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Mariazellerbahn is named the most beautiful place in Austria”!
The Mariazellerbahn was named the most beautiful place in Austria in the ORF show “9 Places – 9 Treasures” and combines tradition with modern mobility.
Mariazellerbahn is named the most beautiful place in Austria”!
On October 25, 2025, the Mariazellerbahn won the title of “most beautiful place in Austria” in the ORF main evening show “9 Places – 9 Treasures”. With this victory, the railway successfully prevailed against eight competitors from the federal states and thus secured a place in Austrian cultural history. The state governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner and the state transport councilor Udo Landbauer congratulated the Mariazellerbahn team on this special success.
The Mariazellerbahn is considered a Lower Austrian cultural asset and combines tradition with modern mobility. The longest narrow-gauge railway in Austria stretches over 84 kilometers and connects St. Pölten with Mariazell while climbing more than 600 meters in altitude. The line was opened in 1907 and electrified in 1911, with a gauge of 760 mm. The railway has the reputation of being the oldest narrow-gauge electric mountain railway in the world and, with its modern skystaircase sets, offers a top speed of 80 km/h.
Impressive route and passenger numbers
The Mariazellerbahn currently serves 26 stops and takes its passengers through an impressive landscape with narrow arches, tunnels and viaducts. In 2024, the railway transported 677,000 passengers, a significant increase compared to 500,000 passengers in 2014 and 579,000 in 2019.
- Streckenlänge: 84 Kilometer
- Haltestellen: 26
- Fahrgäste 2024: 677.000
- Fahrgäste 2014: 500.000
- Fahrgäste 2019: 579.000
The railway also supplies its trains with 25 Hz traction current, which is purchased from EVN. This modern equipment and the impressive connection between culture and nature ensured that the Mariazellerbahn was voted the best regional railway in Austria in 2018. In 2019, “The Guardian” ranked it among the ten most beautiful railway routes in Europe.
Cultural heritage and tourism
The importance of the Mariazellerbahn for the region is illustrated by its connection to historical and cultural aspects. This narrow-gauge railway is not only a means of transport, but also an important piece of Lower Austrian identity. It also plays a major role in the tourist offer, as the route offers breathtaking views of the Ötscher mountain landscape and the surrounding nature.
The data and facts about the Mariazeller Railway as well as its history point to the importance of the railway in the context of the Austrian narrow-gauge railways. This also includes other historic routes such as the Waldviertel narrow-gauge railway or the Reblaus Express, which contribute to the country's cultural diversity and support the strengthening of regional tourism. For more information about the offers and further details, visit the Mariazellerbahn website at www.mariazellerbahn.at reachable.
For all those who want to experience the diverse facets of rail travel in Austria, the narrow-gauge railways in the region are an attractive destination. More about this also reported noe.orf.at and provides an overview of the various offerings in the region's enchanting landscapes.
The appreciation and success of the Mariazellerbahn illustrate how important the interaction of tradition and modern understanding of mobility is for the future of narrow-gauge railways in Austria.
Find out more about the fascinating world of narrow-gauge railways austria.info.