The Rax cable car, which is now operated by the Scharfeger family, has lost nothing of its splendor since it opened in 1926. Safe, energy-aware, efficient, comfortable, and with state-of-the-art technology, Austria's first passenger cable car shuttles guests to and from the Rax plateau at 1,545 meters above sea level in summer and winter. The cable car was fully refurbished just a few years ago at a cost of four million euros.

As one of the leading operations in the Viennese Alps in Lower Austria, the Rax cable car has been awarded the quality seal "Best Austrian summer cableways" and the quality stamp of "Top Tourist Attractions in Lower Austria".

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Rax mountain experience

The ride up the mountain takes under eight minutes – with the online booking system, you can buy tickets from the comfort of home. Having arrived on the Rax plateau, hiking guests and nature enthusiasts set off in the footsteps of legendary alpinists, writers, and poets. Far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Sigmund Freud and his contemporaries also appreciated the Rax. The Habsburgs had a summer residence here as well.

Awaiting visitors is a place of power and inspiration with a fascinating botanical diversity. Hikers can also get athletically active – the Rax is a climbing paradise, too. And pleasurable walking is another option for exploring the plateau. Contemporary chalet cuisine is provided by the Raxalm-Berggasthof and the Ottohaus, where individual guests can stay overnight in spring, summer, and autumn if they wish.

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The Green Queen

The Rax cable car is lovingly called "The Green Queen", and not by chance: It was opened in 1926, the same year in which Queen Elizabeth II was born. The new attraction was enthusiastically received. The Neuigkeits-Weltblatt wrote on June 10, 1926 – one day before the opening of the Rax cable car:

It is almost like a miracle! One boards the Südbahn in Vienna at half past seven in the morning, and at half past nine one can already be enjoying a portion of goulash in the mountain restaurant on the Rax.

Historian Gottfried Brandstätter, born in Hirschwang an der Rax in 1939, knows the region and above all the history of the Rax cable car better than anyone else. "A glance at the chalet records reveals all: The Rax was already a keenly visited excursion destination around the turn of the previous century. Initially, the Raxalpe was conquered through muscle power or in a Swiss alpine fauteuil carriage drawn by mountain horses. The idea to also create technical ascent aids was obvious." The rest is history. "The Green Queen" has been conveying guests up to the Raxalpe for almost a hundred years without a hitch.

Small ecological footprint

When it comes to the topics of present and future, the term sustainability is everywhere to be seen. On the mountain, filling up with fuel means users of electric cars getting electricity at eight e-charging points.

Getting here by public transport is becoming increasingly popular. Attractive ÖBB packages and partnerships ensure a quick easy journey. From Vienna, the Rax cable way can be reached in around 70 minutes.

"Our guests are even able to create their own green holiday. It is clear that just getting here is responsible for the bulk of CO2 emissions. The journey's distance is thus important for the ecological footprint. Over shorter distances, switching from car to public transport produces further emissions savings."
Bernd Scharfegger, managing director of the Rax cable car

A mobility campaign was launched in the Viennese Alps in Lower Austria in 2022 with the pilot project "Mobile World Heritage Region". A new, needs-based culture and hiking shuttle as well as an increased frequency for the existing VOR lines (341 and 342) are delivering sustainable growth in the region. With the new offers, visitors can move around the holiday region flexibly and above all in a way that protects the climate and saves money.

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