Pöstlingbergbahn
In Linz, Austria you will find not only the Linzer Torte, but also the Pöstlingberg. With its modest height of 539 metres, Linz's house mountain can hardly be called a mountain. But you can't escape it in Linz; it towers proudly above the city. And the Linzers are proud of their mountain; it is depicted on all kinds of souvenirs.
Pöstlingbergbahn
You can climb the Pöstlingberg within an hour if you leave from the train station. But what is much more fun and comfortable is to ascend the mountain with the Pöstlingbergbahn. Since 1898, the tramway has been taking tourists from all over the world to the summit. Over a length of more than 4 kilometres, the tram climbs the 250-metre altitude difference effortlessly in 20 minutes. Once at the top, you are rewarded with a fine view of the city. You can also see the peaks of the Alps with a bit of luck, and clear weather.
Sights
At the top of the Pöstlingberg, you can visit the Baroque pilgrimage basilica 'Sieben Schmerzen Maria'. A beautiful building to definitely take a look inside. Got your kids with you and don't fancy seeing a church? Then you can also take a ride in the Grotto Railway. Enjoy a ride on the dragon train through dwarf land. Don't feel like both attractions? At the top, you will also find a lovely terrace where you can simply enjoy the view or the local treat Leberkas.
History of the Pöstlingberg
Josef Urbanski was the first to plan a steam locomotive-powered cog railway on the Pöstlingberg in 1891. It eventually became an electrically operated adhesion railway. At the time, there was no adhesion railway anywhere on the European continent with such a steep 10.5% gradient. Construction of the Pöstlingbergbahn began in 1897. The construction was very labour-intensive and strenuous as all earthworks had to be done by hand. Even heavy materials were transported by ox and cart. Despite the difficult conditions, construction progressed well and after only ten months, the Pöstlingbergbahn was put into operation. In 2008, the Pöstlingbergbahn was completely renovated after 110 years. Between March 2008 and March 2009, the entire track was rebuilt to a track gauge of 900 mm. The train could then be connected to LINZ AG's tram network and there has been a direct connection from the central square to the top of the Pöstlingberg mountain since March 2009. With a track length of 4.14 km, the Pöstlingbergbahn now overcomes an altitude difference of 255 metres in 20 minutes. The maximum gradient is 11.6%. The Pöstlingbergbahn is still one of the steepest adhesion railways in the world.
