Schafberg is an imposing mountain and popular alpine destination that lies north of Wolfgangsee and the town of St Wolfgang. It’s quite the climb for those wanting to reach the summit with their own legs, but fortunately, the SchafbergBahn cog railway train can whisk you up to the Schafberg summit, from which you can enjoy stunning panoramic views of the Salzkammergut Lake region. The SchafbergBahn is only a short distance from either Salzburg or Hallstatt and is thus a great day trip option from either town. Taking the train to the top is definitely a unique experience that provides you with stunning panoramic mountaintop views, not to mention that it will take you along Austria’s steepest cog railway. To help you get the most out of your time here, we put together our travel guide on Austria’s SchafbergBahn Cog Railway Train in St Wolfgang.
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You might also be interested in these pages:
Best Things to See and Do in the Salzkammergut
Perfect Road Trip Itinerary in the Salzkammergut
Best Things to See and Do in Salzburg
Best Things to See and Do in Hallstatt
Orientation – Schafbergbahn Location
The Schafbergbahn Valley Station is located in the lakeside town of St Wolfgang, along the shores of Lake Wolfgangsee, 55km from Salzburg and 37km from Hallstatt.
By Car: St Wolfgang and the Salzkammergut region is definitely easier to explore by car. From Salzburg, St Wolfgang is about an hour’s drive away following road 158. From Hallstatt, it will take about 40 minutes, via roads 145 and 158.
If you need to book a rental vehicle for your travels, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Austria.
We also highly recommend Airalo (eSIM card) for your connectivity needs when travelling abroad. Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide.
Important: All Austrian motorways (“Autobahn”) and expressways (“S” roads) are subject to tolls. All cars, motorbikes and camper vans must either properly display a toll sticker or have purchased online a digital vignette when they plan to drive onto a motorway or expressway. Vignettes with periods of validity of 10 days, 2 months or 1 year are available from more than 6,000 outlets in Austria and neighbouring countries, and digital vignettes can be purchased from the ASFINAG website. They are not prohibitively expensive — for instance, the 10-day vignette for cars costs €11.50.
By Bus: St Wolfgang can be reached by bus from Salzburg and the journey typically takes about 1h30, as you will need to transfer buses in Strobl. Alternatively, although slightly more costly, we would recommend getting the no. 150 bus off sooner in St Gilgen, from which you can board the WolfgangseeSchifffahrt ferry that will take you within a few hundred meters of the SchafbergBahn.
From Hallstatt, you will need to make at least one transfer in Bad Ischl and the journey typically takes upwards of 1h15. You can check the OBB website for timetables and tickets.
SchafbergBahn – Austria’s Steepest Cog Railway Train
Austria’s steepest cog railway has been running from St. Wolfgang up the Schafberg since 1893. The train will climb 1,190 vertical meters at a maximum gradient of 26%, and the ride to the summit will take approximately 35-40 minutes.
After approximately 25-30 minutes of travel time and 4.2 km of distance, the trail will reach the Schafbergalm station at 1,364 meters (not the summit station). This stop also marks the treeline of the Schafberg. Several passengers typically get off at the Schafbergalm station to hike the rest of the way to the summit (although it’s only 1.5 km from the summit, you will need to ascend nearly 400 m during that short distance). During the last part of the route, the SchafbergBahn passes close to rock walls and finally through two tunnels before it reaches the mountain station, at 1,732 meters elevation.
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The SchafbergBahn valley station was recently modernized and enlarged in 2022. You will now find a museum that delves into the history of both the SchafbergBahn and WolfgangseeSchifffahrt (the Wolfgangsee ferry service), where an old steam locomotive from 1893 serves as the centrepiece of the exhibit. There’s also the EQ restaurant with a beautiful elevated outdoor terrace.
Schafbergbahn Costs and Schedule
Tickets can either be purchased at the SchafbergBahn valley station (in St Wolfgang) or online. You don’t need to reserve your tickets in advance, but if you want to guarantee a specific departure time, you should go ahead and book your ticket online.
Also note that when you buy tickets (either on-site or online), you also need to pick your preferred time for the ride back down. If it turns out you need to change that time, you can reschedule at the SchafbergBahn mountain station (Schafbergspitz).
SchafbergBahn Costs*: Tickets are € 36.20 per adult one-way, € 51.40 per adult round-trip (2024 prices). There are children and family discounts. It’s roughly € 10 less if you get off at Schafbergalm station to hike the final section.
*You may bring your dog with you on the SchafbergBahn cog railway. However, your dog must wear a muzzle and be on a leash, or transported in a suitable pet-friendly container. In addition, dogs require a valid ticket (€ 7.00).
SchafbergBahn Timetable & Season: The Schafbergbahn operates on three different seasonal timetables. The high-season timetable runs from early May until early November and also a flexible schedule so that the ascent frequency can be increased during peak demand to intervals as little as 20 minutes apart. For example, here is the 2024 schedule:
The SchafbergBahn train also operates during the early spring (early March to late April) and late fall (early November to late December) but with a significantly reduced schedule and occasionally only on weekends. Regardless of the time of year, train departures can be cancelled in bad weather or if there is too little demand. You can consult the SchafbergBahn website for full schedule details.
The Ride Up the Schafbergbahn
Although the ride up takes 35-40 minutes, time will seemingly fly by given how spectacular the scenery is on your way up. For most of the ride up, you will have stunning views of Wolfgangsee and towering mountain ranges on the other side of the lake.
