# Puchberg and the Schneeberg

The rack railway that has climbed since 1897 from Puchberg to 1,800 metres, up the highest mountain in Lower Austria, about 90 km from Vienna.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/austria/lower-austria/puchberg-and-schneeberg · Revisado: 2026-11-12

The Schneeberg is the highest mountain in Lower Austria and the one the Viennese see on clear days to the south-west of the city. You do not need to climb it: since 1897 a rack railway has run from Puchberg am Schneeberg, a summer resort village at the foot of the mountain, to a station at 1,800 metres, with paths continuing to the summits of the plateau. It is one of the most classic day trips from Vienna, and it can be done entirely by train.

## How to get there from Vienna

Take the southern line at Wien Hauptbahnhof or Wien Meidling to Wiener Neustadt, every hour, and there the regional train to Puchberg. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays there is also a direct train from Vienna. Neither goes through the central stretch of the S-Bahn, closed until the end of October 2027. By car it is about 90 km on the A2, exit 44 Wiener Neustadt-West, and the B26. The Schneebergbahn leaves from the same station in Puchberg.

## What to do in a day

The Schneebergbahn climbs in 40 minutes with the Salamander trains, daily from 1 May to 1 November; buy your ticket online, because places are limited. At the top, the Paradies der Blicke loop takes an hour and passes the Empress Elisabeth church. With strong legs and good weather, continue across the plateau to the Klosterwappen, at 2,076 metres. Eat at the top at the Berghaus Hochschneeberg or go down by train to the Hengsthütte, halfway up the mountain, and finish the day on foot to Puchberg in a little over an hour. On some Sundays in spring and autumn the steam train runs.

## When to go

From May to early November. In July and August there are more people; in September and October, more light and shorter queues. Up there it is high mountain: there can be snow in May and fog any day, so bring a coat and check the line's webcam before setting out. In winter the train only runs special trips to the Hengsthütte, such as the Advent trips on 5 and 6 December 2026.

## Where to sleep

If you want to stay, the Hotel Schneeberghof is the village hotel with an indoor pool and the Paradiesquelle lists prices from €75 per person with breakfast. The different experience is sleeping at the top, in the Berghaus Hochschneeberg, and having the plateau to yourself at sunset.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Alps
- Cerca: The Rax and Reichenau (a 11.4 km), Semmering (a 18.3 km), Baden bei Wien (a 33.9 km), Mödling and Burg Liechtenstein (a 43.0 km)

## Qué hacer
- **The Schneebergbahn, the rack railway from Puchberg to 1,800 metres** (1 h 20 · All ages; children aged 6 to 14 at the children's rate · Return €45 (mid season) or €49 (July to September); children aged 6 to 14 €21.50 or €23.50; dogs €18.50; FLEX ticket €3.50 more): The Schneebergbahn has climbed since 1897 from Puchberg to the Schneeberg, the highest mountain in Lower Austria. Today it is done by the Salamander trains, with panoramic carriages, which in 40 minutes leave the valley meadows behind, stop at the Hengsthütte and at Baumgartner and end at Hochschneeberg station, at 1,800 metres. They run daily from 1 May to 1 November, with departures from Puchberg at 9:00, 10:30, 12:00, 14:30 and 16:00, and more if it is busy. Places are limited: buy your ticket online, and choose the FLEX if you want to be able to change the time. In November and December there are only special trips to the middle of the mountain.
- **The Schneeberg steam train, on some Sundays** (2 h 40 · All ages; does not admit dogs · Schneebergbahn ticket plus €12.50 per person per journey): On some spring and autumn Sundays, the Schneebergbahn brings out its steam train and goes up as in the emperor's day: about 90 minutes of climb, leaving Puchberg at 10:50, and descending at 15:47, which leaves you almost four hours at the top. In 2026 it ran on eight days between May and October, never in July or August. You pay the normal ticket plus €12.50 per journey, and it does not admit dogs. The 2027 dates are published on the line's website.
- **Paradies der Blicke, the easy loop from the upper station** (1 h · All ages that walk; mountain footwear and a coat even if it is warm below · Free (apart from the train)): The easiest signposted loop on the Schneeberg leaves from the same Hochschneeberg station and goes round the plateau in about an hour, with views over the Puchberg valleys and the Rax. You pass the little Empress Elisabeth church, next to the station. It is high mountain even if it does not look it: bring a coat, mountain footwear and check the weather before going up.
- **To the Klosterwappen, the roof of Lower Austria (2,076 m)** (Adults and teenagers with experience and good weather): From Hochschneeberg station, the paths on the plateau lead to the three summits of the Schneeberg: the Waxriegel (1,888 m), the Kaiserstein (2,061 m) and the Klosterwappen (2,076 m), the highest point in Lower Austria. There is no technical difficulty in good weather, but it is high-mountain terrain, with no shade and exposed to fog and wind. Time your return so as not to miss the last train down, which in 2026 left at 16:45.
- **Advent trips to the Hengsthütte on the Schneebergbahn** (3 h · All ages; under-6s free on a lap · Return €33.50; children aged 6 to 14 €20.50; dogs €16): On the first weekend of December, the Schneebergbahn goes up only as far as the Hengsthütte, at 1,012 metres, where home cooking awaits, hot punch on the terrace and, on Sunday afternoon, a visit from the Krampus, the devils of Alpine folklore. In 2026 the trains leave Puchberg at 9:30, 11:00, 13:00, 15:30 and 17:00. A table at the Hengsthütte must be booked. If there is snow, they hire out toboggans. On 24 December there is another Christmas trip to the hut.

