The Danube Cyclepath

The tour is 8 days long with 6 days of cycling.

Passau, where your trip begins has a beautiful old centre and a distinct Italian look, with winding medieval lanes, tunnels and archways.

You follow the Danube Cycle Path all the way to Vienna. Vienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria. It is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. As the former home of the Habsburg court and its various empires, the city still has the trappings of the imperial capital it once was, and the historic city center is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Is this suitable for you?

You’ll come across some gently undulating terrain and the odd cheeky challenge, so we’d generally expect those on a Grade 2 holiday to ride their bikes relatively frequently at home, perhaps commuting to work or heading out for some leisurely rides at the weekend.

If you don’t own a suitable bike or would prefer to avoid bringing your own we have a choice of bikes available to rent. Our standard bikes are hybrids (red in the photo above) with semi slick tyres and a relaxed riding position. These bikes typically have a unisex / stepthrough frame, although bikes with a high cross bar are often
available on request (height dependent). You also have the choice of premium hybrid bikes (black in the photo above) which are lighter than our standard bikes and offer a more dynamic riding position.

We also have e-bikes available. (We only have a small number however and so these are always on request). Please note, e-bikes will often have pedal brakes as well as hand brakes.

Bikes come equipped with a back pannier and handlebar bag, a tool kit, a puncture repair kit, a cycle computer, a pump and a combination lock. We recommend bringing along your own helmets, but please let us know if you’d prefer to rent one.

It is possible to bring along your own saddle and / or pedals, but we ask that you bring along your own tools as you will need to fit them yourselves. If you bring your own saddle, we also recommend you bring an adapter, due to differing saddle diameters. (Please note: water bottles and water bottle cages are not
provided.)

For your family we have a selection of child trailers (Baby – 5 years approx), baby and child seats (6 months – 3 years), tag

The price on the ‘Dates and Price’ page serves as a guide since the rate can vary depending on your chosen dates. Please let us know your preferred dates and we can let you know the total price and availability.

Along this route you will encounter the beautiful and idyllic vineyards of the Wachau Valley. They produce high-quality wines from Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, both of which are characterized by their signature styles. You may also wish to try a brandy made at the trappist monastery in Engelhartszell!

The cuisine along the way is made up of both Austrian and German cooking. Both cultures tend to use a lot of meat (chicken, beef, pork, fish) and of course the infamous Wiener schnitzel (breaded veal)! Meals are usually accompanied by fresh vegetables and / or dumplings.

There is no vehicle support on this tour, however your luggage will be transferred between your accommodation.

We do provide a 24-hour emergency contact number for you to call if you encounter any problems during the trip. Please note that this may incur additional charges depending on the nature of the action required.

Your allowable baggage is one main piece of luggage per person, other than your bike and a small day pack. Your main luggage should preferably be either a backpack / rucksack or ‘sports bag’ so as to assist in transportation. The day pack may be useful for carrying your additional outer-layer clothing, camera and snacks
(etc) while cycling.

If you are flying, baggage allowances vary from airline to airline and all excess baggage charges must be met by you. Some airlines may only include cabin baggage as standard, and you will need to request hold baggage separately. With some budget carriers now charging for both cabin and hold luggage, please check with your airline for costs.

The local currency is the Euro.

We suggest taking approximately €15-€25 for lunches per day, and €30-€40 for evening meals (per person excluding drinks).

Please refer to the daily itinerary to see which meals are included. Any personal expenditure for things such as souvenirs depends very much on the individual.

Outside of larger towns opportunities to draw money from an ATM or to exchange cash may be rare. Some places may accept card payments but it is better not to rely on this. Your banks may impose charges for using your card abroad and you should always warn your bank you will be traveling with your card prior to your trip.

Temperatures in this region generally range from 10-38°C/50-100°F
depending on when you travel.

Spring months and early summer tend to see temperatures in the the low 20s°C/70s°F, nicely comfortable for cycling. But there can be hotter days as you head into July and August when the temperatures can rise to 35-40°C/95-104°F.

This region can also see rain all year round, including during the summer months, so best to come prepared!

It is a condition of your booking that you are covered by a medical and personal accident insurance policy that includes repatriation to your home country and cover for all planned activities, including where appropriate costs related to any relevant local rescue services. We will require details of your chosen policy including the
policy name, number/reference and the 24hr medical emergency
number, prior to departure.

Book with confidence

With travel restrictions and changing government guidance still present in our lives, the Tour Operator is are committed to doing everything they can to help more of you to enjoy fun on two wheels in the most enjoyable and responsible way possible.

To help you better plan ahead with peace of mind, they want to reassure you that your holiday is financially protected and that you will be well looked after by them, no matter what happens. 

