Grottenbahn

The Grottenbahn is a miniature railway that runs through an artificial grotto inside the Poestlingberg hill above Linz, passing through illuminated scenes of fairy-tale figures carved in stone and wood. It has operated continuously since 1906, making it one of the oldest narrow-gauge railways still running in Austria.

The Grottenbahn is a miniature railway through an artificial grotto at the top of the Poestlingberg hill above Linz, passing stone-carved fairy-tale scenes since 1906. You reach it via the Poestlingbergbahn, a steep rack tram from Linz’s Hauptplatz that has run since 1898. The hill also has a pilgrimage basilica and a zoo, making the summit a full half-day trip. The Grottenbahn is unambiguously nostalgic and slightly eccentric; it is one of those places that exists because 120 years of institutional continuity is its own justification. Open seasonally; check grottenbahn.at for times.