Innradweg (Inn Cycle Path)

Gravel path on the Inn embankment near Kiefersfelden, with the Kranzhorn behind

Photo: Rufus46, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Distance
about 520 km (323 miles)
Countries
Switzerland, Austria, Germany
Difficulty
Easy to moderate
Type of trip
Cycling route

The Innradweg follows the Inn from Maloja in the Engadin, in Switzerland, through Tyrol and Bavaria to Passau, where the Inn flows into the Danube. Past Innsbruck and Kufstein it crosses into Bavaria, and at Simbach you can switch to the Upper Austrian bank through Braunau and Schärding. It goes through three countries, so the official site says to carry ID. In Austria and Bavaria it lists about 120 Bett+Bike places to stay along the route, and in Switzerland there's the similar Swiss Bike Hotels scheme. There's nothing to book for the route itself. In summer there's a shuttle to Maloja from Innsbruck and Landeck.

The Swiss start is the hard part. The official site says it's downhill from Maloja but broken by short, steep climbs, and Wikivoyage mentions a steady 280 m climb up to Guarda and a busy main road from Maloja to Sils. German Wikipedia says the Swiss section is only tarmac between the Albula road junction and Susch and near Ftan. Once you're in Tyrol the valley widens and it's mostly flat, on cycle paths and riverbank tracks, though Wikivoyage warns of an 18% ramp in the Imst gorge and long stretches near the noisy motorway. In Bavaria there's some gravel, and in places the path climbs over the foothills well above the river. The official site rates it easy to medium and says it suits smaller children from Landeck or Imst on. It's signed as route 65 in Switzerland, R3 in Tyrol and Upper Austria and with its own logo in Bavaria. German Wikipedia warns the signing varies in quality, and that between Kufstein and the edge of the Alps a strong wind often blows up the valley in the afternoon.

Highlights along the way

  1. Upper Engadin: From Maloja the path follows the shores of three lakes at about 1,800 m, with mountains over 3,000 m behind. St. Moritz, 16 km on, has the first railway station.
  2. Innsbruck: The capital of Tyrol, with a good number of historic buildings and museums.
  3. Hall, Schwaz and Rattenberg: Small towns downstream of Innsbruck with historic centres from the days when the Inn carried salt and ore.
  4. Wasserburg am Inn: The old town sits inside a loop of the river, in a deep-cut valley. The east and west bank routes from Kiefersfelden join up again here.
  5. Schärding and Passau: Wikivoyage says to leave time for Schärding's old town. Passau is where the Inn meets the Danube, and where you can pick up the Danube Cycle Path.

Distance

About 520 km (323 miles) from Maloja to Passau, by the official count. German Wikipedia splits it into about 150 km from Maloja to Landeck, where the valley drops about 1,000 m, and 360 km from Landeck to Passau, where it drops only 300 m. The official site gives the highest point as 1,897 m, just after Maloja, and the lowest as 312 m at Passau.

Best time to go

The official site says May to October is best. Even in May and October there can be cold snaps with snow in the Swiss section and the Tyrolean Oberland, so take warm clothes. As of 3 November 2026 the official site listed roadworks in Tyrol. Near Imst-Pitztal station, towards Roppen, a new Inn crossing is being built, and from late October 2026 to about Easter 2027 traffic lights control the path there. Between Roppen and Haiming the route is diverted onto the old main road. Check innradweg.com before you go.

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