Rax cable car wins Lower Austria’s selection for national contest

The Rax cable car has won Lower Austria’s selection for the “Nine Places, Nine Treasures” contest, prompting celebrations across the region, ORF reported. It will represent the state in the national competition.

Lower Austria won the contest last year with the Mariazell Railway. On Thursday, passengers and staff aboard the Rax cable car were celebrating the latest result, with visitors praising the mountain’s views of the Semmering, Schneeberg and Schneealpe.

Johann Döller, mayor of Reichenau an der Rax, said the whole region had backed the cable car. “We in Reichenau alone would not be enough; it has to be the whole region, and the region is behind us,” he said.

Cable car staff and workers in the mountain’s restaurants had also supported the campaign and voted, according to employees Werner Pausch and André Berger.

The cable car is run by the Scharfegger family. Eva Scharfegger-Jahic, a company director, said the family was overwhelmed by the result and thanked everyone who voted. Julia Scharfegger said they would do everything possible to defend the title.

The cable car will have the chance to win the national contest during a prime-time show on Austria’s National Day.