WAB - Stage 10: Semmering - Prein

Description

The Semmering railway, built by Carl von Ghega, marked a milestone in railway history and brought international fame to the once insignificant Semmering. The economic significance of the railway has been lost, but due to the varied landscape, magnificent villas, viaducts, and tunnels, its cultural importance is greater than ever. The Semmering railway was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. Particularly impressive is the view from the Doppelreiterwarte, which offers the observer a view over the idyllic landscape of Semmering. Along the trail, which partly runs along the railway hiking trail, you come to the legendary 20-Schilling viewpoint, overlooking the Kalte Rinne. The lookout on the rocky Luckerten Wand is an absolute insider tip.

Starting point of the tour

Semmering, Passhöhe

Destination point of the tour

Prein, Raxalpenhof

Route description WAB - Stage 10: Semmering - Prein

From the roundabout at the border between Lower Austria and Styria, we briefly follow the pass road eastwards on the Lower Austrian side, but shortly afterwards leave it to the left onto the Hochstraße. We follow this road past Hotel Panhans and turn right at the elementary school towards Fürstenhof. We descend the path with a right hairpin to Südbahnstraße, which we cross halfway to the left and follow the narrow path towards the train station. However, instead of going right to the station, we immediately walk left on the gravel path above the railway tracks and the Ghega monument. Passing a playground, we go under the railway tracks and follow the school path to Wolfersbergkogel station. We walk uphill on the street and at a left curve continue straight on a sandy path. Ahead of us is the old Semmering Kurhaus, which today is used for cultural events. We go to the parking lot, cross it, and take the forest path uphill to the Doppelreiterwarte. The short climb to the scenic lookout is worthwhile.

Back on the path, we go right past the lookout and return on the forest path in a left curve back to the parking lot of the Kurhaus. However, we do not reach it but follow the path in a right curve to the 20-Schilling viewpoint. Those who paid with a 20-Schilling banknote between 1968 and 1988 might find the view from this lookout familiar.

We continue following the Wiener Alpenbogen to a fork, where we turn right towards Breitenstein. We stop briefly on the upcoming asphalt road but leave it before a right curve to the right into the forest. Shortly, we reach the road again, then turn right into Weberkogelstraße near the old steam laundry a few meters later. Hunger and thirst can be quenched at the Hinterholz 9 refreshment station. We hike down to the viaduct in the lower Adlitzgraben, walk under the viaduct, and examine old tools used in the railway's construction.

We walk uphill on the road for several minutes, leave it again at a left hairpin into the forest. Initially slightly downhill, then uphill past a large book on the history of the Semmering railway. The forest path becomes steeper, and we follow a scenic high-level path. The hiking trail leads downhill again past the Ghega Museum (open May to the end of October on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 10:00 a.m.) to the asphalt road at the Kalte Rinne viaduct. We follow Kalte-Rinne-Straße to the left and shorten a right curve over a forest trail leading uphill. Once back on the road, we cross it briefly, keep left, and take the rocky path past Falkensteinloch to Gaißkirchl. The well-marked trail now leads us steadily uphill west of Falkenstein through the forest to the Luckerte Wand viewpoint. After an enjoyable rest at the cliff ledge, we continue on the red-marked trail towards Prein. This leads us downhill to a forest road, which we follow briefly to the right and soon continue right on the marked trail. It leads us to the edge of a meadow at Haakogel above the Eselbachgraben; at the junction shortly thereafter, we keep left and hike downhill on a forest trail into the Hollensteingraben. We follow the road on the right past the sports field directly to the center of Prein at the Rax.