Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Danube Cycling: Passau to Vienna through the Wachau
A proposed 8-day ride from Passau to Vienna on the Danube Cycle Path: the Schlögen loop, Linz, the Strudengau gorge, Melk Abbey and a night in the Wachau wine valley.
8 days · Passau to Vienna · up to 12 guests
Vineyards above Weissenkirchen in the Wachau, photographed on 31 August 2024 Photo: Jaller94, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2024-08-31_13-03-50_Weißenkirchen_in_der_Wachau.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Passau to Vienna
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Six riding days of about 30 to 61 km (roughly 285 km in all) on the Danube Cycle Path, which is mostly paved and largely away from traffic, with about 2 to 4.5 hours in the saddle including stops. You need to be confident on a bike, including starting, stopping and riding in a line on shared paths. Bike hire is quoted with an e-bike option, and a support vehicle can carry you for any part of any day. Optional extras add short climbs; distances and climbs are measured when we quote.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 3 dinners
- Room of your own
- We can match you with a roommate
- Season
- April to October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Ride out of Passau, where three rivers meet, and cross from Germany into Austria on the Danube Cycle Path
- Reach the Schlögen loop, where the Danube turns back on itself around a wooded ridge
- Roll into Linz past Wilhering Abbey and the flat Eferding basin
- Ride the Strudengau gorge below Grein, once the river's most feared stretch
- See Melk Abbey above the river, with entry from 9 am in the April to October season
- Cycle through the Wachau, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of vineyard terraces and apricot orchards
- Spend a night in the wine village of Dürnstein under the castle ruin
- Ride past Klosterneuburg and along the Danube Canal into the centre of Vienna
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
We can match you with a roommate.
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Passau, the city of three rivers
Munich Airport (MUC) or Passau station to your hotel in Passau's old town
- Dinner
- Stay in Passau
- Drive about 2 h
Most guests would fly into Munich Airport (MUC), roughly 190 km and two hours from Passau by road.
Afternoon
A group transfer, with the vehicle appointed at quoting, would leave around midday, with the exact time set in the final itinerary. If you come by train, meet us at Passau's main station and check the timetable for the change of trains. Passau sits on a narrow tongue of land where the Inn from the south and the small dark Ilz from the north run into the Danube, and the hotel is planned for the old town between them. In the late afternoon we fit your bike: saddle height, handlebars, a helmet and a short test ride along the river, so tomorrow starts on a bike that already feels like yours. Your guide then briefs the group on the week, how the riding days work and where the support vehicle meets us.
Evening
Dinner is a welcome meal in the old town.
Included
- Group transfer from Munich Airport (MUC), or meeting at Passau main station
- Bike fitting and a short test ride
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner in the old town
Free time: Free until the bike fitting in the late afternoon
Activity: Land at Munich by about 11 am for the group transfer; later arrivals can take the train to Passau and we meet you at the station.
Into Austria and the Schlögen loop
Passau old town, then by bike to Engelhartszell and Schlögen
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Schlögen
- By ferry
We start on foot while Passau is quiet: St. Stephen's Cathedral, rebuilt in Baroque style after a fire in 1662 and home to one of the largest church organs in the world, then the narrow lanes down to the Dreiflüsseeck, the point where the three rivers meet and their different colours show in the water.
Morning
The cathedral closes for a short period in the late morning and during organ concerts, so we time the visit around them. Mid-morning we ride out along the Danube and cross from Germany into Austria within the first hour. The valley narrows between wooded slopes and the path is mostly flat and quiet.
Afternoon
Lunch is at an inn by the river. At Engelhartszell we stop at the abbey church of Stift Engelszell, a Rococo church built in the 1750s and 1760s. The official stage to Schlögen is about 43 km. Near the end, depending on which bank the route follows, the Au to Schlögen cyclists' ferry may be used (the operator lists 1 April to 26 October, shorter hours in April and October). The exact bank for each stretch is set when we quote.
Evening
The evening is yours.
