Red Bull Arena Salzburg away guide

For a European away game at the Red Bull Arena, fly to Salzburg Airport in winter (direct from Gatwick and, in season, Manchester) or use Munich as your year-round hub and cross by bus or train in about 90 minutes (Rome2Rio). The ground is in Wals-Siezenheim, 4.5 km west of the old town. Away fans sit in the South Stand at the southern goal end (The Stadium Guide).

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

The catch with Salzburg is that its own airport (SZG) is heavily ski-seasonal: the direct UK routes mostly run December to April, so whether flying direct is even an option depends on your match date. When it runs it is the quickest way in. Outside that window, or for a cheaper year-round fare, the play is to fly to Munich (MUC) as your hub and cross to Salzburg by direct Flixbus or by train, roughly 90 minutes to 2 hours 35 (Salzburg Airport seasonal, FlightsFrom LHR-SZG, FlixBus Munich Airport-Salzburg). Costs are rough return estimates.

Getting there from the airport

Salzburg Airport (W.A. Mozart, SZG) sits roughly 6 miles from the Red Bull Arena (Rome2Rio). A common public-transport routing is a bus onto a connecting service to the Kleßheim / Red Bull Arena stop, around 28 minutes (Rome2Rio). A taxi covers it in about 15 minutes.

If you fly into Munich instead, take a Flixbus or regional train to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (roughly 90 minutes to 2 hours) and then pick up the local transport below (Rome2Rio).

Getting there from the centre and main station

From Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, take O-Bus (trolleybus) line 1 towards Kleßheim Kavalierhaus. The ride is about 30 minutes and buses run roughly every 20 minutes (The Stadium Guide). Lines 1 and 28 both run from the Hauptbahnhof towards the arena; alight at the 'Kleßheimer Allee' stop (Salzburg Info).

By rail, S-Bahn line S3 runs from Salzburg Hbf to 'Salzburg Taxham Europark', the nearest station, from where it is a short walk to the ground via an underpass (Football Stadiums). The stadium is in Wals-Siezenheim in the far west of the city, next to the Europark shopping mall, about 4.5 km from the historic centre (The Stadium Guide).

Free matchday travel

A valid match ticket doubles as a free public-transport pass across the Salzburg regional network, valid from 6 hours before kick-off until the last service of the day (The Stadium Guide). Keep the ticket on you and there is no need to buy separate bus or S-Bahn fares to reach the ground. The free coverage includes the whole Salzburg province network, plus Freilassing station on line S3 and corridor traffic through the Kleines Deutsches Eck (line 260) (Salzburg Info).

Where to stay

Base yourself in or near the Altstadt (old town). It is compact, walkable, close to the sights and directly on O-Bus line 1 for the ground (The Stadium Guide). The area around the Hauptbahnhof is handy for the airport bus and cheaper hotels, though it is worth being sensible around the station late at night (Travel Safe Abroad). The stadium site itself is isolated with little around it, so there is no reason to stay out west near the arena.

Away section and entry

Away supporters are housed in the South Stand. When booking, choose the sector marked 'Gästesektor' on the club's online seating plan (Red Bull Salzburg). The visitor allocation is at the southern goal end: sections 26 and 27 in the lower tier near the south-west corner, with section 28 above in the upper tier (The Stadium Guide). Upper-stand capacity was cut from 2018-19 to tighten the domestic crowd, which brings the Bundesliga capacity to around 17,218; for a European night the ground opens back up to its full 30,188 (Wikipedia).

Driving and parking

The arena is directly next to the A1 motorway. Leave at the 'Kleßheim' exit, roughly 4.5 km west of the centre (The Stadium Guide). The ground offers around 2,000 parking spaces, more than any other Austrian stadium (Salzburg Info).

Where to drink

There is next to nothing to drink around the isolated stadium, so do your drinking in the old town and travel out on line 1. A half-litre (a Krügerl) runs roughly €4 to €5.50 in central bars, less at the brewery taverns (estimate).

• Augustiner Bräustübl (Mülln): Austria's largest beer hall, monastery-brewed beer poured from wooden barrels into stone steins, huge shaded beer garden, food stalls in the Schmankerlgang arcade. A half-litre is among the cheapest in town. A 15-minute riverside walk from the old town and the standout pre-match stop (Salzburg Info).
• Stiegl-Keller: Big traditional beer hall below the fortress with terrace views over the rooftops, brewery of Salzburg's own Stiegl, hearty Austrian plates (Salt and Pepper Travel).
• Die Weisse (Salzburger Weissbierbrauerei): Local wheat-beer brewery and pub a little out from the centre, relaxed, popular with locals and a good spot to settle in (Salt and Pepper Travel).
• Murauer Bierhaus / old-town beer bars around Rudolfskai: The Rudolfskai strip along the river is the main nightlife run, lively and busy on a matchday but touristy and pricier (Salt and Pepper Travel).
• 220 Grad: Well-regarded coffee house if you want a quieter, non-beer base before heading out.

Salzburg is calm and there is no real no-go zone, but the Rudolfskai bars get rowdy late and alcohol-fuelled squabbles are the most likely bother; keep it low-key in colours and be sensible around the Hauptbahnhof after dark (Travel Safe Abroad).

Where to eat

• Balkan Grill Walter (Getreidegasse 33): The home of the Bosna, Salzburg's own spicy sausage in a griddled roll with onions, mustard and curry powder. Tiny, cash-friendly, quick and cheap. The essential street-food stop (Free Walking Tours Salzburg).
• St. Peter Stiftskulinarium: Inside St Peter's Abbey and among the oldest restaurants in Europe, traditional Austrian cooking in a genuinely historic setting; the sit-down splurge (GetYourGuide).
• Meissl & Schadn: Known locally as the specialist for a proper Wiener Schnitzel, prepared in an open kitchen at the end of Getreidegasse (GetYourGuide).
• Zum fidelen Affen: Long-running, informal Austrian tavern near the Staatsbrücke, good-value schnitzel, dumplings and stews, book ahead (Salt and Pepper Travel).
• Augustiner Bräustübl food stalls: The Schmankerlgang arcade sells roast pork, pretzels, roast chicken and sausages to eat with your beer, cheap and filling (Salzburg Info).

