An ÖBB Railjet curving across the Kalte Rinne viaduct below the limestone Polleroswand on the Semmering Railway

TrainWinterAutumn

Vienna to Graz over the Semmering Railway

Europe's first mountain railway, still on the main line: viaducts stacked two high and a summit at 895 m.

The short answer

Vienna to Graz takes 2 h 26 min to 2 h 36 min, with 33 direct ÖBB trains a day in each direction in ÖBB's 2026 and 2027 timetables, and until the Semmering Base Tunnel opens in December 2029 every one of them crosses the Semmering Railway. A second-class Standard-Ticket bought online costs from €41.70 on ÖBB's fare table valid from 14 December 2025 (read 19 October 2026); there is no scenic supplement and no compulsory reservation, and ÖBB's limited Sparschiene fares within Austria start at €9.90. WESTbahn, a separate company with its own tickets, adds five trains a day in 2 h 29 min.

Less than an hour south of Vienna the ordinary intercity to Graz leaves the plain and starts to climb, looping along cliff faces, through tunnels blasted in the 1850s and across viaducts of stone and brick, up to a pass at 895 m. The Semmering Railway was the first railway line in the world to be listed by UNESCO, and it is still a working main line: you ride it on a normal ticket, with no supplement. Go soon: from December 2029 the fast trains are expected to take the new tunnel underneath.

From

Vienna

Graz

Austria

Journey time: 2 h 26 min to 2 h 36 min
Direct trains: 33 ÖBB a day each way
Fare from: €41.70, 2nd class online
Mountain section: 41 km over the pass
Highest point: 895 m
UNESCO World Heritage: since 1998

The line that taught trains to climb

In the 1840s there was a railway from Vienna to Gloggnitz and from Mürzzuschlag on towards Graz, and between them stood the Semmering. Carl Ghega, an engineer born in Venice, came back from a study trip to the United States and drew it as an adhesion railway, ordinary wheels on ordinary rails, on a route that would not fight the mountain but follow it, wrapping round the side valleys at an average gradient of 20 per thousand. In 1848, the year of revolution, the plans were approved partly to give Vienna's unemployed work, and more than 18,000 labourers from across the monarchy went up to the pass. Ghega was knighted in 1851, the year a competition was held to find locomotives strong enough for the climb. The line opened to passengers on 17 July 1854.

What they built is still in daily use: 41 km from Gloggnitz to Mürzzuschlag, 16 major viaducts, more than 100 smaller arched stone bridges, tunnels through the rock walls of the Adlitzgraben, and 57 two-storey attendants' houses, one roughly every 700 m. The railway also made a landscape. Viennese society followed it up the mountain, and Semmering became one of the first purpose-built Alpine resorts, its villas and grand hotels still looking down on the tracks.

In 1998 UNESCO inscribed it as the first railway on the World Heritage List, calling it one of the greatest feats of civil engineering of the pioneering age of railways. In 2017 the documents of its construction joined UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. ÖBB, which still runs some 180 trains a day over it, calls it the oldest mountain railway in the world.

Along the way

Vienna
after Wiener Neustadt, under an hour out of Vienna
The climb begins at Gloggnitz
At Gloggnitz, 436 m above sea level, the flat run south from Vienna ends and the heritage line begins. The track leaves the plain and runs west along the slopes of the Schwarza valley towards Payerbach, gaining height with every kilometre, the river dropping away below the left-hand windows.
at Payerbach-Reichenau
Schwarza viaduct and the turn back east
At Payerbach the line crosses the Schwarza valley on its viaduct and then doubles back on the far slope, climbing past Küb and Eichberg with the valley it has just crossed spread out below. It is the first sign of Ghega's method: never attack the mountain head on, go round it.
after the Klamm tunnel, beyond Klamm-Schottwien station
Into the Adlitzgraben
UNESCO marks the Klamm tunnel as the point where the railway reaches the Alpine terrain proper. The Wagnergraben, Gamperlgraben and Rumplergraben viaducts follow in quick succession, three of the masonry bridges ÖBB restored stone by stone in 2018 and 2019, under the eye of the monument authorities.
between Klamm-Schottwien and Breitenstein, then on past Breitenstein
The Weinzettelwand
Here the line runs along the face of a rock wall, in and out of a chain of short tunnels and a gallery cut into the cliff, with daylight flashing between them and a long drop to the valley floor. The Weinzettelwand comes first; beyond Breitenstein station the Krauselklause and the Polleroswand follow, the most dramatic stretch of the route.
a few minutes after Breitenstein station
Kalte Rinne viaduct
The two-storey viaduct over the Kalte Rinne is the emblem of the line: tiers of arches carried on a curve across a side ravine. The view of it from the 20-Schilling-Blick, a viewpoint on the railway trail, is the one that appeared on the back of the old Austrian 20-schilling note. Guardhouse number 167, beside the viaduct, holds the world's only museum devoted to Ghega.
about 1 h 15 min from Vienna
Semmering station and the summit tunnel
Semmering station stands below the villas and hotels of the resort the railway created. Just beyond it the train enters the tunnel under the pass, at 895 m the highest point of the line; water seeping into the original 1,431 m bore put parts of it at risk of collapse, and a new tunnel of about 1,512 m was opened beside it in 1952. On the far side you are in Styria.
about 15 minutes after Semmering
Down to Mürzzuschlag
The descent is gentler, along the slope of the Fröschnitz valley through Steinhaus and Spital am Semmering to Mürzzuschlag at 677 m, where the heritage section ends. Two old locomotive halls at the station hold the Südbahn Museum, on the Vienna to Trieste railway that the Semmering made possible. From here the train runs down the Mürz valley to Bruck and Graz.
Graz

