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Austria Mountain Biking Vacations and Luxury Adventure Packages
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Austria Cycling and mountain biking are, of course, a natural fit for the Alpine terrain as well. Mountain roads and trails are specially equipped to accommodate two-wheel traffic, and bike rental shops are everywhere to outfit any style of biker.
CYCLING IN AUSTRIA
Just a few years ago, cyclists were a relatively rare sight on Austria's country roads and the sport took a back seat to legions of hikers and joggers. Lately, however, it often seems like a whole country has switched from the Autobahn to bike trails, and cycling has become one of the most popular ways to experience the unique Austrian countryside, small towns and cities.
Cycling gives you time to look at the scenery and puts you close to culture, farmhouses, castles and many sights one simply would miss in a car. Whats more, Austria has developed an outstanding infrastructure for cyclists in form of cleary marked bicycle routes, touring maps, bicycle train service and more. We have researched some of the most scenic and exciting routes and a few practical hints for your trip planning.
Read about cycling in Austria from Mountain Biking Magazine's David Alden.
When should I go? Anytime from May to October is perfect for a few days of cycling. During the summer months of July and August beware of some rather hot days, but if you are training for your next century, we are sure that won't bother you.
How about planning a bike trip to Austria ? The first choice you have to make is already the most essential one: whether to take an organized bike tour and leave the planning up to the pros or whether you feel comfortable enough to freewheel on your own.
An organized tour offers some advantages: you will be supplied with a bike, all your overnight reservations will be taken care of and most of the time a "sag wagon" will carry your luggage, tools and offer a cushy passenger seat to rest your sore knee. Most organized bike trips are run on a more leisurely pace with plenty of time for sightseeing and exploring.
Many experienced cyclists rather take matters into their own hands, pack a few t-shirts, bike shorts and a tool kit and travel whereever there feet will get them to. You have complete freedom to make your touring as leisurely or challenging as you like and with a little bit of research and a good touring map you're off to a wonderful vacation. A rudimentary understanding of German will certainly be an advantage since you will most likely travel thru some rural areas with less of a commercial tourism industry.
Should I rent or bring my own bike: For day trips and shorter tours, bikes can be rented in practically every village, many hotels as well as 170 train stations throughout Austria. As you can imagine, the quality of the bicyles available varies greatly. If you are serious about your cycling and are not joining an organized and a pre-arranged bike tour, you may want to take your own bike with you overseas. Most airlines are prepared to handle your bicycle and any bike store will be helpful in partially dissasembling and packaging the bike for the flight. If you've never re-assembled your bike before we recommend a dry run and some practice, after all we don't want you spending your first day on the trip adjusting your breaks and seat.
Mountain bikes or touring bikes are the most suitable for a bike trip in Austria, since most scenic bike trails are not paved all the way.
How can I transport my bike while in Austria? The Austrian Federal Railways offer substantial services for cyclists. Practically all local trains will carry your bikes in the baggage car. For long-distance trains (IC or EC trains) carefully check the timetable for a bicycle symbol next to the train number. You will need to purchase a ticket for your bike and personally bring it to the baggage car for loading. This will make sure that your bike will be on the same train with you.
Where do I stay along the way? Along most major bike routes many hotels and inns have adapted to cyclists and welcome you with open arms. Many of them offer simple bike services such as lockable bike racks, tools etc. Be aware that most pensions and inns along the major bike routes tend to be of the simpler variety but charming and personal.
What do I need to watch out for? Austrian law sets specific requirements for bicycle equipment: at least two independently operating brakes, a clear headlight and a red taillight, yellow reflectors on the pedals, at least one white or yellow reflector in the spokes of each wheel and a clear sounding bell as a warning signal.
There is no helmet law for bicycles but we highly recommend the use of a helmet, especially if you travel on roads shared by other vehicles.
Four well-marked bike trails selected for their scenic beauty and points of interest:
Vorarlberg Trail and Lake Constance Loop
Cyclists experience the diversity of Vorarlberg's (Austria's most western province) scenery on the bike trail between Bludenz and Bregenz. Surrounded by a majestic mountain backdrop and and nestled between five valleys, the medieval Alpine town of Bludenz is the perfect starting point for this Alpine Adventure. Bludenz can easily be reached via train (closest airport gateway is Zurich) and besides cycling offers great hiking, fishing, shopping. For chocolate lovers, don't miss a tour of the Suchard chocolate factory where the famous "Milka" (thats the purple one you will find in every Austrian store) is produced.
