Getting around Salzburg and Innsbruck

Most city lines in Salzburg are trolleybuses (Obus), with low numbers between 1 and 14; diesel and regional buses complement them. The main hubs are the Hauptbahnhof, Mirabellplatz, Ferdinand-Hanusch-Platz and the stops along the river at Rathaus and Mozartsteg/Rudolfskai, which are the closest to the old town and the cathedral. The old town itself is largely pedestrianised, so buses run around its edges.

Bus 25 goes to Hellbrunn Palace and the zoo, and regional buses from the Hauptbahnhof and Mirabellplatz serve the Salzkammergut lakes, the Untersberg cable car and Berchtesgaden across the German border.

Innsbruck's transport company IVB runs trams (lines 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6) and buses identified by letters such as A, C, J, K, M, R and W. Maria-Theresien-Straße, Museumstraße and the Hauptbahnhof are the main stops in the centre; line 6 climbs through the forest to Igls, and the Stubaitalbahn (STB) runs from the Hauptbahnhof into the Stubai valley. The Sightseer tourist bus links the main sights.

The Hungerburgbahn funicular and the Nordkette cable cars start near the Congress in the old town; they are run separately and need their own tickets.

Both cities are hubs of an S-Bahn network. The S-Bahn Salzburg runs to Freilassing and Berchtesgaden, along the Salzach valley and, on the Salzburger Lokalbahn, north to Oberndorf with its Silent Night Chapel. The S-Bahn Tirol links Innsbruck with Hall, Schwaz, Wattens, Kufstein, Telfs and the Brenner line.

Within each region, the same transport association ticket (Salzburg Verkehr or VVT) is valid on the S-Bahn, regional buses and city lines for the zones it covers.

Tickets are sold at machines, at tobacconists and in the operators' apps, and on buses by the driver. For short stays, 24-hour tickets are usually the best value, and the Salzburg Card and the Innsbruck Card include local public transport along with many sights.

Current prices for both cities, with the official source, are on their “Tickets” pages.