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Hiking tour Starting from Hirschwang an der Rax
Hike from Hirschwang via the Knappenhof to the Ottohaus on the Raxalpe
Hike from Hirschwang via the Knappenhof to the Ottohaus on the Raxalpe
Head up high to the Rax! Located at an elevation of 1,644 meters, Ottohaus has stood on the Raxalpe since 1893 and has been attracting numerous hikers ever since. Even Sigmund Freud visited and spent the night at the rustic Ottohaus. It takes about 3 hours to walk from Hirschwang over the Knappenberg, past the Knappenhof, to the mountain hut. The Ottohaus is part of the“hut hopping” hike on the Rax, so you can also reach the Ottohaus in a leisurely 40 minutes from the mountain inn Raxalpe, which is located directly at the summit station of the Rax cable car.
The Ottohaus invites you to linger: whether for an overnight stay, a rest with a view of the 4,000-square-meter Rax Alpine Garden —featuring 200 plant species typical of the Rax and Schneeberg regions—or to refuel—there’s no getting past the Ottohaus.
Good preparation
Always take suitable maps with you. Wear sturdy shoes appropriate 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: 140
The hiking route starts in Hirschwang via Emil von Linhart Gasse, passing the Henriettenkapelle uphill. After the paved road, the path turns left and leads to another paved road, which you follow straight ahead. After some time, you reach Knappenberg, stay on the left path for about 800 m, then make a sharp right turn. Cross the street and continue on the hiking trail. At the next opportunity, a path leads off to the left. At the next fork, keep right and go up the Törlweg through some hairpin bends. The destination is the Ottohaus.
Shortly before the Rax cable car in Hirschwang, there is a parking lot (P5) for hikers on the left.
WARNING: There are no parking spaces at Knappenhof.
From Vienna take the Südautobahn A2 to the S6 Semmering expressway and exit at Gloggnitz. Follow B27 to Reichenau an der Rax and continue to Hirschwang. Shortly before the Rax cable car, there is a parking lot for hikers on the left.
From Graz take the S35 or A2 to the S6 Semmering expressway and exit at Gloggnitz. Follow B27 to Reichenau an der Rax and continue to Hirschwang. Shortly before the Rax cable car, there is a parking lot for hikers on the left.
Take the Südbahn to Payerbach-Reichenau. Between Payerbach-Reichenau station and the nearby station "Hirschwang an der Rax Emil-von-Linhart-Gasse" Regional Bus 341 (www.vor.at) operates or book the RUFbus Semmering-Rax individually.
RUFbus stops:
Payerbach-Reichenau Station (35)
Wasserleitungsweg Parking
Church Hirschwang/Herrnhof (14)
Explore the Rax with a multi-day route and hop from hut to hut on the Rax - find more information here.
Wiener Alpen in Lower Austria, www.wieneralpen.at, +43 / 2622 / 78960
Mountain hut Ottohaus, www.raxalpe.com
Letzte Änderung: 17 Jun 2026