Cycling Austria

Overview of cycling in Austria

Austria’s cycling scene isn’t as well-known as some other European cycling destinations. Yet it offers many of the advantages that they do – and more.

One big advantage is that Austria is a relatively small country, which means that the distances between places aren’t huge. This makes multi-stop trips quite feasible – and a good idea, since there is a huge variety of landscapes to explore.

Terrain

In Austria you’ll find everything from flat, easy riding in the east of the country, near Vienna, to high mountains in the west that are really spectacular and easily comparable with anything in France, Italy and Switzerland.

The Grossglockner climb is the most famous cycling climb in Austria, but there are also others like the very demanding Rettenbachferner and the Kitzbühl climb, which is known as the toughest climb in Europe! I share some of my favourite climbs and routes below.

Cycling events

Cycling in Austria has benefited from pro racing exposure via Anna Kiesenhofer’s shock victory in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as well as the 2018 Innsbruck World Champs, the annual Tour of Austria and Tour of the Alps. There are also cycling events for amateur cyclists in Austria that are a really big deal here and in neighbouring countries, even if they aren’t so well known in the UK. For example, the extremely popular Ötztaler Radmarathon with 4,500 participants each year. There’s more information below.

Cycling culture

The popularity of these amateur events reflects the fact that cycling as a sport is very popular amongst Austrians. Like in Italy, cycling is really part of the culture. It’s also had a boost as a result of Covid and there’s a great cycling community here.

You’ll find plenty of bike shops in Austrian towns and there is also a strong Austrian cycling hotel scene, as seen by the fantastic hotels we represent at , many of which are owned and run by passionate cyclists. To date, the hotels have mostly been known to Austrian and German cyclists, but I suspect that won’t remain the case for much longer. There’s more on the hotels below.

Austria cycling routes

Geography of Austria

The basic rule of thumb is that everything east of Salzburg is flat or rolling terrain. Everything west of Salzburg is more or less mountains. That’s not 100% percent accurate, but it’s probably 95% true and maybe that’s good enough?!

Novice riders, or those looking for more a leisurely ride, are definitely best in the east of the country; Austria’s Tyrol and Bregenz Forest regions are best for the more experienced cyclists.

What are the roads like in Austria?

As you’d expect, the paved roads in Austria are mainly in very good condition and (by and large) cyclists are respected.

There’s an extensive network of roads in Austria. Of course, they’re more limited in the high mountains, but even here there are a lot of narrow farm roads; they may be dead ends but they can still be spectacular. This road network means that at busy times of year, like the summer, you’ve got choices when it comes to which roads you ride. Check out the When to Visit section below for more tips on this.

There’s also a great network of cycle paths. Anyone that’s ever done two minutes of research on the most popular leisure cycling in Europe, will have come across the Danube cycle path/bike trail. It’s regularly voted one of the best cycling routes in Europe.

French Alps vs Austrian Alps

In both France and Austria you find classic long, twisting climbs.

The French Alps are better known as a cycling destination, but in my opinion, the stunning scenery of the Austrian Alps has more to offer. Think flower-filled meadows, craggy snow-peaked mountains and glassy, blue lakes. I’ve never seen more impressive scenery.

I also think the roads in the mountains of Austria are a bit steeper, but perhaps not quite as long. For example, comparing the Col du Galibier and Grossglockner, the Grossglockner is shorter but it’s definitely a bit steeper.

Austrian road engineers have a reputation for being frugal with the asphalt; and that reputation is justified! When you’re riding in the mountains, it definitely feels like the engineers were anti-switchback… it’s not an issue in the east of the country since there the terrain is hills rather than mountains – but when it comes to the mountains, expect steep gradients!

Best cycling routes in Austria

Below I give an overview of my favourite road bike regions and a few examples of some of the best biking roads in Austria.

1. Vienna, Bucklige Welt region

“The region of wine and hills”

In the east of Austria, you find Vienna and the Bucklige Welt of Lower Austria. There are a lot of vineyards, lakes and very stable climate conditions. The landscape is gently hilly and there are exquisite country roads through orchards and past quaint villages. It’s well-suited to beginner level and intermediate cyclists who prefer to avoid the mountains.

