Hi there! I will be touring in Austria for about 8 days in mid-August. I am Canadian but I will be catching a train from Zurich. I want to make it to Vienna and spend 2-3 days there, so that leaves about a week for me to get there. I was thinking of leaving from Salzburg (Innsbruck seems a bit far!) and make my way to Vienna, but I am unsure how realistic it is to do it in a week without having crazy days. I was told that the Bad Ischl and Hallstatt region was amazing, so I'd like to drop by there as well. I am open to catching a train to skip a part if necessary. Does anyone have any advice on potential realistic routes? I am looking to do 80km tops per day, less if there are intense inclines. Let me know if you have beta to share!
Figuring out a route through Austria
Wed, 2019-06-05 17:58
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Figuring out a route through Austria
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Hello Muriel,
indeed Bad Ischl and Hallstadt are beautiful (though might be crowded), so is the whole region Salzkammergut! There are many beautiful lakes, stunning landscapes and mountains and in my opinion it is one of the most beautiful regions in Austria.
This is a website to give you an overview of the different options of the Salzkammergut bike trail: https://www.salzkammergut.at/en/detail/article/1754-salzkammergut-cycle-way.html
I only have cycling experience between Gmunden and Wolfgangsee (mainly from day trips), probably the easiest part as it is totally flat; but you'd pass only two lakes there (Traunsee and Wolfgangsee). In general the whole trail is very difficult as there are many inclines.
When coming from Vienna I usually take a train to Attnang Puchheim (Westbahn has cheap fares) and then a local train to Gmunden. Maybe it might be a good idea to start in Salzburg and stay in Salzkammergut region for a few days, then take a train to any of the cities (e.g. Linz, should be reached easily from Gmunden) that are connected to the Eurovelo 6 (which is an easy but also beautiful ride; http://www.eurovelo.com/en/eurovelos/eurovelo-6/les-etapes/passau-wien) and make your way to Vienna...
Hope this helps! If you need any help with logistics (train, campsites etc) let me know if I can help! I'd also share my favorite, little bit hidden lake which is a few kilometers off route and not so crowded close to St. Wolfgang via PM :)
Nina
Thank you so much for the advice! So far my plan follows more or less what you mentioned, with the possibility of catching a train in Gmunden or Steyr if I am in a rush to reach eurovelo along the danube!
Also if you have the Chance try to take the ciclovia alps Adria.it Starts somewhere in Salzburg and heads South.. So probably not your best direction (but very beautiful).
The Danube cycle way is nicest in the Region of Wachau other than that it is somehow more of a family Route.