Cycling in Austria

Alpine cycling mecca

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Austria is sometimes underrated as a cycling destination. It has not only the Grossglockner, but also other mighty climbs and gravel routes in Bregenzerwald around Saalbach and in Carinthia! Be surprised by this Alpine Cycling Walhalla!

The region

Austria is beautifully surrounded by mountains. To the north, Germany and part of the Czech Republic are the border. On the south side you find Italy as a natural transition and Switzerland sometimes looks eastwards with envy

Wonderful regions for cycling in Austria are in the north the region of Upper and Lower Austria, where the capital Vienna can also be found.

The focus here is more on beautiful, rural tours, though.

Further south, in the southeast you find Styria (around Graz) and Carinthia. Two very large Bundesländer and beautiful areas for cycling, especially for road cyclists.

Salzburgerland, the well-known area in the mid-north, is also gorgeous and again borders the regions of Carinthia and Tyrol.

To the west, you will find Tyrol and Vorarlberg, with the former taking the lion's share of cycling fun.

Highlights

Surely one of the most popular destinations for cycling in Austria is Tyrol. There you can have your fill in Innsbruck and you will also find wonderful challenges on a bike in the adjoining parts of this Austrian Bundesland.

Former top Dutch cyclist Johnny Hoogerland sought it out in Carinthia, and for good reason. Beautiful, steep climbs, a beautiful gravel festival calling you around Lake Wörthersee and a climate to lick your fingers at.

Salzburgerland is also great for cycling. Saalbach-Hinterglemm as a gravel destination, but also other beautiful routes near Zell am See, Viehhofen and around Salzburg itself.

Other highlights include the Grossglockner hochalpenstrasse and the Kaunertaler Gletscherstrasse. Besides Kühtai in the Ötztal, these are the beautiful places to be.

What to watch out for

When planning a cycling holiday in Austria, it is important to consider the time of year. Many of the popular mountain passes open late and you also have to deal with seasonal closures of hotels and sometimes whole villages. The beautiful Kühtai sometimes does not open until June.

Also, always remember the local public holidays you need to take into account. Furthermore, like Switzerland, Austria is a country with 'vignette requirements'.

Be sure to read our articles on cycling in Austria.

Recent Articles

Be sure to read our articles on cycling in Austria.

Gravel in Bregenzerwald the latest hit in Austria

From Mozart city to the Grossglockner: Gravel biking in Salzburgerland

7 cycling regions in Austria to explore now

Gravel routes in the Bregenzerwald

Gravel in Saalbach

Cycling in Kufsteinerland - Austria's newest gem?

How do I get there

Austria is very easily accessible. You have the choice of several optiers

Train: Since the reintroduction of the night train, Austria is literally at your feet. You'll be in Innsbruck or further afield in Vienna by 09:00 in the morning on a night train. From there, you connect to the well-organised, Austrian train network.

Car: A day's drive by car and you are in most Bundesländer in Austria. The closest is Vorarlberg and Tyrol. Which immediately puts you in the right region. Only Carinthia is still a bit of a drive, but that can be bridged in a day.

Aeroplane: Should you not like the train journey or cannot stand long car journeys, you can fly to several destinations in Austria in less than two hours. Innsbruck, Vienna, Graz, Salzburg and Klagenfurt airports are very well connected. Downside: you will almost always have to continue by other transport.

Routes

On our Komoot page you will find a lot of great routes for cycling in Austria. Among others from Innsbruck and around Salzburgerland, we have beautiful routes.