Fietsers op de Donau-Radweg tussen Passau en Wenen met uitzicht over de Donau en groene heuvels

Danube

Danube Cycle Path: Passau to Vienna Bike Tour

8 days

Bike tours

Departure days: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

300km

Easy

Share this tour:

8 days / 7 nights · approx. 305–337 km · Easy to moderate · Self-guided · Departures Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May to October

About this Danube bike tour: Passau to Vienna

This 8-day self-guided bike tour follows the Danube Cycle Path from Passau in Germany to Vienna in Austria. You ride about 305–337 km in 6 daily stages, mostly on flat, paved paths along the river.

The route passes the Schlögener Schlinge, the Wachau Valley (a UNESCO World Heritage region), Melk Abbey and the cities of Linz and Vienna. Your hotels, breakfast, daily luggage transfer, route book and GPS tracks are included, so you can ride at your own pace.

This tour suits recreational cyclists and e-bike riders who are comfortable riding 30–80 km a day. Prefer to combine cycling with a cruise? See our Danube bike and barge tours or the Danube overview.

Cycling from Passau to Vienna along the Danube is pure joy, flat riverside paths, vineyard views in the Wachau and the unforgettable arrival in imperial Vienna

Cyclists riding along the Danube Cycle Path beside the river, enjoying flat riverside cycling between Passau and Vienna in Austria.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Passau, Bavaria, baroque landmark at the start of the Danube Cycle Path from Passau to Vienna.

Highlights of this Danube bike tour

Passau — Start your bike tour in the “City of Three Rivers,” where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz meet. Explore the baroque old town and St. Stephen’s Cathedral before setting off on the Danube Bike Path
Schlögener Schlinge — One of the most spectacular natural highlights on the Danube, where the river forms a dramatic double bend through forested hills
Linz — A vibrant Austrian city with a historic Altstadt and lively cultural scene
Melk — Visit Melk Abbey, a baroque masterpiece towering above the river and one of Austria’s most iconic landmarks
Wachau Valley — Cycle through the UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley, known for vineyards, medieval castles, and towns like Dürnstein and Krems
Vienna — Finish your Danube bike tour in Austria’s imperial capital. Visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral Vienna and relax in a traditional Viennese coffee house

Day by day itinerary

Arrive on your own in Passau. At your arrival hotel you receive your travel documents and, if booked, your rental bikes. Explore the baroque old town, visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral, or take a “Three Rivers” boat tour to see the city from the water. Parking is possible at extra cost (approx. €10 per car per day).

Today you start riding along the Danube. You pass Obernzell, the Jochenstein power station and Engelhartszell with its Trappist monastery. Then you reach the Schlögener Schlinge, one of the most photographed views on the whole route.

Ride through a quiet, sparsely settled river valley to Aschach, known for its baroque market. Then continue through the fertile Eferding Basin, past Wilhering (a rococo church with a thousand angels) and Ottensheim to Linz.

Today you cross the flat Machland region. You pass Steyregg, the Abwinden power station and Mauthausen. Depending on your hotel, you end the day in Au or in Wallsee.

The Strudengau region has gentle hills, the Hößgang gorge and river views. You ride via Ybbs to Maria Taferl, Austria’s second-largest pilgrimage site, or to Pöchlarn.

Today you ride to Melk Abbey and then through the Wachau Valley. You pass Spitz, Weißenkirchen and Dürnstein, before you arrive in Krems (UNESCO World Heritage) or Traismauer.

Short on time? Take the Wachau boat from Spitz or Dürnstein to Krems. Sailing times can change slightly.

From Tulln, the flower city, the path runs through the edge of the Vienna Woods and past Klosterneuburg Abbey to Vienna. Take time for St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Ringstrasse, Schönbrunn Palace or a Viennese coffee house.

Want a shorter day? Take the train from Krems to Tulln, or from Tulln or Klosterneuburg to Vienna. Trains run every half hour. If you booked a rental bike, you can hand it back in Klosterneuburg and take the train from there.

The tour ends after breakfast. Go home, or book extra nights in Vienna. You can also book a return transfer to Passau (see practical information).

Sights along the Danube cycle path

Passau

Your journey begins in Passau, the charming Bavarian town where the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers meet. Known as the “City of Three Rivers,” Passau is the official starting point of the famous Danube Cycle Path from Passau to Vienna.

Schlögener Schlinge

One of the most spectacular natural landmarks on the Danube. Here the river forms a dramatic double bend through forested hills, creating one of the most photographed views along the route.

Linz

A vibrant Austrian city blending historic architecture with modern culture, offering lively squares and riverside cafés.