Local dishes worth trying: the Bosna, Wiener Schnitzel, and for pudding the Salzburger Nockerl, a giant baked sweet soufflé shaped to echo the city's hills (GetYourGuide).

What to do

• Hohensalzburg Fortress: One of Europe's largest and best-preserved castles, built in 1077, up on the Festungsberg with sweeping views over the city and mountains. Walk up or take the funicular (Salzburg Sightseeing).
• Getreidegasse: The famous old-town shopping street lined with wrought-iron guild signs, and home to Mozart's birthplace at number 9 (Salzburg Sightseeing).
• Mozart's Birthplace and Residence: Museums to the city's most famous son, both in the centre (Salzburg Sightseeing).
• Mirabell Palace and Gardens: Baroque palace with free-to-wander gardens, a Sound of Music filming location (Salzburg Sightseeing).
• Salzburg Cathedral (Dom): The domed baroque cathedral on Domplatz at the heart of the old town (Salzburg Sightseeing).
• Hellbrunn Palace and trick fountains: A short trip south, a 17th-century pleasure palace with famous water-jokes in the gardens (Salzburg Sightseeing).
• Mönchsberg walk and Museum der Moderne: The clifftop above the old town, reached by lift, for the best skyline view and a modern-art gallery (Salzburg Sightseeing).

Common questions

How do I get from the airport to the stadium?

Salzburg Airport is roughly 6 miles from the ground. A common public-transport routing is a bus onto a connecting service to the Kleßheim / Red Bull Arena stop, around 28 minutes; a taxi does it in about 15 minutes (Rome2Rio). If your match ticket is already active it covers the bus for free.

Which airport should I fly to for RB Salzburg?

Salzburg Airport (SZG) is the nearest, but many UK routes only run in the winter ski season. Outside that, Munich (MUC) is the year-round hub: fly there, then take a Flixbus or regional train to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof in roughly 90 minutes to 2 hours before picking up local transport to the ground (Salzburg Airport, Rome2Rio).

Where do away fans sit?

In the South Stand at the southern goal end, marked 'Gästesektor' on the online seating plan (Red Bull Salzburg). That is sections 26 and 27 in the lower tier near the south-west corner, with section 28 above in the upper tier (The Stadium Guide).

What is the away allocation?

Salzburg do not publish a fixed number and it is set per fixture in the South Stand goal-end sections. For UEFA away games the visiting club receives around 5 per cent of capacity by regulation, which is roughly 1,500 at the ground's 30,188 European configuration (estimate). Book through your own club's official away scheme where one is offered (Wikipedia).

What time should I get to the ground?

Aim to be at the stadium 45 to 60 minutes before kick-off. Line 1 and the S3 both get busy on a matchday, and the ground is 4.5 km out, so leave the old town a good hour ahead (The Stadium Guide). A free Fan Park with grilled food and drinks runs before matches if you want to arrive earlier (Libero Guide).

Can I drink inside the ground?

Yes, beer and food are sold on the concourses, and there is a free pre-match Fan Park outside with grilled food and drinks (Libero Guide). As at most Austrian grounds it is likely to be a lower-strength or alcohol-limited pour in the away end, so do your serious drinking in town first.

How much is a beer?

Reckon on roughly €4 to €5.50 for a half-litre (a Krügerl) in central old-town bars, and less at the brewery taverns; Augustiner Bräustübl, where the beer comes from wooden barrels, is among the cheapest in the city (estimate) (Salzburg Info).

Is Salzburg safe?

Very. Austria sits near the top of the Global Peace Index and violent crime against visitors is rare. The main risks are petty pickpocketing in old-town crowds and at the Hauptbahnhof, overpriced tourist spots, and icy pavements in winter (Travel Safe Abroad). Keep valuables secure and you will have no trouble.

Where are the away-friendly areas?

The old town is compact and relaxed and there is no fan-hostile zone. The Augustiner Bräustübl and Stiegl-Keller beer halls are easy, good-natured spots, and the Rudolfskai riverside strip is the main bar run, though it is touristy, pricier and gets boisterous late (Salt and Pepper Travel). Keep colours low-key on the late-night strip.

Does my match ticket cover public transport?

Yes. A valid ticket works as a free pass across the Salzburg regional network from 6 hours before kick-off until the last service of the day, including the whole Salzburg province network plus Freilassing on line S3 and the Kleines Deutsches Eck corridor on line 260 (The Stadium Guide, Salzburg Info).

How far is the ground from the city centre?

About 4.5 km west of the historic centre, in Wals-Siezenheim next to the Europark shopping mall (The Stadium Guide). By O-Bus line 1 from the Hauptbahnhof it is around 30 minutes; by S-Bahn S3 to Salzburg Taxham Europark it is quicker, with a short walk via an underpass (Football Stadiums).

Where should I stay?

In or near the Altstadt (old town): walkable, close to the sights and directly on line 1 for the ground (The Stadium Guide). The Hauptbahnhof area is handy for the airport bus and cheaper rooms. There is no reason to stay out near the isolated stadium.

Can I drive to the match?

Yes. The arena is right by the A1 motorway; leave at the 'Kleßheim' exit, about 4.5 km west of the centre, and there are roughly 2,000 parking spaces on site, more than any other Austrian ground (The Stadium Guide, Salzburg Info).