Enjoy cycling from Germany's lower Bavaria region to Austria's capital city, Vienna, on dedicated cycle paths. Taking you through towns and villages along Europe's most famous waterway, this predominantly traffic-free (and flat!) route is perfect for beginners or for those that love to explore a region by bike, with plenty of opportunities to sample local dishes and admire centuries old towns along the way. Stay in comfortable 4 and 5-star hotels, with breakfast included each morning.

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Leisure Cycling | Leisure Cycling

Solo Travellers, Families with Teens

The minimum age for this tour is: 5 Years

This cycling holiday is graded easy due to the daily rides following mostly flat, paved and largely traffic-free cycle paths, always along the riverbank. The grade is determined on the basis of the entire trip. Individual days may vary in terms of difficulty, i.e. some rides may be slightly more difficult or easier than the overall grade. The Danube Cycle Path between Passau and Vienna is a dedicated, paved and well-marked route, with a slight descent as you follow the river, and no technical challenges. This is what makes it slightly easier than our Vienna to Budapest tour, which involves back and side roads as well as the cycle path. 

This cycling tour is suitable for beginners on their first cycling holiday, or for those who wish to take it easy with plenty of time to explore along the way. The length of the daily rides varies between 32-61 km and the difference in daily elevation gain/loss lies between +9m/+33m and -27m/-57m. On the final stage to Vienna, we opt for the easier alternative which is cycling to Tulln and getting a train to Vienna from there. To fully enjoy the Danube experience, we recommend doing some rides before you depart, whether it's commuting to work or heading out for some leisurely rides at the weekend.

The choice of accommodation on this trip is truly special. The hotels are full of character and are centrally located in the towns of villages along the Blue Danube. You'll stay in a mixture of 4 and 5-star hotels, wellness hotels, and countryside resorts. Please view the itinerary for more details. Please note that the hotels mentioned in the itinerary are subject to availability, and early booking is highly recommended for June-September as this is a very popular time of year.

If you're cycling with friends or family and prefer to have your own room, single rooms are available subject to a supplementary payment. We also welcome solo cyclists on this trip. 

Twin room requests: in Austria, 95% of all hotel rooms are double rooms (with one large bed). Twin with separate beds are more than unusual and therefore a room with a double bed alongside a sofa bed is sometimes provided.

Please note that for the Danube, exact accommodation cannot be confirmed until 2-3 weeks prior departure.

Meals

All breakfasts are included and in Austria Frühstück typically includes bread, rolls, cold cuts, cheese, eggs, fresh fruit, pastries, and muesli. There is always a plentiful supply of tea and coffee and orange juice.

Dinner is not included so you are free to choose from the available options each night. Staying in central locations means that you are never far from local restaurants and bars. One of the highlights of this trip is the fantastic food and drink of the regions that you cycle through. Some of our favourites include; a traditional Wiener Schnitzel with a potato salad, a hearty bowl of Goulash, a refreshing cold glass of Grüner Veltliner, and a slice of Sacher-Torte with a cup of tea or coffee.

Should you have any special dietary requirements please let us know. We try to accommodate all requirements where possible.

This trip is available to start on any day between the beginning of April and late October.

The weather along the Danube varies depending on the region and the season, but typically the summers are warm and the winters very cold. April/May and September/October are usually most pleasant for cycling with temperatures around 15-20 degrees (60-65°F). Evenings can be much cooler so do take a warm layer or two and expect the odd rain shower. June, July, and August are beautifully warm and sunny and although it doesn't often get unbearably hot, there may be some exceptional days where the temperatures soar in excess of 30 degrees (100°F). With longer daylight hours, you may like to plan your day to avoid cycling in the midday heat or taking a longer lunch. We always recommend taking plenty of fluids and sun protection with you, even on cloudy days.

Regardless of the month, there is always a chance of a rain shower or thunderstorm (especially after a prolonged spell of heat). Always be prepared for all eventualities and pack waterproofs and check the weather forecast before setting off.

Please note that due to popular demand we aim to get your personalised itinerary with hotel confirmations to you 3 to 4 weeks prior to departure. There may be a slight delay in receiving your personalised information when booking last-minute or during the high season.

Your cycling trip starts in Passau, located in Germany close to the Austrian border. It doesn't have an airport but it is easily accessible by rail from nearby cities such as Munich, Linz, Salzburg, and Vienna. Passau has direct train connections to Linz (1h30m), Salzburg (2h45m), Munich (2h30m), and Vienna (3h30m) which are the most convenient airports. Please visit the DB Bahn website for more information such as train times and tickets, or visit Rail Europe for European rail tickets and passes.

If you are arriving at Vienna Airport rail or bus transfers to Passau are available. If you would like to arrange this please let us know at the time of booking. These cannot be arranged on the day of arrival.

If you are arriving at Munich Airport or if you are staying in Munich city centre, it is possible to book a private transfer to your first hotel in Passau. If you are interested in booking this, please get in touch so we can organise this for you.

Vienna Airport has extensive connections to most major international cities. The airport is only a 20-minute bus journey from the center and has regular airport shuttle buses leaving every 20 minutes from central Vienna.

If you would like to return to Passau this is possible. We can arrange a train ticket for you which is included in the price of your trip. Central Vienna train station has several services throughout the day to Passau. Journey time is around 2hrs 45mins to 3hrs. For full information on fares and times please click here. Train transfers from either Passau to Vienna or Vienna to Passau must be confirmed prior to travel.

Enjoy the ease of having your luggage transferred between hotels so you can set off each day carrying a light pack with only the provisions that you need for your ride. There is no weight limit to your luggage on this tour, so you can take as much (or as little!) as you need.