Included
- Guided walk in Passau's old town, St. Stephen's Cathedral and the Dreiflüsseeck
- Guided ride from Passau to Schlögen, about 43 km
- Lunch at a riverside inn
- Stop at the Engelszell abbey church
- Cyclists' ferry crossing at Schlögen when the route uses it (fare quoted)
Easier option: Ride the first stretch to Engelhartszell, then ride with the support vehicle to Schlögen.
More active option: Climb the footpath from Schlögen to the viewpoint above the loop; the climb is measured when we quote.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Schlögen
Activity: About 43 km on flat, mostly paved riverside paths, about 3 hours in the saddle with stops. The Au to Schlögen ferry takes one ride at a time and runs on its own hours.
Round the loop to Linz
Schlögen, then by bike through Aschach and Wilhering to Linz
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Linz
From Schlögen we ride east on which on the official stage needs no ferry. The valley stays wild and wooded for the first hour, with the water slow and wide, then opens at Aschach, where houses face the river, into the flat farmland of the Eferding basin.
Afternoon
Lunch is in the basin. In the afternoon we stop at Wilhering, a Cistercian abbey whose church is known for its Rococo interior; visiting depends on services and is confirmed when we quote. Then comes the last stretch into Linz, about 57 km in all on the official Schlögen to Linz stage. Linz is the capital of Upper Austria.
Evening
Your guide walks the group from the hotel to the Hauptplatz and its Trinity Column, and the evening is free for the riverside Lentos art museum, the Ars Electronica Center across the bridge, or dinner in the old town. Opening days and ticket prices for these are checked when we quote.
Included
- Guided ride from Schlögen to Linz, about 57 km
- Lunch in the Eferding basin
- Stop at Wilhering Abbey
- Short walk to Linz's Hauptplatz with your guide
Optional experiences
- The Pöstlingbergbahn tram up to the Pöstlingberg for the view over Linz (fare paid locally)
- The Ars Electronica Center or the Lentos art museum
Easier option: Stop at Ottensheim, a short way before Linz, and ride the last stretch with the support vehicle.
More active option: Ride up to the Pöstlingberg in the evening instead of taking the tram; the climb is measured when we quote.
Free time: Evening free in Linz
Activity: About 57 km on flat paths and quiet lanes, about 4 hours in the saddle with stops.
Mauthausen and the river to Grein
Linz to Mauthausen, then along the north bank to Grein
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Grein
We leave Linz on the north bank and ride east through river meadows to the old market town of Mauthausen, roughly 20 to 25 km on, with its painted houses on the waterfront. Above the town is the Mauthausen Memorial, the site of a Nazi concentration camp. Entry is free. The memorial publishes seasonal opening hours (daily in the main season, with last entry at 4:45 pm); we check them for your date. The memorial gives its own age guidance for visitors. Group guided tours last about two hours and must be booked ahead through the memorial, so a visit is optional and arranged only if the date allows.
Afternoon
Lunch is in Mauthausen. In the afternoon the river widens behind the Wallsee dam, and the path runs past orchards and small villages to Grein, about 61 km from Linz on the official stage, where the hills close in again. Grein is a small town below the Greinburg castle. Its historic town theatre dates from 1791 and is open to visitors Monday to Saturday from 1 May to 30 September, so we show you in if the day and time allow.
Included
- Guided ride from Linz to Grein, about 61 km
- Lunch in Mauthausen
- Grein old town, and the historic town theatre when open
Optional experiences
- Visit to the Mauthausen Memorial (entry is free; a guided group tour must be booked ahead and is priced at quoting)
- The Upper Austrian Maritime Museum in the Greinburg
Easier option: Ride as far as Mauthausen, roughly 20 to 25 km, then ride with the support vehicle to Grein.
More active option: Detour to the old town of Enns on the south bank; the extra distance is measured when we quote.
Free time: Evening free in Grein
Activity: The longest riding day: about 61 km, flat, about 4.5 hours in the saddle with stops.
Through the Strudengau to Melk
Grein through the Strudengau to Ybbs, Pöchlarn and Melk
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Melk
Just below Grein the Danube runs through the Strudengau, a short gorge between wooded hills that was long the most feared stretch on the river for its rocks and whirlpools, until they were blasted and then drowned behind a dam. We ride it early, when mist can sit on the water.
