A fresh boom in tourism revitalised rail travel from the mid-1920s onwards.

Austria experienced a boom in tourism starting from the mid-1920s. The country's economic situation stabilised, enabling working-class families from Vienna to travel to the countryside by train on weekends. In summer, the Danube "beach resort" in Kritzendorf was a popular destination. In winter, people grabbed their skis and headed for the snowy hills of Kaltenleutgeben to the southwest of Vienna. While in the spring and fall, many chose to go hiking on the nearby mountains of Semmering, Rax, etc.

Other holiday destinations that were easy to reach by train were Salzkammergut, the lakes in Carinthia, the Gastein Valley, Kitzbühel and Arlberg. Since most people couldn't afford cars at the time, demand became so extraordinary that ÖBB had to run additional trains in the holiday seasons.

"Austria, the most beautiful and cheapest destination".

People wanted to get out of the city and into the mountains – but not necessarily on foot. As a result, the first cable cars were built. To attract holiday guests from abroad, a dedicated advertising firm was also founded at the time, known as the "Österreichische Verkehrswerbung GmbH", with offices in several European capitals and even overseas, including New York City. ÖBB also ran their own advertisements to promote travel to Austria, which was pitched as "the most beautiful and cheapest tourist destination in Europe".

Large advertising posters, many designed by renowned artists, boosted Austria's image as a romantic destination in the heart of Europe: mountains, lakes, forests, health spas, thermal baths, castles and palaces! And rail played an essential role in all of it, because any location with a railway station had a clear competitive advantage. Rail was not just a means of transport: it was an experience. One particular highlight: observation cars that were open at the sides and only had a protective roof. With such panoramic views, the journey truly became the destination on the electric mountain lines of the mid-1930s.