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Hut-hopping on the Raxalpe (Variant 1)
Hiking tour Starting from Hirschwang an der Rax, Rax cable car valley station
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Distance: 15,29 km
- Ascent: 536 m elevation gain
- Descent: 1003 m elevation gain
***** Attention: Renaturation work is taking place on the path between Preiner Gscheid and Waxriegelhaus. Therefore, please use the ascent via the forest road! **** Huts hike from the Berggasthof, past the Ottohaus, Seehütte, Karl-Ludwig-Haus, Habsburghaus and Waxriegelhaus to the Edelweisshütte on the Preiner Gscheid.
- Starting point of the tour
- Hirschwang an der Rax, Rax cable car valley station
- Tour destination
- Pass height Preiner Gschaid
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Distance: 15,29 km
- Ascent: 536 m elevation gain
- Descent: 1003 m elevation gain
- Fitness level required:6/6
- Overall experience:5/6
- Scenery:6/6
- Lowest point1073 m
- Highest point1888 m
- Nice views
- With refreshment stops
- Accessibility by train and bus
Description
Hut hopping means being able to be out and about at sub-alpine heights, on alpine meadows and in the mountain pine zone, without having to tackle arduous climbs. The way up is on the Rax Areal Ropeway, Austria's oldest cable car, which started operating back in 1926. The Ottohaus, which is the first of the huts to be reached after the summit station, has a special feature: a 4000m² alpine garden with around 200 alpine plants typical of the region. The next stop, the Seehütte, owes its name to a small lake that seeped away shortly after World War I. The route then continues over the Trinksteinsattel to the Habsburghaus, from where you reach the Karl Ludwig Haus via lush alpine meadows. The penultimate hut on this tour is the Waxriegelhaus. The tour itself ends at the Edelweißhütte on the Preiner Gscheid.
- safety instructions Your hikes in the Vienna Alps should be a thoroughly pleasant and safe experience. Please note the following:Preparation Make sure when choosing the route that it corresponds to your experience and fitness. Check the weather forecast in advance. Weather can change quickly in the mountains, so always start out properly equipped (e.g., rain protection).Check whether the huts and snack stops you want to visit along the way are open. Inform someone about your chosen route and your planned return before you start.In fog and strong wind, tours on the high plateau are not recommended!
- Equipment Always take suitable maps with you. Wear sturdy shoes suitable for the route, bring sun and rain protection as well as water and a small snack. Take your mobile phone and save the mountain rescue emergency number: 140Your equipment should be adapted to the high alpine terrain.
- Route description The starting point is the Rax cable car. It takes us in a few minutes to the mountain station at 1547 m above sea level. From the cable car's mountain station, we follow the red marking to the Gatterlkreuz and further to the Ottohaus . To the first hut of this route, we walk about 45 minutes and overcome 100 meters of elevation. Those who want to add a summit can climb the nearby Jakobskogel (1737 m). In just 10 to 15 minutes, following the blue marking, we reach its summit cross. From the Ottohaus, the path leads us through dwarf pine past the Preiner Wand Cross and above the well-known climbing paradise Preiner Wand to the New Seehütte located in a hollow. From there, it goes steeply uphill to the Trinksteinsattel. Following the red marking, we hike along alpine meadows below the Dreimarkstein in 1.5 hours to the Habsburghaus . After a refreshment, the path—initially marked blue—leads past a series of managed alpine huts. Then we follow the red marking on the west side of the Predigtstuhl before a short ascent to the Karl Ludwig House . From the Karl Ludwig House, it goes down in serpentines marked red towards Preiner Gscheid. After crossing the Siebenbrunnerwiese located at 1400 m above sea level, we walk a short distance along a forestry road and turn off to the Waxriegelhaus . From there, go down to the right towards Rettenbachgraben and then continue along the forestry road to Preiner Gscheid. Please do not cross the "old ski slope" or go off-trail. Due to erosion damage, this section must recover. Return to the starting point either by public bus or with the RUFbus Semmering Rax from Preiner Gscheid to the cable car valley station or to the train station.
- Parking Parking is available at the valley station of the Rax cable car.
- Getting there A2 to Seebenstein junction - S6 to Gloggnitz - B27 to Hirschwang an der Rax, Rax cable car valley station (at the edge of Hirschwang)
- Public transport Take the Südbahn to Payerbach-Reichenau. Between the Payerbach-Reichenau station and the valley station of the Rax cable car, buses (line 341) run regularly or you can book the RUFbus Semmering-Rax to the starting point.Stops:12 Rax cable car132 Preiner GscheidMore info: www.vor.at
- Editor’s tip Combine your hike with an overnight stay at the Raxalpen Mountain Inn, directly at the mountain station of the Rax cable car.Collect feelings of happiness - Collect hiking badges: Collect badges while hiking from hut to hut.
Recommended period
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Even more hiking variants:
Hut-hopping on the Raxalpe - Variant 1b
Hut-hopping on the Raxalpe - Variant 1c
Hut-hopping on the Raxalpe - Variant 2
Hut-hopping on the Raxalpe - Variant 3
Contact points:
Rax cable car mountain inn, Tel. 02666/52450
Ottohaus, Tel. 02666/52402
New Seehütte, Tel. 0676/7488719
Habsburghaus, Tel. 02665 219
Karl Ludwig House, Tel. 02665/380
Waxriegelhaus, Tel. 02665 237
Information: Tourism office Reichenau, Tel. 02666/52865, www.reichenau.at
Vienna Alps in Lower Austria Tourism, Tel. 02622/78960, www.wieneralpen.at
Rax cable car, Tel. 02666/52497
Letzte Änderung: 16 Mar 2026