Thursday, 10 September
The festival opens with Alfa Mist at Jazzit. There is also the public-transport performance YA YA HUSH, which starts at Mirabellplatz and connects the public space with the festival area around the railway station.
Event
Jazz
Take The A-Train Festival Salzburg: Music, Program & Guide
The Take The A-Train Festival brings four days of jazz, contemporary music and experimental sounds to Salzburg's Elisabeth-Vorstadt. The 2026 edition is the festival's 12th and combines large outdoor stages with intimate venues throughout the district.
- 10 Sep - 13 Sep 2026
- Elisabeth-Vorstadt
-
When
10 - 13 September 2026 -
Where
Elisabeth-Vorstadt and surrounding locations in Salzburg -
What
Jazz, contemporary music, experimental sounds, live performances & more -
Highlights
Alfa Mist, Matthew Herbert, Joe Armon-Jones, The Necks and many more -
Tickets
Paid and free events; limited festival pass available -
Tips
Many festival locations are easy to reach on foot, by bicycle or by public transport
What Is Take The A-Train Festival?
Take The A-Train is a music festival in Salzburg that brings together jazz, contemporary music, electronic sounds and experimental performances in an unusual mix of venues around Elisabeth-Vorstadt.
Rather than taking place in one traditional festival venue, Take The A-Train spreads across the neighbourhood, combining larger stages with intimate off-locations. That is part of what makes the festival so interesting: you can hear internationally recognised artists in a concert venue one evening and discover a completely different local setting the next day.
The festival also has a strong connection to the neighbourhood around Salzburg's main railway station. Instead of focusing only on the city's historic centre, Take The A-Train brings culture into a part of Salzburg that visitors don't always explore.
The 2026 edition is the festival's 12th and runs for four days from 10 to 13 September.
Take The A-Train 2026 Program
The 2026 Take The A-Train program brings an impressive mix of international artists, Austrian musicians and emerging acts to Salzburg. The line-up includes Matthew Herbert, Joe Armon-Jones, Alfa Mist, The Necks, Exit Void, Martyn, Katharina Ernst, Helene Glüxam and many more.
The festival program covers four days and a wide range of musical styles, from modern jazz and electronic music to experimental and cross-genre performances. There are also free concerts, open-air events, film screenings and unusual formats that make the festival about more than traditional concert-going.
The exact schedule is spread across different venues and times, so check the official program before your visit. The current program includes Alfa Mist on Thursday, Matthew Herbert and Exit Void on Friday, Joe Armon-Jones and several other artists on Saturday, and The Necks with a sunrise concert on Sunday.
Take The A-Train Festival by Day
Friday, 11 September
Friday brings a particularly diverse line-up, including Matthew Herbert, Exit Void, Beate Wiesinger, A Love Electric & Lisa Hofmaninger, MT Signal and Das Freie Energie Band. Several of these performances are free.
Saturday, 12 September
Saturday is packed with events throughout Elisabeth-Vorstadt. Highlights include Joe Armon-Jones, Katharina Ernst, Helene Glüxam, Topsy Turvy, Elster and Aist Connexion & Elasoul. There is also the free Turn Table Tennis & Aznee Soundsystem event at the Main Stage at Salzburg's central station.
Sunday, 13 September
The festival finishes with The Necks' sunrise concert, an early-morning finale at the Tanzschule Seifert Panoramabar.
The Best Take The A-Train Venues
One of the things that makes Take The A-Train special is the variety of venues. Instead of spending four days in one concert hall, festival-goers move between established music venues, hotels, rooftops, public spaces and smaller locations around Elisabeth-Vorstadt.
The official 2026 festival locations include Jazzit, the Main Stage at Salzburg Central Station, Rooftop @ arte Hotel, hu @ arte Hotel, Haus Elisabeth, Salon Hohenstauffen, carlavelorep and the Tanzschule Seifert Panoramabar.
The Main Stage at Salzburg's central station is particularly fitting for a festival called Take The A-Train. It is located at Südtiroler Platz 1 and is accessible for wheelchair users.
Most festival locations are easy to reach on foot, by bicycle or using public transport, which means you can comfortably move between concerts without needing a car.
Take The A-Train Festival Tickets
The official Take The A-Train program combines free events with ticketed concerts. Individual concert tickets are available through KUPFticket and at the Jazzit ticket office, while a limited festival pass provides access to the festival's paid and free program between 10 and 13 September 2026.
The 2026 festival pass costs €77 including fees. Individual ticket prices vary depending on the concert; for example, Alfa Mist is listed at €24 in advance, €28 at the box office and €14 for the reduced price.
Some concerts have limited capacity, and the organisers recommend arriving around 30 minutes before the start. Even festival pass holders are not guaranteed entry if a venue reaches capacity, so arriving early is particularly important for popular performances.
Why Take The A-Train Is Worth Experiencing
What I love about Take The A-Train is that it doesn't feel like a typical Salzburg festival. You don't spend the whole weekend walking between the same famous concert halls in the city centre. Instead, you end up exploring Elisabeth-Vorstadt, discovering venues you might otherwise walk straight past and hearing music in places you wouldn't necessarily expect.
And that's really the charm of it. You don't need to be a serious jazz expert either. Go to one concert because you've heard of the artist, wander into a free event because it looks interesting, or simply follow the crowd and see where the evening takes you.
If you've already done the classical Salzburg highlights and want to experience a more contemporary side of the city, Take The A-Train is one of the festivals I'd put high on your list.