Our promise to you…
- If the Tour Operator has to cancel a tour because of COVID-19, you will have the option of a full refund. They will only run tours in destinations that are safe and will always follow the most up-to-date government guidance. They will cancel any tours where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel.
- Your money is protected by ABTOT, whether as a payment for a specific holiday or as a credit note. This means if you are entitled to a refund this is guaranteed, no matter the circumstances.

In addition, it’s essential that you…
- Have appropriate travel insurance so that if you fall ill and test positive for COVID-19 prior to (or during) your tour (whether in the UK or overseas), you will be financially covered for cancelling your trip or any extra costs you might incur. Please contact our team if you need some advice. In doing so, the Tour Operator can ensure the local communities are impacted as little as possible and can continue to deliver the excellent holidays we know you love. This extended team are predominantly small businesses and the aim is to honour our commitments to them, so we can all rebuild after COVID-19.
- Keep up to date with local requirements in your chosen destination. This might relate to testing or vaccination requirements for entering your destination or using facilities such as hotels and restaurants while you are there. These requirements can change often and the Tour Operator will do their best to keep you up to date, you need to ensure you are aware of, and can comply with, any requirements which might be in place at the time you travel. Depending on the circumstances the Tour Operator may not be able to offer a refund if you can’t comply with these kinds of requirements. For UK based travelers, the best source of information is the Government’s foreign travel advice.

Social distancing, enhanced hygiene and face coverings
For the safety of everyone, the Tour Operator will be ensuring the cycle tours comply with local guidelines. In reality, you’ll be out on your bikes most of the day enjoying the great outdoors, so you’ll have plenty of time to relax and unwind.
- The group tours are limited to small groups – on average 10 people (maximum 16 people) as we believe this is the most responsible – and enjoyable – way to travel.
- Face coverings should be worn in compliance with local guidelines, which in many destinations includes when using public transport, in shops and certain attractions, and whenever social distancing cannot be observed. Please be aware of face covering requirements for travel to your destination and contact us if you have any questions. In the absence of any legal requirements, we ask you to respect the wishes of any private businesses you might visit such as cafes or hotels. Please let us know at the point of booking if you are unable to wear a face covering.
- Our team continues to observe good hygiene practice, including regular handwashing and sanitising, and request that customers do the same. Depending on where you travel, you may not be able to purchase supplies locally, so best to come with adequate supplies of hand sanitiser for use throughout your holiday.

If you display symptoms or test positive
For the benefit of yourself, the people you are traveling with and our team, please let us know as soon as possible if you test positive for COVID-19 or display any symptoms.
- We recommend testing before joining any of our trips.
- It is essential that you are in good health when embarking on your holiday. Under certain circumstances, we may ask you to take a test or provide proof of having had the vaccines. In the rare event you fall ill before or during your tour, it is essential you follow the guidelines provided by us in your pre-departure information.
- If you are symptomatic or if you test positive this is likely to mean you are unable to join your trip.
- If you test positive whilst on the holiday then we will assist you in reporting the illness and making appropriate arrangements, whether that be to quarantine or return home. In most circumstances, this will mean your participation in the tour will have to come to an end.

Vaccination status
In many destinations, you may need to be fully vaccinated to be able to join our trips.
- If you are traveling to another country you may need to be fully vaccinated to enter, or to use facilities such as cafes or hotels. Some destinations may allow testing in place of vaccination, but the nature of our trips means this often isn’t a practical option.
- There may be some situations where social distancing isn’t possible or where you will come in contact with people who aren’t part of our group or team, such as hotel and restaurant staff. Because of this, we recommend being fully vaccinated to make sure you are as safe as possible.
- Some destinations we visit have less developed public health facilities which can impact local residents’ ability to access the same protections we might enjoy. In such cases, we strive to weigh up entry requirements and recommendations from our local partners to establish a responsible company policy on vaccinations that protects our customers, local teams and the communities we visit as much as possible.
- Please let us know as early as possible if you aren’t fully vaccinated so we can discuss any implications, including if you are able to join the trip.

Bikes, vehicles and equipment
We know you love the extra support we offer on tour and so we’ve made sure you continue to have access to all these essential holiday components.
- Our team will guide you through any relevant protocols when using bikes, equipment and vehicles on your trip.
- All transfer staff will be adhering to recognized local hygiene guidelines and these vehicles will be regularly deep cleaned, with extra attention paid to regular touchpoints.

Food and accommodation
Amazing food and lovely places to stay are a big part of the tour experience. All accommodation providers are following relevant local guidelines relating to COVID-19. The impact of new measures should be minimal and may vary from place to place, however, these will always be clearly communicated to you by our team on the ground.
- You may notice increased and enhanced cleaning and hygiene practices, in guest rooms and communal areas.
- In some places, temperature checks will be conducted upon entering.
- Measures promoting social distancing may be in place and you may be asked to avoid communal areas and touchpoints.
- We will offer our usual high-quality lunches and snacks but you may notice a few changes to how these are delivered to allow for any local guidance.

Updated: 27 Jan 2023