Fast Facts

American Express -- The office, located at Mozartplatz 5-7 (tel. 0662/8080), adjacent to Residenzplatz, is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm and Saturday 9am to noon.

Babysitters -- Arrangements can be made through Hilfswerk Salzburg, Klessheimer Allée 45 (tel. 0662/1799), at a cost of 10€ to 15€ ($13 to $20) per hour.

Business Hours -- Most shops and stores are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm. Some smaller shops shut down at noon for a lunch break, which can last 1 or 2 hours. Saturday hours in general are 9am to noon. Salzburg observes langer Samstag, which means that on the first Saturday of every month, most stores stay open 9am to 5pm. Banks are open Monday to Friday 8am to noon and 2 to 4:30pm.

Currency Exchange -- You can exchange money at the Hauptbahnhof on Südtirolerplatz daily from 7am to 10pm, and at the airport daily from 9am to 4pm.

Dentists -- For information on how to find an English-speaking dentist, call Dentistenkammer, Faberstrasse 2 (tel. 0662/873466).

Doctors -- If you suddenly fall ill, your best source of information for finding a doctor is the reception desk of your hotel. If you want a comprehensive list of doctors and their respective specialties, which you can acquire in Salzburg or even before your arrival, contact Ärztekammer für Salzburg, Bergstrasse 14, A-5020 Salzburg (tel. 0662/871327). And if your troubles flare up over a weekend, the Medical Emergency Center of the Austrian Red Cross maintains a hotline (tel. 141), which you can use to describe your problem. A staff member here will either ask you to visit their headquarters at Karl Renner Strasse 7 or send a medical expert to wherever you're staying. This service is available from 5pm on Friday to 8am on Monday, and on public holidays. For more information on medical emergencies, refer to "Hospitals," below.

Drugstores -- Larger pharmacies, especially those in the city center, tend to remain open without a break Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm and Saturday from 8am to noon. Pharmacies in small towns near Salzburg and in the suburbs have similar hours but close for lunch, usually from 12:30 to 2:30pm Monday through Friday. For night service, and service on Saturday afternoon and Sunday, pharmacies display a sign giving the address of the nearest pharmacy that has agreed to remain open over the weekend or throughout the night. A pharmacy that's particularly convenient to Salzburg's commercial center is Elisabeth-Apotheke, Elisabethstrasse 1 (tel. 0662/871484), north of Rainerstrasse toward the train station.

Embassies & Consulates -- The Consulate of Great Britain, Alter Markt 4 (tel. 0662/848133), is open Monday to Friday 9am to noon. U.S. citizens needing business with their consulate should go to Vienna.

Emergencies -- For emergencies, call the following numbers: police tel. 133, fire tel. 122, and ambulance tel. 144.

Hospitals -- Salzburg is well equipped with medical facilities, including Unfahl Hospital, on Dr.-Franz-Rehrl-Platz 5 (tel. 0662/65800); and Krankenhaus und Konvent der Barmherzigen Brüder, Kajetanerplatz 1 (tel. 0662/80880).

Internet Access -- The most convenient cafe with Internet capability is the Internet Café, Mozartplatz 5 (tel. 0662/844822), across from the tourist office. It's open daily 9am to 10pm and charges 9€ ($12) per hour of Internet access.

Luggage Storage & Lockers -- Both are available at the Hauptbahnhof, Südtirolerplatz (tel. 0662/88873163), open 24 hours daily. For 2 days, you can rent a large locker for 3€ ($3.90) or a small locker for 2€ ($2.60). The luggage storage counter is open 4am to midnight and costs 3€ ($3.90) per day.

Police -- For the police, call tel. 133.

Post Offices -- The main post office is at Residenzplatz 9 (tel. 0662/8441210). The post office at the main railway station is open daily from 7am to 10pm. The postal code for Salzburg is A-5020; for Anif, A-5081; and for Bergheim, A-5101.

Restrooms -- Toilets are identified by the WC sign and are found throughout the city in museums and at sightseeing attractions, the rail station, and the airport. You can stop at a cafe, but these establishments prefer you to be a customer, even if it's only a small purchase.

Safety -- Salzburg has a low crime rate compared with most European cities, but there is crime here. Take the usual precautions here as you would elsewhere. Use discretion, of course, and common sense.

Taxes -- The government value-added tax (VAT) and the service charge are included in restaurant and hotel bills presented to you. Other than this blanket tax mentioned above, Salzburg imposes no special city taxes.

Transit Information -- For information about local buses and trams, go to the city transport office at Alpenstrasse 91, or call tel. 0662/44801500.

Useful Telephone Numbers -- For the airport, call tel. 0662/8580; for train information, call tel. 05/1717.