Linz

Linz is the third largest city in Austria. It is primarily known as a major industrial centre, but also has a very picturesque historical old town including Austria's largest central square, surrounded by an impressive ensemble of Baroque architecture. Linz has tried to reposition itself as a cultural hub with numerous new museums and events. The tourist slogan of the city is "In Linz beginnt's" ("It starts in Linz").

Linz has 205,000 inhabitants (2018). It sits on the banks of the Danube (Donau) river. It is the capital of the federal province of Upper Austria (Oberösterreich) and forms the heart of Austria's second strongest economic region.

Understand
Linz is an industrial city with huge steel and chemical works on the Danube, about halfway between Salzburg and Vienna. While it does not have the touristic significance of these cities, it is an attractive and interesting destination in its own right. The fact that you are less likely to be trampled by hoards of travellers is a bonus.

The area where Linz now stands has been inhabited since prehistoric time. The name of the city supposedly stems from the celtic word for 'bent', referring to the bend of the river Danube just east of Linz. During the Roman Empire Linz was a border settlement with a Roman castle (Lentia). In the Middle Ages and the beginning of the modern era, the city profited from its location on an important crossing of the Danube. Nevertheless, Linz never gained the historical significance of cities like Salzburg and Vienna and remained fairly small well into the 19th century. In 1900, Linz had around 80,000 inhabitants. The city's fate took a significant turn after Austria became a part of the German Third Reich in March 1938. In May 1938, construction started on a gigantic steel mill on the site of a former village in the southeast of Linz ('Hermann-Göring-Werke', now part of the steel concern voestalpine AG). Linz turned into an industrial hub. Consequently, Linz was bombed heavily during World War II. Fortunately, the raids were centered on the industrial areas and the main train station, which meant that the historical city center escaped relatively unscathed.

Starting in the 1950s, Linz saw an industrial boom. However, while the population grew and the economy prospered, the city also had to learn to live with the severe environmental fallout of its factories and businesses. Linz gained a reputation as a dirty and unappealing city. While this reputation continues to this day in the heads of some Austrians, it has become completely undeserved. Extensive plant modernizations in the last three decades (as well as an industrial crisis in the 1980s) mean that air and water quality in Linz are now as good – or even better – than in the other big cities of Austria.

While Linz is still cultivating its image as a 'steel city', it has also taken great (and expensive) steps to become better known as a city of culture, music, and art. Several new museums have been constructed since the 1990s, and in 2013 the city finally inaugurated its long-planned opera house. Linz also gets a lot of international media attention because of its annual Ars Electronica Festival. It also hosts the "Klangwolke" ("sound-cloud"), a big cultural open-air spectacle with modern and traditional music and a massive light show, which is held each year in September. Linz was the European Capital of Culture in 2009.



By plane
Linz has its own international airport, the Blue Danube Airport in Horsching just outside the city of Linz, but it sees very little international traffic. Austrian Airlines flies from Blue Danube Airport to Vienna and Düsseldorf and Lufthansa to Frankfurt, where you can connect to Lufthansa Group's extensive global flight network. Ryanair offers frequent low-fare flights to London-Stansted. There are also charter and seasonal flights to holiday destinations around the Mediterranean and to Canary Islands.



Alternatively, you can fly to the Vienna International Airport or Munich Airport and take a train from either city to Linz. Direct high-speed trains to Linz depart from Vienna International Airport's terminal. From Munich Airport, you need to take a local suburban train to Munich Hbf first and transfer to a long-distance train to Linz there. The total journey time is around 1 hr 40 min from Vienna International Airport and 3 hr 45 min from Munich Airport.

If you are flying Austrian, the train from Vienna airport to Linz is included in your flight ticket and Austrian guarantees your connection. See here for details.

By car
Linz is connected with Vienna, Salzburg, and Munich via the A1 Autobahn/motorway; the Muehlviertel and the Czech Republic via the A7 Autobahn and the B310 regional road, and the south of Austria (Graz (Styria), Klagenfurt (Carinthia)) via the A9 Autobahn. It is also connected to Germany via Passau.

By boat
The website of the city of Linz lists all cruises departing from the city. There is regular passenger boat service on the Danube from and to Vienna and Passau, Germany.

Get around
Linz has very good public transport. A map of the tram and bus lines as well as an online time table are available on the website of the network operator Linz AG. A one-day ticket is €4 for over 14-year-olds, and €2 for under 14-year-olds. There is also a 4-stop ticket (mini-ticket) for €1. Students can buy an 'Aktivpass', which allows you to buy a monthly card for €10, valid for all lines, and you get all tickets at half-price. Tickets are purchased from the electronic vending machines at each stop, as well as tobacco and newspaper shops.



Linz Card
The Linz Card (1-day: €16, 3-day: €35) 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. Reduced price (1 day: €15/ 3-day: €33) for children, students under 26, and those who have a valid train ticket (ÖBB, Westbahn) with destination Linz.

See
When strolling through the heart of the city, one can literally sense its history. The lanes of the old town, which lies directly at the foot of the castle, communicate the feeling of past ages. Splendid town residences and chapter houses are worthy of closer scrutiny, as are the many inner courtyards hidden discretely behind arched gates. Moreover, the spacious, baroque main square with its lively hustle and bustle is never far away.

