Construction of the Linz-Gmunden horse-drawn railway

The southern ramp of the horse-drawn railway

As salt transport on the Traun was expensive and dangerous, the extension of the horse-drawn railway to Gmunden was an obvious choice. After financiers were found, the concession was transferred to the K.K. Privilegierte Erste Eisenbahn Gesellschaft. Construction of the so-called southern line from Linz to Gmunden began in 1834 and was completed in just two years. It was officially opened to traffic on 1 May 1836. It was now possible to deliver goods from Gmunden to Bohemia and Lower Austria in a more efficient and cost-effective way.

The Linz-Gmunden railway line stretched over 67 km and connected not only these two towns, but also Maxlhaid, Neubau, Wels and Lambach as the main railway stations. Just outside Linz there was a branch line to Zizlau, a town at the confluence of the Traun and Danube rivers, which served as a transhipment point for salt transport and other freight down the Danube. The only significant incline on the southern line was in Gmunden, from Klosterplatz to Traundorf, and it was not until 1842 that the railway was extended to Gmunden's Rathausplatz. From there, the railway ran to Rathausplatz and Annastrasse station.