Experience · Austria

The Danube cycle path

The Passau-to-Vienna stretch of the Danube cycle path is Europe's great beginner classic: 300 largely flat, car-free kilometres downstream past abbeys, vineyards and the apricot villages of the Wachau valley.

Best forAdventure seekers · Couples · Foodies
In October16°C · 9 rainy days
Ideal stayA week
Approx. flying time~12h 10m from Los Angeles

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Happens around Linz, Danube Valley, Austria — nearest airport Linz (LNZ), about 11km away.

CurrencyEUREuro
LanguageGerman
Local time12:321h ahead of the UK
PlugsType C / FBring an adapter
Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
Dialling code+43

The experience

The stretch from Passau to Vienna covers about 300 kilometres of flat, largely car-free riding along the Danube, on made-up paths that follow the river through wooded gorges, past baroque abbeys and into the terraced vineyards of the Wachau. The gradient is negligible and the surface is good, which is why it suits people who have never toured before. The river does the navigating for you.

A week covers it comfortably at fifty or sixty kilometres a day, ending in Vienna with time to spare. Self-guided arrangements move luggage between hotels, so you ride with almost nothing on your back. May to September is the season, with April and October quieter and cooler. Ride west to east for the wind and the current. Trains carry bikes if you run short of time.

Ideal stay: A week
The vibe: Flat, well-fed, quietly rewarding

From our guides

A week covers it at pastry pace, and self-guided operators shuttle your bags between hotels so you carry nothing but snacks. Ride west to east — the wind and the river both agree with you. Dürnstein's wine terraces demand a long lunch; comply.

Featured in Ten cycling holidays for completely normal legs

Make a trip of it

Schlogener Schlinge

The Danube doubles back on itself in a tight loop below wooded slopes in Upper Austria, crossed by a small ferry and best seen from the path above.
Melk Abbey

A baroque Benedictine monastery on a rock above the river, with a library and church that mark the start of the Wachau valley.
The Wachau valley

Around 35 kilometres of terraced vineyards, apricot orchards and river villages, listed by UNESCO and the prettiest section of the whole ride.
Durnstein

A village below the ruined castle where Richard the Lionheart was held, with a blue baroque tower that serves as the valley's landmark.
Riding into Vienna

The path comes in along the Danube island and the canal, delivering you to the city centre without a serious road crossing.

Getting there

Fly to
Linz (LNZ)

Nearest airport to Linz, about 11km away as the crow flies.
Then
To Linz

Linz (LNZ) is about 20 minutes by taxi or shuttle bus into the city, which sits on the route roughly a third of the way from Passau to Vienna. Vienna (VIE) is the busier alternative, around two hours away by train.
On the ground
Getting around

The path is flat, signposted and largely car-free along the riverbank, so you simply ride out of town in either direction. Self-guided operators move luggage between hotels, and riverboats and the local rail line along the valley let you skip a stage.

Public transport: Excellent. Regional trains shadow the river the whole way and carry bikes, so bailing out of a stage is easy.

Flights

Los Angeles Linz, Danube Valley, Austria

Flying from

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Roughly 12h 10m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.

Check dates and prices

Pick your departure date, then your return.

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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.

When to go

Daytime highs run from about 5°C in January to 25°C in July. Driest in October; wettest in June, with rain on about 16 days.

The year at a glance — pick a month for detail

October16° · rain 9 daysCool with rain most weeks.

Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis).

Where to base yourself

Riverside gasthofs and family-run pensions geared to cyclists, with lock-up bike storage and early breakfasts, plus Winzerhof wine-estate rooms in the Wachau. Few large hotels outside the cities.

Best base overall
Linz

Halfway along the Passau to Vienna stretch, on the main railway, so you can ride out and train back. It is a working industrial city rather than a riverside idyll.
Find stays in Linz
Best for couples
Melk or Spitz, Wachau valley

Apricot villages under vineyard terraces, with the abbey above and wine taverns below. Very pretty, very booked, and rooms are small and few.
Find stays in Melk or Spitz, Wachau valley
Closest to the sights
Dürnstein and Krems

The heart of the Wachau, with the ruined castle, the riverside path and the best of the wine terraces on foot. Krems has the beds; Durnstein has the looks.
Find stays in Dürnstein and Krems
Best value
Passau, Germany

The classic starting point at the confluence, with cheaper rooms than Austria and good train links. You will need to move on the next morning, since it is at the far end.
Find stays in Passau, Germany

Worth knowing before you book: Self-guided operators block-book the good gasthofs from spring, so independent riders should reserve each night well ahead, particularly in the Wachau.

Search everything else in Linz by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.

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Good to know

Direction: Ride west to east, from Passau towards Vienna. The current, the gradient and the prevailing wind all work in your favour.
Book ahead: Riverside hotels and guesthouses fill in July and August, especially in the Wachau. Self-guided packages reserve them for you.
Bikes on trains: German and Austrian trains carry bicycles with a reservation, which makes it easy to skip a stage or return to the start.
Surface: Almost all of the route is sealed path or quiet lane, fine for a hybrid or touring bike. Nothing rugged is required.
Ferries: Small cable ferries cross the river at several points and form part of the route. They run seasonally and stop in bad weather.