In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The Mönchsberg lift is the quick view: 30 seconds, €4.80 return, open 8:00 to 21:00 (to 19:00 on Mondays). Hohensalzburg Fortress has the view over the old town, from €12 on foot. The DomQuartier’s Cathedral terrace comes with the €12 ticket and is closed on Tuesdays. The Untersberg cable car takes you to about 1,776 metres for €34 return, and it is closed 2 November to 13 December 2026. The Salzburg Card covers the lift, the cable car and the fortress, once each. The funicular is shut 9 to 13 November. Prices are in euros. Or book a tour: the Hohensalzburg Fortress ticketad is from €19.20 and the 2.5-hour Mozart and old town walkad, which ends on the Mönchsberg, from €45 (GetYourGuide).
The viewpoints at a glance
| Viewpoint | Price | Hours | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Mönchsberg lift | €4.80 return | Monday 8:00 to 19:00; Tuesday to Sunday 8:00 to 21:00 | None |
| Hohensalzburg Fortress | From €12 on foot; €14.50 All-inclusive on foot | 9:30 to 17:00 from October to April | Funicular 9 to 13 November 2026 |
| The Cathedral arcade terrace | €12 DomQuartier ticket | Daily except Tuesday, 10:00 to 17:00 | Tuesday |
| The Untersberg | €34 return | 14 to 31 December 9:00 to 16:00 | 2 November to 13 December 2026 |
The Mönchsberg lift
€4.80 return · €3.40 one way · Monday 8:00 to 19:00, Tuesday to Sunday 8:00 to 21:00 · Gstättengasse 13
The lift rises 60 metres in 30 seconds from Anton-Neumayr-Platz, in the old town, to the Mönchsberg at 485 metres. A child aged 6 to 14 pays €2.20 return, a weekly pass is €14, and dogs and luggage go free. It is run by Salzburg AG, which also runs the funicular. The Guest Mobility Ticket does not cover it, and the Salzburg Card does.
The Mönchsberg lift entrance on Gstättengasse. Photo: Arne Müseler, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 de.
On top there are walking paths across the Mönchsberg, one of them to the fortress, and the Museum der Moderne with its M32 restaurant. A lift and museum ticket is €17; best museums in Salzburg has the museum. While the Neutor tunnel is closed to traffic, the trolleybus stop at the lift is not served until March 2027: walk from the old town.
The old town from the Mönchsberg, with the fortress on the right. Photo: Uoaei1, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hohensalzburg Fortress
From €12 on foot · All-inclusive €14.50 on foot, €19.20 with the funicular · Mönchsberg 34
The courtyards and bastions have a 360-degree view over the old town to the mountains. The walk up takes 15 to 20 minutes, and the funicular runs every ten minutes. The funicular is shut 9 to 13 November 2026, when the indoor areas are shut too, and 11 January to 14 March 2027. The fortress page has the four tickets.
The Cathedral arcade terrace
€12 DomQuartier ticket · daily except Tuesday, 10:00 to 17:00 · Residenzplatz 1
A terrace on the Cathedral’s arcade with a view over the old town. It is reached only through the Cathedral Museum, on the DomQuartier route, so the ticket is the DomQuartier’s. The DomQuartier page has the prices.
The Untersberg
€34 return · €22 one way · 8 minutes · closed 2 November to 13 December 2026 · St. Leonhard
The cable car climbs about 1,320 metres to an upper station at about 1,776 metres, in roughly 8 minutes, on the hour and half-hour. The valley station is at Dr. Friedrich Ödl Weg 2, just south of the city. Round-trip prices are €34 for an adult, €29 for a senior, €24 for youth, apprentices and students and €17 for a child aged 6 to 14. A dog is €12 return. Four huts stand at the top, and the operator lists hiking, paragliding, an ice cave and ski touring.
