100 years of the Rax cable car

The path to the Rax: origins and history

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Rax was already a popular destination for those seeking relaxation, mountaineers and summer holidaymakers. However, the ascent was arduous: hikers had to climb on foot, and horses and small carts only allowed for limited transport. Therefore, plans to develop the Rax Alps technically were made early on. Originally, a rack railway from Preiner Gscheid via the Schlangenweg was planned, but the high costs made this project unrealistic.

The idea of a cable car was initially met with resistance: the municipality of Vienna feared negative effects on its drinking water from the Rax region. Despite these concerns, the plans were pursued as the development of tourism was economically significant.

In April 1925, construction began on the material cable car, which was built with fewer supports and higher cable tension than usual. This made construction considerably easier; without it, around 1,000 workers would have had to transport loads up the mountain for nine months. In June 1925, the valley station, five supports and the summit station followed.

On 9 June 1926, the Rax cable car was officially opened by Federal President Dr Michael Hainisch. It was Austria's first passenger cable car and covered 1,017 metres in altitude in nine to ten minutes. Cabins for 24 people ran every hour.

The following decades were marked by growing tourism, adjustments and technical modernisation. After the Second World War, extensions were made. New cabins were added in 1975, and in 1976 the cable car celebrated its 50th anniversary. In 1978, a ski lift was built on the Rax, which is no longer in operation today.

In 2016, a comprehensive modernisation took place: cabins from 2002 were completely overhauled, the main drive was modernised and control systems were renewed. Since July 2016, the cable car has been fully operational again and ensures the highest safety standards for around 200,000 guests annually.