Vienna

Your cycling journey ends in Vienna, Austria’s imperial capital. Visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral Vienna, explore grand palaces and enjoy traditional Viennese coffee houses for a stylish finale to your Danube cycling holiday.

Prices and departure dates

Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include daily breakfast, luggage transfers, route book, GPS tracks, service hotline and VAT.

Arrivals on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 30 April to 9 October. Additional arrival dates are Thursday 6 May and Thursday 27 May 2027.

Travel period	Category A	Category B
30 april – 2 may 1 – 9 october	€ 789	€ 659
6 may – 27 june, 24 – 31 july 12 – 26 september	€ 1004	€ 862
2 – 23 july 1 augustus – 11 september	€ 1039	€ 915

Additional overnight stays

Location and period	Room type	Category A	Category B
Linz – all seasons	Double room with breakfast	€79.20	€67.10
	Single room with breakfast	€112.20	€100.10
Vienna – 30 April to 30 June and 1 September to 31 October	Double room with breakfast	€103.40	€84.70
	Single room with breakfast	€170.50	€134.20
Vienna – 1 July to 31 August	Double room with breakfast	€92.40	€73.70
	Single room with breakfast	€159.50	€123.20
Passau – all seasons	Double room with breakfast	€97.90	€73.70
	Single room with breakfast	€146.30	€119.90

Hotel Categories

During your Passau to Vienna cycling tour along the Danube Cycle Path you stay in carefully selected hotels chosen for comfort and location.

Category A
Comfortable 4 star and very good 3 star hotels, often centrally located or directly along the Danube.

Category B
Good 3 star hotels, with a 4 star hotel in Vienna.

All hotels are selected to ensure a relaxing and well organized Danube cycling holiday in Austria.

Included

7 nights in hotels (Category A or B)
Daily breakfast buffet or extended breakfast
Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel: pick-up at 9:00, delivery by about 6:30 pm (liability up to €1,000 per person)
Coffee and cake break along the Danube
Route book with detailed maps and GPS tracks 7-day service hotline (9:00–18:00; until 17:00 in April and October)
One fixed Travel2Move contact person, before, during and after your trip

Not included

Travel to Passau and return from Vienna
Local tourist tax (approx. €1 to €2.50 per person per night, payable on site)
Bike rental (optional add on)
Half board option (4 dinners, optional)
Return transfer from Vienna to Passau (optional)
Ferry crossings or boat trips, if applicable
Personal expenses and drinks

Optional extras

Prices are per person and include VAT.

Option	Price

Rental bike

€ 90

E-bike

€ 200

Halfboard (4 diners)

Cat A € 139 / Cat B € 115

Return transfer to Passau by bus or train

€ 46

Return transfer of your own bike to Passau

€ 40 per bike

Extra overnight stay in Passau

Op aanvraag

Single room supplement

€ 250

Extra Night in Vienna

On request

Practical information

Tour type: self-guided bike tour
Duration: 8 days, 7 nights (6 riding days)
Distance: approx. 305–337 km in total, 30–80 km per day
Difficulty: easy to moderate, mostly flat and paved
Start and end: Passau (Germany) to Vienna (Austria)
Accommodation: Category A or B hotels, breakfast included
Navigation: route book, maps and GPS tracks
Return to Passau: by bus on Saturdays during the season, and by direct train on other days (every 2 hours, 2nd class, no transfer to the station). Book in advance.
Own bike on the return: only together with a booked bus or train transfer, subject to availability. It must be booked in advance and cannot be added on site. We cannot accept liability for damage to your own bike. On Saturdays your bike travels with you on the bus. If you return on a Friday, Sunday or Monday, you hand in your bike by 5 pm the day before at your last hotel in Vienna. It is ready in Passau around noon on your return day.
Departure days: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May to early October

Frequently Asked Questions — Danube bike tour Passau to Vienna

Yes, if you are used to riding 30–80 km a day. The path is mostly flat, paved and well signposted. You can shorten two stages by boat or train. E-bike riders are welcome.

You ride about 30–80 km per day, on average 45–60 km, over 6 riding days. The total is approx. 305–337 km.

7 nights in hotels, daily breakfast, daily luggage transfer, route book, GPS tracks, a 7-day service hotline and a coffee and cake break.

Departures run Friday to Sunday from May through October.

Book the return transfer with us. It goes by bus on Saturdays during the season and by direct train on other days.

Yes. You can take the Wachau boat from Spitz or Dürnstein to Krems, and the train from Krems to Tulln, or from Tulln or Klosterneuburg to Vienna.

Booking with Travel2Move

Travel2Move is a small Dutch specialist in active travel, based in Nijverdal. We are certified by VZR Garant and are a member of VvKR, so your booking is protected. Read more about Travel2Move and our guarantee coverage.