How do I get from the airport to Salzburg?

Salzburg's W.A. Mozart Airport (SZG) sits about 5.5 km west of the Altstadt. It's small. One terminal, one baggage carousel for most flights, and a bus stop visible the moment you step through the sliding doors into cool alpine air. Trolleybus Line 2 runs from that stop into the city center in about 20 minutes, with departures roughly every 10-20 minutes between 5:30am and 11pm. A single ticket costs €2.20 ($2.50) from the ticket machine at the stop or from the driver. That's your default for under €3. Stay on past Hauptbahnhof if your hotel is closer to the Altstadt. The trolleybus hums along overhead wires through Maxglan, and as it crosses the Salzach you'll likely catch your first look at Hohensalzburg Fortress on the hillside above.

Taxis wait in a small rank directly outside the terminal. The metered fare to hotels near Mozartplatz or around Mirabell tends to land between €15 and €20 ($17-23), and the ride takes roughly 15 minutes. Austrian taxis are metered by regulation, so you won't need to negotiate. Tipping 5-10% is standard but not expected. Uber has limited coverage in Salzburg, so don't rely on it at SZG. If you're arriving after the last Line 2 departure around 11pm, the taxi rank is the clear choice. To be fair, the gap between bus fare and a taxi might not matter much if you're hauling luggage after a long flight.

SZG is one of the smallest international airports you'll see in central Europe. On a quiet afternoon, you might walk from the gate to the bus stop in under 5 minutes, past the smell of espresso from the cafe near arrivals. Don't bother with pre-booked private transfers. Paying €40-60 for a shuttle over that distance makes no sense when Line 2 follows the same route. If you're picking up a Salzburg Card (currently around €30 for 24 hours), it covers all local transit including the airport trolleybus, so your first ride is already paid for. For winter arrivals between November and March, the bus shelter keeps the rain off, but the short sidewalk to the stop can get slick with ice on the stone pavers.

If you're heading onward to Berchtesgaden, Hallstatt, or the Salzkammergut lakes, SZG has rental desks from Europcar, Sixt, and Hertz in the arrivals hall. The A10 motorway south starts about 3 km from the terminal. For Salzburg itself, you won't want a car. The Altstadt is a pedestrian zone, parking runs €15-25 per day at garages like the Altstadtgarage under Mönchsberg, and Line 2 plus walking from Hauptbahnhof will cover every first-visit stop.