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Hire a car in Salzburg with Hertz
Is that the sound of music you can hear? Or The Sound of Music? For many, the Austrian city of Salzburg is indelibly associated with both – it’s not only the birthplace of Mozart, it’s the setting for one of Julie Andrews’ finest cinematic moments. Visit, however, and you’ll find that it’s so much more than a playground for two cultural icons.
With fun festivals, a fine fortress, sensational dining and access to the glorious landscape of Austria and Germany, car hire in Salzburg makes perfect sense. Take your pick of our vehicles and choose from compact city cars and family SUV’s, or something sportier to suit your tastes. With several locations, including one at Salzburg Airport W. A. Mozart, we’re conveniently located so you can soon be on your way to tour the sights, sounds and smells of this sublime corner of Austria.
Pickup locations in Salzburg
- Salzburg - Ferdinand Porsche-Strasse 7
- Salzburg Corporate Deliveries & Collections
- Salzburg Airport
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You can skip the counter once your membership is activated after your first rental. Available at select locations only.
Benefits from day one.
Join 
for free.
- Make travel feel golden with Hertz Gold+
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Skip the rental counter at selected locations – just head to your car and go. At selected US rental locations, you can also choose from a wider selection of cars, including exclusive vehicles for top-tier members.
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Earn free rental days with every booking. The more you rent, the faster you unlock elite status.* *Points are earned & redeemed on the base rental rate only. Taxes, fees, & options are excluded. Additional terms apply.
- Share the drive for free
Add your spouse or partner as an additional driver for free.
Driving in and around Salzburg
Key roads for navigating Salzburg
Salzburg is in the perfect setting. Tucked in close to the border with Germany, it mixes medieval buildings with Alpine charm – in a place where the air is so clean, that stepping out into it feels as rejuvenating as a spa break. It’s a relatively simple to navigate, with quiet traffic, well-maintained roads and ample connections. Some of the older areas can be a bit labyrinthine but take your time and admire your surroundings as you go.
There are some important driving rules to be aware of before you arrive in Austria. Throughout the country and mainland Europe you’ll need to drive on the right-hand side of the road, overtaking other cars on the left. All motorways in Austria are toll roads, and you’ll need to display a ‘vignette’ sticker on your windscreen to use them – our local branch staff can advise you on where to purchase them. Those roads are the quickest way to travel the country, with a top speed limit of 130km/h (80mph).
In the city itself, the top speed will be around 50km/h (31mph), and the centre is split into two by the Salzach River. Key roads for navigating Salzburg include the B150, which comes in from the south and crosses the river just east of Mozartplatz, and B1 which cuts east to west. If staying on the outskirts, parking is made easy with numerous park and ride schemes. Free parking in the centre is harder to find, and usually you’re best advised to buy a ticket in the ‘Kurparkzone’ areas.
If you’re planning to explore more of this part of Europe, the A1 will whisk you to Vienna and the A8 takes you to Germany and Munich. Graz makes for a lovely day trip and is three hours away on the A1 and A9. Here you can find admirable Renaissance and Baroque touches and intriguing museums.
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A quick guide to Salzburg
On the ramparts
Leave the car behind to visit the Festung Hohensalzburg – the city’s iconic fortress. Situated in the heart of the city, this castle has sat on top of its cliff for over 900 years, and you can walk the ramparts before heading inside. It’s more than worth it, with the gold-covered ceiling and Gothic columns of the Golden Hall among the highlights. Some of the puppets veer towards the creepy in the Marionette Museum, but overall you get a wonderfully clear picture of the past. Time your visit right and you can take part in a Mozart recital here – there’s no better place for it.
Baroque and roll
There are numerous good reasons why much of Salzburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s dotted with palaces, churches and squares adorned with baroque flourishes. The epicentre is Residenzplatz, the much-photographed square complete with a palace and, to maintain the sense of the past, horse-drawn carriages. There’s a visible Italian influence here – no surprise that the architect was Italian – and a vast and impressive marble fountain at its centre.
The houses of the city all have a story to tell. In Getriedegasse you can visit Mozart’s birthplace, now a museum full of vintage artefacts. Schloss Leopoldskron featured heavily in A Sound of Music, and thus is a place of pilgrimage for fans of the film. It dates from 1736, and its setting is particularly sublime, the palace is reflected almost perfectly in the pond it stands next to. You can now stay here, soaking in the history and regal atmosphere.
Even more impressive is Schloss Mirabell, with an over-the-top interior that you can visit for free. Here you can walk the gardens where Maria famously sung Do-Re-Mi or tour the grand hall where Mozart made many of his masterpieces.
Alpine cuisine
Much of Salzburg’s dining scene is reassuringly traditional, with the kind of grand old European café you expect – and want – to see in abundance. For a true taste of the past go to Stiftskeller St. Peter, the oldest and most venerable restaurant in city, and one packed with history. How old? Try 1200 years – Charlemagne ate here in 803, Mozart later, making it perhaps the oldest in all of Europe.
The renowned wine cellar runs to over 16,000 bottles and tradition is mixed with elements of the new in their menu. Saddle of fawn is served with plum and curd, pike perch with sweet potato. The Wiener Schnitzel is exemplary and a dessert of yeast pancakes with sour cream and elderflower is a Bohemian classic. You almost expect the Von Trapp family to pull up some chairs at the table next to you.
Tradition touched with modernity is the story of this entire city, and Salzburg car hire is the key to your Alpine adventure.
FAQs about car hire
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