The region is located on the outskirts of Vienna, so a trip here means you could also spend a rest day sightseeing in Vienna and cycling along the Danube cycle path (which is in fact paved, so suitable for road bikes – as well as family cycling holidays).

Cycling routes in the Vienna, Bucklige Welt region

For where to stay in the Vienna, Bucklige Welt region, see below.

2. Salzburg region, SalzburgerLand region

“Lakes and city”

Moving west from Vienna, you come to the Salzburg region.

It’s got a distinctive mixture of sparkling lakes, impressive mountains and culture that promise a road bike experience you won’t forget. There are lakes, and small hills around the lakes, which give the possibility for some really nice rolling tours.

But you can also do rides with 3,000+ metres of elevation gain if you want them – because it’s not so far from the mighty Grossglockner (more on that below) – and there are flat areas too, so perfect if you want some sprint training.

You can combine your cycling holiday with some sightseeing in the spectacular city of Salzburg (most famous for being home to Mozart). The lakes in this region are also brilliant for summer holidays. (This article has information on touring the Salzkammergut region by bike.)

Example cycling routes in the Salzburg region

For where to stay in the Salzburg region, see below.

3. Grossglockner region, SalzburgerLand – Pinzgau

The Grossglockner cycling climb is the longest and most famous climb in the country for cyclists.

It’s 16 kilometres of ascent with 10 percent of average incline. So cycling Grossglockner is a challenge and you shouldn’t underestimate that steep gradient! It takes you on a journey up the highest mountain peak in Austria.

Every year the Glocknerkonig event attracts about 3,000 cyclists from all over the world race from the bottom to the top.

Riding around in this destination offers a nice variety. You can go really flat in the valley. Even though the main roads are quite busy the cycle paths are perfect for road biking. Additionally you can do the Ironman tour which offers a nice climb to the mountain range Hochkönig. The highlight and the reason why cyclists come here is of course the Großglockner. It is the longest and most spectacular climb in Austria.

Cycling routes in the Grossglockner region

For where to stay in the Grossglockner region, see below.

4. Innsbruck and Ötztal, Tyrol region

“Austrian Alps”

Going west again, you come to the Tyrol in Austria. It’s an area known for its ski resorts and the scenery here is classic Alpine. This is a destination for experienced cyclists; there are no easy rides here!

The capital of the region is Innsbruck. The city runs beside the Inn river and it’s surrounded by mountains – the Karwendel mountains to the borth, the Stubai Alps to the south-west and Tux Alps to the south-east. Innsbruck is somewhere you should definitely visit. It’s here that the World Road Championships were held in 2018 – on what’s generally acknowledged to be one of the most difficult courses that there’s ever been. It’s no surprise really, given the only options are flat along the river east or west – or up!

The famous Ötztaler Radmarathon event is also held in this region. The event starts from the town of Sölden and it’s one of the biggest mass participation events in Europe with 4,500 participants and around 4,500 metres of elevation gain. More below.

Some of the region’s most popular climbs are the Ötztal Valley Glacier Road, Silvretta High Alpine Road, the Reschen Pass and Timmelsjoch.

This is a destination for the serious cyclists – and our hotel here is perfect too, based at 2,000 metres above sea level it’s a great place for a high altitude training camp.

Even here, there are things for your non-road cycling family members to take part in. For example the mountain biking and hiking are excellent, there’s the amazing James Bond Museum and the Aqua Dome spa is incredible.

Cycling routes in the Ötztal region

For where to stay in the Ötztal region, see below.

5. Bregenz Forest, Vorarlberg region

“Woods, nature and high mountains”

Bregenz Forest sits in the Vorarlberg region of Austria – it’s close to the border with Switzerland and it’s about as far west as you can go in Austria. For those that like to border hop, you can take in Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland from here! There are also a great range of bike routes leading from beautiful Lake Constance.

The region combines enchanting villages, interesting architecture with lots of houses made from wood and impressive mountain scenery. It feels very remote and rural, well and truly away from everything. There are some huge Alpine passes around here including Hochtannberg Pass, the Flexen Pass and the Faschinajoch.

If I’m not training for the Ötztaler Radmarathon, the Bregenz Forest is my favourite area of Austria to ride in – the landscape is a little more open than the Ötztal valley; there are just so many riding possibilities!

