Getting Around Linz
Linz is a compact city on the Danube with very good public transport, so a visitor can rely on trams, buses and walking without much trouble. The network operator is Linz AG, whose website publishes a map of the tram and bus lines along with an online timetable. The information below covers the main ways to move around the city and how to reach it from its airport.
Trams, Buses and the Pöstlingberg Railway
The backbone of local transport is the tram and bus network, which connects the city centre with the surrounding districts. Tickets can be bought from the electronic vending machines at each stop, as well as from tobacco and newspaper shops.
- One-day ticket: €6 for over 14-year-olds, €3 for under 14-year-olds.
- Mini-ticket (4 stops): €1.50.
- Pöstlingbergbahn: a narrow-gauge electric railway linking the city centre with the Pöstlingberg district. A return ticket costs €8.50 for adults and €4.30 for children; the Erlebnisticket, which combines a return trip with a one-day City ticket, costs €12.80 for adults and €6.40 for children.
The Linz Card
For visitors planning to see several sights, the Linz Card bundles transport and attractions. It provides unlimited public transport through the city and free or discounted admission to two dozen museums, galleries and tours. It is available at the Tourist Office and in many hotels.
- Standard price: €16 for one day, €35 for three days.
- Reduced price: €15 for one day, €33 for three days, for children, students under 26, and those holding a valid train ticket (ÖBB, Westbahn) with destination Linz.
Walking and Orientation
Linz is a walkable city, and its central shopping street, the Linzer Landstraße, is the busiest shopping street outside Vienna, which makes the centre easy to explore on foot. The main railway station, Linz Hauptbahnhof, sits at Bahnhofplatz and is a practical anchor point: it has a ticket office open daily from 06:00 to 21:00, ticket machines available around the clock, storage lockers, a Spar grocery store and a tourist information office.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are available in the city, and the airport transfer by taxi is a convenient option for arrivals. The source material does not describe ride-hailing apps for Linz, so visitors should plan on conventional taxis or public transport.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Linz's international airport, Blue Danube Airport (LNZ), is in Hörsching just outside the city. It sees relatively little international traffic; Austrian Airlines flies to Vienna and Düsseldorf, Lufthansa to Frankfurt (with connections onward through the Lufthansa Group network), and Ryanair offers frequent low-fare flights to London-Stansted. There are also charter and seasonal flights to Mediterranean holiday destinations and the Canary Islands.
From the airport you have several options for reaching the city:
- Bus: a bus service runs from the airport to Linz, taking about 20 minutes and costing around €3.
- Taxi: roughly €25–30.
- Train plus shuttle: take the train to Hörsching (€1.80) and then the free shuttle bus from the railway station to the airport.
Airport opening hours are 05:30–23:00 Monday to Friday and 06:00–23:00 on Saturday and Sunday.
Arriving by Train Instead
Many visitors reach Linz by rail rather than by air. Linz Hauptbahnhof has hourly Railjet Express, Railjet and Westbahn connections to Salzburg and Vienna, plus IntercityExpress connections to Passau, Nuremberg and Frankfurt am Main, and from there to major European cities. ÖBB publishes online timetables and offers various ticketing options.
If you fly into a larger airport instead, you can connect to Linz by train. Direct high-speed trains to Linz depart from Vienna International Airport's terminal, with a total journey time of around 1 hour 40 minutes. From Munich Airport, take a local suburban train to Munich Hbf first and transfer to a long-distance train to Linz there; the total journey is around 3 hours 45 minutes. If you are flying with Austrian, the train from Vienna airport to Linz is included in your flight ticket and Austrian guarantees your connection.