The Danube to Vienna

£1,495 per person

Tour Dates

15 August 2026 – 23 August 2026 – £1495 per person – Trip confirmed but some spaces still available – £100 Spring Sale discount with code SPRING26

This departure will be led by Lucy Burnett & Jago Parfitt.

4 Sept – 12 Sept 2027 – £1495 per person – Spaces available

The above prices are based on a shared room. The single room supplement for this tour is £350; this option will be available during the booking process.

Follow the path of the most romantic of European rivers, the Danube, from the medieval city of Nuremberg to Vienna. Cycle riverside paths, with numerous opportunities to sightsee en route and upon arrival in Austria’s elegant capital city.

Cycling: 381 miles, 8631 feet ascent

The Danube to Vienna cycle tour starts in the stunning medieval city of Nuremberg and follows cycles path along the Danube downstream. Riding is easygoing, and there are plenty of opportunities to sightsee en route and upon arrival in Vienna. This tour is characterised by picturesque cities and villages (such as Linz and Passau), castles, and of course the lazy river Danube itself.

This tour is one of our new modular tours involving doing just one ‘stage’ of an existing tour, in this case stage 2 of our Road to Vienna route. You will meet the other cyclists doing the full route in the evening upon arrival in Nuremberg and will ride with them to the end. There are easy train links from both Munich and Frankfurt to Nuremberg.

Highlights of the Danube to Vienna

Beautiful cities and villages: not only the starting and finishing points in Nuremberg and Vienna, but many other beautiful places en route.
Rolling like a river: if you like rivers and you like bicycles then simply this is the trip for you alongside the beautiful blue Danube.
Cycle paths: nearly all on dedicated cycle paths away from the traffic.
Valleys: most notably the Wachau Valley (with its medieval castles and apricot orchards).
Civilisation: some cycle tourists like to escape into the wilds, and others would really rather not! This is a good choice if you like not to be too far from civilisation and your creature comforts at any time!

Accommodation

Your accommodation, on a twin-share bed and breakfast basis, will be in a mix of chain hotels and carefully selected family-run properties across Germany, and Austria. While we aim to include hotels with local character where possible, we often use trusted chain hotels to ensure consistent comfort—especially during warmer months, when air-conditioned rooms are a welcome feature. In more remote areas, air conditioning may not always be available, but we always prioritise a comfortable stay and secure bike storage. Our small group sizes allow us flexibility in choosing quality accommodations without needing large room blocks. NB Single accommodation is available for a supplement of £350.

Meals

The hotels will provide breakfast whilst the support team will provide a pack-up lunch, this will depend on what is available on the day and could include a mix of fresh sandwiches, pasties or easy grab and bites sourced from local bakeries. If weather doesn’t permit outdoors we will get into cafes for quick lunch.

You will need to purchase your own evening meals, which are usually eaten communally although of course you are free to opt out if you wish.

We will carry emergency energy gels and bars in the support van but you are advised to bring along your own preferred sports nutrition to fuel your ride. There will be water refills, fruits bars etc provided to keep you hydrated.

In the Tour Plan, (B, L, D) refers to meals included in the trip cost i.e. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Bike Transfers

We will happily transport your bike to Nuremberg from Sheffield and back again from Vienna to Sheffield at no extra charge. However, because this is a stage of a longer tour, the bike drop-off would need to happen on or before 5th August (2026) and 25th August (2027) and it will be in the van waiting for you in Nuremberg. It will be ready to collect two days after the tour ends. We may also be able to pick your bike up en route if you live near to our route to Harwich and to Nuremberg.

If that isn’t convenient or you don’t feel like you can be without your bike for that long before the tour starts (!) then if you bring your bike with you then we can store your bike box in the van.

Please get in touch with us to discuss arrangements, and to explore what might be possible. Any significant diversions from our existing routes would incur an additional fee.

While we will take all reasonable care while handling your bikes, using padded covers and making sure they are securely stored, we are not liable for any loss or damage during transportation and storage. We recommend you have appropriate insurance.

Taking your bikes to the continent, As we are no longer part of the EU customs unions, any bike we transport to Europe requires an ATA Carnet which incurs a fee of £60 per bike. This cost will be added to your invoice.

Tour Plan

The route of this tour is flexible and should be seen as a guide only. Local conditions, weather or fitness could lead to changes in our daily plans. All times and distances are approximate.

