Achensee Steam Cog Railway

Whistling, hissing and puffing the Achensee Steam Cog Railway makes its way up to the Tyrol’s largest alpine lake, driven by the World’s oldest steam cog locomotives.

In 1888 his Majesty the Emperor Kaiser Franz Josef I gave his consent to the construction of the narrow gauge steam cog railway, and since 1889 the Achenseebahn has been transporting holiday-makers and day trippers from Jenbach to the boat station of Seespitz at the Southern shore of the Achensee. In those days, the construction of the railway and the track required a high level of pioneering spirit and many a doubter was highly sceptical about this fancy new means of transport.

Nowadays, not only railway enthusiasts are thrilled by the pure nostalgia of the 180 HP clad in the venerable charms of the era of monarchy. Awe-inspiring huffing and puffing accompany the train up the steep mountain with its maximum incline of 160 per thousand – an impressive 7 km in 45 minutes. This highly nostalgic and romantic experience takes you along lush meadows and through alpine forests – you may well get carried away by the impressive views of the Tyrolean Alps and the silvery path of the river Inn –and the promise of more to come.