Hop on Hop off Bus Tours in Salzburg

The sightseeing bus tour is one of the best things to do in Salzburg, as it offers a free route that you can organise as you like. The yellow line takes you to historic sites, castles, museums and churches. The blue line allows you to visit the German border and escape to the European Alps.

Activating the ticket is very easy, as it is activated automatically after the first use. Bear in mind that there are 24, 48 and 72 hour passes. Plan the stops and places you want to visit to make the most of your time

The Salzburg tourist bus is a very complete option, ideal if you want to plan a family activity or tour the city at your own pace with an audio guide in Spanish. You don't have to worry about anything, the bus drops you off and picks you up at the most interesting places. You are free to combine the blue route with the yellow route, a recommended option to tour the whole city if you plan to visit Salzburg in two days or more.

Recommended if... you want to get to know the city at your own pace, without rushing and without overly structured itineraries.

The Salzburg sightseeing bus is the best way to get around the city in a short time. You can travel on the blue line, which connects to the German border, or take the yellow line for a leisurely ride around the city.

Be careful not to take the wrong line, as the route is completely different. This is an ideal activity to optimise your time if you are visiting Salzburg in 1 day.

Yellow Line

The stops in order of departure and return are:

• Mirabell Square: Mirabell Palace, Mirabell Gardens, Mozarteum, Holy Trinity Church, Mozart Residence.
• Hanusch Square: Town Hall, Getreidegasse and Mozart's birthplace, Mönchsberg Mountain, Museum of Modern Art and House of Natural History.
• Herbert-von-Karajan Square: Horse Bath, Festival Halls, St. Peter's Monastery, Siegmund's Gate, Collegiate Church and Green Market.
• Leopoldskro Palace: Leopoldskron Palace and Lake Leopoldskron.
• Hellbrunn Palace: Hellbrunn Palace, Trick Fountains, Monatschloessl or Folklore Museum and Salzburg Zoo.
• Kleingmain: Gwandhaus, Frohnburg Palace, Freisaal Palace and Hellbrunn Avenue.
• Palace of Justice: Nonnberg Abbey, St. Erhard's Church, Cajetan Square and Church.
• Mozartsteg and Imbergstraße: Mozart Footbridge, Steingasse, Capuchin Hill and Monastery.
• St. Andrä: Mirabell Palace and Mirabell Gardens, University Mozarteum, Trinity Church and Mozart Residence.
• Central railway station: direct connections to Linz and Vienna, Tyrol and Vorarlberg and the Salzburg countryside. In addition, border station in the direction of Munich.
• Mirabellplatz: back to Salzburg.

Blue Line

The outward and return stops are:

• Mirabell Square: Mirabell Palace and Mirabell Gardens, Mozarteum University, Holy Trinity Church and Mozart's residence.
• Hellbrunn Palace: Hellbrunn Palace, Water Reservoir, Monatsschlössl, Volkskundemuseum and Hellbrunn Zoo.
• St. Leonhard Untersberg Railway: Untersberg Mountain.
• Old town Hallein square, the Celtic Museum, the Silent Night Museum, the parish church of Hallein and the Green Market.
• Pernerinsel of Hallein.
• The Worlds of Salzburg: mine show and visit to a Celtic village.
• Bad Dürrnberg Zinken Lifts: stop at the longest toboggan run in Salzburg Land, Gutrat ruins, Thürndl ruins.
• Obersalzberg: Obersalzberg and Eagle's Nest.
• Berchtesgaden market: stop in the city centre.
• Königssee: mountain slopes of Watzmann and Hagengebirge as well as the Königssee lake.
• Berchtesgaden salt mine.

The yellow tourist bus route has 11 stops, where you can hop on and off at your leisure. It is ideal if you want to go sightseeing or shopping in the city. I'll tell you about some of the stops:

Mirabell Palace and Gardens

Mirabell Palace is a historic building that I recommend you to visit, as it is free of charge.

The best tours of Salzburg will take you to see this emblematic space, whose gardens are very popular for their baroque architecture. Additionally, keep in mind that in this area you will also be able to visit:

• Mozarteum University: it is a very prestigious music school, which attracts people from all over the world. It has a concert hall, where sometimes the local orchestra performs live.
• Holy Trinity Church: the largest church in Salzburg's Old Town. It offers a viewing platform that operates day and night, with the best views of the city.
• Mozart's Residence: if you want to experience a tour of Mozart's house, the bus will drop you off right in the area. Nowadays it is a museum, where the most relevant objects of his career and personal life are kept.

