21.03.2022

Cycling along Rivers and Lakes

Enjoy the landscape and have a refreshing time on cycle paths running along Austria's rivers and lakes.

The lively sounds of water burbling and splattering, or the views of expanse bodies of water accompany cyclists who choose to take a ride along one of the numerous river and lake cycle paths in Austria. And depending on the region, either high mountains, alluvial forests, orchards and vineyards or steppe landscapes make up part of the scenery too.

The Walgau-Rheintal-Bodensee Cycle Path runs beside two rivers in Vorarlberg. In the Upper Austrian Salzkammergut, gravel cyclists make their way from lake to lake. On the Mur Cycle Path in Styria, bikers ride from high mountains to the lower wine and thermal spa region. The Kamp-Thaya-March Cycle Path in Lower Austria connects unspoilt river landscapes. Also in Lower Austria, new signage has been introduced on the Erlauftal Cycle Path in the Mostviertel region. Thanks to its various routes, the Lake Neusiedler See Cycle Path in Burgenland is just as suitable for sports enthusiasts as it is for families.

Austria's top cycling and biking regions

 

THE WALGAU-RHEINTAL-BODENSEE CYCLE PATH (VORARLBERG)

The 67,5 km long bike tour to Lake Constance begins in Bludenz and for the first few kilometres crosses the Walgau as it runs through alluvial forests, passing by meadows and quarry ponds. The Walgau is the name of the valley in the south of Vorarlberg through which the Ill flows. To the northwest of Feldkirch, the river joins the Rhine, which cyclists follow to Lake Constance. Particularly in spring, flowering meadows often decorated with blue irises are an amazing sight. The cycle path leads through nature reserves all along the shores of Lake Constance until Bregenz.

It takes roughly six hours to master this mostly flat stretch by bike. And lots of options to take a break pop up along the way – choose a quiet spot in the middle of nature, make a detour to discover towns and villages, or stop at one of the bathing sites around Lake Constance. Alternatively, jump on the train to shorten individual sections.

 

GRAVEL BIKE TOUR AROUND THE SARSTEIN (UPPER AUSTRIA)

Gravel bikes are the latest trend on the cycling market. With wider tires on the wheels, they are ideal for riding on both asphalt roads and gravel trails. Austria has numerous designated tours to choose from. One of them is a loop circuit measuring 44 kilometres around the almost 2,000-metre-high Sarstein mountain in the Salzkammergut.

From Bad Goisern on Lake Hallstätter See, the route runs up and down along streams and rivers to Lake Altaussee and back to Lake Hallstätter See via Bad Aussee. Constantly changing views of the mountain and lake scenery provide breathtaking vistas. Riding in spring, you will pass meadows with blooming daffodils for which the region of Ausseerland is so famous. Some refreshment stops can be found along the route. And in summer there are several options to take a refreshing break at one of the lidos.

 

THE MUR CYCLE PATH (SALZBURGERLAND/STYRIA)

This cycle trail runs 365 km from the Hohe Tauern National Park to the region of thermal spas and wines in southeast Styria. Cyclists can best reach the starting point in Lungau in SalzburgerLand using the Murtal train. With space available for accommodating bikes, the narrow-gauge railway runs several times a day between Unzmarkt and Tamsweg. From the mountainous heights it steadily runs downhill in seven stages and makes a wide arc through Styria.

For the first stages, alpine meadows, views of the mountains and the lively flowing River Mur make up the beautiful scenery. Soon afterwards, the river becomes wider and the landscape hillier. Lining the route are fields of oilseed pumpkins and wetland landscapes typical for the region. To the south of Graz, cyclists glide past vineyards until they finally arrive at their destination, the spa town of Bad Radkersburg.

 

THE KAMP-THAYA-MARCH CYCLE ROUTE (LOWER AUSTRIA)

The River Erlauf crosses the Mostviertel region from south to north and flows into the Danube at Pöchlarn. Get to know and appreciate the diverse cultural landscapes in this part of Lower Austria as you cycle 60 km along the river. For pleasure bicycle riders, it is advisable to start the tour at Lake Lunzer See. That’s because there is hardly any increase in altitude to tackle in this direction. With a view of Mostviertel’s landmark, the mountain peak of Ötscher standing at 1,893 metres, the route initially leads through mountainous landscapes. Soon more sweeping vistas follow, and the countryside becomes hilly. Tall pear and apple trees typical of the Mostviertel region appear on the left and right sides of the cycle trail, which continues comfortably to its destination in Pöchlarn.

Ideal for shorter bike tours, the Kleine Erlauftal cycle path is only 35 kilometres long and has new signage too. It leads from Wieselburg, a town with a passion for brewing beer, along the Kleine Erlauf river to Kienberg-Gaming, known for its impressive charterhouse, which accommodates not only a hotel and a restaurant, but also a small brewery.

 

THE LAKE NEUSIEDLERSEE CYCLE PATH (BURGENLAND)

Cyclists riding on the 125-kilometre-long tour in Burgenland get to see broad reed belts, vineyards, and the steppes of the Pannonian Plain. Whether clockwise or anticlockwise, whether only sections or the entire route, cyclists can design their own tour around Lake Neusiedler See exactly as they wish, starting the trip in any town on the lakeshore. The paved and gravel paths are suitable for all types of bicycles. The next lido for a refreshment stop is always nearby. Likewise, there are numerous places to stop for a bite to eat. If you want to ride the whole tour, it takes you over onto Hungarian soil as well. That’s why it is necessary to have your passport or identity card with you to cross the border.

By staying on Austrian territory, cyclists take the shorter route circumnavigating Lake Neusiedler See, which is around 75 kilometres long. This tour includes a trip on a ship. Boats and bicycle ferries are in service between Illmitz and Mörbisch from April to the end of October. They run every half an hour from the beginning of May to the beginning of October.