Car Hire in Salzburg

About Salzburg

Salzburg is considered one of the most important cultural capitals in the world, and the old town has been declared a World Heritage Site. This is also the reason why, besides Mozart's balls, cultural events, museums, and stunning architecture are the first association most people have with the thought of Salzburg. The city lies near the border with Germany, just north of the Alps and at 425 meters above sea level.

Basic info and car hire in Salzburg

• Location: Northwest Austria.
• Population: 152,367
• Official language: German
• Currency: Euro
• Weather: The climate in Salzburg is temperate continental, with cold winters and warm summers. 
• Holidays in Salzburg: Salzburg is world-famous as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the original Mozartkugeln are made here, many festivals take place, you will be fascinated by the architecture and enchanted by nature. 
• Internet coverage: Hotels, bars, restaurants, and cafés offer Wi-Fi.
• Road conditions:  Austria is a highly developed and stable country, with an excellent network of roads.
• Car hire in Salzburg:  With a car hire in Salzburg, you can explore the natural surroundings of Mozart's city. The city is close to Austria's lake district, where you can hike, swim and enjoy magnificent views in the summer. The most popular location to pick up a car hire in Salzburg is at the airport. 

 Driving in Salzburg

Right-hand traffic and compulsory wearing of seat belts in the front and rear seats. You need an international driving license to drive in Austria, but if you are in the country for more than six months you'll need to get an Austrian license. As in most western countries, drink driving is illegal and the penalties are substantial. The minimum fine is around 360 euros and the loss of your driving license. The maximum blood alcohol level is 0.05.

When renting a car, read the fine print in the contract about where you are allowed to take the car. Many rental companies prohibit drivers from taking rental cars to Eastern European countries. If you do this anyway and get caught, the consequences are extreme. Speed limits are 30 to 50km/h inside built-up areas, 100km/h outside built-up areas, and 130km/h on motorways. 

In winter, roads in alpine areas can become dangerous due to snow, ice, and avalanches. Some mountain roads may be closed for extended periods. Between November 1 and April 15, the use of winter tires is mandatory. All-season tires meet the requirements if they are marked M S and have at least 4 mm of the tread. In addition, the local police may prescribe snow chains during or after heavy snowfall.

• Age limits: The minimum age to drive a car in Austria is 18 years. However, most car rental companies require you to be at least 21 to rent a car and at least 25 years to avoid paying an additional young driver fee. 
• International Driving Permit:  Yes, if you are a non-EU license holder.  
• Additional papers: Identification(passport), a valid driving license, and valid proof of insurance. (It is advisable to buy insurance at the car hire agency in case your policy doesn't cover you while driving in Austria)  
• Additional requirements: Reflective jackets (in case of breakdown on all main routes), warning triangle, first aid kit, headlight deflectors (depending on the vehicle, you will either need deflector stickers or have to adjust the light beam manually).  
• Children in the car:   If you are travelling with children under 12 or less than 135cm tall, you are required by law to have a child seat in your car. If you do not have your own, most car rental companies will provide one for a fee. However, it is advisable to request such a seat before collecting the vehicle, otherwise one may not always be available.
• Driving side of the road: Right
• Lights: Check that all lights are working, clean, and correctly aimed. 
• General speed limits: Speed limits are 30 to 50km/h inside built-up areas, 100km/h outside built-up areas, and 130km/h on motorways.  
• Parking suggestions: Be careful where you park in Salzburg. Signage can be unclear and even if you think you are parking legally where other cars are, it could be a bus lane or restricted area. 

What to see in Salzburg

Salzburg's Old Town is a landmark that every visitor to Salzburg visits, whether they spend a few days or just a few hours in the city. Along the Salzach river, which you can cross over one of the many bridges (for couples there is also the "bridge of lovers" Makartsteg with its famous locks), you will find the Old Town, which will enchant you the most when you visit it for the first time in the evening when decorated shop windows and Christmas decorations give it a special charm.

Do not use a map to walk through Salzburg's old town, but let your imagination run wild in the many squares where Christmas markets are held and in the narrow streets where you can hear the music of street musicians and which are lit up by abundantly lined shop windows and Christmas lights.

One of its hallmarks towers over Salzburg - the mighty Hohensalzburg Fortress. It is the largest completely preserved fortress in Central Europe and dates back to the 11th century. It stands on the small hill Festungsberg and at the same time can probably be seen on every postcard of the city of Salzburg. Most visitors reach the fortress by cable car, which allows you to replace the hustle and bustle of the city with a quiet sit on the castle walls and a view of all of Salzburg. Hohensalzburg is also a popular destination for photographers, who can take beautiful panoramic pictures from the walls both during the day and in the evening.

Practically only the Salzach and a row of houses separate Mozart's birthplace in the Old Town and his later residence. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on 27 January 1756 in his birthplace in the famous Getreidegasse. His birth has left its mark on the city of Salzburg forever, as his image can be found everywhere today.

The house where Mozart was born houses numerous documents and portraits of the Mozart family, as well as Mozart's instruments on which he played music from an early age. In one of the rooms, visitors have the opportunity to sit on a couch in a secluded space and listen to Mozart's compositions.

Red Bull Hangar-7: The entire museum is housed in a large hangar that houses Red Bull Formula 1 cars, helicopters, planes, motorcycles, and even a Felix Baumgartner "capsule" and equipment from his famous jump from space. If you are a little luckier than us, you can see the entire hangar from the panoramic glass-floored bar located at the top of the hangar.