Hikes
Hikes around the
Semmering Hirschenkogel
Beautiful natural landscapes, breathtaking views, leisurely hikes, historic railway hiking trail
Hikes around the Semmering
Enjoy the landscape
Semmering offers a varied leisure experience in the Viennese Alps with its hiking programme. Starting from the valley station of the cable car, there are various tours to discover the beautiful nature of the region.
As the highest point on the Hirschenkogel, the Millennium Observatory offers an unrivalled panoramic view over the Semmering-Rax-Schneeberg region as far as the Vienna Basin.
The many local hut landlords ensure the physical well-being of leisure enthusiasts with their hearty atmosphere and local delicacies.
Railway hiking trail
The Lower Austrian railway hiking trail
From Semmering railway station, the trail leads along the railway track, past viewpoints with great panoramic views of the interesting part of the overall structure to Breitenstein (9 km), Klamm (15 km), Payerbach (21 km) or Gloggnitz (23 km) railway stations. You can put together your own individual route and return to the starting point by train from one of the railway stations. A special experience are the many incomparable viewpoints, both of the railway line and of the beautiful landscape of the Semmering region. At Semmering station, you can find out everything you need to know about the Semmering Railway World Heritage Site and the surrounding landscape at the new information centre.
Railway hiking trail
The Styrian railway hiking trail
The Styrian railway hiking trail is a hiking experience for the whole family. The Styrian Semmering Railway Hiking Trail is a themed hiking trail – Peter Rosegger accompanies the hikers and meets important contemporaries along the way. A short, informative cultural history of the Styrian Semmering is revealed along the way. The trail is around 17 km long and leads directly from Semmering railway station (connection to the railway hiking trail on the Lower Austrian side) onto the Hochstraße, along the old Reichsstraße, through the forests and meadows of Steinhaus and Spital am Semmering and via the Kulturbahnhof to Mürzzuschlag railway station.
Hiking routes
Distance: 7 km
Duration: 2 hours
Ascent/descent: 344 metres
Difficulty: easy
Starting point is the car park at the valley station of the cable car. Take the 3.5-kilometre forest road up to the summit of the Hirschenkogel. At 1,340 metres above sea level, you are rewarded for the ascent with a magnificent panoramic view from the Millennium Observatory. Before descending, the large sun terrace of the Liechtensteinhaus panorama restaurant invites you to linger.
Distance: 2 km
Duration: 30 min.
Ascent/descent: 130 metres
Difficulty: very easy
The cable car takes you up to 1,350 metres. You then cross the western slope into the forest to the Erzherzog Johann Blick (viewing rock) and then walk back through the forest to the Millenniumswarte, from where an unforgettable panoramic view of the Rax-Schneeberg massif awaits.
Distance: 11.5 km
Duration: 4 hours
Ascent/descent: 703 hm
Difficulty: medium
The trail first leads along the road to the Sporthotel am Semmering. From here, head towards Maria Schutz until you reach the Sonnwendstein junction. Following the blue markings, you now climb the Sonnwendstein to the Pollereshütte. After a short ascent, you reach the Bergkircherl (1,523 m) – one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the Semmering region. The descent is via the Erzkogel summit cross (1,504 m) and the ridge path to the Brandstatt junction below the Hirschenkogel, then continue along the forest road (or comfortably by cable car) to the Enzianhütte and back to the pass summit.
Distance: 12.5 km
Duration: 4 hours
Ascent/descent: 770 hm
Difficulty: moderately difficult
The forest path takes you to Maria Schutz. The insider tip then leads steeply uphill from the fire station to the summit. The trail is part of the Gebirgsjäger memorial trail from the Pfaffensattel via the Sonnwendstein, Maria Schutz, Bärensattel, Eselstein, Kreuzberg and Payerbach to the Saurüssel. The trail is marked with a white edelweiss on a green background. For the way back, after a short descent to the crossroads, you can choose the Almsteig trail (blue markings). From here you return to the forest path.
Starting from the valley station of the cable car, you cross the top of the pass and find the start of this wonderful pond tour at the Happy Lift on the Panhanswiese. The trail then leads to the snowmaking pond at the Eisteichwiese and back to the top of the pass.
