Many people travel regularly between Salzburg and Berchtesgadener Land in southern Germany, whether for work, leisure or family ties. But now a funding boost is set to make this journey smoother.
A total of €750,000 was this week jointly awarded to the Berchtesgadener Land district and Salzburger Verkehrsverbund (SVG) from the European Regional Development Fund.
The goal is to establish standardised fares, better connections and improved passenger information on cross-border travel links.
Berchtesgadener Land District Administrator Michael Koller said the funding sends a "strong signal".
"With the support of the EU and in close cooperation with the SVG, we are moving significantly closer to establishing a joint transport network," he said.
Salzburg’s Deputy Governor Stefan Schnöll added that it will make "everyday life easier for our passengers".
Johannes Gfrerer, Managing Director of SVG, said: "By integrating the Berchtesgadener Land district into the Salzburg Transport Association, we are bringing the regions closer together and aim to create clear benefits for our passengers.
"Both Salzburg and Berchtesgadener Land will benefit equally from this."
The news has also been welcomed by Bavaria's state government.
Bavaria transport minister Christian Bernreiter said the state had previously awarded €550,000 to Berchtesgadener Land for the project.
"By establishing comprehensive transport network structures, we are creating the conditions for the structural strengthening of public transport," said Bernreiter.
Launch pushed back to late 2027
While EU funding is now secured, the launch of the project has been delayed. Implementation of the cross-border transport upgrade had originally been planned for early next year.
Officials on both the Salzburg and Bavarian sides said that due to organisational and technical difficulties, the launch has been pushed back to the fourth quarter, meaning it won't happen until at least October 2027.
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