All vehicles using Austrian motorways and expressways must display a valid vignette (toll sticker). Since 2018, a digital vignette (Digitale Vignette) is available — no physical sticker needed. Driving without a vignette carries fines from €120 on the spot up to €3,000 in court proceedings. A 10-day digital vignette costs approximately €10. This catches tourists arriving from Munich (A1) or from Italy via the Tauern motorway (A10). Cameras automatically scan license plates on motorways.

All Austrian motorways (Autobahn) and expressways (Schnellstraße) — especially the A1 from Munich/Linz and A10 Tauern motorway from Italy/Villach. Not required on regular roads within Salzburg city.

ASFINAG (Autobahnen- und Schnellstraßen-Finanzierungs-Aktiengesellschaft) toll regulations; Austrian Federal Highways Toll Act.

Austria banned smoking in all restaurants, bars, and cafés since November 2019 — one of the last EU countries to do so after years of political debate. Fines for smoking in prohibited areas range from €200 to €1,000 for individuals. No smoking on public transport, at transport stops, or in any enclosed public space. Salzburg's historic cafés (Café Tomaselli, Café Fingerlos) that once allowed smoking are now completely smoke-free. E-cigarettes and vaping are subject to the same restrictions in most venues.

All enclosed public spaces — restaurants, bars, cafés, public transport, transport stops, shopping centers, and all indoor venues across Salzburg.

Austrian Tobacco and Non-Smokers' Protection Act (Tabak- und Nichtraucherinnen- bzw. Nichtraucherschutzgesetz, TNRSG), effective November 2019.

Salzburg's entire Old Town (Altstadt) has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Climbing on monuments, walls, fountains, or the Festung Hohensalzburg fortress walls is prohibited. Graffiti and vandalism carry fines of €100-€500 under Austrian cultural heritage law. The Old Town's Baroque architecture is meticulously maintained — even building owners need special permission for exterior changes. Littering, loud music from portable speakers, and disrespectful behavior in this historic area are increasingly enforced as tourist numbers grow.

Salzburg Old Town (Altstadt) — Getreidegasse, Residenzplatz, Domplatz, Festung Hohensalzburg, Kapitelplatz, and all streets within the UNESCO-designated zone.

Austrian Cultural Heritage Protection Law (Denkmalschutzgesetz); UNESCO World Heritage Site management regulations for Salzburg.

Austrian quiet hours (Ruhezeiten) are strictly enforced and taken very seriously: 10 PM to 6 AM on weeknights, 10 PM to 8 AM on weekends. Additionally, all-day quiet applies on Sundays and public holidays — no loud activities, construction, or mowing. Some areas enforce a midday quiet period (12 PM-2 PM). Neighbors will call the police if noise rules are violated, and Austrian police respond quickly to noise complaints. Fines range from €100 to €500. Airbnb guests are particularly targeted after complaints from residents about tourist noise.

All residential areas, hotels, Airbnbs, and holiday apartments across Salzburg — especially the Old Town and residential areas near Linzergasse and Nonntal.

Austrian noise protection regulations (Immissionsschutzgesetz); Salzburg municipal noise ordinances (Salzburger Polizeistrafgesetz).

Salzburg aggressively enforces parking regulations. Short-term parking zones (Kurzparkzonen) require parking tickets displayed on the dashboard. The entire Old Town area and surrounding districts are paid parking zones on weekdays. Fines start at €30 for minor violations and go up to €450 for serious parking offenses (blocking emergency access, parking in disabled spaces without authorization, etc.). Parking enforcement officers patrol constantly and issue tickets within minutes. Many tourists with rental cars get fined on their first day.

Old Town and surrounding areas — most of central Salzburg is a Kurzparkzone on weekdays. Check blue zone signs for specific hours, time limits, and tariffs.

Salzburg municipal parking regulations; Austrian Road Traffic Act parking provisions.

Austria actively enforces jaywalking laws, and Salzburg is no exception. Police issue on-the-spot fines of approximately €140 for crossing on red or outside designated crosswalks. Unlike many countries where jaywalking is tolerated, Austrian pedestrians patiently wait at empty roads for the green signal. This is the #1 surprise fine for tourists — especially those from countries where jaywalking is normal. Plain-clothes officers specifically patrol tourist areas around Getreidegasse and the Old Town.

All streets across Salzburg, with enforcement concentrated around the Old Town (Altstadt), Getreidegasse, Linzergasse, and Staatsbrücke bridge crossings.

Austrian Road Traffic Regulations (Straßenverkehrsordnung, StVO §76); pedestrian crossing rules.

Salzburg's OBUS trolleybuses and regular buses operate on a semi-honor system — you're expected to have a valid ticket before boarding. Plain-clothes inspectors conduct regular checks and issue on-the-spot fines of approximately €105 for passengers without valid tickets. The Salzburg Card (available for 24, 48, or 72 hours) includes unlimited public transport plus free entry to major attractions — excellent value for tourists. Single tickets can be bought from machines at major stops, on the bus (more expensive), or via the Salzburg Verkehr app.

All OBUS trolleybus lines and regular bus routes operated by Salzburg AG throughout the Salzburg metropolitan area.

Salzburg AG (Salzburger Lokalbahnen) public transport fare policy and inspection regulations.

Salzburg is introducing camera-controlled traffic restriction zones in the Old Town area starting in 2026. Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will monitor vehicle access to restricted zones, with only authorized vehicles (residents, deliveries, taxis) permitted during restricted hours. Details and fine amounts are still being finalized, but similar systems in other Austrian cities carry fines of €100-€300. This is part of Salzburg's effort to reduce traffic congestion and pollution in the UNESCO-listed Old Town. Tourists driving rental cars into these zones will be automatically fined.

