I can never find any non-stop public bus services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Direct trains leave Vienna for Salzburg from the main Hauptbahnhof and Westbahnhof stations, for example, with typically three or four trains leaving the city each hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Journey times vary, but can be as fast as 2 hours and 25 minutes. So an early train gets you to Salzburg for a (late) breakfast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For timetables and tickets, see:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oebb.at\/en\/\">\u00d6BB<\/a> (the Austrian Federal Railway)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/westbahn.at\/en\/\">Westbahn<\/a> (a private company that has trains on the Vienna &#8211; Salzburg line)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on my experience, both \u00d6BB and Westbahn are excellent rail carriers.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/salzburgcathedral.jpg\" alt=\"Salzburg cathedral\" class=\"wp-image-44212\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/salzburgcathedral.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/salzburgcathedral-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Salzburg cathedral)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"by-car\">By car<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Salzburg takes about three hours to reach from Vienna in a <a rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/www.discovercars.com\/austria\/vienna?a_aid=VisitingVienna\">hire car<\/a>*; the A1 motorway connects the two cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The local tourist office has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salzburg.info\/en\/travel-info\/arrival-traffic\/car\/park-ride\">parking tips<\/a>. I&#8217;d certainly consider the suggested park and ride options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or simply leave your car in Vienna if you&#8217;re just planning to go there and back in a day. Book your train far enough in advance and ticket prices are relatively inexpensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Guided bus tours<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Services <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/vienna-attractions-c60335\/tickets-for-from-vienna-day-trip-to-salzburg-p1035290\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Salzburg\">like this one<\/a>* will take you to Salzburg and back for the day along with a guide. Expect an early start to get you back to Vienna in the evening. A typical tour should include Mirabell palace (a Sound of Music location) and a walk about town for Mozart highlights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-to-do-in-salzburg\">What to do in Salzburg<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Like Vienna, Salzburg has a historical beauty to it. With less than a tenth of the population of Vienna, you can see a surprisingly large amount of it in a few hours: the centre of the city is compact so eminently doable on foot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here some tips for making the most of your day trip&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"walk-through-the-old-town\">Just walk through the old town<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/salzachriver.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/salzachriver.jpg\" alt=\"View along the Salzach river\" class=\"wp-image-41716\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/salzachriver.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/salzachriver-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(View down the Salzach river)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If arriving by train, walk down from the station to the river, then along Elisabethkai toward the city centre. This takes you past Mirabell Palace and gardens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then nip across the bridge to walk into the old town, up the historic Getreidegasse street, and across to the cathedral. Then it&#8217;s a climb up to the Hohensalzburg fortress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All that is less than an hour&#8217;s walk at a good pace, so you&#8217;ve plenty of time to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><em>Ad:<\/em><br><\/div><div data-tiqets-widget=\"discovery\" data-cards-layout=\"horizontal\" data-slug-ids=\"pro1035173,pro1098210\" data-partner=\"visitingvienna\" data-tq-campaign=\"DA_Salzburg\"><\/div><script defer src=\"https:\/\/widgets.tiqets.com\/loader.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"visit-the-sights\">Visit the sights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The most popular destinations in the city are probably:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.salzburg.info\/en\/sights\/top10\/mirabell-palace-gardens\">Mirabell palace<\/a>: early 17th-century palace, baroque gardens and (most importantly, as mentioned earlier) film location for <em>The Sound of Music<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Should you choose to stay overnight in Salzburg, the palace has highly-rated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/salzburg-attractions-c60346\/tickets-for-concert-at-mirabell-palace-salzburg-p1035173\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Salzburg\" rel=\"sponsored\">evening concerts<\/a>* with a mix of classical pieces from familiar names. Mozart and family used to perform in the very same baroque Marble Hall venue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I should mention that Vienna (of course) has plenty of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/classical-concert\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"5359\">concert experiences<\/a> to offer, too.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/salzbrugmozartgeburtshaus.jpg\" alt=\"Mozart's place of birth in Salzburg\" class=\"wp-image-67641\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/salzbrugmozartgeburtshaus.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/salzbrugmozartgeburtshaus-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Mozart&#8217;s place of birth with a happy period actor in front; press photo \u00a9Tourismus Salzburg)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mozarteum.at\/en\/museums\/mozarts-birthplace\">Mozart&#8217;s birthplace<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/mozarteum.at\/en\/mozart-museums\/mozarts-residence\">residence<\/a>: now museums where you can see, for example, exhibitions and memorabilia, including various instruments he owned and played<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t forget all the historical <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/mozart\/\">Mozart locations<\/a> here in Vienna. He lived in the city from 1781 to his death in 1791. Consider the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/mozarthaus\/\">Mozarthaus<\/a>, for example, which contains his former apartment and also hosts its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/bosendorfer-saal\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"11115\">own concerts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.domquartier.at\/\">DomQuartier<\/a>: a complex featuring the staterooms of the former Prince Archbishop&#8217;s residence, parts of the cathedral, and associated museums<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.salzburg-burgen.at\/en\/hohensalzburg-castle\/\">Hohensalzburg fortress<\/a>: castle dating back to the 11th century. Sits on a hill overlooking the old town<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/getreidegasse.jpg\" alt=\"Getriedegasse in Salzburg\" class=\"wp-image-44211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/getreidegasse.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/getreidegasse-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Salzburg&#8217;s Getreidegasse)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Getreidegasse: historic street full of baroque buildings, boutique shops and restaurants. A good place to buy your Mozartkugel marzipan chocolates, too. Mozart&#8217;s birthplace is at number 9<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"take-a-tour\">Take a tour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To get a quick glimpse of everything without effort, book one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/city-tours-salzburg-l215329\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Salzburg\" rel=\"sponsored\">local tours<\/a>*.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a walking tour should take in Mirabell Palace, guide you around the historic centre, throw in some anecdotes for <em>The Sound of Music<\/em>, and pass Mozart&#8217;s birthplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then it&#8217;s back to Vienna in time for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/eatingdrinking\/food\/sausages\/\">sausages<\/a> or some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/evening\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"71635\">other evening activity<\/a> (and nobody need know you left).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Even as a Viennese lad, I have to admit Salzburg is lovely&#8230;and an easy day trip from Vienna<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12697,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-12693","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mapsgeography","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12693","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12693"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12693\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85201,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12693\/revisions\/85201"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}