The bike trail follows the Ill river to Feldkirch with its medieval town center and the majestic Schattenburg castle. Following the Rhine river north, you will eventually get into Bregenz, known for ist summer music festival perfomances on a floating stage on Lake Constance. From Bregenz you will connect to the international Lake Constance Loop, allowing you to visit Germany and Switzerland as well. If your legs are caving in, you can take a short-cut on the ferry to Konstanz. The loop will bring you back to Bregenz on the south shore of the lake. For added variety, parts of the loop may be accomplished by boat.
Distance: Total of 200 miles, including Lake Constance Loop
Starting Point: Bludenz Start and Finish for Lake Constance Loop: Bregenz
Features: Paved bike paths or roads with very little traffic. Mostly flat
For detailed information contact: Vorarlberg Tourism, Roemerstrasse 7
6900 Bregenz, Austria
Tel: 01143-5574-42525
FAX: 01143-5574-425 255
The Tauernradweg along the Salzach and Saalach River
This may very well be one of the most exciting cycling tours in Europe. Scenic beauty, Europe's highest waterfalls, a visit to Salzburg and countless attractions along the way. The starting point of this bike trip is the small village of Krimml, inmidst the Hohe-Tauern National Park region. With its impressive waterfalls and some great hiking excursions, it might take you an extra day to leave Krimml and get started on your journey. The bike trail will follow the Salzach River through charming villages to Zell am See, a picturesque summer and winter resort. Here you will have two options for your way to Salzburg, to continue along the Salzach River with a chance to visit the world's largest ice caves in Werfen or the salt mines in Hallein.
Or you can take the (even more scenic) route along the Saalach river, visiting such charming places like Maria Alm and Lofer and taking a short cut through Bavaria into Salzburg. From Salzburg the bike trail will lead north through Oberndorf (with the Silent Night chapel) to the German border town of Passau where you may connect and continue to the Danube bike trail towards Vienna.
Distance: 203 miles, 110 miles from Krimml to Salzburg
Start: Krimml (can be reached by narrow-gauge train from Zell am See)
Finish: Passau
Features: slightly downhill only some minor climbs, mostly on paved trails and or minor roads with local traffic. Some gravel or mountain trails are used (not recommended for racing bikes) .
For further information contact: Salzburg State Tourist Board, P.O. Box 1, 5300
Hallwang, Austria
Tel: 01143-662-6256 12 Fax: 01143-662-62 30 70
The Salzkammergut Lake District Tour
The "Salzkammergut" salt chamber district of Austria, with its many lakes in a beautiful alpine environment, has become one of the most popular vacation spots in Austria. This bike trip will lead you by no less than 13 of these lakes offering you a chance to break up your cycling with swimming, fishing and sailing and hiking. This tour is a loop which allows you to start your adventure anywhere along the route. The official starting point is Salzburg from where the route will follow southeast to St. Gilgen on Lake Wolfgang, further along to St. Wolfgang and Bad Ischl, our former emperor's Franz Joseph's favorite vacation spot (visit his former hunting lodge !). Further south the trail will lead you into the picturesque town Hallstatt. Don't miss taking a small boat out on the lake and enjoy one the country's best photo ops. Stop at the ice caver near Obertraun. Via the Traunsee, Attersee and Mondsee, all of which invite to some great water activities.
Distance: 192 mile loop with start and finish in Salzburg
Features: mostly biking paths and side roads with little traffic, for short distance where highways are being used, railway or buslines offer an alternative
For further information contact: Salzburg State Tourist Board, P.O. Box 1, 5300
Hallwang, Austria
Tel: 01143-662-6256 12 Fax: 01143-662-62 30 70
or Upper Austria Information, Schillerstrasse 50, 4021 Linz, Austria
Tel: 01143-732-663 022 FAX: 01143-723-600 229
The Danube Bike Trail from Passau to Vienna (or on to Hainburg)
The most prominent of all bike routes in Austria, this tour will take you some of Austria's most impressive cultural sites. Starting at the historic German Border town of Passau the trail follows the Danube River (Europe's second largest) into Vienna. The city of Linz, the baroque abbey of St. Florian and the many castles along the way and of course, the famous "Wachau" region with ist charming villages, vineyards and romantic fruit orchards. Don't miss a visit to the baroque abbey of Melk overlooking the Danube.
Duernstein, with ist ruins where King Richard the Lionhearted has been captured on his way back from the crusades, and the 1000 year old town of Krems are other must-see stops on the tour. For those wishing to cycle further along past Vienna, the Hainburg area close to the border with Slovakia is the end of the marked bike trail
Distance: 197 miles
Start: Passau Finish: Hainburg
Features: 90% traffic free bike trails along the Danube River, practically flat or slightly downhill. Some points of interest will require short uphill battles.
For further information contact: Upper Austria Information, Schillerstrasse 50, 4021 Linz, Austria
Tel: 01143-732-600 2211 FAX: 01143-723-600 220 |
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