Which side to sit

Sit on the left going from Vienna to Graz, and on the right coming back. The railway is built into the hillside, and for almost the whole climb from Gloggnitz to Semmering, and for most of the descent to Mürzzuschlag, the ground falls away on the left of a southbound train: that is where the valleys, the viaducts seen across the curves and the drops below the Weinzettelwand are. On the right you mostly look at rock and forest. Railjet seats can be chosen on a seat map when you add a reservation, from €3.

Ways to do it

Straight through on a Railjet or Intercity
From€41.70 standard, 2nd class, booked online 15 days or more ahead (fare table valid from 14 December 2025); Sparschiene from €9.90 where available
Every direct Vienna to Graz train crosses the Semmering until December 2029: Railjets, Railjet Xpress, EuroCity and Intercity trains, 33 a day each way on ÖBB, the first from Wien Hbf at 05:24 and the last at 23:24. The trains at 53 minutes past the hour, mostly Railjet Xpress, take 2 h 26 min; the hourly trains at 24 minutes past take 2 h 36 min. There is no supplement for any of them.
Stop off at Semmering on the same ticket
From€41.70 for the whole Vienna to Graz ticket, 2nd class online
One Railjet every two hours stops at Semmering. Southbound it leaves Wien Hbf at 24 minutes past each even hour from 06:24 (08:24, 10:24 and so on) and reaches Semmering 1 h 15 min later; from Semmering the trains on to Graz leave at 40 minutes past each odd hour from 07:40 and take 1 h 20 min. A Standard-Ticket from Vienna to Graz is valid for two days, allows a break of journey and is good on every ÖBB train, so you can walk part of the railway trail, then take a later train south.
WESTbahn, the other operator
From€8.99 WestSuperpreis Vienna to Graz, seat included (WESTbahn fares announced 1 December 2025)
Since March 2026 the private operator WESTbahn has run five trains a day each way between Wien Hbf and Graz Hbf, on to Klagenfurt and Villach, in 2 h 29 min over the same mountain line. Most call at Semmering, which makes them a second way to stop off. They need a WESTbahn ticket, and every online booking includes a seat reservation at no extra cost.
The stopping train over the mountain
From€24 Vienna to Mürzzuschlag, 2nd class online 15 days or more ahead
Regional train R 91 runs every two hours between Payerbach-Reichenau and Mürzzuschlag in 41 to 46 minutes, calling at every station and halt on the line, including Küb, Klamm-Schottwien, Breitenstein and Wolfsbergkogel. It is slower, which is the point: more time on each viaduct, and the chance to get off at any of them. From Vienna, CJX 9 trains reach Payerbach-Reichenau at least hourly in 1 h 6 min to 1 h 9 min.
Semmering-Express at weekends
From€24 Vienna to Mürzzuschlag, 2nd class online 15 days or more ahead
On Saturdays and Sundays ÖBB runs two through trains it names Semmering-Express, from Wien Hbf at 07:28 and 09:25 to Mürzzuschlag at 09:06 and 11:03, calling at Klamm-Schottwien, Breitenstein, Semmering and Spital am Semmering. They return from Mürzzuschlag at 16:54 and 18:54, reaching Wien Hbf at 18:32 and 20:32. They appear in the timetable through the winter and into 2027.