Afternoon
Past the castle of Persenbeug we reach Ybbs for a coffee in the old town, then ride through flat farmland to Pöchlarn and lunch on the way. The official Grein to Melk stage is about 51 km, so we arrive in the middle or late afternoon, when the yellow towers and dome of Melk Abbey appear on the rock above the river. Melk Abbey is open to visitors until 5:30 pm from April to October, with last admission at 5 pm, so a tired group may prefer to save it for the morning.
Evening
Walk the small town under the abbey, sit in the main square, or rest before dinner. Tomorrow we see the abbey when it opens.
Included
- Guided ride from Grein to Melk through the Strudengau, about 51 km
- Coffee stop in Ybbs
- Lunch on the way
Easier option: Skip the morning gorge and ride with the support vehicle to Ybbs, then cycle the last stretch to Melk.
More active option: Climb by e-bike to the pilgrimage church of Maria Taferl on its hill above the river for the view down the valley; the climb is measured when we quote.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Melk
Activity: About 51 km, flat, about 4 hours in the saddle with stops.
Melk Abbey at opening and the Wachau
Melk Abbey, then by bike through Willendorf, Spitz and Weissenkirchen to Dürnstein
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Dürnstein
We are at Melk Abbey when it opens at 9 am between April and October. Public tours in English run about 50 minutes at set times, listed as 10:55 am from April to October (other times are listed in season) with a small surcharge, so the visit will follow the abbey's calendar and may be booked as a group when we quote. Inside are the imperial rooms, the marble hall, the library of painted ceilings and old books, and the Baroque church.
Afternoon
After the visit, around midday, we cross to the north bank and ride into the Wachau, the 36 km valley between Melk and Krems listed by UNESCO in 2000. The path runs past apricot orchards and vineyard terraces through Willendorf, where the Venus figurine, about 30,000 years old, was found, to Spitz, where we stop for lunch. In the afternoon we plan a tasting of the valley's wines at a winery near Weissenkirchen, then ride the last stretch, about 30 km in all, to Dürnstein. Its blue and white abbey tower rises below the ruined castle where Richard the Lionheart is said to have been held in 1192 and 1193.
Evening
Dinner is at a wine tavern.
Included
- Melk Abbey visit, with the abbey's guided tour booked when the date allows
- Guided ride from Melk through the Wachau to Dürnstein, about 30 km
- Lunch in Spitz
- Wine tasting at a Wachau winery
- Dinner at a wine tavern in the Wachau
Optional experiences
- Wachau roll ferries between the banks, such as Spitz to Arnsdorf (fares paid locally)
Easier option: Ride as far as Spitz, then ride with the support vehicle to the winery and Dürnstein.
More active option: Climb the footpath from Dürnstein to the castle ruin in the evening light; the climb is measured when we quote.
Free time: Late afternoon free in Dürnstein
Activity: About 1.5 hours on foot in the abbey, with stairs, then about 30 km of flat riding. The Spitz to Arnsdorf roll ferry runs without a fixed timetable and can stop at high or low water.
Krems, Klosterneuburg and into Vienna
Dürnstein to Krems by bike, van to Tulln, then by bike past Klosterneuburg into Vienna
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Vienna
- Drive about 45 min
A short ride along the vines takes us to Krems, about 7 km, where the valley opens and the old town of Stein begins at its gate tower. From Krems the official stage to Tulln is about 47 km through flat country with the least to see, so the support vehicle carries the group and the bikes to Tulln and the riding goes to the approach to Vienna. Tulln is the birthplace of the painter Egon Schiele, and its riverside promenade is where we set off.
Afternoon
The official Tulln to Vienna stage is about 38 km: the path runs past Greifenstein castle on its rock and through river woods to Klosterneuburg, where we stop for lunch beside the Augustinian abbey. Then the city edges closer, and we ride along the Danube Canal into the centre of Vienna.
Evening
The afternoon is free, and in the evening we meet for a farewell dinner. Göttweig Abbey, on its hill above the river near Krems, is an option if you prefer a longer morning.