Hanuschplatz

The next stop where you can get on or off is Hanusch Square, from here you can reach the Salzburg City Hall or the Old City Hall.

A building that has been in the city since the 14th century and was built in the rococo style, it's a busy place as it's close to the city's most important pedestrian street. Other places to visit in the surrounding area are:

• Mozart's birth house: it is different from the residence, as this is where he was born and spent his first years of life. It is the most famous house in Salzburg, easy to distinguish thanks to its yellow façade.
• Mönchsberg Mountain: it is an Austrian mountain that you can access from the historical centre. It has one of the most popular viewpoints in the city.
• Museum of Modern Art: it is located in the Mönchsberg mountain, it presents temporary and permanent exhibitions dating from the 20th and 21st century.
• Museum of Natural History: it is ideal if you visit Salzburg with your family, as it is an interactive museum where you can learn about science and visit a zoo.

Herbert-von-Karajan Square

Built in honour of the Austrian conductor Herbert-von-Karajan, this square offers access to concert halls and a horse-drawn carriage ride. Also nearby is St. Peter' s Abbey, the former cathedral of the city.

Leopoldskron Palace

Leopoldskron Palace is a Rococo building that will make you feel like you're in a scene from a period film, close to the old town. Once the residence of Leopold Anton Freiherr von Firmian and his family, it is now a hotel with a beautiful pond.

Hellbrunn Palace

Hellbrunn Palace is a baroque villa in the south of the city, ideal for the best photographs. It's also a great stop if you're looking for things to do in Salzburg with children, as you can take advantage of the water games or the Folk Museum.

Hellbrunn Zoo, with around 800 animals, is just across the street.

Kleingmain

Kleingmain is the best hiking route in Salzburg, for this walk I recommend you use GPS. It is one of the best places to stay in the city, as it is close to public transport stops and essential services for a comfortable journey.

From here you can visit the Frohnburg Palace, ideal if you are a fan of The Sound of Music, as several scenes from the film were filmed here. You can also stroll through Freisaal Castle, which has been preserved for years.

Palace of Justice

Better known as the Justizgebäude, this is an important site as it is **Salzburg'**s courthouse. You can't go inside, but it has a very striking old façade. It is located near Nonnberg Abbey, a monastery featured in the film The Sound of Music.

You can also take the opportunity to visit St. Erhard's Church, which was built in 1685 and has important historical details.

Mozartsteg and Imbergstraße

The Mozartsteg Bridge is another stop, surrounded by street art. You can also access the historic Steingasse district, which has a medieval feel and is very close to the river.

Imbergstraße is a passageway close to Mozartsteg and the river, here there are many traditional restaurants where you can try authentic Austrian food.

The blue route is available in several languages and makes around 11 stops. First you will visit impressive parts of Salzburg, as well as small villages on the outskirts. Afterwards you will head towards the Austrian-German border. I'll tell you about some of the stops:

St. leonhard Untersberg Railway

The St. Leonhard Untersberg Railway from where you can see the highest mountain in the Austrian Alps. You can also use the Untersberg cable car or Untersbergbahn GmbH, which operates until 5:00 p.m.

At the top you can eat in a restaurant above sea level, while enjoying the panoramic views.

Old Town Hallein

Hallein Old Town is one of the best places to stay on the border. Its facades are quite old, but safe. There is a Celtic museum and traditional restaurants nearby. It is also home to the Silent Night Museum in honour of Franz Xaver Gruber, who composed Silent Night.

You can visit at any time of the year, but I especially recommend visiting in winter. It is a very special activity if you are planning things to do in Salzburg in December.

Salzburg Worlds

In this area you'll see mining shows taking place just a few minutes from Salzburg. There are mines on display, which bring together more than 2,600 years of history. Additionally, there is a themed children's playground and a Celtic museum in the area that honours the Celtic peoples who lived in the mountains.

Bad Dürrnberg Zinken Lifts

The longest toboggan run in the region is located here, ideal if you're looking for things to do in Salzburg in winter. The best thing is that it's also available in summer, with other activities.