## Dónde comer
- **Hengsthütte** (Restaurant, Puchberg am Schneeberg, €€). Qué pedir: a home-style Austrian dish of the day on the terrace; in Advent, hot punch.
- **Berghaus Hochschneeberg restaurant** (Restaurant, Puchberg am Schneeberg, €€). Qué pedir: the Tafelspitz, boiled beef, with Alpine sorrel, and for dessert a Schneebergkrapfen.

## Car-free: By train via Wiener Neustadt and the rack railway
The Schneeberg is the Viennese people's train mountain: the southern line from Wien Hauptbahnhof or Meidling to Wiener Neustadt, a regional train to Puchberg and, at the same station, the Schneebergbahn up to 1,800 metres. At weekends there is a direct train from Vienna. None of this goes through the central stretch of the S-Bahn closed until October 2027.
Presupuesto orientativo: 110–180 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Hotel Schneeberghof** (Spa hotel): The house
Puchberg's big hotel, 4-star superior, on the main street and a stroll from the Schneebergbahn station. It is a full holiday hotel: a panoramic indoor pool with a view of the Schneeberg, several saunas, a relaxation room, a gym and tennis, with two indoor and three outdoor courts.
Eating and resting
Half board includes a breakfast buffet, afternoon refreshments and a multi-course menu with choices in the evening. There is a bar, a cellar, a lounge with a fireplace and a library for rainy days.
Practical matters
The website does not publish single rates, only multi-night packages, such as the spring 2027 one. If you come by train, Puchberg station is in the same village and the Schneebergbahn leaves from it.
- **Hotel Paradiesquelle** (Hotel, desde 75 € / bed): The house
A traditional holiday hotel, surrounded by gardens in the upper part of Puchberg, at about 600 metres altitude. It suits those who come to walk, cycle or ride motorbikes.
Rooms and prices
It publishes its prices per person per night with breakfast: the 25 m² standard room, nearly always with a balcony, €75; the standard plus, with a renovated bathroom, €85; and the 50 m² suite, with a sitting room, terrace and separate bedrooms if you ask, €95. The suites work well for families.
- **Berghaus Hochschneeberg** (Mountain hut): The house
Sleeping at the top is the way to see the Schneeberg without trains or day-trippers: at sunset and sunrise the plateau is yours. The Berghaus is a few steps from Hochschneeberg station and has simple rooms, rooms with breakfast, shower and veranda, and an "imperial apartment".
Practical matters
It is open from May to late October. Prices are given on request: write or call beforehand. The car stays in the valley station car park, in Puchberg, and you go up on the Schneebergbahn. Dogs admitted.
### Servicios
- **Puchberg am Schneeberg station**: Departure point of the Schneebergbahn and arrival of regional trains from Wiener Neustadt; direct train from Vienna at weekends

## By car: By car on the A2 and the B26
By car it is about 90 km from Vienna on the A2 to Wiener Neustadt-West and the B26 to Puchberg. Arriving by car lets you catch the first train at 9:00 and combine the day with the Rax or the Semmering, which are in the next valley.
Presupuesto orientativo: 100–170 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Hotel Schneeberghof** (Spa hotel): The house
Puchberg's big hotel, 4-star superior, on the main street and a stroll from the Schneebergbahn station. It is a full holiday hotel: a panoramic indoor pool with a view of the Schneeberg, several saunas, a relaxation room, a gym and tennis, with two indoor and three outdoor courts.
Eating and resting
Half board includes a breakfast buffet, afternoon refreshments and a multi-course menu with choices in the evening. There is a bar, a cellar, a lounge with a fireplace and a library for rainy days.
Practical matters
The website does not publish single rates, only multi-night packages, such as the spring 2027 one. If you come by train, Puchberg station is in the same village and the Schneebergbahn leaves from it.
- **Hotel Paradiesquelle** (Hotel, desde 75 € / bed): The house
A traditional holiday hotel, surrounded by gardens in the upper part of Puchberg, at about 600 metres altitude. It suits those who come to walk, cycle or ride motorbikes.
Rooms and prices
It publishes its prices per person per night with breakfast: the 25 m² standard room, nearly always with a balcony, €75; the standard plus, with a renovated bathroom, €85; and the 50 m² suite, with a sitting room, terrace and separate bedrooms if you ask, €95. The suites work well for families.
- **Berghaus Hochschneeberg** (Mountain hut): The house
Sleeping at the top is the way to see the Schneeberg without trains or day-trippers: at sunset and sunrise the plateau is yours. The Berghaus is a few steps from Hochschneeberg station and has simple rooms, rooms with breakfast, shower and veranda, and an "imperial apartment".
Practical matters
It is open from May to late October. Prices are given on request: write or call beforehand. The car stays in the valley station car park, in Puchberg, and you go up on the Schneebergbahn. Dogs admitted.
### Servicios
- **Puchberg am Schneeberg station**: Departure point of the Schneebergbahn and arrival of regional trains from Wiener Neustadt; direct train from Vienna at weekends

