The Alpine Railway Hiking Trail "World Heritage Region - Mürzer Oberland Nature Park"

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty challenging

Route 27,2 km

Time 6:30 h

Uphill 1100 hm

Downhill 1170 hm

Highest point 1560 m

A very long, yet highly diverse hike from Lower Austria into Styria, from the World Heritage Semmering Railway to the Mürzer Oberland Nature Park. Technically easy, well-marked and signposted, with numerous scenic viewpoints, such as the famous "20 Schilling View", and close-up views of Rax, Schneealpe, and the Fischbacher Alps.

Overnight accommodation (reservation required) is available on weekends at the Scheibenhütte.

Starting from Semmering / Lower Austria, after a small circular route, the hike continues over Pinkenkogel (the hut is currently closed) and the scenic Kampalpe to Hohe Scheibe, where the Scheibenhütte is staffed on weekends. From there, descend all the way down, passing the Bleiweißgrube (cave) to Kapellen in the Mürzer Oberland Nature Park.

The historic Semmering Railway is almost always in view.

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

More information

Travel to Semmering: You can find the travel plan online.

Sufficient parking is available at Semmering.

From Semmering train station, follow the marked and signposted path to the Wolfsbergkogel station, and from there to the famous 20-Schilling-View.

For the return journey, the ascent begins near the Pfarrkirche (parish church) not far from Hotel Panhans, heading west toward Pinkenkogel (the hut is unfortunately closed). From there, continue along the often forested ridge (marked hiking trail), with constant ups and downs until you reach the summit cross of Kampalpe, offering a fantastic panoramic view of the Mürztal and Stuhleck.

The trail then turns slightly north and crosses the 1,565m high Drahtekogel (the highest point of the tour, though the summit is forested).

Shortly after, you begin the descent (with a dream view of Rax, Schneealpe, Veitsch, and Hohe Scheibe) and pass Beeralp to reach the Scheibenhütte (staffed on weekends).

From there, head directly west over the summit and pass the Bleiweißgrube (a cave, freely accessible), descending towards Kapellen in the Mürzer Oberland Nature Park.

The Alpine Railway Hiking Trail is a classic marked hiking trail with some short, steeper sections, but without any exposed passages. However, good physical fitness for a 6-7 hour hike is a prerequisite.

Mountain rescue emergency number: 140, the entire trail is covered by the Mürzzuschlag Mountain Rescue for rescue operations.

Emergency reporting tip – Answer the six following questions:

What happened?
How many injured?
Where did the accident occur (possibly GPS coordinates)?
Who is reporting (call-back number)?
When did the accident happen?
Weather at the accident site?

For the Alpine Railway Hiking Trail, standard hiking gear, sturdy footwear, and rain protection are recommended.

Properly packing your backpack makes everything easier:

Pack heavy items first.
The water bottle should always be easily accessible in a side pocket.
Frequently needed items like sunglasses, camera, or hiking map should go on top.

An emergency kit, including blister plasters, should be in every backpack, and layered clothing ("onion system") is always recommended!

At Semmering, make a brief visit to the World Heritage Exhibition (located at the train station, open only in summer). In Kapellen, see the world's largest spinning wheel, and afterwards, be sure to visit the roasting station for their self-roasted coffee specialties.

ÖBB www.oebb.at or Verbundlinie Steiermark www.busbahnbim.at

With the BusBahnBim app from Verbundlinie, timetable information has never been easier. All bus, train, and tram connections in Austria can be searched by entering locations, addresses, stops, or key points.

The app is available for free on smartphones (Android, iOS) via Google Play and the App Store.

Tourism Association Hochsteiermark
Tel.: +43 3862 55020
www.steiermark.com/hochsteiermark