Salzburg Old Town (Altstadt) — specific zones and restricted hours to be announced. Expected to cover areas around Getreidegasse, Residenzplatz, and surrounding streets.

Salzburg municipal traffic planning announcements 2025-2026; Austrian Road Traffic Act camera monitoring provisions.

Many Sound of Music filming locations are on private property, and trespassing is taken seriously in Austria. The original Trapp family villa (Villa Trapp) is now a hotel — you can visit by booking a meal or stay, but you cannot simply walk in. Leopoldskron Palace (used for exterior lakeside scenes) is a private conference center with no public access. The famous gazebo where 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen' was filmed was moved to Hellbrunn Palace gardens, where it is freely accessible. Organized Sound of Music tours are the best way to see all locations legally. Approximately 300,000 visitors per year take these tours.

Leopoldskron Palace (private — no access), Villa Trapp (now Hotel Villa Trapp — restaurant open to public), Nonnberg Abbey (limited access), Mirabell Gardens (public), Hellbrunn Palace gazebo (public — free access).

Salzburg tourism office (Tourismus Salzburg); private property laws under Austrian Civil Code (ABGB).

All recreational drugs including cannabis are illegal in Austria. Unlike neighboring Germany which legalized personal cannabis use in 2024, Austria maintains strict drug laws. Possession of even small amounts of cannabis leads to criminal proceedings — while first-time offenders with small quantities may receive diversion (therapy instead of prosecution), this is at the prosecutor's discretion, not a right. Harder drugs carry mandatory prison sentences of up to 5 years for possession and up to 20 years for trafficking. Police drug checks do occur in nightlife areas and at festivals.

All of Austria — police checks common in nightlife areas, at festivals (especially during Salzburg Festival), and at border crossings from Germany and Czech Republic.

Austrian Narcotic Substances Act (Suchtmittelgesetz, SMG); Austrian Penal Code.

Salzburg charges a tourist tax (Ortstaxe) of approximately €2-€3 per person per night, depending on the accommodation category. Hotels, guesthouses, hostels, and Airbnb/holiday rentals all collect this tax. It is added to your accommodation bill and funds local tourism infrastructure. Children under 15 are usually exempt. The tax applies for stays up to a maximum duration (typically 2 weeks).

All accommodation in Salzburg — hotels, hostels, B&Bs, Airbnbs, and holiday apartments throughout the city and surrounding area.

Salzburg Provincial Tourist Tax Regulation (Salzburger Ortstaxengesetz).

Salzburg Cathedral (Dom) and other churches enforce a strict dress code — covered shoulders and knees are required for entry. Salzburg Cathedral is one of Austria's most important Baroque churches and a major tourist attraction. Entry will be denied without appropriate clothing. This also applies to Nonnberg Abbey (famous from Sound of Music), St. Peter's Abbey, and the Franziskanerkirche. Even in summer heat, shorts, tank tops, and sleeveless tops will get you turned away. Some churches provide shawls at the entrance, but don't count on it.

Salzburg Cathedral (Dom zu Salzburg), Nonnberg Abbey, Stift St. Peter, Franziskanerkirche, Kollegienkirche, and all churches across Salzburg.

Archdiocese of Salzburg visitor regulations; individual church entry requirements.

Public drinking is legal in Austria — there is no general public drinking ban. Enjoying beer in outdoor beer gardens, along the Salzach River, or at outdoor festivals is a deeply embedded part of Austrian culture. Salzburg's Augustiner Bräustübl — one of Europe's largest beer halls — is a must-visit where you fill your own stone mug from wooden barrels. Stiegl is the local Salzburg brewery. Being drunk and disorderly is still an offense (Anstandsverletzung), but casual social drinking in public spaces is perfectly normal and culturally expected.

All public spaces — parks, Salzach River banks, Kapitelplatz, Mirabell Gardens (discretely), beer gardens, and festival areas throughout Salzburg.

Austrian public order law — no public drinking prohibition exists; Austrian Civil Code on public behavior (Anstandsverletzung).

Most shops in Austria are closed on Sundays and public holidays — this is law, not custom. Only gas stations, some bakeries, shops at Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (main train station), the airport, and a few tourist-oriented shops in Getreidegasse have Sunday exceptions. Supermarkets are completely closed. Austria has 13 public holidays per year, and shops close for all of them. Restaurants, cafés, and museums are open normally on Sundays. This catches many tourists off guard, especially those arriving on weekends who need essentials.

All of Salzburg and Austria — nearly all retail shops are closed on Sundays and the 13 Austrian public holidays.

Austrian Shop Opening Hours Act (Öffnungszeitengesetz, ÖffnungsZG).

Hallstatt, the UNESCO-listed fairy-tale village an hour from Salzburg, has introduced visitor management measures due to extreme overtourism. The village of only ~780 residents receives over 1 million visitors per year. Bus tourism is now regulated — tour buses must pre-register and can only stop for limited times. The village has installed barriers to control pedestrian flow during peak hours. While there are no fines for individual tourists yet, access restrictions are in place and may tighten further. Arriving early (before 10 AM) or late afternoon avoids the worst crowds.

Hallstatt village — approximately 75km southeast of Salzburg, accessible by car, bus, or train+ferry.

Hallstatt municipal tourism management plan; UNESCO World Heritage Site Hallstatt-Dachstein visitor guidelines.