One of the World's First Mountain Railways

The Semmering Railway, also known as a railroad, is a topographically challenging section of what is known as the Sudbahn or southern railway line. It made it possible to travel in comfort by rail from Vienna and reach the eastern foothills of the Alps in only two hours. 

In the wake of the March Revolution of 1848, Carl Ghega construction plans were approved in a bid to alleviate unemployment and maintain control over potential revolutionary aspirations of Vienna’s labor force. Between 1848-1854 18,000 workers from many countries were employed. 

Completion of the Sudbahn meant that there was now a continuous railway link between Vienna, the Imperial capital and Residence, and Trieste, the Habsburg monarchy’s most important seaport. 

The laying of a railway line over the Semmering Pass represents a noted stage of development in civil engineering, resulting in the world’s first mountain railway. This pioneering achievement was acknowledged during construction as trend-setting for railway projects in the future.

Design drawings for the locomotive competition in 1851 and for the first series-built mountain locomotives are a tribute to the engineers’ pioneering achievements, particularly since the use of railways on steep gradients had been highly controversial among international experts.

Panoramic vistas and photographic views highlight the challenging route and illustrate the fascination which the mountain railway clearly exerted on its first passengers as it wound its way through the ruggedly romantic landscape of the Semmering. 

The anniversary celebrations that were held on a grand scale in 1879 and 1904 show that the Semmering Railway was perceived as a milestone in railway engineering.

Schickh’s guide in 1851: "Everything here is impressive in character, the region, the structures, and the sheer industry of these 18,000 workers concentrated on a small spot. All the nationalities from across the monarchy’s vast realm are represented here: Italian, Bohemians..."

The Milanese firm of building contractors, Ferdinand Tallachini, commissioned artist Imre Benkert to record the large-scale building site as it evolved in the mountain wilderness, and Benkert proceeded to do so with a high level of artistry and technical detail.

The project engineers documented the progress of the construction site in meticulous detail in their notebooks, drawings, and watercolors. 

In 1854 Carl Ghega compiled a performance report entitled Picturesque Atlas of the Railway Line over the Semmering. It comprised topographical maps, views of the towns and villages along the route, and a 6.2 m fold-out panorama by Viennese artist Ludwig Czerny. 

The Panorama of the Semmering  by Artist Imre Benkert was a popular travel guide among the first passengers on the Semmering Railway line. it was reprinted no fewer than nine times between 1855-1873. 

Exclusive, mountain spa resorts were developed along the railway.