An Untersberg cable-car gondola above the limestone ridge. Photo: Salzburger Nockerl, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Closed: 2 November to 13 December 2026, provisionally. It reopens on 14 December, runs 9:00 to 16:00 to 31 December, and on 24 December runs 9:00 to 12:00 with the last ride at 11:30. Hours are subject to change without notice.
- Weather: it generally operates in changeable weather, but strong wind or thunderstorms can limit or suspend service. Take sturdy shoes and layers.
- Getting there: bus 25 from the Hauptbahnhof or city centre; bus 840 from Engelbert-Weiß-Weg beside the station takes 26 minutes to the stop Grödig Untersbergbahn Talstation. Parking is free for 30 minutes, then €4 for up to 24 hours.
- The Salzburg Card gives one free ride, which is worth most of a 24-hour card.
- Access: the valley station is accessible, with standard wheelchairs only.
Tours worth paying for
No operator sells an Untersberg ticket on GetYourGuide. The nearest products are the fortress ticket and a walking tour that ends at the lift. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices, per person.
The Mozart and old town walking tour
From €45 · 2.5 hours · 4.2 stars from 1,146 reviews
Salzburg 2.5-Hour Walking Tour: Mozart, Old Town & Moread starts at Mirabell Palace and ends with a panoramic view from the Mönchsberg, with an optional extra half hour led by the guide. The optional lift ride costs €4 a head.
What to see
- The Mönchsberg. The quickest view, and the way to the Museum der Moderne.
- The fortress. The view over the roofs of the old town.
- The Cathedral terrace. A view you get with the DomQuartier ticket.
- The Untersberg. The mountain view, in the months it runs.
The order that works: the lift to the Mönchsberg, the path to the fortress, then down on foot or by the funicular. Keep the Untersberg for a day without strong wind. What to skip: the Cathedral terrace unless you are visiting the DomQuartier anyway.
Practical information
- Closures to know: the Untersberg from 2 November to 13 December 2026, the fortress funicular from 9 to 13 November 2026 and from 11 January to 14 March 2027, the DomQuartier on Tuesdays.
- Getting around: Salzburg public transport covers bus 25 and bus 840.
- The one thing that ruins a visit: going to the Untersberg in November, when the cable car is shut.
What to book in Salzburg has the closed days for every sight. The old town walk passes the lift, and the right bank walk climbs the Kapuzinerberg to the Hettwerbastei, a free viewpoint over the old town. Free things to do in Salzburg has the free paths. Salzburg with kids has the lift and the fortress games. Is the Salzburg Card worth it? runs the sums with the Untersberg ride in them. Best time to visit Salzburg has the weather by month. For a bed, see where to stay in Salzburg.
Common questions
What is the best viewpoint in Salzburg?
For the least effort, the Mönchsberg: the lift takes 30 seconds from the old town and costs €4.80 return. For the city from above, Hohensalzburg Fortress, from €12 on foot. For the mountains, the Untersberg cable car, €34 return, to about 1,776 metres.
How much is the Mönchsberg lift?
€3.40 one way and €4.80 up and down for an adult, €1.50 and €2.20 for a child aged 6 to 14. It is free with the Salzburg Card and not covered by the Guest Mobility Ticket. Dogs and luggage travel free.
When is the Untersberg cable car closed?
From 2 November to, provisionally, 13 December 2026, for autumn maintenance. It reopens for 14 to 31 December from 9:00 to 16:00, and on 24 December it runs 9:00 to 12:00.
How much is the Untersberg cable car?
€34 round trip for an adult and €22 one way. Seniors pay €29, youth, apprentices and students €24, and children aged 6 to 14 €17. A Salzburg Card gives one free ride.
How do I get to the Untersberg cable car?
By bus 25 from the Hauptbahnhof or the city centre, or bus 840 from Engelbert-Weiß-Weg beside the station, which takes 26 minutes, to the stop Grödig Untersbergbahn Talstation.
Is there a free view over Salzburg?
The paths on the Mönchsberg are free to walk, and a path leads from there to the fortress. The lift, the fortress grounds and the Untersberg need tickets.
