The Schafbergbahn is a narrow-gauge rack railway that has been climbing from St. Wolfgang to the summit of the Schafberg (1,783 m) since 1893. It remains one of the steepest rack railways in Europe, ascending 1,190 metres over just under six kilometres — the steepest section has a gradient of 26 percent. In summer the trains are hauled by original steam locomotives; in winter by modern rack diesels.
The summit commands an extraordinary panorama over the Salzkammergut lakes — the Wolfgangsee directly below, with the Mondsee, Attersee, Hallstätter See, and Mondsee all visible on clear days, stretching east to the peaks of the Dachstein massif. There is a small hotel at the summit, originally built for Emperor Franz Joseph, which allows you to stay overnight and watch the dawn over the lakes. The one-way journey takes about forty minutes. Book early in July and August when trains sell out.