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All about the Danube Cycle Path: where it is, length, map and routes
Established in the early 1980s, the Danube Cycle Route is by far the best known and best loved in the world, following the course of Europe’s second longest river. One after another adds up to an incredible variety not only of landscapes, but also of histories and traditions, held together not always easily by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Where the Danube Cycle Path originates
To understand the magnitude of this river, one only has to consider that the Danube has its source in Germany‘s Black Forest, flows through Austria, Slovakia, continues into Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, and between Romania and Ukraine forms a delta that joins the Black Sea after the beauty of 2,850 km. It has thus been a crucial passage route for people and trade over the centuries, more so than many other European waterways; known as the Via Istrum in Roman times, it also featured prominently in the Salt Road, which pointed from Salzburg to Prague.
What are the capital cities along the Danube Cycle Route
This could be the Danube’s other name: Vienna, Bratislava, Belgrade and Budapest stand right there, majestically perched along its banks. A curiosity: in addition to wealth, Vienna also owes its name to the Danube! Or rather, to a tributary, the Wien, to be precise.
How long is it and what are the routes
Not satisfied with those more than 2,000 km, it was well thought out to cast a cycling link between Europe’s greatest rivers: that’s how the European Cyclists’ Federation, in its grand visionary project called Eurovelo (i.e., a series of endless bicycle routes that would connect Europe from one end to the other), envisioned 4,400 bikeable kilometers along the Loire, the Rhine and then the Danube.
Eurovelo 6 is the Atlantic-Black Sea route, and for half of its course it encompasses the elite of bike paths.
The Danube Cycle Route is ideally divided into 3 major segments, the ones that are most developed and gather most of the bicycle tourism: the German Danube, the Austrian Danube, and the Vienna-Budapest/Belgrade. Further east, the route is still on paper.
From Donaueschingen to Passau, the German Danube
This is the portion of the Danube cycle path from its source in Donaueschingen to Passau on the Austrian border. ADFC, the German Association for the Promotion of Cycling, produces a very detailed report on cycling in Germany every year. The German Danube in 2018 ranked fourth in popularity after the Weser, Elbe, and Ruhr bicycle routes.
In addition to the statistical data, the ADFC also gives a rating for the quality of both the route and related services: the German Danube has an excellent 4/5.
*the route of this map is simplified
Dfrom Passau to Vienna,the most famous part of the bicycle path
Often referred to as the “queen of bikeways,” it is in fact the ultimate for those who choose to travel by bike, that is, about 300,000 cyclists a year who ride it in whole or in part. According to the ADFC, it has been the most pedaled bicycle path abroad by Germans for years now.
We are around 300 km total, from the city of the 3 rivers Passau, through the great Danube bend to Schlögen, modern Linz, the Wachau valley with its gentle slopes and rows of orchards, and then Vienna, wide, regal and perfectly cyclable.
Pedalists of all nationalities choose it as their first or umpteenth trip, alone or with family, and the reason is quickly stated. Here are a few reasons why it has always ranked as the most popular among pedalers:
1/ First of all, it is fully marked in both directions and on both banks of the river. This means there is never a need to look at the map, except to plan crossings using the dams or aboard the ferries (depending on which bank the next hotel is located on).
2/ Ascents: these unknowns. In the rare cases where a hotel or tourist site is located a little higher up there is always a way to take advantage of transfers or shuttles that will save you the trouble of breathing. The only climbs will be to cross bridges!
3/ Tours and tourist sites are always within pedal reach: contemporary architecture in Linz, the Holocaust memorial in Mauthausen, the spectacular Melk Abbey, the Schiele museum in Tulln, etc.
A word of advice? Don’t just head straight for your next destination, get off the bike path and ride all the way into the villages. It will be 100 percent immersion in everyday Austrian life!
4/ It is family friendly! There is never a shortage of meadows, playgrounds and theme parks that not only invite you to stop in between miles, but are quintessential fun for the little ones. No problem either for parents who find themselves pulling trolleys or small bicycles: the track is safe and spacious, and you can fit wide.
See the route from Passau to Vienna on the map:
*the route of this map is simplified
From Vienna to Budapest, eastward
Among the most traveled sections is the “wilder” one, which has little to do with the previous 2 sections, but this aspect of it matches beautifully with its being the true route of the capitals! In fact, a bicycle ribbon connects Vienna to Bratislava and further on to Budapest and Belgrade.
The exclusive bike path from Vienna’s Donauinsel points straight toward Bratislava, which appears from a distance with its white castle. The route then uses mostly country and secondary roads, often quiet, sometimes with -slightly- mixed traffic, but still requiring some care, especially when entering and leaving urban centers.
The Danube does not always flow by our side, but reappears here and there among quiet Hungarian villages and charming towns such as Györ, Eztergom, and Szetendre. It changes atmosphere in short, from the ornate Austrian banks dotted with romantic villages, to the great expanses as far as the eye can see where the inhabitants are always ready to offer us a lemonade, some apples or crackers (and how can we forget Hungarian hospitality!).
In all it is just over 300 km, with slightly undulating stages to Budapest. Nothing particularly challenging, but some training is recommended.
See the route from Vienna to Budapest on the map:
*the route of this map is simplified
How to ride the Danube Cycle Path?
A citybike or trekking bike is more than fine. There are those who, especially in the first 2 stretches where the terrain is perfect (paved or otherwise well-trodden), try their hand at road biking, the choice is yours. You can do 2-3 bike stages, or -better- a week or more, which is ideal for acclimatizing and getting to know the local realities a bit more.
There is no shortage of bike rentals, as well as repair points, from small toolboxes along the trail to workshops. This is especially so along the Austrian and German Danube. Those who choose the Vienna Budapest will have to equip themselves with a minimal repair kit, because for long stretches there are no facilities.
Organized cycling vacations on the Danube Cycle Route
Carefree travel also means relying on people to take care of your luggage and hotels, and with the tours offered by Girolibero you could plan it faster. There is something for everyone!
