Salzburg introduces summer car ban in city centre
Austrian Salzburg decided to put an end to the traffic chaos in the old town centre with a radical move that directly affects the organisation of day trips. During July and August, a strict ban on access to the centre for all day-trippers arriving by their own vehicles will come into force. The city wants to relieve the traffic infrastructure, which regularly experiences congestion, especially during summer showers when thousands of tourists from nearby lakes head towards Mozart's birthplace by car.
How will transport and parking work?
All day visitors will be redirected to large car parks on the outskirts of Salzburg. The system operates on a “Park & Ride” principle: the daily fee will be 7.50 euros, and this ticket also includes a free day ticket for public transport for up to five people. The city administration expects that these measures will remove at least a thousand cars from the streets daily, which will ensure the unimpeded passage of emergency services and local traffic.
Who is exempt from the new rules
The restrictions apply exclusively to transit tourists, while smooth passage is ensured for economic and emergency purposes. The driving ban through the centre does not apply to:
- hotels with confirmed bookings in the city centre
- delivery vehicles, business trips and patient supplies
- vehicles with registration plates from the city and surroundings of Salzburg (Salzburg-Umgebung and Hallein) and the neighbouring Bavarian district of Berchtesgadener Land.
All hotels, garages and hospitals in the city centre remain fully accessible to anyone with a legitimate reason to be there.
