Hiking tour Starting from Pottenstein Train Station
The village of Pottenstein is located in the Triestingtal valley to the west of the town of Berndorf in a valley widening, nestled in a gently rolling landscape. In addition to the main town, the villages of Fahrafeld and Grabenweg also belong to the municipality of Pottenstein. The hiking tours in the municipality lead either to the hills of the Vienna Woods to the north of the Triesting, where the 500-metre altitude mark is rarely reached, or to the mountains around the Waxeneck (796 m) to the south of the municipality, where the altitude can easily exceed 800 meters. Cozy huts and inns invite you to take a break. You often walk through sparse black pine forests, which give the area its Mediterranean character. Deciduous and mixed forests are more common on the wetter northern slopes and at higher altitudes. An exception to this is the "Culture and Nature Trail" in the Fahrafelder Becken basin, which runs along the edge of this basin or along the Triestingtal cycle path and is flat with hardly any elevation gain. In Pottenstein, there are several culturally interesting points to visit along the hiking tours: The Ferdinand Raimund monument directly on the main square and the Ferdinand Raimund death house on the main square, the pilgrimage church "Maria Trost im Elend" and the double charnel house from the 13th century, ( ossuary behind the church, permanent exhibition "Das kleine Andachtsbild "), the "Alte Herrenhaus" of the former cloth factory with exhibition room, the vacation cross from the 16th century on the main road, the Antoniusbründl with chapel drinking water spring. This makes for varied and interesting hikes in and around Pottenstein.
The village of Pottenstein is located in the Triestingtal valley to the west of the town of Berndorf in a valley widening, nestled in a gently rolling landscape. In addition to the main town, the villages of Fahrafeld and Grabenweg also belong to the municipality of Pottenstein. The hiking tours in the municipality lead either to the hills of the Vienna Woods to the north of the Triesting, where the 500-metre altitude mark is rarely reached, or to the mountains around the Waxeneck (796 m) to the south of the municipality, where the altitude can easily exceed 800 meters. Cozy huts and inns invite you to take a break. You often walk through sparse black pine forests, which give the area its Mediterranean character. Deciduous and mixed forests are more common on the wetter northern slopes and at higher altitudes. An exception to this is the "Culture and Nature Trail" in the Fahrafelder Becken basin, which runs along the edge of this basin or along the Triestingtal cycle path and is flat with hardly any elevation gain. In Pottenstein, there are several culturally interesting points to visit along the hiking tours: The Ferdinand Raimund monument directly on the main square and the Ferdinand Raimund death house on the main square, the pilgrimage church "Maria Trost im Elend" and the double charnel house from the 13th century, ( ossuary behind the church, permanent exhibition "Das kleine Andachtsbild "), the "Alte Herrenhaus" of the former cloth factory with exhibition room, the vacation cross from the 16th century on the main road, the Antoniusbründl with chapel drinking water spring. This makes for varied and interesting hikes in and around Pottenstein.
This long and extensive hike from Pottenstein to the Waxeneck shelter and back circles the Grabenwegergraben in a clockwise direction, with the trail running along the surrounding, mostly wooded ridges. From Pottenstein, you quickly leave the lowlands of the Triestingtal valley and soon have a beautiful view of Pottenstein from the meadows. You then walk mostly in the forest, steadily gaining altitude until you reach the Waxeneck shelter after 8 km. From the terrace, you have a wonderful view to the south, across the Gutenstein Alps to the Schneeberg. After a rest, follow the road to Hals (transition from Triestingtal to Piestingtal) and then hike uphill again to the highest point of the hike at 814 m (view of Further Berge). From here, the long, seemingly never-ending way back begins, leading mostly downhill past Hohenwart (view), Rotem Kreuz and Kienthalkreuz to Urhauswald. Once you have finally managed the last stretch back to Pottenstein, you should also visit the sights of the municipality despite being tired.
Standard Hiking Gear
From the train station, walk along Bahngasse (follow the signs) out of the valley until you reach Gutensteinerstraße, cross the railroad tracks, and follow Gutensteinerstraße for 100 m until Hochstraße branches off to the left. Follow this road briefly uphill, then follow the sign for “Zum Waxeneck” (green trail marker) along an asphalt path that climbs steeply uphill, past the sand pit, and then levels off somewhat as it winds through meadows to a rest bench and a cross. Here, the paved path turns into a meadow path; follow it slightly uphill to the edge of the forest (rest area with a view). From here, follow a cart path (green) that climbs steeper and straight through the forest until you cross a forest road 350 m past the edge of the forest. Continue following the path uphill, partly through a larch forest, until it levels off at a clearing. Here, do not take the forest road to the right, but continue straight ahead on a meadow path to the left (marking not visible!). Now continue uphill on a forest path (green), partly through coppice, until you reach a forest road just before a hairpin curve. Turn right here (sign for Waxeneck) and head uphill (a short shortcut through the forest is possible) until the forest road levels off. Here, a meadow path branches off to the left near a hunting blind (green arrow); follow it along a clear-cut area until you come across the blue trail marker shortly afterward, which leads from Berndorf to Waxeneck. Here, keep to the right, follow the sign for “Geyersattel, Mandling, Waxeneck” and the blue and green markings past a rest bench. The path is relatively flat as you reach the rest area at an elevation of 548 m; stay on the blue and green markings and climb briskly through a sunken path up to an elevation of 599 m. After passing a somewhat steeper section, you’ll reach a large forest road intersection. Here, the trail to “Alter Brunnen, Steinhof, red markings” branches off to the left, but continue straight ahead on the uphill forest road toward “Waxeneck,” following the blue and green markings.
