Salzburg has begun enforcing a summer ban on visitors driving into its historic centre, adopting a policy modelled by other European cities struggling with overtourism and traffic congestion. The restrictions, in place for July and August, aim to reduce vehicle entries by 1,000 per day, according to local authorities.
Details of the Ban
The ban applies to drivers from outside the Salzburg region entering the city's old town, specifically the area around the Staatsbrücke (state bridge) spanning the Salzach River. Patrolling police officers will impose fines of up to €80 on violators. The measure is part of the "less traffic, more city" campaign to combat gridlock.
Exceptions are granted to commuters, delivery vehicles, taxis, rental cars, disabled visitors, and hotel guests with reservation confirmations in the restricted zone. German motorists from neighbouring Bavarian areas of Berchtesgaden and Bad Reichenhall are also exempted.
Mayor's Justification
"We don't want chaotic traffic situations like we saw last year," said Mayor Bernhard Auinger, announcing the measure in May. "It is aimed at day trippers who travel by car from farther afield. It is important to me that residents of the central Salzburg area and business-related traffic are not affected by this." Auinger added that tourists would also benefit: "It's certainly much better than spending hours stuck in traffic. And it also makes life a lot easier for the people who live and work in the city of Salzburg."
The mayor noted that mounting complaints from residents about summer traffic prompted action. "We basically allowed tourists to drive into our sitting room," he told the news website Salzburg24.
Impact and Alternatives
To encourage compliance, park-and-ride facilities offer a day ticket including local public transport for up to five people for €7.50 (£6.45). Salzburg, with over 158,000 residents, records more than 3 million overnight stays annually. Last year's 60th anniversary celebrations of The Sound of Music, filmed in the region, spurred an extra tourist boom.
Heidi Strobl of the local tourism board said Salzburg's policy, approved by the city council in May, drew inspiration from limited traffic zones in Italian cities like Rome, Florence, and Pisa, as well as a ban in Dubrovnik, Croatia, which faced similar overtourism issues. Salzburg's historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
