Welcome Ars Electronica 2023!

Homodyne / Erick Aguirre (MX), Kevin Blackistone (US), Jiaji Cheng (CN), Danica Golić (RS), Kathrine Hardman (US), Eunji Ji (KR), Polina Kliuchnikova (RU), Kateryna Pomeichuk (UA), Photo: Friederike Weber

We’re delighted to welcome you to the Ars Electronica Festival 2023 in Linz.   

The question that Europe’s largest festival for art, technology and society will be focusing on this year is: Who Owns the Truth? – After a three-year break, the central venue will be again the legendary POSTCITY. The Ars Electronica Festival 2023 is a certified Green Event, in which everyone-organizers, participants and visitors-works together to keep the ecological footprint as small as possible. By the way, there will be water dispensers in POSTCITY, so we recommend you to bring a water bottle that you can always refill.

We have collected useful information about the festival and Linz to make your arrival and stay as smooth as possible:

Green Event

Since we are a Green Event, please follow the instructions for waste separation! There are many different bins on the festival area. Please use them properly and recycle your waste. Also, please do not just throw trash on the grounds and keep POSTCITY clean. Thank you very much.

Arrival

Welcome to Linz!

For those who are new to Linz or are looking for extraordinary places in the city of Linz, we recommend using the “Visit Linz App” to find your way around and view your travel options:

Travel by train to Linz

Take the ÖBB or the Westbahn to “Linz Hauptbahnhof”.

Arrival at Linz Central Station: In the building of the central station you will find ATMs, a post office, several stores as well as supermarkets and bakeries. There are also lockers for luggage storage. Please use them, if necessary, as there is no possibility to store luggage in POSTCITY!

Travel by bus to Linz

Find out about regional bus connections: OÖVV, FlixBus or LEO express  

Travel by plane to Linz

Linz has a small airport about 10km outside the city center (Blue Danube Airport Linz (LNZ)). Bus line 601 takes you to Linz main station every half hour. Journey time: 22 minutes, ticket: €3,70 (one way). For more information, check: Blue Danube Airport Bus. Another good option is Vienna International Airport (VIE), from where you can reach Linz by direct train connections every hour.

Travel by car to POSTCITY

You can reach POSTCITY via Waldeggstraße. Please note: There are no free parking spaces on site! We therefore recommend the following paid parking spaces at Linz main station:

Travel by car to the festival locations

When visiting Ars Electronica Center, OK, Oberösterreichischer Kunstverein, Kunstuniversität Linz, Salzamt, Francisco Carolinum, Lentos Kunstmuseum, St. Mary’s Cathedral (Mariendom) or Stadtwerkstatt, all of which are located in the city center, you can park in the following garages:

 Please also use the possibility of carpooling or carsharing.

Navigating through the Festival

Public transportation

All tram lines 1, 2, 3, 4 run within the city center. As a rule, trams run reliably every 5 minutes and buses every 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the bus.

Public transportation at night

The so-called “night lines” (“Nachtlinien”) operate on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and consist of the two tram lines N82 (University – SolarCity), N84 (Central Station – Traun Castle) and bus N83 (Hafen – Neue Heimat). They run every 30 minutes. 

A detailed map of the public transport network can be found here.

By taxi through Linz

Austrian cabs are reliable and usually use a standardized mileage-based pricing system. Not only can you call, but you can also just take a cab at one of the many cab stands. An average ride within Linz city center should cost between €10 and €15. 

The following cab companies operate 24/7 in Linz: +43 732 6969 or +43 732 2244.

Let’s talk about the Weather

The weather in September is always very unpredictable and conditions range from blazing sun to pouring rain. The weather forecast and the Linz webcam can help you choose the right clothes for each day: https://www.linztourismus.at/freizeit/reise-planen/service/webcam/

Currency, Cash & Finances

The EURO (€) is the official currency in Austria.

A large number of ATMs at Linz’s main train station and throughout the city center provide you with cash 24 hours a day. Domestic and foreign Maestro cards (ATM cards) are accepted for withdrawals. Other credit cards are domestic and foreign MasterCards, American Express cards, Visa credit cards and Diners cards. In some cases, Cirrus and Visa Plus Cash cards are also accepted.

Credit cards are accepted by many hotels, restaurants and stores. You can tell if credit cards are accepted, and if so, which ones, by the logos displayed on the exterior of each store (usually on the front door).

Austrian Opening Hours

Please note that most Austrian stores are closed on Sundays. Only the “Spar” supermarket at the main station is open daily from 6:00 to 23:00. Also every gas station offers drinks and snacks.

Have you every tried Austrian tap water?

Austrian water is very clean and tap water is drinkable unless otherwise labeled. Bottled water is available in almost all stores.

Hangry? Here are some food venues

Several restaurants and cafés are located in the immediate vicinity of the festival grounds. The following are within a few minutes walking distance and are recommended by the Ars Electronica team:

Around the festival area POSTCITY:

In the city center:

Code of Conduct

As a festival dedicated to art and digital culture, Ars Electronica Festival strives to create a safe and inclusive environment for our diverse community of international artists, researchers, activists, and thinkers. We hold a responsibility towards our communities and are committed to providing a positive festival experience for everyone. To ensure this, we have established the following Code of Conduct:
Code of Conduct – Ars Electronica Festival 2023 – Who owns the truth?