Salzburg’s new sports app makes it easy to go for a run

It will show all open-air sports facilities in the city, plus 12 running routes

This week, local authorities in Salzburg, Austria, launched a new app that helps to turn the urban environment into one big sports playground. The app pinpoints all open-air exercise spaces and has a log of local running routes, with details about the routes including difficulty.

Moreover, the so-called ‘Bewegte Stadt’ (Moving City) app can also guide users to where they want to go via GPS. According to an official statement, the city hopes this can convince more people to participate in outdoor activities and make facilities easy to find and access.

From your front door to the nearest running route

The new app will give users an overview of sports locations in the city, as well as special events related to the topic. Additionally, it will show 12 running routes with information about length, elevation and difficulty.

According to Salzburg’s Deputy Mayor Bernhard Auingerthe the app will help make the diverse offers for sports in the city much more visible. Citizens will have a very clear overview of all low-threshold exercise offers, which are constantly expanding.

Michael Mayrhofer, one of the sports experts involved in the app’s development explained that one of the biggest app features is the navigation, as it can lead people directly to where they want to go – places that are often not marked on other map apps.

At the same time, Sabine Pichler, the city's sports coordinator, also pointed out that Bewegte Stadt will also notify people and all sports-related events held in Salzburg and serve as a one-stop shop for everyone who strives for an active lifestyle in the Austrian city.

She also mentioned that the first sports event of the season would be on 15 June and will be a free running workshop – to help familiarise citizens with the 12 routes.