The Central and Northern Alps are separated by the Northern Longitudinal Trough (nördliche Längstalfurche), the line Klostertal - Arlberg - Inn Valley - Salzach Valley as far as Lake Zell - Wagrain Heights - Upper Enns Valley - Schober Pass - Mürz Valley Alps - Semmering - southern Vienna Basin.
The range is part of the Styrian-Lower Austrian Limestone Alps and is separated from its neighbouring massifs by the valley of the Mürz (= part of the tectonically active Mur-Mürz Furrow), the upper reaches of the Mürz (main settlement: Mürzsteg) and the road over the Styrian Seeberg Pass.
Its valley settlements are Hinternaßwald in the northeast, Altenberg an der Rax in the east, Kapellen and Neuberg an der Mürz in the south, Mürzsteg and Frein an der Mürz in the west.