When to go

WinterAt its best
The trains run all winter on the same timetable, and snow on the pass at 895 m turns the stone arches into line drawings. Semmering itself is a winter resort: skiing on the Hirschenkogel above the village, a 3 km toboggan run and cross-country trails when there is natural snow, all reachable by Railjet from Vienna.
Summer
The season for walking the railway. The Semmering to Breitenstein stretch of the railway trail is 9.2 km, about three hours, past the Weinzettelwand and the 20-Schilling-Blick over the Kalte Rinne, and the regional trains let you walk one way and ride back. The information centre at Semmering station opens from May, Thursday to Sunday.
AutumnAt its best
The forested slopes of the Adlitzgraben turn colour around the tracks. The weekend Semmering-Express keeps running through October and November, and all 33 direct trains run every day. Days are short by November, so take a morning train to see the climb in full light.

Tickets, fares and reservations

How much is the train from Vienna to Graz, and do I need a reservation?

ÖBB charges one fare for every one of its trains on the route, branded Railjet or not, and no scenic supplement. ÖBB's Standard-Ticket is priced by how and when you buy it: online or in the ÖBB app is cheapest, then the ticket machine, then the ticket office, with the highest price charged on board. Buying 15 days or more ahead lowers it a little. A Standard-Ticket is not tied to one train, is valid for two days between Vienna and Graz and allows a break of journey, which is what makes a stop at Semmering free. Sparschiene tickets are cheaper but tied to one train and non-refundable, and up to four children under 15 travel free with each adult on Sparschiene Austria. Reservations are optional; ÖBB advises them on busy days, and a bicycle on a Railjet needs one. WESTbahn trains use WESTbahn's own tickets, with a seat reservation included online.

Vienna to Graz, 2nd class online: €41.70 15 to 180 days ahead, €43.50 1 to 14 days ahead, €44.30 on the day (fare table valid from 14 December 2025)
Vienna to Graz, 1st class online: €81.30 to €86.40
Ticket office / on board, 2nd class: €54.80 / €60.70 on the day
With an ÖBB Vorteilscard, 2nd class online: €20.90 to €22.20
Vienna to Semmering, 2nd class online: €21.60 to €22.90
Sparschiene: from €9.90 2nd class, €19.90 1st class, within Austria; limited seats, bookable up to 180 days ahead
Seat reservation: from €3, or €1.50 with Vorteilscard Comfort

Stations and luggage

Where do the trains leave from, and what can I take?

Trains to Graz leave Wien Hbf, the main station, and call at Wien Meidling five minutes later; the long-distance trains use platforms 3 to 12, the CJX regional trains towards Payerbach platforms 1 and 2. In Graz they arrive at Graz Hbf. Luggage is free on ÖBB trains if it fits on the racks above or below your seat, up to 90 by 60 by 40 cm, and skis, pushchairs and folded bikes go free too. Wien Hbf and Graz Hbf have bookable lockers; ÖBB lists none at Semmering, so if you plan a stop with big bags, leave them at either end.

Vienna: Wien Hbf, then Wien Meidling 5 min later
Graz: Graz Hbf
Luggage allowance: free, each piece up to 90 x 60 x 40 cm
Lockers: Wien Hbf and Graz Hbf; none listed at Semmering
On board: Railjets have free wifi, a restaurant car, quiet and family zones

The Semmering Base Tunnel and the old line

When does the Semmering Base Tunnel open, and what happens to the scenic route?

ÖBB is boring a 27.3 km tunnel in two bores between Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag. Excavation finished on 29 November 2024, and in its newsletter of June 2026 ÖBB says the first trains will run through it in December 2029: the fastest will need 12 minutes for the tunnel, Vienna to Graz will drop by about 30 minutes to under two hours, and the purpose, in ÖBB's words, is to relieve the historic line. The mountain railway is not closing. ÖBB is finishing a full renovation of it, and Lower Austria's government said at the tunnel's breakthrough in January 2025 that the line will stay in use for local and excursion traffic, and that the weekend heritage trains run since 2019 will carry on after the tunnel opens.

Base tunnel length: 27.3 km, two bores
First trains (ÖBB, June 2026): December 2029
Time saved: about 30 minutes; Vienna to Graz under 2 hours
Old line after 2029: kept for regional and excursion trains

Making sure your train takes the mountain route

How do I make sure my train goes over the Semmering and not through the tunnel?

Until December 2029 there is nothing to check: every direct train between Vienna and Graz runs over the pass, so any ticket and any departure will do. From the tunnel's opening, ÖBB has not yet published which trains will take which route, but a train that stops at Payerbach-Reichenau, Breitenstein or Semmering can only be on the old line. The sure way is to look for those stops in the ÖBB timetable, or to change at Payerbach-Reichenau or Mürzzuschlag onto the R 91 stopping train or the weekend Semmering-Express, which exist to serve the mountain stations.

