In 2018, the city of Salzburg introduced the alcohol ban for the Südtirolerplatz, but empty bottles and people drinking are part of the usual picture of the station forecourt. Again and again, the regulatory office with the support of the police also checked compliance. Violations would actually result in fines of up to 300 euros.

Social work instead of punishment

But because the penalties don’t apply, the city has reduced the controls and instead relied on social work by the social department and Caritas. Employees look for people who meet at the main train station to drink alcohol.

The city invests up to an additional 50,000 euros per year in this. “To try to get sick people away from drinking alcohol and away from the station forecourt. It was recommended to us that we should reduce the controls a little when we are more on site with social work, so that trust can develop between the people affected and the social workers,” says Mayor Harald Preuner (ÖVP).

Passers-by and commuters feel disturbed

Those affected, who are in the station forecourt and overlook the ban, are mostly on the fringes of society, are often addicted and like to meet at Südtiroler Platz. The fact that they disregard the alcohol ban bothers many passers-by. At the end of August, the current procedure is to be evaluated and then a decision made as to whether social work will continue to be used instead of punishment.

“Today work gives me more than a call about drugs”

One who has made the leap himself is a young man from Salzburg. After a difficult youth, he was always at the main train station, after several therapies he found his way out of the search and made the leap into life: “Drug counseling, psychological and psychiatric help and a job entry program helped me. Today it gives me more when my boss calls me and says I have work for you than when someone contacts me about drugs.”

Culture track is to upgrade the station district

In addition to social work, the city will present a different atmosphere to the main train station with the Kulturschiene event series. There is a program every Thursday: “It’s a colorful place and of course there’s a lot going on here. But with a bit of sensitivity you can experience a very exciting sociotope here. The series of events not only shows Salzburg’s high culture, but here you can experience everything that doesn’t happen in the center of Salzburg,” says Valentin Alfery from the Salzburger Kulturschiene.