Danube Cycle Path

Danube Cycle Path - Cycling Route - Germany to Hungary
Distance
about 320 km (199 miles)
Countries
Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
Difficulty
Easy
Type of trip
Cycling route

The Danube Cycle Path is the river section of EuroVelo 6. Its best-known stretch runs about 320 km from Passau, on the German–Austrian border, to Vienna. In Austria there are paved paths on both banks, linked by bridges, ferries and dams. The route is almost flat and runs mostly away from traffic, which is why it’s popular with families and first-time cycle tourers. Most people take six to eight days, at around 50 km a day.

From Vienna you can carry on about 310 km to Budapest, through Bratislava and along the Slovak–Hungarian border. This half is quieter but less even, and some sections are on roads. In Hungary the route uses ferries at Szob and Vác. The last ferries run at about 8 pm, and the Szob ferry doesn’t run from 15 October, so check the timetables first. Many guesthouses on the Austrian section are Bett+Bike certified, so they take cyclists for a single night and have safe bike storage. Bikes can go on most Austrian trains.

Highlights along the way

  1. Passau: the start, where the Inn and the Ilz flow into the Danube.
  2. Schlögen loop: a tight hairpin bend in the river, a day’s ride from Passau.
  3. Wachau: the 36 km stretch between Melk and Krems, with terraced vineyards and apricot orchards, on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2000. Melk Abbey sits on a rock above the river.
  4. Vienna: the end of the classic route, with the Donau-Auen National Park just downstream.
  5. Budapest: about 310 km on from Vienna, past Bratislava, Győr and the Danube Bend at Esztergom.

Distance

About 320 km from Passau to Vienna (sources give 317 to 333 km), and about 630 km all the way to Budapest.

Best time to go

May to September, when the ferries and riverside guesthouses are fully open. July and August are the busiest months in the Wachau. Floods sometimes close parts of the path, so check for closures before you go.

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