Linz is also a city of churches. With its 134-m tower and space for 20,000 people, the New Cathedral is Austria´s largest church. In addition, the city landmark, the pilgrimage basilica on the Pöstlingberg, is also clearly in view. A symbol of Linz is the Lentos Museum of modern art, which has a striking glass façade that is illuminated at night with alternating colours.

Museums and galleries








Do

 * Football: LASK - Linzer Athletik-Sport-Klub - play soccer in the Austrian Bundesliga, the top tier. Since 2023 their home ground is Raiffeisen Arena (capacity 19.080) two km south of city centre.
 * FC Blau-Weiß Linz were promoted in 2023 so they too play in Bundesliga. They play at Donauparkstadion (capacity 5000) 7 km south of the centre.


 * Old Town Walking Tour.
 * Donauschiffahrt Wurm und Köck
 * Donauschifffahrt Schaurecker
 * ÖGEG: Dampfschiff Schönbrunn
 * Donau Touristik
 * Donauschiffahrt Wurm und Köck
 * Donauschifffahrt Schaurecker
 * ÖGEG: Dampfschiff Schönbrunn
 * Donau Touristik

Culture
Linz has established an international reputation due to its extensive cultural life. You can visit the "culture mile" along the Danube, which stretches from the Brucknerhaus concert hall and the Lentos art museum and the Ars Electronica Center on the northern bank of the river. Linz also possesses a number of stage companies, which offer something for everybody in the form of a range of evening entertainment that extends from classic opera to modern dance theatre.

From June to August the Linz cultural summer features cabaret, open-air concerts and theatre on virtually daily basis at venues that are as varied as the programme itself. These include the bars and squares of the inner city, as well as the romantic Rose Garden high above the rooftops. Moreover, throughout the year, the Posthof features "contemporary culture at the harbour" with national and international performers.



Events
Linz is a synonym for variety that is found at open air events, in bars and restaurants and in the theatre and on concert stages of the city. In late April, the yearly Crossing Europe film festival for young European film features works with unconventional, courageous filmic positions. At Whitsun, the Linz Festival offers a cultural open-air festival in the Danube park, while in July the international "Pflasterspektakel" brings over 500 clowns, acrobats and mimes to the city´s streets. Moreover, September sees the musical "Cloud of Sounds" in the Donaupark, the Ars Electronica Festival and the Bruckner Festival.

The Linz markets provide an opportunity to browse, and sample, whether at the weekly markets or the twice-yearly Fair/Carneval Urfahraner Jahrmarkt, which is Austria´s oldest public festival.

During the universities lecture periods (October–January/march-June) there is a wide range of student parties among the campuses of the 4 universities in Linz. Particularly interesting might be the weekly Mensafest every Thursday in Dornach/Urfahr on the campus of Johannes-Kepler-University and the gatherings at the Sommerhaus Hotel during the SAICCA program that runs mid-May through mid-June.

Cinema

 * The Moviemento and City cinemas show films that are not mainstream in original languages with German subtitles.
 * The Cineplexx in the harbor shows all the actual blockbusters. Thursday is movie night, so it is the cheapest day to go.

Young people

 * The Stadtwerkstatt (near the AEC). Popular meeting point for young people with an alternative lifestyle. They often have gigs with unknown bands.
 * The Stadtwerkstatt (near the AEC). Popular meeting point for young people with an alternative lifestyle. They often have gigs with unknown bands.

Eat
A well-known specialty from Linz is the Linzer Torte, a torte covered with a latticework of dough and filled with fruit.

Eating in Linz depends on your budget, and taste. Be prepared to search far and wide for open restaurants on Sundays. The entire Altstadt seems to close down Sunday nights leaving tourists restaurant choices only in adjoining districts.

There are many luncheonettes in the city, offering a variety of food, such as Chinese food, kebab, pizza and typical Austrian snacks such as Bratwürstel (fried sausage) with Sauerkraut, Leberkäse, Bosner or Bosna (a special hot-dog with fried sausage and a special curry-ketchup-onion sauce), Käsekrainer (a sausage interlaid with cheese).

Budget
All these are in the city centre:



Drink
Drinking in Linz is varied and not that cheap; although if you drink outside of the city centre you will find that the cost of drinks are less than in the centre.

Local beers and warm "Glühwein" (hot, spiced/mulled wine) in winter. Upper-Austrian's "national drink" is Most (it´s cider but not fizzy), and Zipfer, Gösser, and Kaiser beer. There are many Austrian beers, of course.

Keep in mind that, contrary to almost the entire rest of the civilised world, smoking is still very common in Austrian bars and pubs.



Connect
Linz has 4G from all Austrian carriers. As of Sept 2021, some areas of the city have 5G but it's patchy.

Consulates

 * 🇷🇴 Romania

Go next

 * Traun
 * Wels
 * Steyr

To the south you can travel by train or car to the wonderful region of Salzkammergut, with its picturesque lakes and mountains. Some nice towns are: Gmunden, Bad Ischl, Hallstatt, Bad Aussee, and many more. To the west is Salzburg.

Linz is a good stepping-off point for a trip into Southern Bohemian region of Czech Republic. Trains go to České Budějovice and on to Prague.