Cycle path along the Danube from Passau to Vienna
Cycling along the southern bank of the Danube is a pleasure for the whole family. Together with the river, and always aided by a gentle downhill gradient, it goes from Passau via Vienna to the national border near Hainburg. A route with unforgettable experiences.
Directions:The diverse scenic charms, historic sites, picturesque and historically significant towns and places create the unique blend that makes the Danube cycle path so special. At Passau, the Danube - and naturally the cycle path - reaches Austria. Here the Danube valley is framed by wooded hills. Engelhartszell with Austria's only Trappist monastery and the Schlögen Loop - where the Danube changes its course twice - are the first highlights of the route.
East of Aschach the valley changes its character, the banks become flatter. The bikes roll along the characteristic towpaths, which were once used to pull ships upstream with horses. Past Wilhering Abbey it goes into the state capital of Upper Austria, Linz (European Capital of Culture 2009), which invites you to a discovery journey with its exciting combination of tradition and modernity. Enns, Austria's oldest town, and the high Baroque St. Florian Abbey invite a worthwhile detour before the pedal knights head into the fertile plains of the Machland. Shortly before Grein, the Danube valley narrows again, the banks rise steeply. The Strudengau was once feared by boatmen for its whirlpools.
At Ybbs/Persenbeug the Nibelung valley begins. Shortly after Ybbs, the pilgrimage church Maria Taferl greets from a hill on the northern side. Soon the majestic Melk Abbey rises high above the Danube and marks the gateway to the Wachau. Vineyards laid out in gentle terraces, idyllic places with great names such as Spitz and Dürnstein - the Wachau extends to Krems, which lies about 40 kilometers downstream, a UNESCO World Heritage site and internationally renowned wine-growing region.
Between the Roman town Traismauer and Klosterneuburg - also graced with a magnificent abbey - the cyclists cross the Tullner Danube area. Following the federal capital Vienna, the Danube cycle path leads into the Auland-Carnuntum region. Here cyclists experience the time of the ancient Romans in the Archaeological Park Carnuntum. Named after the Roman city is also the small, dynamic wine-growing region south of the Danube. One of the last undeveloped large river floodplains in Europe stretches here to the eastern border of Austria, near Hainburg. It is protected by the Donau-Auen National Park.
SUITABILITY FOR FAMILIES: Very well suited for families with children.
Additional information:
DANUBE UPPER AUSTRIA
4040 Linz, Lindengasse 9
Tel.: +43(0)732/7277-888
Fax: +43(0)732/7277-804
E-Mail: info@donauregion.at
https://www.donauregion.at
DANUBE LOWER AUSTRIA
3620 Spitz/Donau, Schlossgasse 3
Tel.: +43(0)2713/300 60-60
Fax: +43(0)2713/300 60-30
E-Mail: urlaub@donau.com
https://www.donau.com
Use of the crossings of the Danube power stations of VERBUND in Upper Austria
VERBUND, Austria’s leading energy provider and operator of the Danube power stations, has adopted a regulation for the use of the Danube power station crossings of Abwinden-Asten and Ottensheim-Wilhering, in association with the State of Upper Austria’s Department for Comprehensive Traffic Planning and Public Transport, Upper Austrian Tourism and the mayors of Ottensheim and Luftenberg. It is guaranteed that the crossings are open from 1 April to 31 October, from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. If temperatures are sufficiently warm in November and March, the crossings are also open. From early December to late February, though, the crossings are closed to bikers and pedestrians for liability reasons.
The municipalities do not assume liability for the use of the crossings during the other months. Distributing gravel and salt along the crossings leads to damage to the buildings of the power station and the offices that are located below. It is therefore not possible to guarantee that the crossings are free of snow and ice. For this reason, the power station crossings are closed in December, January and February.
The State of Upper Austria’s Department for Comprehensive Traffic Planning and Public Transport gives users of the cross-regional network of bike paths advance notice regarding the opening times by means of signs along the bike paths. “Notice boards along the bike paths will inform bikers in due time of the opening times,” states Johann Froschauer, who is responsible for the network of bike paths in Upper Austria.
More flexible opening times in November and March
As it is possible for the weather to be warm for prolonged periods of time in November and March and therefore to use the crossings without the risk of snow and ice, VERBUND is willing in the interest of the public to open the power station crossings to bikers and pedestrians if the weather is warm in the future. For this reason, the regulations, in particular at weekends and round Easter, are less complicated. Nevertheless, it is VERBUND’s decision whether to open the crossings.
Guaranteed opening times:
Opening hours of the bridges at the Ottensheim–Wilhering and Abwinden–Asten power plants: 1 April – 31 October, daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m
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