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With so many things to do and see in Salzburg, you may be wondering if purchasing the Salzburg Card is worth the money?
As a family that frequently uses all-inclusive city passes, we took the Salzburg Card for a test. Here are all the details.
Strolling through the Mirabel Gardens with a view of Hohensalzburg
What is the Salzburg Card?
The Salzburg Card allows a one-time free entry to all museums and attractions within the city. In addition, it gives you free travel on public transport. There are a few extra discounts on trips, tours, and excursions around the city as well.
A few museums and attractions also provide a ‘skip the line’ queue specifically for those holding the Salzburg Card.
Where can you buy a Salzburg Card?
- Hotels
- Salzburg ticket offices
- Airport
- Train station
- Tourist information centers
- Online at Get Your Guide
How much does the Salzburg Card cost?
It depends on which pass you buy. Purchase the Salzburg Card for 24 hours, 48 hours or 72 hours. Here are the prices for 2019. Note that peak season is more expensive.
2019 Salzburg Card prices
Your first use of the Salzburg Card activates it. Therefore, you can purchase it ahead of time and be ready to use it once you start looking for things to do in Salzburg.
If you are using your ticket for public transportation, it’s important to remember that it’s only valid when your card is completely filled out with your name and dates of use.
Is the Salzburg Card worth the money?
I can honestly say this is one of the best city cards I have used. There are no restrictions, it’s simple and easy to use and the price is a steal. Salzburg is pretty compact in size which makes getting from attraction to attraction fairly easy.
See the imposing Hohensalzburg Fortress from all over the city
Here’s how we used our 48-hour pass:
Day 1
We started our Salzburg touring with the ever-impressive Hohensalzburg Fortress. This formidable structure sits high on a hill and guards the city. Entrance fee is 12,90 euros which includes use of the funicular, although you can walk the hill if you desire.
Back on city grounds, we walked through St. Peter’s cemetery and the catacombs (2 euros).
As we were making our way to the river, we passed by Mozart’s birthplace which is literally in the center of town between storefronts. The line wasn’t long, so we toured the house which would have cost 11 euros if we didn’t have the Salzburg Card.
A highlight of our trip was the Salzach River Cruise. We tend to gravitate toward leisurely boat cruises no matter what city we visit. This one, however, was included in the Salzburg Card. Regular cost is 15 euros.
We ended our afternoon at the Museum of Modern Art, but I wasn’t too impressed with this museum. I don’t think I would go again because I prefer Renaissance art over modern. We saved 8 euros for the museum and 3,80 euros for the lift to get there.
Walking amid the tombstones in St Peter’s Cemetary
The catacombs are built into the side of the rock mountain.
Day 2
Hellbrunn Palace and the Trick Fountains were the main attractions on our second day. Start by taking Bus 25 from Salzburg to ‘Schloss Helbrunn’. Remember that public transport is included in the Salzburg card, therefore, saving around 4 euros roundtrip.
Get your timed ticket for the Trick Fountains as soon as you reach Hellbrunn. Our time was near the opening, so we couldn’t tour the palace until after our fountain tour. One drawback of this was that it was still a little chilly at 10:30 am (even in June).
The palace tour includes an audioguide. I highly suggest getting this. Even my 8 year old likes to listen to the guides, but I think that’s because she doesn’t want to read about it!
Don’t forget to see The Sound of Music gazebo! Too bad it’s closed and you can’t go inside though. Can’t you just see people dancing around singing ’16 going on 17′?
Overall savings for using the Salzburg Card at Hellbrunn Palace is 12,50.
Visit Schloss Hellbrunn and the Trick Fountains
See The Sound of Music gazebo
We still had a couple of hours left on our pass when we returned to the city, so we made our way to the Domquartier.
The Domquartier is a complex of buildings from the time the prince-archbishops ruled the city. It encompasses the state rooms, the cathedral, and St. Peter’s Museum.
This truly was one of our Salzburg tour highlights. What’s more, is that it was relatively empty. No fighting among crowds of people.
Our Salzburg Card saved us 16 euros.
Salzburg Card savings
In total, we spent 82,20 euros (per adult) on our Salzburg sightseeing, when we only paid 38 euros for the card. Definitely a worthwhile investment.
Granted, we most likely would not have toured the modern art museum, but everything else was on the list.
One thing to note is that most museums and attractions close around 5 pm or 6 pm. Therefore, you need to start touring early in order to see more things.
I would have liked to see the toy museum or do the brewery tour, but we just didn’t have enough time. If we had an extra touring day, I definitely would buy the 72-hour pass.
Again, the Salzburg Card is definitely one of the better all-inclusive city passes we have bought. Plus, the price is relatively low compared to those in Vienna or Paris. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy it again. You can purchase it here:
Are you heading to Salzburg? What do you look forward most to seeing? Please let me know in the comments!
Traveling in Austria? Check out these other posts!
Is this your first international trip? Don’t forget to do these 11 things before you leave! Read through the international travel checklist to see if you have done them all.
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