On the Danube Cycle Path from Amstetten to the Art in Linz
Von Thomas Kargl
Good weather, two bicycles, two KlimaTicket Ö passes, the right bike reservation, and a leisurely 65-kilometer ride through a picture-perfect landscape: These are the perfect conditions for a day trip from Amstetten to Linz with a detour to the Lentos Museum.
Length: 65 km
Elevation gain: 200–400
Ride time: 3–5 hours
Route: Amstetten – Wallsee – Danube Cycle Path – Linz
Places to stop: Mitterkirchen Bike Station, Camping Au an der Donau
Suitable for: all types of bikes
So Many Possibilities and So Little Time
If you have the KlimaTicket Ö, you probably aren’t short on ideas—just on the time to make them happen. Heading to the mountains in Tyrol, to Lake Neusiedl, to the national park, or popping over to Lake Constance on the other side of Austria—these are all options on my to-do list. But today I want to carry out a long-held plan: cycling along the Danube Cycle Path—with a round trip in a single day. The KlimaTicket Ö makes this perfect. Come along!
Hop on and let’s go
There are two of us traveling from Kirchberg in Tyrol and Seekirchen am Wallersee. In the state of Salzburg, the first KlimaTicket perk is already waiting for us: Here, you can bring your bike for free on regional trains with the KlimaTicket Ö. That—and the beautiful route right along Lake Wallersee—makes my morning and makes getting up early worth it. In Neumarkt am Wallersee, I transfer to the Railjet. It’s important to know: On all intercity trains, such as the Railjet and the Westbahn, a bike reservation is required. This makes sense given the limited number of bike spaces. Reservations and bike tickets can be easily booked via the ÖBB Ticket app and the Westbahn website. Prices vary depending on the type of train and the distance traveled.
From here on, we continue our journey together: in air-conditioned comfort and with a fantastic view. Looking south, you can see the foothills of the Salzkammergut Mountains. After that, the landscape flattens out, reminiscent of the lines from the national anthem: “Land of cathedrals, fields, and land by the river.” Our journey takes us precisely to this river—the Danube. Judging by how friendly and interested the conductor was when he asked where we were headed while checking our KlimaTickets, I suspect he would have liked to come along too.
The town of Amstetten, located along the western route, is the perfect starting point for a day trip to Linz. Thanks to the fast train connections, the trip can easily be done in a single day from Salzburg, Tyrol, or Vienna.
The Danube Cycle Path, but Against the Current
The Danube Cycle Path is traditionally divided into two sections: from Donaueschingen to Passau—also known as the German Danube Cycle Path—and from Passau to Bratislava, the so-called Austrian Danube Cycle Path. As with many routes along the river, the path here is mostly gently downhill. We’re cycling upstream, and yet the incline is gentle and barely noticeable. Of course, the entire route from Passau to Vienna is ideal for a cycling trip using the KlimaTicket. However, you should plan for significantly more time for this. The Danube Cycle Path is one of Europe’s most popular long-distance cycling routes—and the trail and continuous signage are correspondingly well-developed.
The Route to the Danube
Once you arrive, it’s worth taking a short detour through the pedestrian zone—whether for your first coffee, a light snack, or simply to take a leisurely stroll.
You can tailor the start of the tour toward the Danube to suit your individual preferences. For us, it was clear right away: no country roads, just side roads—preferably bumpy gravel paths, so we could really get our money’s worth on our gravel bikes. Surprisingly, Lower Austria had some challenging climbs in store for us that were no walk in the park, even for us as mountain dwellers from the Alps. For those riding a road bike or a road-oriented e-bike, I’d recommend a more traditional route on paved roads.
Our first destination is Wallsee. There, we reach the Danube for the first time—and cross it shortly afterward. But don’t be fooled: The first bridge crosses only a tributary. We cross the actual Danube a little later, via a power plant that’s only passable in a single lane. A traffic light with wait times of up to ten minutes regulates the traffic. Thanks to the shade provided by the trees and the impressive sight of the rushing water, though, time passes surprisingly quickly. As we cross, it hits me for the first time just how mighty a river we’ll be following for a few kilometers today.
Even before reaching the town of Wallsee, you’ll notice how the number of cyclists with fully packed bike bags is increasing—a sure sign that we’re on the Danube Cycle Path. After the first few hilly kilometers, the terrain becomes noticeably flatter. What have we seen so far? It almost looks like something out of a cheesy picture book: rolling hills, vast wheat fields, farms with all kinds of animals, and here and there a tree-lined avenue that makes you want to follow it in a dreamlike state.
Once you reach the Danube, the terrain suddenly flattens out, and getting lost is virtually impossible for quite some time. The route runs steadily along the Danube all the way to Mauthausen. On particularly hot days, however, caution is advised here, as trees—and thus shade—are scarce on this stretch, and drinking water stations are also rare. So it’s important to take every opportunity to refill your water bottles. Fortunately, there are plenty of small places to stop for refreshments and rest areas along the route. And when temperatures are particularly high, there are even ways to cool off: there are two outdoor swimming pools right off the bike path. We resisted the temptation—after all, a packed schedule awaits us in Linz.
Welcome to Linz
Even from a distance, Linz lives up to its nickname, “Steel City”: massive industrial complexes welcome us to Linz. “Linz is different”—that was the city’s slogan for a very long time. The current slogan is: “Take a Risk, Visit Linz.” And indeed, Linz never ceases to surprise by constantly reinventing itself. Alongside its industrial and scenic heritage, an impressive cultural scene has long since established itself, as evidenced by the Ars Electronica and the Lentos, both located right on the Danube.
For anyone looking to explore Linz, I recommend the Linz Card—with the KlimaTicket, you can even get it at a discounted price. It grants access to the city’s main museums and numerous activities. A special highlight: a €10.00 discount on the popular harbor tour aboard the MS Linzerin. The Linz Card is available online or at the Tourist Information office on Hauptplatz.
I’d recommend that anyone new to Linz stop by the Tourist Information office on Hauptplatz: the staff there are incredibly friendly, and the range of options is overwhelming. With our discounted Linz Card in hand, we decided to visit the Lentos Art Museum that day. Located right on the Danube, it impresses from the outside with its modern architecture, which is beautifully carried through to the interior. An added bonus on hot summer days is the pleasant temperature inside.
On display is the museum’s own art collection, spanning from 19th-century art to the present day. I’d never before viewed works by Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, and Egon Schiele while wearing cycling shorts. When I asked if that was okay, the ladies at the entrance reacted very calmly. So no problem—everyone is welcome here.
If we’d had more time, we definitely would have taken advantage of more of the Linz Card’s offerings. At the top of our list was the Ars Electronica Center, with its interactive exhibitions on future technologies and media art. We’d also love to explore OK Linz—the museum of contemporary art that focuses on social issues—on our next visit.
We wrap up the day with a large ice cream on the main square in Linz. With our bikes on either side of us, we stroll along the famous downtown street, the Landstraße. With plenty of memories captured on camera and in our minds, heavy legs, and about 65 kilometers under our belts, we head to Linz Central Station and make our way home.
The Railjet Express takes us smoothly to Wörgl with just one stop. One transfer, and we’re back in Kirchberg in Tyrol. That was a day with over 700 relaxing kilometers by train using our KlimaTicket Ö and a very varied itinerary. I’m excited to see which item on my KlimaTicket to-do list comes next.