Here you can go hiking and visit the ruins of Thürndl and Grutat.

Berchtesgaden Market

Offers seasonal produce, plus special shows and exhibitions at Christmas. It has street food at the height of Austrian gastronomy.

Königssee

The Watzmann and Hagengebirge mountains are located in this area, where you can take a short boat ride. It's a quiet stop, ideal for relaxing and getting away from it all.

Berchtesgaden Salt Mines

The salt mines are located between Austria and Germany, and are one of the most iconic sites in the region. Discovered in 1517, they have been a must-see tourist attra ction ever since. You can explore the underground life, where you will find an impressive lake.

To secure your ticket, you can book online. However, you can also buy your pass when you arrive in the city. In low season it is no problem if you leave it to the last minute, however it is always preferable to buy it in advance.

This bus will allow you to enjoy the best things to do in Salzburg. Remember that if you need to cancel, you have a cancellation policy of up to 24 hours.

How to book step by step

• Click on the book button.
• Check availability, according to the number of people and dates chosen.
• Take a look at the available options that will appear on your screen, usually you can choose between 24, 48 and 72 hour tickets, as well as choose a single route or combine the blue and yellow line.
• Fill in the travellers' information, select your preferred language and make a note of your special requests.
• Make the payment and check the confirmation email with all the information.

The sightseeing bus is the best way to save money, as it takes you all over the city for one price. No matter how many times you get on or off, the fare is the same. Additionally, it's a great option if you're looking for things to do in Salzburg with kids, as they'll get to see the city in a comfortable and interactive way.

Another advantage is that you'll save a lot of time, plus you won't have to worry about planning. This is the best way to avoid the stress of organising tours in an unfamiliar city.

In addition, this type of transport is more comfortable, faster and safer, taking you to the main attractions. While it is advisable to wear comfortable shoes, you won't have to walk far.

The full tour without getting off the bus takes about an hour, but the length of the tour is up to you. You can start and end the tour wherever you like. However, to get the most out of your ticket, I suggest booking at least four hours to a day to use this service.

Remember that the sightseeing bus is ideal if you plan to tour the whole of Salzburg in 1 day, or even 2, as 24 and 48 hour options are available. Unlike other guided tours, you won't have to rely on a group or a timed itinerary.

Depending on which line you choose, you can see Salzburg's historic city centre, major palaces and castles, and cultural heritage sites. You can also head to the German border town on a round trip. And of course, you'll see many of the mountains, lakes, historic streets, churches and street markets that bring the city to life.

The cost of the Salzburg sightseeing bus can vary depending on the line chosen and the duration, there are 24 and 48 hour options. Tickets for the blue line can be found from 26 euros, while the yellow line can be found from 27 euros.

The sightseeing bus operates from **9.30am to 5.**00pm, so it's a great option for getting around the city. If you're looking for things to do in Salzburg at night, unfortunately the bus doesn't operate during these hours.

However, you can take advantage of the Salzburg Card to get unlimited rides on public transport, as well as access to fun activities. This is a very useful sightseeing card and you can get a lot out of it during your stay.

The Salzburg sightseeing bus offers 24, 48 or 72 hour passes, you can choose the most convenient depending on your stay and itinerary. The time limit starts to run from the first use, as you activate the bus card.

It is available in Spanish and approximately twelve other languages, as the entire route is guided by an audio guide in real time. You don't have to worry about keeping up with a group or guide, the stops are up to you.

Depending on the package you buy, you can visit Salzburg and the surrounding area, or get a combined tour. There are approximately 11 stops, but at each stop you can access several attractions.

During the tour you can enjoy the Sound of Magic channel, which will make you feel part of a tour of the Sound of Music in Salzburg, as it includes commentary from the locations of the musical film. Additionally, the bus has an open-air area on the first floor, as well as air-conditioning on the ground floor.

Please allow plenty of time, as in high season buses pass the designated bus stops every 30 minutes. In low season, on the other hand, they take about 45 minutes.

• Take a map of the city with you, in case you can't access the GPS.
• Plan the stops you want to make and the places you want to see.
• Connect to the bus WLAN, which is completely free of charge. It is a system that offers WiFi on board the bus.
• Avoid eating or drinking on the bus.