Included
- Guided ride from Dürnstein to Krems, about 7 km
- Support vehicle with bikes from Krems to Tulln
- Guided ride from Tulln past Greifenstein and Klosterneuburg into Vienna, about 38 km
- Lunch in Klosterneuburg
- Farewell dinner in Vienna
Optional experiences
- Klosterneuburg Abbey guided tour (price quoted)
- Göttweig Abbey above the Danube near Krems: the abbey lists its church as open daily 8 am to 6 pm and its museum 10 am to 5 pm; confirm for your date
Easier option: Ride with the support vehicle from Klosterneuburg into the centre of Vienna, skipping the city streets.
More active option: Ride the whole way from Krems to Tulln instead of taking the support vehicle, about 47 km more on the flat.
Free time: Afternoon free in Vienna
Activity: About 45 km of riding in total, flat, with the last few kilometres on city bike lanes.
Vienna's old town and home
Vienna old town walk, then Vienna International Airport (VIE)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
After breakfast your guide leads a morning walk through the old town for anyone with a later flight: St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Graben and Kohlmarkt, and the Hofburg, the Habsburgs' winter palace, with the statue of Prince Eugene on the Heldenplatz and the ring of museums beyond. We finish around 11 am near a coffee house for a last slice of cake. Vienna International Airport (VIE) is about 20 km and half an hour from the centre, and a transfer, with the vehicle appointed at quoting, takes you there at a time set by your flight; for an early flight we take you straight from the hotel after breakfast. If you are staying on in Vienna, we help you move to a new hotel instead. Vienna rewards more time: Schönbrunn, the Belvedere and the Kunsthistorisches Museum each need half a day.
Included
- Guided morning walk of Vienna's old town and the Hofburg
- Transfer to Vienna International Airport (VIE)
Activity: Book a flight leaving Vienna after about 2:30 pm to join the morning walk.
- Passau1 night
- Schlögen1 night
- Linz1 night
- Grein1 night
- Melk1 night
- Dürnstein1 night
- Vienna1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: The riding season runs from April to October. April and October can be cool and wet, and July and August can be hot enough that we start early and ride the longer days before midday. Heavy rain can lift river levels, which can close the small Danube ferries and flood stretches of the path, and the route then follows the other bank or the support vehicle takes over. Apricot orchards typically blossom in spring and fruit in summer, and the grape harvest falls in early autumn; the exact timing varies each year.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Confident casual cyclists who want 30 to 60 km a day on flat paths, not a sports challenge
- Couples and friends with different fitness, where an e-bike option and a support vehicle even things out
- Travellers who want abbeys, wine villages and small towns between Passau and Vienna at river pace
- Solo travellers who want company on the bike and at lunch
- Anyone who has looked at a self-guided Danube ride and wants a guide and the bags handled
Not for you if you want
- People who have not ridden a bike in years or are unsteady on one: try a few rides at home first
- Road cyclists after long distances or climbs
- Travellers who prefer to unpack once: this moves almost every day
- A river cruise: we sleep in hotels and ride every day
- Those who want Prague, Budapest or the Alps: see our capitals and Alps trips
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Passau1 night
- Schlögen1 night
- Linz1 night
- Grein1 night
- Melk1 night
- Dürnstein1 night
- Vienna1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights in hotels or guesthouses in or near Passau, Schlögen, Linz, Grein, Melk, the Wachau (Dürnstein or nearby) and Vienna
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
- Hotels, their category and the room types are named in the written quote
Transport
- Group transfer from Munich Airport (MUC) to Passau, or meeting at Passau station
- Transfer to Vienna International Airport (VIE)
- Bike hire (e-bike option) and helmet for every rider, quoted with the trip
- A support vehicle and driver every riding day, appointed at quoting
- Luggage transfer between hotels is included; the operator is appointed at quoting
- Support vehicle with bikes from Krems to Tulln on day 7
Your guide
- A cycling guide riding with the group every day, appointed at quoting
- Abbey guided tours where the date and group booking allow
Activities
- Passau: old town walk, St. Stephen's Cathedral and the Dreiflüsseeck
- Engelhartszell: the abbey church of Stift Engelszell
- Wilhering Abbey, when open
- Linz: walk to the Hauptplatz
- Grein: the old town and the historic town theatre (when open)
- Melk Abbey visit
- A wine tasting at a Wachau winery
- Dürnstein and the Wachau villages of Willendorf, Spitz and Weissenkirchen
- Klosterneuburg
- Vienna: old town walk and the Hofburg
- About 285 km of guided riding on the Danube Cycle Path
Meals
- Breakfast daily (7)
- Lunch on riding days 2 to 7 (6)
- Welcome dinner in Passau, wine tavern dinner in the Wachau and farewell dinner in Vienna (3)
- Meal plan is indicative and is confirmed in the written quote
Not included
- International flights (into Munich, out of Vienna)
- Travel insurance
- ETIAS travel authorisation, if and when it applies
- Dinners on days 2 to 5
- Drinks, except the Wachau wine tasting
- Tips
- Optional activities: the Mauthausen Memorial guided tour, the Grein maritime museum, the Pöstlingbergbahn, the Klosterneuburg Abbey tour, Göttweig Abbey
- Padded cycling clothing
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- Price on request
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
Is this a booking or an enquiry?
