When the wind is strong, we only recommend this trip if…
- your Lower Austria Card (NÖ-Card) is about to expire and you want to make the most of your last chance (that was our situation – the cog railway stops running from the middle of November until spring),
- you happen to be in the area and there’s no other day that works (some of our guests went under these exact conditions),
- or you’re up for a bit of a challenge (like my friend Évi) – though ideally without kids… unless you want the full challenge. 😉
A quick heads-up: the Rax cable car tends to be shut down about twice a year due to bad weather. And yes, we somehow picked one of those days for our little adventure.
From Waldschlössl to Puchberg, you can either take the train (with a change in Wiener Neustadt, so it takes a bit longer), or drive – it’s about 40 minutes by car through charming little villages. This time, we (Zita, L1 and L2) opted for the car.
By the way, from Puchberg (and from where we live), it’s also possible to hike up to Schneeberg on foot and simply meet up with your kids or other family members at the top.
A note on prices (as of 2025):
You can buy a regular ticket for the cog railway:
– €43.50 for a round trip
– €30.50 for a one-way ride
Children under six travel free, although officially only one child is allowed per adult.
There’s also a combined Rax–Schneeberg ticket, which is valid for two years and costs €64 for adults.
Or, you can get a Lower Austria Card, which covers both mountain railways (and much more). The card is valid for a year starting January 1, and there’s currently a promotion extending its validity until the end of March.
Back to the trip:
The cog railway takes you up to 1,800 meters in about 40 minutes. From the top station, if it’s not too windy, you can walk with young children to the 1,888-meter-high Waxriegel and enjoy lunch at the Damböckhaus or Fischerhütte.
From Damböckhaus, there are two ways up to the 2,076-meter summit:
A steeper and trickier path from the left, or a more gradual (but longer) route that leads toward Fischerhütte. (I uploaded some photos from this trail after our last visit to Schneeberg.)
In this “pleasant breeze” we managed to reach the Damböckhaus, and after about 15 minutes the kids had fully adjusted and weren’t fazed by the storm anymore.
Near the top station, the wind gusts were truly wild – but after that, let’s just say it was “only mildly unpleasant.”
The upside of hiking with two kids of the perfect age and weight: one in front, one on the back – and you don’t get blown away. 😉
Conclusion:
Check the weather forecast carefully before you go.
The views are stunning even in stormy conditions.
By the time we got back down, the summit was completely hidden in fog – and snow had started to fall.
