Payerbach is a town in the district of Neunkirchen, in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It lies in the eastern part of Austria, within the federal province that surrounds Vienna.
Administratively, Payerbach belongs to the Neunkirchen district, one of the districts that make up Lower Austria. The town is situated in a region of Lower Austria known for its Alpine foothills and its position along the Schwarza river valley, though its precise elevation and population figures are not established here.
Payerbach is perhaps best known as the starting point of the Semmering railway, one of the earliest mountain railways in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The line, completed in the mid-nineteenth century, climbs from the town over the Semmering Pass and is celebrated for its viaducts and tunnels. The town's station serves as a gateway to this historic route, which remains in operation and draws visitors interested in railway heritage and the surrounding landscape.