A Comprehensive Guide about Living in Salzburg

Life in Salzburg

Culture and Leisure

Known as the city of Mozart, Salzburg is famed for its love of art and music, and has over 50 galleries and numerous theaters to visit once you’ve set up home.

Many expatriates who plan to live in Salzburg are no doubt further attracted to the city for its close proximity to the breathtaking Central Eastern Alps, and the potential for adrenalin-fueled weekends on the slopes. There are numerous ski resorts in the area that can be reached in under an hour from the city center, meaning that skiing and snowboarding can be your new sports of choice.

Ski resorts are also a brilliant way to socialize with other like-minded expatriates who are enjoying life in Salzburg. When settling in to a new city abroad, it can be helpful to meet other expats to show you around, advise you on the local dialect and, for those in Austria, give you a few tips to improve your form on the Pisten.

With Germany just a short distance away from Salzburg you could also meet fellow expats across the border to show you around Munich. Trains run from the city center every 60 minutes and the journey only takes an hour and a half. Alternatively, if you want to experience the hustle and bustle of Austria’s capital, you can, for example, travel by rail to Vienna in under 3 hours.

Transportation in Salzburg

Salzburg is well known for being incredibly environmentally friendly; renewable energy makes up 70% of the country’s total energy consumption, which is an impressive figure. In keeping with this, Salzburg prides itself on its eco-friendly methods of transport. Many people get around the city by bicycle rather than car in order to reduce fuel emissions, and since the city is connected by a large bicycle path network, you can rest assured that cycling your way around is incredibly safe, not to mention scenic.

Another popular transport method is the trolleybus system, which is powered by overhead electrical cables. Salzburg boasts the largest trolleybus system in all of Western Europe, and carries millions of passengers each year. Routes cover the entire city and you shouldn’t have to wait more than 10 minutes for a bus at your chosen stop. It is the ideal method of transport for your daily commute to work, or for initial sightseeing when you first arrive and want to get to know the city.

Education in Salzburg

Salzburg is known as a center of education, and has a number of excellent schools to choose from. Notably, there are several international schools in the city, including the American International School Salzburg (AIS Salzburg), and St Gilgen International School. The city is also home to three universities – the University of Salzburg, which is a public institution, the Mozarteum Univeristy of Salzburg, which is a private music college, and the Alma Mater Europaea, which is also private.