7 days of cycling

Approx 380 miles+ Age

Grade 2

Tours in Europe

Destination
Austria
Starts in
Nuremberg, Germany
Ends in
Vienna, Austria
Road surfaces
Mostly flat with occasional hill. Mostly on cycle paths (expect gravel), roads near cities.
Bike Type
Hybrid / Tourer / Road bike with tyres 26mm or above
Included
The Danube to Vienna
Accommodation
Lunch
Cycling guide
GPX files
Vehicle support
Baggage transfer
Not Included
Domestic flights
Evening meals (unless specified)
Bike hire
Travel to start & from finish
International flights
Airport transfers
Travel insurance
Cookie Policy (US)
Cookie Policy (US)
Visas

FROM OUR GALLERY

See more images here

Arrival Day - Meet at hotel in Nuremberg

You can arrive anytime from mid afternoon in our hotel in Nuremberg to await the arrival of the cyclists riding the entire Road to Vienna route.

Cycle from Nuremberg to Regensburg

64 miles (103km)

We start off the way we plan to go on with some fantastic cycling taking us from one of Germany’s most historical cities to one of the world’s most beautiful cities. As ever the order of the day for the cycling will be quiet back roads and well maintained cycle paths. The Bavarian countryside is unspoilt and the air crisp and clean. Summer sunshine, cool woodland and meadows interspersed with diminutive Bavarian villages and towns should make today’s leg of the journey something to remember. As we enter the city we will finally catch sight of the River Danube destined to be our companion for the rest of our cycle tour. (B,L)

Cycle from Regensburg to Deggendorf

52 miles (84km)

After yesterday our journey today is a very relaxed 52 miles from Regensburg to Deggendorf, which is known as the ‘Gateway to the Bavarian Forest’, however before we arrive in Deggendorf we have a glorious ride along the banks of the Danube. A river described by Napoleon as ‘the king of the rivers of Europe’.(B,L)

Cycle from Deggendorf to Passau

34 miles (55km)

As we leave Deggendorf we only have the relatively short distance of 34 miles to cycle along the banks of the Danube to arrive at our destination in Passau which the local tourist board proudly boasts as the ‘Venice of Bavaria’. The major settlement on route to Passau is Vilshofen an der Danube, itself famous as the point where the rivers Vils, Wolfach and Pfudrach flow into the Danube. Whilst in Vilshofen we will see the imposing twin towers of the Benedictine Abbey Schweiklberg which dominate the town and later in the day when we arrive in Passau there will be time for a stroll around town before settling down to enjoy our Bavarian supper in a famous local beer hall. (B,L)

Cycle from Passau to Linz

58 miles (93km)

Passau to Linz along the Danube has got to be in the ‘bucket list’ of epic bicycle rides. We will cross the German Austrian border some 12 miles from Passau and continue eastward, those of us with a keen eye will notice fortresses, once part of the Roman Empire which cling to the high ground over the river. Some are now nothing more than crumbling ruins, some privately owned and others exclusive restaurants and as we cycle into Linz, the third largest city in Austria it is worth remembering that the Romans founded the city and named it Lentia.(B,L)

Cycle from Linz to Persenbeug

55 miles (89km)

Another great day of cycling along the banks of the Danube. After departing from our accommodation in Linz we make progress to Sankt Georgen an der Gusen and then to Mauthausen, where we will be taking time out to visit Mauthausen Memorial Site, a place linked to the Holocaust in the Second World War . Beyond, we continue onwards through Grein, Sankt Nikola an der Donau to arrive in the picturesque town of Persenbeug most famous for its castle.(B,L)

Cycle from Persenbeug to Krems an der Donau

This departure will be led by Ken Woodhouse and Angela Walker.45 miles (72km)

The penultimate day of our week of cycling involves some glorious riding along the Danube between Persenbeug and Krems an der Donau. The nuts and bolts of the journey are simple; we will be riding through the Austrian settlements of Pochlarn, Emmersdorf an der Donau, Durnstein before arriving into Krems. With our ultimate goal of Vienna in sight and the hard work over, this should be a day to savour. As ever we will be cycling against the backdrop of the River Danube, towering escarpments, lush woodland, birdsong and bright blue skies. We will eventually arrive into Krems situated at the eastern gateway of the Wachau Valley and one of Europe’s loveliest riverscapes; it is also one of the oldest settlements in Austria. The unique cityscape in Krems ensured that in 2000 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. Before settling down for the evening we will have chance to take a walk around the old town and observe the Steiner Tor, the town’s landmark which dates back to the 15th Century and the Simandl Fountain.(B,L)

Cycle from Krems an der Donau to Vienna

51 miles (82km)

The final day of a bicycle tour can offer have a bittersweet feel. The destination is in sight and the objective almost achieved but this sense of satisfaction is often tinged with a sense of sadness that the journey is almost over. After an easy, and gorgeous ride, in the late afternoon we will arrive into the vibrant elegant city of Vienna.On Saturday evening the support crew will be on hand to assist with the housekeeping associated with checking in for flights and giving transport directions to the train station and the airport. They will also be loading the support van with your bicycles for transportation homewards. Once this has been completed we will be going to one of Vienna’s famous beer gardens in the Wiener Prater for a farewell drink and a bite to eat. (B,L)