WAB - Regional Route J: Payerbach - Waldburganger hut - Knofeleben

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 10,73 km
Duration: 4:00 h
Ascent: 917 m elevation gain
Descent: 147 m elevation gain

The Regional Route J leads from Payerbach via the Jubilee viewpoint and the extensive Bodenwiese to the Naturfreundehaus Knofeleben. The Regional Routes are part of the trail network on the Wiener Alpenbogen (WAB). Hikes along these routes lead you to unique views as well as insights. The Regional Routes are connected to the trail on the Wiener Alpenbogen. This creates circular hikes in combination with the long-distance trail.

Starting point of the tour: Payerbach station
Tour destination: Naturfreundehaus Knofeleben

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 10,73 km
Duration: 4:00 h
Ascent: 917 m elevation gain
Descent: 147 m elevation gain

Fitness level required:
4/6
Overall experience:
5/6
Scenery:
5/6

Lowest point487 m
Highest point1257 m

Nice views
With refreshment stops

Downloads

gpx_addressbase_17362
(GPX)

Description

This hike leads on forest and alpine paths from the station in the historic summer resort town of Payerbach via the Waldburganger hut to Knofeleben. The Jubilee viewpoint offers an unexpected but incredible view of the Semmering Railway World Heritage site with the striking viaduct in Payerbach. The Waldburganger hut offers a perfect place for a break before continuing over the Bodenwiese. The path here runs through a wonderful alpine landscape in a gentle terrain basin, a harmonious alpine idyll in perfection! After a short section in the forest, the route ends at the brightest hut in the Alps at Knofeleben. The Naturfreundehaus Knofeleben also reached 1st place among the "huts accessible by hiking" in the 2014 hut choice.

safety instructions Your hikes in the Viennese Alps should be a thoroughly nice and safe experience. Please therefore observe the following:PreparationMake sure when choosing the route that it matches your mountain experience and your fitness. Check the weather forecast in advance. Weather can change surprisingly quickly in the mountains. Therefore, always set out equipped accordingly (e.g., rain protection).Check whether the huts and snack stations you want to visit along the way are open. Inform someone about your route choice and your planned return before you set off.
Equipment Always take suitable maps with you. Wear sturdy shoes adapted to the route, take sun and rain protection as well as water and a snack. Take your mobile phone with you and save the mountain rescue emergency number: 140
Route description The Regional Route J starts very leisurely at the Payerbach-Reichenau train station in the summer resort town. Interesting to see at the station are the old advertising posters that tried to entice the population to the summer resort of Payerbach and Reichenau.We cross the large parking lot and follow a narrow asphalt path westwards. For a few meters, the path goes downhill, we walk right through the underpass and follow the street uphill. After two hairpin turns, a blue-marked hiking trail branches off to the left into the forest, which we ascend and continue along keeping to the right. We cross a service road, follow the hiking trail and again meet the service road. We leave the Hochberger farm on the right and then switch to the blue-marked hiking trail. Now it goes partly steeply uphill, a short section of the path is secured with a chain. The effort of the ascent seems to be swept away by the view at the Jubilee viewpoint, which is reachable via a small detour and is not directly on the hiking trail. Signposts provide timely information about the view. Returning to the hiking trail, we follow the footpath uphill, cross a forest road, and continue to climb on the blue-marked path. The path leads to a forest road, we keep right and after a few meters turn left to the Waldburganger hut, which is reached after a few meters of ascent. The hut, well known for its Schöberl pastries, is open on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from May to October. After a short rest at the hut, we walk on the gravel road to the Bodenwiese, a wonderful alpine meadow landscape. Here we have the opportunity to visit the keeper Gabi and continue our way after food and drink. However, the hiking trail branches off a little before the keeper's hut from the gravel road onto a meadow path. We climb over a pasture fence and soon reach a gravel road again, which we follow left into the forest. About 15 minutes later, we turn right at a crossroads towards the Lackaboden hut and at the next fork take the left path. Also on the left, five minutes later, we turn to the Lackaboden hut, where we reach the back side and walk left around the hut. The path leads slightly downhill to a forest road where we now turn right. This forest road is the one that takes us directly to the Naturfreundehaus Knofeleben. The "brightest hut in the Alps" landed first place among the huts accessible by hiking in 2014 and invites you to stop for food and overnight stays. The Regional Route J ends at this hut.Here you can either spend a cozy night or continue hiking on the Wiener Alpenbogen; Krummbachstein and Schneeberg are the next stations of the long-distance hiking trail. Alternatively, you can also hike down the Wiener Alpenbogen to Kaiserbrunn in the Höllental and even follow the water pipe path back to Payerbach. This path is also part of the hiking trail on the Wiener Alpenbogen.
Parking Parking is available at Payerbach station.
Getting there Coming from Vienna on the A2 to the Seebenstein junction, continue on the S6 to the Gloggnitz exit. Follow the B27 to Payerbach.Coming from Graz, first follow the S35, then the S6 to the Gloggnitz exit. Continue on the B27 to Gloggnitz.
Public transport From Wiener Neustadt station, trains run regularly to Payerbach-Reichenau.From Mürzzuschlag station, regional trains run to Payerbach-Reichenau station.For more information, visit www.oebb.at.
Editor’s tip Combine your hike with a stay at the Payerbacherhof.Especially on weekends, the availability of a sleeping place at the Naturfreundehaus Knofeleben (closed on Mondays) should be checked by phone. Please note that the Waldburganger hut is only open on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.

Recommended period

Current weather on site

3° to 15°

Today, 11.03.2026

Fog

Wind speed2,4 km/h

1° to 14°

Tomorrow, 12.03.2026

Fog

Wind speed1,8 km/h

Also explore the connecting routes:

WAB - Regional Route I: Kirchberg/Wechsel - Maria Schutz

WAB - Regional Route K: Schloss Gloggnitz - Prigglitz - Payerbach

Viennese Alps in Lower Austria, www.wieneralpen.at, +43 / 2622 / 78960

Tourism information Reichenau an der Rax, www.reichenau.at, +43 / 2666 / 52206 25

Letzte Änderung: 25 Feb 2026