150 years WolfgangseeSchifffahrt ferries & 130 years SchafbergBahn cog railway

On 20 May 1873, the imposing paddle wheel of the steamer “Kaiser Franz Josef I.” churned through the water of lake Wolfgangsee for the very first time. On the jetty meanwhile, a curious crowd of onlookers cheered on the birth of this passenger ferry service.

The atmosphere was similarly euphoric twenty years later: On 1 August 1893, the SchafbergBahn carried the first seven passengers to the top of the Schafberg, high above lake Wolfgangsee. This cog railway was regarded as a masterpiece of mobility and the ideal complement to the ferries of WolfgangseeSchifffahrt. And thus it has remained to this day.

Even back then, 150 years ago, when the very first steam ship glided across Abersee – as the Wolfgangsee was known in those days – the magic of this lake was ubiquitous. Berthold Curant, an engineer for the “Kaiser Elisabeth” railway company, had a keen sense for beauty and grandeur. His vision of a ferry service on Abersee was idealistic, though crowned by success. The lake lay only a few kilometers from the imperial summer residence in Bad Ischl: The presence of the imperial family was like a magnet for the nobility and wealthy – following them in droves from Vienna and across Europe to the Salzkammergut. There was no question in Berthold Curant’s mind that there was a “target group” for his ferry service, nor that the first paddle steamer would inevitably be christened the “Kaiser Franz Josef I.”. Its maiden voyage on 20 May 1873 marked the beginning of passenger ferry service on lake Wolfgangsee and it remains the beloved, nostalgic star of the modern fleet to this very day. 

As early as 1893, the Schafbergbahn was a masterpiece of technology and a milestone in mobility in the monarchy. Austria's steepest cogwheel railway was built under the toughest conditions in just over a year and 12,745 passengers were recorded in the first year.

Still today, SchafbergBahn is facing a lot of popularity. In the record year of 2019, more than 340 000 passengers rode this cog railway. The man who conceived the railway would no doubt be thrilled by its success. Berthold Curant was an engineer employed by the “Kaiserin Elisabeth” train company and had already launched a regularly scheduled ferry service on lake Wolfgangsee. Twenty years later, he wanted to complement the ferries with a further attraction, in the form of the SchafbergBahn cog railway.

In spring 2023, the ultramodern valley station of the SchafbergBahn will open: This “ExperienceQuarter” comprises an entrance hall for passengers with ticket counter, along with a museum zone, shop, restaurant, and terrace overlooking the lake, all within easy walking distance of the WolfgangseeSchifffahrt boat landing.