Cycling routes in the Bregenz Forest

For where to stay in the Bregenz region, see below.

 

What are the key road cycling events in Austria?

Pro racing in Austria

Our pro cycling scene was badly affected by the 90s doping scandals. Fortunately however we do still have some exposure to World Tour racing – the Tour of Austria takes place here every year and of course there were the very successful World Road Championships in 2018.

The early season Tour of the Alps also takes place in mid to late April each year. Half of the race is held in Austria (within the state of Tyrol) and half in Italy. The Tour of the Alps is thought of as a last preparation race for the Giro d’Italia, which usually starts around two weeks after the Tour of the Alps finishes.

Amateur cycling events in Austria

The three most famous amateur road cycling events in Austria are below. The Ötztaler Radmarathon takes place in the Tyrol region while the Glocknerkonig and Eddie Merckx Classic are both in the SalzburgerLand region.

Ötztaler Radmarathon

What are the best bike hotels in Austria?

At , we help connect cyclists with 32 hand-picked specialist cycling hotels, 12 of which are in Austria. To work with us, we check they meet strict quality requirements regarding what they offer cyclists. There’s information on how we do these checks and inspections . There’s also full information on what every hotel has to offer .

In summary, though you can be sure that every hotel on our site offers things like

• Bike room with CCTV
• Individual bike locks
• Drying and laundry service
• Repair area
• Route information including free GPS files
• Pick-up service if you have a mechanical etc
• Breakfast buffet and afternoon snack

Most of the hotels we feature are cycling hotels because it’s the owner’s passion; they decided to become road cycling hotels because they are road cyclists themselves and are so passionate about it that they created their hotels focused on it.

That means that in every hotel of ours, there is a cycling expert. This means that there’s someone to get advice from on routes, to help with guided tours. This reduces the need to plan everything in advance; you can just come to the hotel and then the specialist there will help you plan your riding.

You can find all our hotels .

The hotels that are relevant to the regions I’ve picked out above are as follows:

1. Vienna, Bucklige Welt region

2. Salzburg region, Salzburgerland region

3. Grossglockner region

4. Bregenz Forest, Vorarlberg region

Combining cycling and family holidays

Our hotels are not only designed for cyclists. They are also brilliant places for family holidays – for example you can access swimming pools, lakes, kids clubs and many other non-cycling specific activities. For example, Hotel Seppl in the Oztal Valley is a good bet if your kids (or you!) are into James Bond, because the James Bond Museum is not far away.

Location-wise, many of them mean that you are also close to world-famous cultured cities: for example  Vienna is accessible from Hotel Krumbacherhof  and Salzburg is accessible from Roadbike and Triathlonhotel Jakob.

Do you recommend booking an organised cycling tour in Austria?

One of the core concepts of Roadbike Holidays is that in each of our hotels you’ll find a cycling expert. So cyclists can get everything they need from our hotels – from bike route information and tips, to bike wash and laundry service.

Everything is in one place and many guests find they don’t need a full-on Austria bike tour as such (or even do much planning before they come!).

But of course some people always like the comfort of having a local guide with them when they’re out riding – and there is an advantage that they may get more understanding of local culture, history and traditions as they ride along. A nice balance can be to have a tour on the first or second day, so you get to know the area, some information on the philosophy and culture of the people and find the nicest roads. Then after that you can explore on your own.

If you would like a guide, all our hotels can usually help, but I always advise customers to check before you book.

As an example, at Hotel Krumbacherhof, the owner is also the chef and cycling guide. So in the morning he goes cycling with you and in the afternoon he cooks you dinner, so you have a very individual relationship.

Bike hire

Are there many places for bike hire in Austria?

Historically, many cyclists to Austria have come from Germany, since it’s not too far. Such cyclists are usually driving so it’s easy for them to bring their own bikes. This means that you don’t tend to find road bike rental in every town; mountain bike rental is pretty common, but road bike rental less so.

That said, lots of our hotels can help guests out with hiring road bikes. Sometimes they have road bikes for rent on site, alternatively they can often arrange rental delivery for you.

What about bike shops?

In terms of bike shops, plenty of towns and villages still have local bike shops.

It’s also mandatory for our hotels to have a partnership with a bike shop that can assist with small repairs or spare parts for your bike.