## By plane: Fly to Vienna and take the train to Puchberg
Puchberg is about 90 km from Vienna, and Vienna-Schwechat airport (VIE) has direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities. By public transport you go from the airport to Wien Hauptbahnhof and there take the southern line; by hire car, on the A2.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Hotel Schneeberghof** (Spa hotel): The house
Puchberg's big hotel, 4-star superior, on the main street and a stroll from the Schneebergbahn station. It is a full holiday hotel: a panoramic indoor pool with a view of the Schneeberg, several saunas, a relaxation room, a gym and tennis, with two indoor and three outdoor courts.
Eating and resting
Half board includes a breakfast buffet, afternoon refreshments and a multi-course menu with choices in the evening. There is a bar, a cellar, a lounge with a fireplace and a library for rainy days.
Practical matters
The website does not publish single rates, only multi-night packages, such as the spring 2027 one. If you come by train, Puchberg station is in the same village and the Schneebergbahn leaves from it.
- **Hotel Paradiesquelle** (Hotel, desde 75 € / bed): The house
A traditional holiday hotel, surrounded by gardens in the upper part of Puchberg, at about 600 metres altitude. It suits those who come to walk, cycle or ride motorbikes.
Rooms and prices
It publishes its prices per person per night with breakfast: the 25 m² standard room, nearly always with a balcony, €75; the standard plus, with a renovated bathroom, €85; and the 50 m² suite, with a sitting room, terrace and separate bedrooms if you ask, €95. The suites work well for families.
- **Berghaus Hochschneeberg** (Mountain hut): The house
Sleeping at the top is the way to see the Schneeberg without trains or day-trippers: at sunset and sunrise the plateau is yours. The Berghaus is a few steps from Hochschneeberg station and has simple rooms, rooms with breakfast, shower and veranda, and an "imperial apartment".
Practical matters
It is open from May to late October. Prices are given on request: write or call beforehand. The car stays in the valley station car park, in Puchberg, and you go up on the Schneebergbahn. Dogs admitted.
### Servicios
- **Puchberg am Schneeberg station**: Departure point of the Schneebergbahn and arrival of regional trains from Wiener Neustadt; direct train from Vienna at weekends

## As a family: A rack railway up to June snow

Going up the Schneeberg on a rack railway is one of those things a child remembers. At the top, the Paradies der Blicke loop takes an hour and the Hengsthütte, halfway up the mountain, is perfect for eating and walking down if the children are older.

### What works best
The Schneebergbahn: 40-minute climb; children aged 6 to 14 from €21.50

The steam train on some spring and autumn Sundays

The Paradies der Blicke loop, an easy hour from the station

The Advent trips to the Hengsthütte, with toboggans if there is snow

### Where to sleep
Hotel Schneeberghof, with an indoor pool

Hotel Paradiesquelle, with 50 m² suites

### Where to eat
Hengsthütte, home cooking

Berghaus Hochschneeberg, next to the upper station

### Bear in mind
It is cold at the top and the weather changes: bring a coat in summer too

Under-6s travel free on a lap on the Advent trips

The steam train does not admit dogs

### Qué hacer as a family
- The Schneebergbahn, the rack railway from Puchberg to 1,800 metres
- The Schneeberg steam train, on some Sundays
- Paradies der Blicke, the easy loop from the upper station
- Advent trips to the Hengsthütte on the Schneebergbahn

## Consejos

### Buy your ticket in advance
Train places are limited: the FLEX ticket, €3.50 more, lets you change the time.

### Walk down from the Hengsthütte
Take the train all the way up and leave the last hour to walk down through the woods.

### Check the last train
In 2026 the last descent left Hochschneeberg at 16:45.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How do you get from Vienna to the Schneeberg?
By train on the southern line to Wiener Neustadt and a regional train to Puchberg, or on the direct train at weekends. By car, about 90 km on the A2.

### How much does the Schneebergbahn cost?
€45 return in mid season and €49 from July to September; children aged 6 to 14, from €21.50.

### When does it run?
Daily from 1 May to 1 November; in November and December, special trips to the middle of the mountain only.

### Can you go up with a dog?
Yes, with a muzzle, a lead and its own ticket, except on the steam train.

### Do you need to be a mountaineer?
Not for the train or the one-hour loop. The Klosterwappen requires good fitness and good weather.