Semmering Railway (Semmeringbahn)

ÖBB (Österreichische Bundesbahnen / Austrian Federal Railways)
Austria
Loading Map...
The Journey

Navigate from Gloggnitz to Mürzzuschlag across a span of 42km.

Scenery Highlights
  • Kalte Rinne Viaduct — most photographed double-tiered stone arch viaduct (28 m high, 161 m long, 38 m radius curve)
  • Krauselklause Viaduct — partly two-storey arch viaduct above a small mountain lake
  • Semmering Pass summit (985 m) — the 1,431 m-long summit tunnel reaches the highest point of the historic line
  • Otto and Adlitzgraben viaducts (Bavaria-style stone arches framing deep beech forest)
  • Payerbach-Reichenau valley panorama — popular photography hilltop above the Schwarza valley
  • Spital am Semmering waterfall and Weinzettelwand rocky face (Eastern Alps limestone cliff line)
Quick Facts
  • Duration

    0.75 hours

  • Distance

    42 km

  • Est. Price

    Gloggnitz↔Mürzzuschlag REX single €15.20 (adult) / €7.60 (child, 6–14) / free under 6; Wien Hbf↔Graz Railjet Business €79.90 / First €119.90 incl. seat reservation; KlimaTicket Österreich annual pass €1,400 (€1,050 reduced for under-26 / seniors 65+) — most ÖBB fares rose 3.5% in December 2025 (ÖBB CEO committed to sub-inflation increases through mid-2027)

Official Booking Provider
Classes & Accommodations

Meals: At-seat service of drinks and small snacks from the Railjet restaurant car (separately purchased)

Ensuite: No

Meals: Welcome drink and amenity kit included; à la carte restaurant car available

Ensuite: No

Meals: None (Snack Automat at selected stations)

Ensuite: No

Meals: None

Ensuite: No

Engine / Locomotive

ÖBB electric traction: Siemens ES64U2 'Taurus' Class 1116 (Railjet long-distance); Siemens Desiro ML Class 4744/4746 (REX regional); Bombardier Talent Class 4024 (S-Bahn Steiermark); Stadler CityShuttle 2 double-deck (S-Bahn Niederösterreich). All 15 kV AC 16.7 Hz overhead electrification.

Track Gauge

1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) standard gauge — world-first for a major mountain railway

Braking Technology

Electric regenerative braking supplemented by disc brakes on coaching stock; ÖBB P-Bahn air brakes (K-Brake compatible) for heritage stock; ETCS Level 2 fitted (begun full rollout on the Südbahn corridor in 2024)

Route Engineering Challenges

  • 60% of the line features gradients of 2.0–2.5% (1 in 40) — exceptionally steep for standard gauge

  • 16% of the route has curvature radius of just 190 m — the tightest radius used in scheduled mainline service in Austria

  • 14 tunnels (including the 1,431 m Semmering Summit Tunnel through Alpine limestone)

  • 16 masonry viaducts (Kalte Rinne, Krauselklause, Adlitzgraben and 13 others) — most two-tier stone arches

  • Over 100 curved stone bridges and 11 small iron bridges built between 1848 and 1854

  • Altitude difference of 460 m over the 41 km route; summit at 985 m near Semmering station

  • Kalte Rinne viaduct — six-month masonry, drainage and ballast renovation in 2026 (€20 m ÖBB investment) to preserve long-term load-bearing capacity

  • Semmering Base Tunnel (27.3 km twin-bore) breakthrough completed November 2024; in interior fitting-out and rail-installation stage from 2025, scheduled to enter service end-2029 with full commissioning in 2030. Once open, only heritage and selected REX trains will continue to use the 1854 route.

Designer

Carl Ritter von Ghega (1802–1860)

Construction Period

1848–1854 (the world's first true standard-gauge mountain railway)

Route Length

41 km (scheduled) / 42 km with reversal and passing-loop track at Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag

Maximum Altitude

985 m at Semmering Pass / 985 m at the Semmering station

Number of Viaducts

16 masonry viaducts (Kalte Rinne is the most photographed)

Number of Tunnels

14 tunnels (longest is the Semmering summit tunnel, 1,431 m)

Current Line Speed

60–80 km/h on the historic line (limited by gradient and 190 m curve radius)

Future Bypass

Semmering Base Tunnel (27.3 km twin-bore) opening end of 2029, full commissioning 2030 — designed for 230 km/h

Electrification

15 kV, 16.7 Hz AC overhead (standard ÖBB system); ETCS Level 2 fitment in progress across the Südbahn corridor

Quick Facts
  • Duration

    0.75 hours

  • Distance

    42 km

  • Est. Price

    Gloggnitz↔Mürzzuschlag REX single €15.20 (adult) / €7.60 (child, 6–14) / free under 6; Wien Hbf↔Graz Railjet Business €79.90 / First €119.90 incl. seat reservation; KlimaTicket Österreich annual pass €1,400 (€1,050 reduced for under-26 / seniors 65+) — most ÖBB fares rose 3.5% in December 2025 (ÖBB CEO committed to sub-inflation increases through mid-2027)

Official Booking Provider