Pferdeeisenbahn Wanderweg - Etappe 1

The horse-drawn railway trail runs in four stages from Bunjanov (Czech Republic) to Linz or vice versa.

Interesting bridge constructions, well-preserved railway keeper's cottages and a mighty station building of our country's first railway can be seen on this hiking trail. As the hiking trail in the municipality of Rainbach largely runs along the former route of the horse-drawn railway, you often walk along existing railway embankments through shady forests.

The Leopoldschlag double loop
This section of the route is the most remarkable part of the entire horse-drawn railway line in terms of engineering. There were a total of 1066 bridges and culverts along the entire route, of which 214 were wooden bridges and 268 stone bridges. Even today, a particularly large number of very different relics are still well preserved here. This section of the horse-drawn railway clearly demonstrates Gerstner's construction principles. He endeavoured to achieve as even a gradient as possible and a generous route. This resulted in the approx. 8 km long double loop in Leopoldschlag. This section with 18 bridges and culverts, the high railway embankments and deep cuttings was an outstanding technical feat at the time.

Over the Kerschbaumer Sattel
After Leopoldschlag, the horse-drawn railway hiking trail takes us past many interesting relics to the heart of the hiking trail - namely to Kerschbaum. This is where you will find the Kerschbaum summit station, which was revitalised in 1996. It houses the horse-drawn railway museum as well as a 500 m long, reconstructed railway line in real operation.
Highlight: Mühlviertel horse-drawn railway www.pferdeeisenbahn.at

TIP: Be sure to visit the centre of the pottery community of Leopoldschlag with the Hafnerhaus, the famous Grenzlandbühne stage and the pottery trail.