Zell am See is located in Austria in the province of Salzburg. This is relatively central, so the place is easily accessible both by car and by train. Incidentally, the train journey from Vienna takes just over four hours, and from Munich you can reach Zell am See in just three hours. Both times you have to change in Salzburg city.

By Plane: The nearest airport is Salzburg

By Car: If arriving by car, Zell am See is approximately two hours from both Innsbruck and Munich, and one hour 15 minutes from Salzburg. If you are driving from Salzburg, cut south on the A10 to the junction with Route 311, at which point you head west. The village is just 1.5 hours away from Salzburg, 4 hours from Vienna and 2 hours from Munich.

It is not recommended to have a car in Zell am See because parking is scarce and expensive in and around the city. If you prefer road transport over trains, you may want to consider a taxi from Salzburg Airport, which are relatively comparable in price.

If you plan to have a car, make sure to pay attention to parking zones. The parking zones are free only during the night (after 6pm and till 8am) in the city center; however during the day you have to pay or use the short term parking zone. You can also use parking zones by the cable cars, during the day they are free of charge. However, after skiing you have to leave the parking zone. You cannot stay there overnight.

By Train: Zell am See is easily accessible by train. The Salzburg to Zell am See train journey takes around two hours, and the fastest train from Munich to Zell am See takes two and a half hours. The train station is within walking distance of most hotels and there are well-developed bus lines to get you to your final destination.

If you are skiing, the Postbus service is free with your lift pass. This links the town with the ski station and other areas, such as Kaprun. Routes start at the Postplatz bus station in the center of town. Popular routes are:

-71 Postplatz to Schmittenhohe ski center

-660 Postplatz to Kaprun and Kitzsteinhorn ski area

The township itself is a traditional Austrian village and the traffic-free old town is a great place for strolling, dining, and watching the world go by. Take some time to enjoy the tower that now houses the town1 museum. Just across the square, ST. Hypolithe` Church stands, dating back to the 11th century. The centuries old buildings in Stadtplatz now house hotels and restaurants, and in the summer, a traditional market every Friday takes place.

You will also find some great shopping with a wide range of fashion, sports and souvenir shops to browse through, as well as shops selling traditional Austrian produce. Bike rentals and outdoor equipment is also available at numerous locations in town.

Zell am See’s town centre is also home to a couple of good sized supermarkets, bakeries, butchers and plenty of cafes and restaurants.

There’s also an ice rink and indoor pool which are especially popular on rainy days.

German is the official language spoken in Zell am see. However, the staff of most tourism-related venues (hotels, restaurants) speaks some English, and plenty of attractions (museums, guided tours) feature a wide openness to the English speaking public. We suggest you get a good English-German guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

The currency of Austria is the Euro. US dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for euros upon arrival. Currency exchange desks can be found at the airports and some train stations.

Notes come in denominations of €500, €200, €100, €50, €20, €10 and €5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and €1, and 50, 20, 10, five, two and one cents.

The selection of restaurants and taverns is fantastic; many of them have a common sense of sustainability and rationality. You will find many restaurants serving up native, seasonal and often organic cuisine that is indigenous to the region.

The period with the most snow in Zell am See is from January through March. In January, as season is just started to ramp up, there are fewer tourists and hotel rates are less expensive compared to what you would pay in February or March. Temperatures in January are a bit cooler than the average in January. The peak tourist season is in late winter and this comes with higher accommodation rates. The New Year week (December 23rd to January 6th), the Fasching week (February 10th – 18th) as well as the Ostern week (March 24th – April 7th) are also very popular periods, so expect the highest room rates of the year. The slowest (or least crowded) month of the year is October. The summer months, July and August offer the sunniest and warmest weather, great for outdoor summer activities.

In an Emergency dial 114 for an Ambulance

Tauern Hospital Zell am See: Paracelsusstraße 8, 5700 Zell am See, Austria, Tel. +43 6542 777.