Reisszug

The Reisszug is a private cable railway that carries goods up to Hohensalzburg Castle in Salzburg. Built in the 15th century, it is believed to date back to 1460, making it one of the oldest railways still in existence. A protective wall was added in 1461, and the line was first mentioned in writing in 1515 by Matthäus Cardinal Lang. Unlike the public Festungsbahn funicular, the Reisszug has always served the castle privately. It rises at a steep 65 per cent gradient from Nonnberg Abbey to the castle’s central courtyard. The railway follows its original route through five concentric defensive walls of the fortress. Each wall is pierced by a gateway fitted with heavy wooden doors that can be closed when needed. The line originally used sled runners, then wooden rails and wheels, and was hauled by hemp rope. Until 1910 it relied on human or animal power. Today steel rails, a steel cable and an electric motor power the line, monitored by closed-circuit television. Visitors cannot ride the Reisszug, but they can see its path and gateways from the castle grounds. The steep climb and historic fortifications give a sense of how goods reached the castle centuries ago. The line’s recent rebuilding between 1988 and 1990 preserved its ancient route while updating its equipment. The railway remains a working link to the castle’s past.