It is an enquiry. This is a proposed itinerary with no confirmed departures, hotels or suppliers yet. Sending a request takes no payment and confirms nothing. We reply with a written quote that sets the final price, taxes, inclusions, operator and terms, and you decide from there.
What would the price include?
The plan is seven nights in hotels or guesthouses, breakfast daily, six lunches, three dinners, bike hire with an e-bike option, a guide and support vehicle, luggage transfer between hotels, the airport transfers and a wine tasting. The written quote confirms exactly what is in and what is extra.
How fit do I need to be to cycle the Danube?
If you can ride a bike confidently for an hour, this is within reach. Days are about 30 to 61 km on a mostly flat, largely traffic-free path, with 2 to 4.5 hours in the saddle including stops. The support vehicle can carry you for any part of any day.
Do I have to ride an e-bike?
No. Bike hire is quoted with an e-bike option, and the Danube Cycle Path is flat enough for either. Tell us your preference in the enquiry and the quote will reflect it. The e-bike helps most on headwind days and keeps mixed groups together.
How is luggage handled?
Luggage transfer between hotels is included in the plan, so bags go ahead after breakfast and you ride with a handlebar bag. The operator is appointed when we quote, along with the limit of one normal suitcase each.
Is this a bike-and-barge trip?
No. We would sleep in hotels in the towns and villages along the river, mostly one night in each, and the bags move by road. Evenings are free in places like Linz, Melk and Dürnstein rather than on a boat.
What about the ferries and high water?
Small cyclist ferries run on seasonal hours and can stop at high or low water. The Au to Schlögen ferry lists 1 April to 26 October, and the Spitz to Arnsdorf roll ferry runs without a fixed timetable. The plan is a fallback along the same bank or by support vehicle.
When is the best time to cycle the Danube?
The riding season runs from April to October. May, June and September are usually mild with long days, while July and August can be hot and busier on the path. April and October can be cool and wet. Heavy rain can raise river levels, so dates are confirmed with that in mind.
I am travelling solo. What would a single room cost?
The indicative single supplement is about 17 percent of the trip price, and the written quote shows the exact figure. If you are happy to share, say so in the enquiry and we will check whether another solo traveller is booked on the same departure.
Do I need a visa for Germany and Austria?
Rules depend on your passport. Many visitors, including Canadian, US, UK and Australian passport holders, can make short visits to the Schengen area without a visa. Check the official EU travel site for current rules, including ETIAS, before you fly.
Can we ride privately or self-guided on our own dates?
Yes, ask in the enquiry. The trip can be quoted privately for your party only on a date you choose, with your own guide and support vehicle. A self-guided version without a guide can also be quoted separately.
How does this compare with your other Austria trips?
Our Prague, Vienna and Budapest trip sees Melk and the Wachau in one day by boat from Vienna, and our Alps circuit travels by road through Munich, Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna. This trip rides the river from Passau to Vienna, with a night in the Wachau.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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