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Europe’s pro-mobility scheme is the gift that just keeps on giving:
Following a spate of exciting new launches, from the low-cost train from Paris to Brussels, to Germany’s extremely popular, $65 train pass, Deutschland Ticket, yet another European city is hopping on the bandwagon and luring tourists with transport incentives.
Except this time, it’s not discounted tickets you’ll get, it’s free access to the whole public transport network, not only within the municipality itself, but across an entire province:
Salzburg Is Wooing Tourists With Free Rides This Summer
Salzburg is a small city in western Austria, lying at the foot of the Alps, best known for its well-preserved historic center, and of course, for providing the idyllic scenery for The Sound of Music, though it isn’t as popular as Vienna.
While Austria’s bustling capital welcomed over 8.2 million arrivals last year, Salzburg recorded a less-impressive 1.7 million, with most foreign guests hailing from neighboring Bavaria, in Germany, and other European countries in the vicinity.
In a continent where overtourism has become a pressing issue, and numerous destinations are in fact moving to restrict the number of tourists, Salzburg is flinging its golden gates open to them.
From May 1, tourists have been able to get around the city, and even travel around the Province of Salzburg without spending a single penny, by virtue of the recently-introduced ‘Guest Mobility Ticket’.
The Easiest Way To Explore Landmark-Packed Salzburg This Summer
According to the European Commission’s Urban Mobility Observatory, the initiative aims to tackle traffic congestion—Salzburg is very compact, and its narrow, pedestrianized lanes are often a disservice to drivers—as well as promote ‘sustainable tourism’.
As seen on their statement, the free passes will save tourists ‘time and money’, and reduce travel-related stress: if you’ve ever pulled up with a rented car in any European town, and circled around for an hour trying to find a parking spot, you know the pain all-too-well.
In reality, however, Salzburg is a very-walkable city, and from its medieval, largely car-free Altstadt, dominated by imposing Baroque domes, to the 19th-century Neustadt on the right bank of the Salzach River, you can see all the main highlights on foot.
These include the Mirabell Palace and Gardens, a stunning landscaping effort featuring picturesque pathways and ornate fountains, Mozart’s birthplace (yes, the famous composer is a Salzburg native), and the medieval Hohensalzburg Fortress, one of Europe’s largest medieval strongholds.
The biggest draw, really, is the possibility of traveling freely across the wider Province:
Medieval Villages & Scenic Alpine Lakes
Salzburg is located in what are perhaps Austria’s most dramatic alpine ranges. If you love epic, snow-capped mountains and contrasting green, summery meadows below, peppered with quaint dorfs and daffodil fields, boy, you’re in for a treat.
From Salzburg, you can visit a number of secondary destinations that are equally fascinating, and a short 1 to 2-hour train or bus ride away, such as:
- Hallstatt: a serene lakeside village and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Eisriesenwelt: the largest ice cave in the world, accessible via a 1-hour train and bus shuttle
- Zell am See: yet another adorable, sleepy town on the shores of a crystal-clear lake
- Bad Gastein: an elegant Belle époque town famous for wellness resorts and thermal baths
- Wolfgangsee: a lake area offering boat rides, rack train rides, and scenic hikes
Going from Salzburg to each of these locations in usual times, you could be spending between $25–$45 on roundtrip tickets from the city and back.
Getting to more-isolated towns like Hallstatt, you would even need multiple bookings, as the town is not serviced by a train station: usually, tourists will board in Salzburg, and travel to Attnang-Puchheim, where they will switch trains to journey onward to Hallstatt Station.
There is a catch here: Hallstatt Station is not located in the village itself. It’s on the other side of the lake, and in order to reach the fairytale setting, you’ll need to spend an additional $4.50 on a short ferry ride to get you across.
With the Guest Mobility Ticket, you’ll be able to use all modes of transportation available in the Province, such as regional buses, the S-Bahn (rapid trains), regional trains, long-distance trains, and even the demand-based Salzburg Verkehr shuttles, available in areas with limited route options.
How Does The Guest Mobility Ticket Work?
If you’re wondering how such a generous program will be funded, well, it’s all thanks to you!
Salzburg is levying a $1.20 ‘mobility fee’ on all overnight guests, and that is typically added to your hotel rate, so you hardly even notice it—and let’s face it, it’s just over a dollar for unlimited travel around Austria’s most gorgeous province.
Once you book your accommodation, your hotel concierge will issue your Guest Mobility Ticket upon check-in, either in digital form (PDF or mobile wallet pass), or in printed form. If they do not, don’t hesitate to ask.
Some will even issue it before arrival, so you can already use it commuting from Salzburg Airport, or the train station, to your accommodation.
Only guests who stay in paid accommodations that charge the local tourism tax are eligible for the program: we’re talking hotels, hostels, and registered Airbnbs and campsites.
It’s important to note that, regardless of the ticket, children under 6 always travel for free.
Additionally, the ticket grants access to the public transport system, but it does not include seat reservations on certain train routes: if traveling on a regional train, for example an S-Bahn from Salzburg to Zell am See, you will not need a seat reservation.
Salzburg sunrise skyline with Festung Hohensalzburg fortress and reflection. Austria
On the other hand, for long-distance journeys, usually with Railjet or InterCity, seat reservations remain optional, though they are highly recommended, especially at peak times. In these cases, the fee is around $3.30.
Other European Destinations Offering Free Transportation This Summer
Salzburg is not the only European destination offering free tickets this summer.
Tucked away in Central Europe, and often forgotten, the Duchy of Luxembourg is a small nation that tourists are welcome to explore by public transport for free.
A lesser-known region in Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia has its own incentive program in place, reimbursing transport costs of eligible travelers who stay for a minimum of two nights.
Vinicius Costa
Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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