The gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Semmering Railway

© UnescoPicturesquely intertwined with the beautiful landscape of Styria, the Semmeringbahn meanders over the mountain. The world’s first high-altitude railway was built under the direction of Carl Ritter von Ghega between 1848 and 1854. In 1998, it was declared the world's first railway UNESCO World Heritage Site. The construction of the railway over the Semmering in the 1850s was a milestone for the transport industry: For the first time, a high mountain range could be crossed with the then-new rail transport system by means of a special route. Numerous large viaducts and tunnels up to 1.5 kilometers long had to be built without any mechanical support.

Mürzzuschlag Station

Mürzzuschlag Station is the southern terminus of the Semmeringbahn. Originally the station was equipped with workshops, boilerhouses and a roundhouse. Today, the Mürzzuschlag location carries out preload service over the Semmering.

The facility – roundhouse and turntable, as well as locomotive assembly hall and traverser – played an importanat role in the history of technology and are, in their entirety, the last surviving ensemble from the early days of the railway. For this reason, the museum halls of the SOUTHERN RAILWAY Museum were listed as historically significant in 2006; since 2009, they have been located in the core zone of a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

Vision 2029 - Semmering Declaration