Our hotels will arrange for you to be picked up if you have a break down while out riding and then will put you in touch with a bike shop who can help mend your bike.

When to visit Austria

From a weather perspective, the most reliable time of year to visit Austria’s mountains is between June and September. The season is a bit longer in the lower areas in the east of Austria; there the season is April to the end of October.

The eastern part of Austria is known as being the warmest, so if sunshine and warm temperatures are important to you, head there rather than the high mountains in the west of the country.

As with most places, July and August are the busiest months due to school holidays, so expect more traffic on the roads then.

In particular, bear in mind that the narrow valleys in the western part of Austria can get very busy in the peak summer months. The Grossglockner has started charging vehicles using the road, in an effort to reduce the numbers in the summer months. The Bregenz Forest region is known for being quieter than the Öztal Valley if you’re travelling in July and August in the western mountains. September and October can be better months if you’re keen on riding these high mountain passes.

The eastern regions, like Bucklige Welt near Vienna, as well as the Salzburg region can be less busy in summer.

Tips for biking in Austria

Books and maps about Austria

Kit to bring to Austria

I’d always recommend that cyclists bring a rain jacket when they visit Austria, because the weather changes quite fast. You have to expect some thunderstorms even in summer.

Gearing

If you’re planning on cycling the Austrian Alps, I’d recommend a compact gearing of the 50-34. I personally ride 50-34 and 11-28 rear cassette. It just gives me that flexibility and security when I’m having a hard day and I’m in danger of running out of gas. Remember the Austrian mountains are steep!

Rest days on a road bike tour of Austria

If you’re coming on a seven day cycling trip, I’d definitely suggest putting in a rest day after the third day. It’ll allow you to enjoy the last three days again. Especially if you’re not used to our steep mountains, there’s no point killing yourself and going out hard each day without a break. Your legs won’t take it and you’ll run out of power. So I always recommend a rest day during a cycling holiday (especially a cycling holiday in Austria!).

Training for a cycling trip to Austria

On a training front, you don’t need to be particularly fit for most destinations in Austria – but I wouldn’t recommend you go to Ötztal Valley, Grossglockner region or Bregenz Forest without any training as you probably won’t enjoy your trip that much!

Car hire

I would always suggest car hire because you’re way more flexible than if you’re relying on public transportation. I cannot say that it doesn’t work in Austria, but some of our hotels are in remote places and a car will just be more flexible. Especially if you have a mechanical problem and need to go to a bike shop.

Rules of the road

You can’t ride on the highway in Austria. It’s compulsory for children under 12 to wear helmets and cycling on pavements is forbidden.

By law, the drivers or the car drivers are obliged to keep 1.5 metre distance from cyclists.

There’s more on Austria’s Highway Code here and information for cyclists in Vienna here.

When do the cols open?

This site is useful as it lists some of the main passes and whether they are open or closed. If you’re waiting to book a trip, you could always try asking one of our local hotels or the local tourist office for information before you book/travel.

Austrian cuisine you have to try

When you’re in Austria, you have to try one of our culinary delights; the delicious Kaiserschmarrn. These are Austrian pancakes and they are really tasty. They’re full of sugar and will power you through the last kilometres of your ride!

Of course the country’s Wiener Schnitzel, Apfelstrudel and Sachertorte are also must-eats!

What to see when you’re not cycling

If you haven’t been to Austria before and have any interest in art and culture, you should definitely consider a little sightseeing in our famous cities. The Salzburg and Vienna regions above are probably the most obvious places these are relevant, but Innsbruck is also a beautiful city and Bregenz is really nice because it’s on Lake Constance. Check out the tips for family cycling holidays above.

Do you need to speak German?

German is the official language, but lots of people speak English in the towns and cities. Rural Austria can be a bit more patchy so some German would come in handy.

How to get to Austria?

The main airports are Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck – which match the regions I suggest visiting perfectly! It’s only two hours drive from Innsbruck to Bregenz.

If you’re looking for an airport transfer, there’s a great hire company called Four Seasons that offers transfers from the airport to Saltzberg and Innsbruck. They’ll also take bike boxes.

Have you cycled in Austria?

How was it?

Got any tips to share? Comment below.