View source for Semmering Pass

{{Short description|Mountain pass in Austria}}
{{Infobox mountain pass
| name = Semmering
| photo = Semmering-bahn.jpg
| photo_caption = Satellite photo of the Semmering
| elevation_m = 965
| elevation_ref = 
| traversed = 
| map = Alps
| map_caption = Location of Semmering Pass
| map_size = 
| label = Semmering Pass
| coords = {{coord|47|37|57|N|15|49|47|E|type:pass|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| location = [[Austria]]
| range = [[Alps]]
| topo = 
}}
[[Image:Semmering.JPG|thumb|270px|Semmering]]
{{For|the town of the same name| Semmering, Austria}}
'''Semmering''' ({{IPA|de|ˈzɛməʁɪŋ}}) is a [[mountain pass]] in the Eastern [[Northern Limestone Alps]] connecting  [[Lower Austria]] and [[Styria]], between which it forms a natural [[border]].

==Location==
Semmering Pass is located west of [[Sonnwendstein]] and [[Hirschenkogel]] and east of the [[Pinkenkogel]].

With the [[Wechsel Pass]], the Semmering is the most important connection between Lower Austria and Styria. It can be crossed by road (via an ''[[Autobahn]]'' with a tunnel or on the local street on top), or using the [[Semmering Railway]] in a short tunnel. A longer Railway tunnel is currently under construction.

The village of [[Semmering, Austria|Semmering]] is on the pass. The villages of [[Maria Schutz]] and [[Spital am Semmering]] are slightly below the pass, on the Lower Austrian and Styrian sides respectively. [[Schottwien]] and [[Mürzzuschlag]] are the closest sizeable towns on either side.

==Rail transportation==
As the Semmering is a major bottleneck in the [[Austria]]n [[railway]] network, the [[Semmering Railway]], which is a UNESCO [[World Heritage]] site, is planned to be supplemented by a [[Semmering Base Tunnel|tunnel]] at the base of the mountains. The project is supported by the Austrian Federal Government and the governments of Styria and [[Carinthia (state)|Carinthia]], but has been heavily opposed by the government of Lower Austria, which stalled the project by issuing negative [[environmental impact statement]]s. The project has now been revised according to the advanced state of technology and the layout of the line has been altered in order to minimize effects on [[ground water]].

A ground-breaking ceremony was held at [[Gloggnitz]] on April 25, 2012 to officially launch preliminary construction works for the 27.3&nbsp;km [[Semmering Base Tunnel]]. Opening is planned for 2030. The €3·1bn base tunnel between Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag is a key part of the 'new Südbahn' project. It will eliminate the current bottleneck on the 41&nbsp;km Semmering Railway route where steep gradients and numerous curves require freight trains to use two or three locomotives.

The tunnel will comprise two 10 m bores between 40 and 70 m apart, linked by cross passages every 500m. Boring is planned to start in 2014, with excavation completed ready for fitting out from 2021. The tunnel will be designed for passenger trains to run at up to 230&nbsp;km/h, shortening Vienna - Graz journey times by 40 min to 1 h 50 min, which is expected to attract more customers to rail.

[[Image:2004 Austria 25 Euro 150 Years Semmering Alpine Railway back.jpg|thumb|left|120px|Austria 25 Euro 150 Years Semmering Alpine Railway Coin]]

==Skiing==
The Semmering [[ski resort]], called [[Zauberberg (ski area)|Zauberberg]], which also hosts [[Alpine skiing World Cup|World Cup]] events, is located at the pass and extends on to the Hirschenkogel mountain. It is mainly used by skiers from Vienna, from where it can be reached within one hour, but increasingly also by people from [[Hungary]] and [[Slovakia]].

==Numismatics==
The view was printed on the 20 [[Austrian_schilling|shilling]] note from 1966 to 1983.

The Semmering Pass is featured  on a famous commemorative coin: the 25 euro [[Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Austria)#2004 coinage|150 Years of the Semmering Alpine Railway Coin]].  The reverse of the coin shows a typical Semmering view. A steam engine has just emerged from a tunnel crossing one of the distinctive viaducts.

==See also==
* [[List of highest paved roads in Europe]]
* [[List of mountain passes#Europe|List of mountain passes in Europe]]

==External links==
*[http://www.semmering.com/ http://www.semmering.com/]
*[http://www.stuhleck.com/ Stuhleck - Skiregion Semmering]
*[http://www.semmering.at/ http://www.semmering.at/]

{{Austrian mountain passes}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mountain passes of the Alps]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of Lower Austria]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of Styria]]
[[Category:Rax-Schneeberg Group]]
[[Category:Fischbach Alps]]