Danube - Passau to Vienna Cycling Break

Our Passau to Vienna Cycling Break covers the most popular stretch of the Danube in just 4 cycling days on level, riverside cycle paths. Along the way you’ll see the Danube Loop at Schlögen, the city of Linz, the baroque town of Grein, the sublime wine villages of the Wachau Valley, the medieval town of Krems and of course the Imperial City of Vienna.

Created for capable cyclists, this 5 day itinerary follows the same route as our seven day Passau to Vienna Cycling Holiday but covers 80kms per day, as opposed to 48 on the longer version.

Danube Loop at Schlögen

You’ll follow a lovely, level, riverside cycle path past some incredible natural wonders as well as some charming medieval towns and villages as you make your way downstream.

Starting from Passau – the City of Three Rivers – you’ll take in the wide, sweeping Danube Loop at Schlögen, the serene peace and quiet of the Strudengau and the magnificent abbey at Melk.

The charming wine villages of the magical Wachau Valley will tempt you to stop and enjoy the hospitality of their many quaint wine taverns before pedaling on to the lovely old town of Krems.

Finally, you arrive in the Imperial City of Vienna, a fascinating, diverse city with a unique history and culture.

Danube - Passau to Vienna Cycling Break

Our Passau to Vienna Cycling Break covers the most popular stretch of the Danube in just 4 cycling days on level, riverside cycle paths. Along the way you’ll see the Danube Loop at Schlögen, the city of Linz, the baroque town of Grein, the sublime wine villages of the Wachau Valley, the medieval town of Krems and of course the Imperial City of Vienna.

Created for capable cyclists, this 5 day itinerary follows the same route as our seven day Passau to Vienna Cycling Holiday but covers 80kms per day, as opposed to 48 on the longer version.

Danube Loop at Schlögen

You’ll follow a lovely, level, riverside cycle path past some incredible natural wonders as well as some charming medieval towns and villages as you make your way downstream.

Starting from Passau – the City of Three Rivers – you’ll take in the wide, sweeping Danube Loop at Schlögen, the serene peace and quiet of the Strudengau and the magnificent abbey at Melk.

The charming wine villages of the magical Wachau Valley will tempt you to stop and enjoy the hospitality of their many quaint wine taverns before pedaling on to the lovely old town of Krems.

Finally, you arrive in the Imperial City of Vienna, a fascinating, diverse city with a unique history and culture.

Itinerary

Day 1 : Arrive Passau

Check in to your hotel and then take a stroll through the “City of Three Rivers”, so named because this is the point at which the the Inn and Ilz rivers flow into the Danube. The narrow cobbled streets and pretty squares of the old town are a delight to explore and we also recommend a climb to Veste Oberhaus, a medieval fortress and museum that offers a fantastic, panoramic view of the town and rivers.

Day 2 : Passau – Linz
57 miles/91 kms

Your first day’s ride follows the Upper Danube Valley to Enghartszell, a small riverside village. Nearby there is a monastery inhabited by silent but enterprising Trappist monks who make and sell some rather good liquors. Then it’s on to Schlögen where you can admire the famous Danube Loop, a scenic 180 degree turn in the river. You then follow the river through a peaceful narrow gorge where nature still holds sway before emerging into a wide valley punctuated by castles and pretty villages. Your destination today is the bustling city of Linz, capital of Upper Austria.

Day 3 : Linz – Ybbs/Persenbeug
53 miles/77 kms

Today you set off along the northern bank of the Danube to the pretty town of Mauthausen. Nearby you will find the former Mauthausen Concentration Camp and Memorial – a thought-provoking place that is worth a visit. From here you enjoy fast progress on the idyllic riverside cycle path through pristine countryside. Stop in the pretty village of Grein to admire the castle before crossing the river and enjoying a truly beautiful ride through the sparsely populated Strudengau to the town of Ybbs where you will overnight.

Day 4 : Ybbs – Krems
53 miles/85 kms

Shortly after leaving Ybs you'll see the beautiful church at Maria Taferl overlooking the river valley from high on the hillside. A little futher on and from some distance away you will spot the imposing abbey at Melk. The town stands at the entrance to the Wachau Valley which many consider to be the most beautiful stretch of the whole river. Vineyards cascade down the hillsides and ancient castle ruins perch on the hilltops. You’ll pass through a succession of charming wine villages such as Spitz, Weißenkirchen and Dürnstein – their winding streets and welcoming taverns tempting you to stop for a break. You’ll stop for the night in the pleasant town of Krems at the end of the Wachau Valley.

Day 5 : Krems – Vienna
30 - 55 miles/48 -80 kms

For your final ride you have a few choices on and how far you wish to cycle.

If you are up for it you can of course cycle all the way to your hotel in Vienna, you'll be riding around 88 kms with this option but it's all pretty level and there are good cycle paths throughout much of the city.

If you don't fancy riding into the city you can stop in Nussdorf, a suburb right on the bike path, drop your bike off there and use public transport to get to your hotel. You'll be riding about 75 km in total. Please note that this is a pop-up bike drop-off point and only open each Fri, Sat, Sun Mon and Tue between 0930 and 1800.

A shorter option still is to drop off your bike in Höflein, a small town on the Danube upstream from Vienna. From here you can take public transport on into Vienna. You'll ride around 63 km with this option. Please note that this option is only available each Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun and Mon between 1000 and 1500 and then again between 1700 and 2100.

The shortest option of all is to cycle the 48 km from Krems to Tulln, drop your bike off there and take the train on to Vienna. This option is available daily and bikes can be dropped off between 0800 and 1200 and again between 1400 and 1700

Once in Vienna, use the rest of the day to explore the beautiful city. The Schönbrunn Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and the Imperial Palace are popular highlights. You may also want to take in the ‘Riesenrad’, the giant ferris wheel, made famous in the 1949 British film, ‘The Third Man’, and no trip to Vienna would be complete without enjoying a coffee and cake in one of its famous, convivial and elegant coffee houses.

Day 6 : End of trip

After breakfast it’s time to head for home or your next adventure.

Bikes

Regular bikes provided are modern alloy framed models with 21-24 speeds. The bikes come equipped with pannier and lock.

Electric bikes are also available. Important: A security credit card deposit of €180 will be requested on arrival as a ‘guarantee’ only. This will be returned when you return the bike in good condition.

Helmets are not provided and we therefore recommend bringing your own.

Accommodation

Below you will find examples of the types of accommodation typically used on this tour. Please note that the hotels we book for you may differ slightly from those described but they will certainly be of a similar standard.

Superior: Good quality hotels and guesthouses.

Passau: Hotel Insento

Linz: Hotel Donauwelle

Ybbs/Persenbeug: Hotel Babenbergerhof

Krems: Gasthof Klinglhuber

Vienna: NH Danube

Local taxes: Some hotels have started to charge a local/tourist tax. These taxes are not included in the sale price of the tour and must be paid directly by you at check-in or checkout at the hotels. The fee varies and is frequently changing but as a guide, you may be asked to pay between €1-€4 per person per night.


Getting there

Fly to Munich or Vienna (Salzburg or Linz are also possibilities). From Munich airport the train journey to Passau, with one change, will take about 2 hrs 40 minutes. From Vienna airport the train journey will be approximately 3 hours.

Fly home from Vienna or take the train from Vienna to Bratislava airport in Slovakia and fly home from there - journey time is approximately 1hr 15 mins.

Research flights from the UK here.

Research train timetables here.

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