The Schafberg Summit
If you thought the views from the cog railway train were great, then those at the summit will just blow you away. From the summit, you essentially have 360-panoramic views of the Salzkammergut mountains and lakes (you can see at least 5 of the major Salzkammergut lakes), not to mention the iconic summit view of the sheer drop off its northern face.
There are also two great terraces with great outdoor seating to enjoy the fantastic panoramic views with a drink and/or snack. One belongs to the Hotel Schafbergspitze (the oldest mountain hotel in Austria – located at an altitude of 1783 meters above sea level) and the other is Himmelspforte Hut, a friendly mountain hut where you can enjoy snacks and refreshments with an unmatched view.
And if the natural landscape views weren’t enough, on good sunny days you are very likely to watch paragliders flying through the sky.
There are several short walking trails that you can take on the summit to explore the different viewpoints along the summit (you can see the Schafbergbah Mountain Station (Schafbergspitze) near the bottom right corner).
As you wander around the summit, you’ll see that you can spot 5 Salkzammergut lakes, 4 of which are pictured below: Wolfgangsee, Fuschlsee, Mondsee, Attersee,
Hiking up Schafberg
You can also hike up to the Schafberg summit, but you should also know that’s a fairly challenging hike, particularly in terms of the elevation gain. Although we are avid hikers and climb many mountains during our travels, we didn’t do this trail as we wanted to experience the unique train ride up to the summit.
Distance: 13.5 km (combined ascent and descent)
Route Type: Out-and-back
Elevation gain: 1,180 m
AllTrails rating: (4.7, 147 ratings (2024))
Duration: Most people complete the trail in about 6h30-7h
Access Fees: Free
For those interested in a shorter hike, the cog train makes an intermediate stop at a Schafbergalm station about 3/4 of the way up, making it a great place to get off for those who would like to just hike up the last portion of the trail, which is significantly more manageable than the full trail but still is quite the uphill slog where you will gain nearly 400 m in just 1.5 km.
Distance: 3 km (ascent and descent combined)
Route Type: Out-and-back
Elevation gain: 390 m
Start point: Schafbergalm station
Duration: Most people complete the trail in about 1h15-1h30
Access Fees: Free
Not an AllTrails member yet? We highly recommend signing up for either their free or paid membership plans. The free plan allows you to find new trails and plan routes but can only be used while hiking if you have access to mobile data. The paid membership plan (AllTrails+) allows you to download trail maps for offline use and provides live progress updates and off-route notifications.
If you are still uncertain – you should know that the All Trails mobile application was voted the 2023 iPhone App of the Year by Apple.
What to Do and Visit Near the SchafbergBahn
Visit St Wolfgang
If you are not staying in St Wolfgang and have some extra time to spare before you have to head out, be sure to take some time to stroll through this beautiful lakeside town. The historic center is filled with beautifully colored buildings and many cafés, restaurants and shops to keep you busy for quite a while. There’s also a lovely boardwalk along the waterfront of Lake Wolfgangsee. But if you are in a rush, you can see most of the town within an hour.
For more information on what to visit and do, check out our Best Things to See and Do in St Wolfgang travel guide, where we will also cover some other nearby attractions and lakes to visit.
Visit Hallstatt
The picture-perfect postcard village of Hallstatt is only a 7km drive away. Although it can get overcrowded at times, it remains nonetheless a must-visit destination in our opinion. Fortunately, early mornings and evenings can be quieter making it more likely that you will enjoy a fun stroll through this historic small town. And even if it does get too crowded, there are activities where you can somewhat escape the crowds, such as visiting the world’s oldest salt mine and spending some time on Hallstatt’s impressive Skydeck. You can also easily combine Hallstatt (early morning) with a visit to Dachstein (late morning and afternoon) within the same day.
For more information and tips on visiting Hallstatt, check out our travel guide on the Best Things to See and Do in Hallstatt.
Stop by Reb Bull HQ
There isn’t much to do here but to stop and admire the unique layout and design of Red Bull HQ, located just outside Fuschl, roughly halfway between Salzburg and St Wolfgang. There are no tours available or a visitor center on-site.
Visit Salzburg
Given Salzburg’s proximity to the Salzkammergut, it makes definite sense to visit this historic baroque town during your stay in the region. While many visit the Salzkammergut as day trips from Salzburg, many others do the opposite and visit Salzburg as a day trip from their base in the Salzkammergut.
Tucked away between scenic alpine landscapes near the German border and UNESCO-listed since 1997, the city has what many think is the best-preserved Baroque Altstadt (old town) and one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval castles towering above it. From the Sound of Music to Mozart’s childhood, the city has a rich cultural history and plenty of stories to share. Although the historic old town is fairly compact, its packed with attractions, museums and things to do. You can easily spend a full day here, if not more. The castle alone is worth a few hours.
For more information and tips on visiting this beautiful city, check out our travel guide on the Best Things to See and Do in Salzburg.
Planning a Trip to Austria?
You might be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best Things to See and Do in the Salzkammergut
Perfect Road Trip Itinerary in the Salzkammergut
Best Things to See and Do in Salzburg
Best Things to See and Do in Hallstatt
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Rick Steves Vienna, Salzburg & Tirol
Lonely Planet Austria
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
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e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Travel Guide to Austria’s SchafbergBahn Cog Railway Train in St Wolfgang and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.
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