Passau-vienna

You get to explore the area along the blue Danube river, almost like the Romans or some of the mighty kings and emperors did. You will never be far from the beautiful blue river and you will see the beauty and history of the ancient military and trade route, one of the most popular routes in Europe.
Look forward to seeing the beauty of the Danube valley and the famous Schlögener Schlinge river bend, or perhaps you will fall in love with the landscape and local life along the river. To add to the experience, there are many places where you can try the Austrian delicacies.

This is truly a classic bike ride that is perfect for the whole family.

You'll stay at good and cosy hotels and inns in category 3*.
You can upgrade to 4* hotels at an additional cost.
All rooms are with private bath and toilet, and with breakfast included.

Easy terrain without hills, and along good cycle paths which mostly follows closely to the river. The entire route is well signposted and goes mostly downhill. A total of 330 km of cycling, split into day stages of 37-70 km. The length of the stages depends a bit on whether you choose 3* or 4* hotels.
You will be sent a hotel list and practical information. Upon arrival at the first hotel, you will get both detailed cycling maps and route description in English/German.

* We note that the map is indicative and therefore does not contain precise route information.

Day 1. Arrival in Passau
Passau is a really nice and cosy town, so come early so that you have a bit of time to enjoy this beautiful town.

Day 2. To Schlögener Schlinge/surroundings, approx. 40-55 km
From Passau, where the rivers Danube, Inn and Ilz meet, you cycle past Engelhartszell, the only Trappist monastery in Austria. You come through the nature reserve Donauleiten, from where you come to the Schlögen bend, which turns 180 degrees. A ferry will take you across the river to the hotel where you will spend the night.

Day 3. To Linz, approx. 50 km 
Today you cycle through beautiful natural areas and pass several small market towns such as Aschach, Ottensheim and Wilhering. You arrive in the historic city of Linz, where there are many places to drink and eat, that are worth visiting.

Day 4. To Grein/surroundings, approx. 55 km
You get a little away from the river, towards Enns. In Enns you can see the town tower, which is the landmark for the oldest town in Austria, or visit the archaeological museum. You cycle back towards the river again and arrive at today's goal, which is Grein.

Day 5. To the Wachau area approx. 50-60 km 
Today you cycle past the infamous area that frightened sailors with the strong current in the river, but you will have no problems. High above the Danube river, you pass a magnificent pilgrim church which attracts thousands of pilgrims every year.

Day 6. To Krems/Traismauer/Tulln approx. 40-60 km 
You start the day in the Wachau region with a day of legends, castles, castles and beautiful landscapes, where the impressive Benedictine monastery in Melk should be visited. On the trip along the river, you pass Dürnstein Castle and end the day with wine tasting in one of the 1000-year-old towns.

Day 7. To Vienna, approx. 45-65 km 
The last part of the tour goes to Vienna, where you can spend the rest of the day exploring the beautiful capital. It will be advisable to visit one of their cafes and try some local delicacies, such as Viennese-style coffee or the famous sachertorte cake .

Day 8. Departure Day
Return home after breakfast, unless you have booked an extra night.

The route may vary slightly depending on the hotels location and category.

If you want to rent a bike, you have the following options:

• Unisex or men's bike with 7 gears and foot brake
• Unisex or men's bike with 21 gears and hand brakes
• Unisex or men's bike PLUS with 27 gears and hand brakes
• Electric bike

All bikes are equipped with luggage carrier, 1 rear bag, handlebar bag or card holder. At least one bicycle per room will also be equipped with a lock, pump and repair kit.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to rent a bicycle helmet. We recommend that you bring one from home.

As a rule, you must arrange your own transport to Passau in Southern Germany.

By plane
Munich is the nearest airport. Transport onwards from Munich by bus and train to Passau, approx. 2 hours travel time.
Alternatively, you can fly to Vienna, from where there is approx. 3 hours travel time to Passau.

A summary of flight options can be found here: Momondo 

Ruby Rejser can assist in booking airfares for on-the-day-price plus a handling fee of 300 DKK per ticket. The ticket must be paid together with the deposit and will be purchased only upon registration of payment. The price quoted is therefore subject to change until the ticket is purchased. 

By train
Check the times and prices on Deutsche Bahn's website. Note that the cheapest ticket prices are continuously adjusted according to the demand.

By car
Find driving directions at Google Maps.
Parking cannot be booked from home, but there is a public car park that costs approx. 35 euros per week. The hotel can help you find it.