Vienna to Salzburg by car: route, roadworks, parking

From Vienna's main station you head west out of the city, stay on the A1 past St. Pölten and Linz, and leave it at one of the Salzburg exits. On OpenStreetMap data that is about 295 km. At a steady 130 km/h, the 280 km of A1 alone take a little over two hours, before city driving, roadworks and traffic.

Two ways out of Vienna

The most direct way runs west through the city along the Wien river on the B1 to Auhof, where the A1 begins. That is about 11 km of city driving. The other way goes south to the Vösendorf junction and takes the A21 for 38 km through the Vienna Woods, joining the A1 at Steinhäusl. On OpenStreetMap data it is roughly 10 to 15 km longer, but almost all motorway.

When two apps disagree, first check whether one has taken the A21 and the other the B1. After Steinhäusl both share the A1 past St. Pölten, Linz and the Mondsee to Salzburg. Near the Attersee, between Regau and Seewalchen, the A1 is known for sudden fog on autumn and winter mornings.

Speed limits

Between Enns and the Linz area, roughly km 156 to 168, Upper Austria runs an air-quality limit in both directions. When measured nitrogen dioxide passes a threshold, overhead signs switch from 130 to 100 km/h with an IG-L panel. Battery-electric and hydrogen cars with Austrian green-lettered plates are exempt where signs say so. Plug-in hybrids and electric cars registered abroad are not.

Through Salzburg, between Salzburg Nord and Wals-Siezenheim (about 10 km), the limit is 100 km/h. Austria's 110 km/h night limit doesn't apply on the A1, though roadworks and overhead signs can set lower limits at any hour.

Roadworks this autumn

The two largest A1 projects this autumn are in Lower Austria. Dates can move, so check ASFINAG's roadworks map on the day.

Vignette

You need an Austrian vignette as far as Salzburg Nord. The short A1 stretch west of it, towards the city exits and the German border, is free. A same-day return is covered by the €9.60 digital 1-day vignette (2026, checked 26 September 2026); other options, and the 18-day wait for online annual ones, are in our vignette guide.

Arriving in Salzburg

The A1 exits nearest the city are Salzburg Nord, Messezentrum and Salzburg Mitte. The station is north of the old town.

Neutor closed until about March 2027

Since 14 September 2026 the Neutor tunnel through the Mönchsberg has been closed to all motor traffic, buses included, for work on the festival houses. The city expects this phase to last until about the end of March 2027, followed by single-lane traffic until August 2030. The old-town garages stay reachable from the Maxglan side.

Parking

For a day visit, P+R Messe at the Messezentrum exit has 3,000 spaces, with trolleybus lines 1 and 8 into town (both diverted until 30 April 2027 because of the Neutor closure). Its combined ticket, sold only at the machine, costs €15.00 per car and covers parking plus travel in fare zone S until midnight for up to five people (Salzburg AG, shown on 26 September 2026).

In the old town, the main public garage is the Altstadtgarage inside the Mönchsberg. Short-stay street parking costs €2.20 per hour, Monday to Friday 9:00 to 19:00, for up to three hours. On Saturdays it is free, but from 9:00 to 16:00 only for up to three hours with a parking disc (city prices shown on 26 September 2026).

By train instead

ÖBB runs direct trains from Vienna's main station to Salzburg twice an hour, and the fastest take about 2 hours 25 minutes (timetable for a late-September 2026 weekday). WESTbahn leaves Westbahnhof every 30 minutes for most of the day and takes about 2 hours 30 minutes. In its autumn timetable a few departures end at Linz or Wels, so check that yours goes through.

Checklist

• A vignette valid on your travel day (online 2-month and annual ones start on the 18th day).
• ASFINAG's roadworks map for Haag to St. Valentin and St. Pölten.
• Plug-in hybrid, or an electric car registered abroad? The 100 km/h signs near Linz apply to you.
• Your way into Salzburg: P+R Messe, or the old-town garages via Maxglan while the Neutor is closed.
• From 1 November to 15 April, winter tyres whenever roads are wintry; see the winter driving rules.
• Live times from Mapssy before you leave, and a look at whether your app picked the B1 or the A21.