400 m further on, another path branches off to the left toward “Alter Brunnen, Steinhof, Berndorf, red trail marker”; stay on the wide forest road (blue, green) until the fork at the “Josef Koczirz Rast.” Here, the green trail marker leads left toward “Geyer – Hoher Mandling,” but you should continue on the wide forest trail (wooden sign for Waxeneck, blue trail marker). Soon you’ll pass a clearing with a view of Heuschober and Schneeberg in the distance. Back in the forest, pass the “Joh. Laister Memorial Cross,” cross a forest road straight ahead, and head up to a small hilltop. The trail is level for a while and passes through a small hollow; eventually, as it begins to climb again, you’ll reach a forest road intersection where the yellow trail marker branches off to the left toward “Geyersattel-Mandling.” Here, follow the road to the right (blue, 231), past the weekend cottages, briefly downhill on the road directly to the Waxeneck shelter (parking lot, viewing terrace, children’s playground).
After a break, follow the road downhill toward Hals (blue, red-white-red markings, 231, MTB route) through mixed forest and meadows until you reach a hollow. Stay on the wide sandy road; at a junction, do not go straight ahead (= turnoff to Feichtenbach, red) but turn right onto the blue trail, heading uphill to a hilltop and then downhill, finally on asphalt to “Hals.” Here, cross the state road toward the former inn on the opposite side (Schneerosenhaus, wayside shrine, Schwarzföhre natural monument), pass it on the left, and follow hiking trail 231, 201, MTB tour (marked green) uphill. Partly rocky, the trail runs along a fence and through a steel gate up to an elevation of 800 m, where it leaves the forest. Here, turn sharply right onto the blue trail and the red-white-red 201 (231 continues straight ahead to the Jagasitz), and follow a beautiful, wide path that runs flat and slightly downhill through the forest until you reach meadows on the right. Continue here along the edge of the forest (beautiful views) to a chapel and then to the Hohenwarth farmstead. Go around the farmstead on the right below it; at a fork in the trail, turn left again uphill onto a gravel road and toward an iron gate. Go through the gate and immediately afterward head downhill on the forest trail (do not follow the forest road). The narrow path now leads slightly uphill along a fence (blue, red-white-red 01), up to a flat hilltop, along a meadow, and then downhill on a forest road to a large meadow. Here you’ll reach the Red Cross (H = 759 m), where a trail branches off to the left toward Schromenau and Furth. However, follow the forest road; after 100 m, a forest path branches off from it. Take this path briefly uphill and then follow it along the slope until, after 2.5 km—finally on a forest road (above the Grubbauer)—you come to a trail junction (left toward Schromenau and Furth, green). Continue straight ahead following the blue markings (toward Pottenstein) until, after 800 m, you reach the Kienthalerkreuz at a saddle (elevation 510 m). (Turn left at the junction for the red-white-red 01 and yellow trails toward Weissenbach.) Continue straight across the saddle, staying on the blue trail, with gentle ups and downs; after another saddle (junction to Weißenbach on the left, Grabenweg on the right), and then, mostly on a gentle descent along a long, drawn-out stretch, you’ll finally reach a crossing forest road at the “Urhauswald” at an elevation of 541 m after another 3 km (rest bench, cross, signpost). Follow the wooden signpost marked “Pottenstein” and the blue trail markers down the forest road to the right (view of Guglzipf); after 2 km, passing through a sparse pine forest toward the end, you’ll reach the outskirts of Pottenstein. Turn right and head downhill on the paved road, passing the quarry (blue), until you reach Urhausweg; follow this path to Gutensteinerstraße. Now turn left, cross the railroad tracks, and follow Bahngasse back to the starting point.
Parking lot at the Pottenstein train station
Parking Note: Please follow local parking regulations and check for any parking fees or time restrictions. We recommend checking the parking situation in advance to ensure a stress-free arrival.
A2 South Highway, take the Leobersdorf exit; follow the Hainfeld federal highway (B 18) to Pottenstein; at the traffic light, turn left onto Gutensteinerstraße and then immediately right onto Bahngasse until you reach the train station
Public Transportation: to the Pottenstein train station
Travel Advice: Please check the route to the meeting point in advance and allow plenty of time. Be aware of possible traffic delays, road construction, or public transportation disruptions.
Vienna Woods Tourism
3002 Purkersdorf, Hauptplatz 11
Tel. 02231/621 76
Fax 02231/655 10
Leader Region Triestingtal
2560 Berndorf, Leobersdorfer Straße 42
Phone/Fax 02672-87001
office@triestingtal.at
Market Town of Pottenstein on the Triesting
2563 Pottenstein, Hauptplatz 13
Phone: 02672-82424
Fax: 02672-82424-31
www.pottenstein.at
Letzte Änderung: 6 Aug 2026