Until December 2029: every direct Vienna to Graz train crosses the Semmering
After that, look for stops at: Payerbach-Reichenau, Klamm-Schottwien, Breitenstein, Semmering
Trains that always use the old line: R 91 Payerbach-Reichenau to Mürzzuschlag; Semmering-Express at weekends

Worth knowing before you go

The fast trains do not stop on the mountain
Most through trains do not stop between Wiener Neustadt and Mürzzuschlag, and the Railjet Xpress runs nonstop from Wien Meidling to Bruck an der Mur. Only one ÖBB Railjet every two hours stops at Semmering, plus most of the five WESTbahn trains, and none stop at Breitenstein, the station for the Kalte Rinne, the Ghega Museum and the best walking.
What to do. For a stop, take the Railjet leaving Wien Hbf at 24 minutes past an even hour, or change at Payerbach-Reichenau onto the two-hourly R 91, which calls everywhere.
The through ride has a deadline
ÖBB plans to open the base tunnel in December 2029 to cut Vienna to Graz below two hours, which only the tunnel can do. The old line stays open, but the simple pleasure of crossing it on any intercity is likely to end then.
What to do. Ride before the 2029 timetable change, or plan from 2030 on changing to the regional or weekend trains.

The journey in pictures

The Kalte Rinne and Krausel Klause viaducts below the Polleroswand near Breitenstein, with the Rax beyond

A Railjet crossing the Krausel Klause viaduct near Breitenstein into the Krausel tunnel

A Railjet coming out of the Rumpler tunnel on the Semmering Railway near Gloggnitz

The arches of the Schwarza viaduct of the Semmering Railway above houses in Payerbach

The Semmering Railway winding along a forested slope near Semmering, with the Schneeberg on the horizon

Questions people ask

Good questions about The Semmering Railway

How long is the train from Vienna to Graz?

2 h 26 min on the Railjet Xpress, which leaves Wien Hbf at 53 minutes past most hours, and 2 h 36 min on the trains at 24 minutes past. ÖBB runs 33 direct trains a day in each direction in its 2026 and 2027 timetables, from 05:24 to 23:24, every day and all year, and WESTbahn adds five more in 2 h 29 min. ÖBB expects the journey to drop below two hours when the Semmering Base Tunnel opens in December 2029.

Does the train from Vienna to Graz go over the Semmering Railway?

Yes. Until the Semmering Base Tunnel opens in December 2029, every direct train between Vienna and Graz climbs over the Semmering Railway between Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag, the UNESCO World Heritage line opened in 1854. You need no special train or ticket: an ordinary Railjet or Intercity on a Standard-Ticket from €41.70 in second class takes you across the viaducts and through the tunnels.

Which side should I sit on for the Semmering Railway?

On the left going south from Vienna to Graz, and on the right going north to Vienna. The line is cut into the hillside, and for nearly all of the climb from Gloggnitz to Semmering and most of the descent to Mürzzuschlag the valley drops away on the left of a southbound train. That side gives you the views down into the Adlitzgraben and across the curves to the viaducts. A reserved seat costs from €3 and can be picked on a seat map.

Is there a scenic train or supplement on the Semmering Railway?

No supplement is charged. The scenic train is the normal Railjet, Intercity or regional train, on a normal ÖBB ticket. At weekends ÖBB runs two morning trains named Semmering-Express from Wien Hbf to Mürzzuschlag that call at the mountain stations, but they are ordinary second-class regional trains at the ordinary fare.

Can I stop off at Semmering on a Vienna to Graz ticket?

Yes, on a Standard-Ticket. It is valid for two days between Vienna and Graz, on any ÖBB train, and allows a break of journey, so you can get off at Semmering, walk or eat, and take a later train on. One Railjet every two hours stops at Semmering in each direction, and the R 91 stopping train runs every two hours too. WESTbahn trains also call there, but on their own tickets. Sparschiene tickets are tied to one train and do not allow this.

When does the Semmering Base Tunnel open, and will the old line close?

ÖBB says the first trains will run through the 27.3 km tunnel in December 2029, after excavation finished in November 2024. The historic line will not close: ÖBB is completing its renovation, and Lower Austria's government has said it will keep regional and excursion trains, including the weekend heritage trains that have run since 2019. The fastest Vienna to Graz trains are expected to move into the tunnel.

Is the Semmering Railway worth doing in winter?

Yes. The trains run on the same timetable all year, 33 direct ÖBB trains a day, and the line climbs to 895 m, high enough for the viaducts and forest to carry snow in a cold spell. Semmering is a small winter resort, with skiing on the Hirschenkogel, a 3 km toboggan run and cross-country trails when there is natural snow, so a stop there makes a day out from Vienna or a pause on the way to Graz.

The Semmering Railway

Europe's first mountain railway, still on the main line: viaducts stacked two high and a summit at 895 m.

Vienna → Graz

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