Looking to ride the Tauern Bike Route in Austria?
I often go bicycle touring in Austria and Germany with friends, and decided to ride this one, which is not as well known as the Danube Route and others.
The Tauern Cycle Path (Tauernradweg) follows along the Salzach & Saalach Rivers crossing some of the most dramatic scenery Austria has to offer following a river valley that passes high waterfalls, features an amazing descent, a lakeside resort, a hilltop castle, the largest ice cave in the world all the while surrounded by mountains and all the way to the musical city of Salzburg before finally reaching the Danube River.
Use my helpful guide to assist with planning your Tauern bike trip!
Distance – 325 km (202 miles)
Elevation – at Krimml, you are at 3,400 feet (1,120 meters), and at Salzburg, 2,000 vertical feet (650 meters)
Terrain – if you start in Krimml, downhill most of the way with a moderate hill just past Zell. It is a combination of bike paths and quiet roads, signed, with a few short sections of gravel. There are a few short sections along busy roads, but the shoulders are paved.
Best for – bicycle touring, but suitable for families
Highlights of the Tauern Cycle Path
Krimml – Europe’s highest waterfalls
National Park Hohe Tauern – along the foothills of some of the highest peaks
Zell am See – ski and hiking resort with idyllic alpine landscapes
Werfen – fortress and Europe’s largest ice caves
Hallein – salt mine tour
Salzburg – cultural highlights, castle, gardens, music (Sound of Music), and more
Oberndorf – where the Christmas song “Silent Night” was composed
Passau – the largest pipe organ in the world
Start of Tauern Cycle Path
The unique Tauern cycle path actually has 2 starting points. The most popular is beginning in Krimml, and the National Park Hohe Tauern regions of Salzburg and Upper Austria, continuing to Zell am See. The second starting point has you cycling through Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria and riding to Zell am See.
At Zell am See, both routes follow the Salzach River to Salzburg and, eventually, to Passau on the Danube. Some consider it one of the best flat routes in Europe (okay, it is not really flat as it slopes downward).
Whichever place you start from, you will need train reservations for yourself and your bicycle.
Starting Location 1: Cycling Krimml to Zell am See
Take a train to Krimml and get ready for the bike ride of your life. Check the schedule carefully, as only some trains take bicycles. This section is 65 km (40 miles) long.
The Tauern Cycle Path starts here at the base of the thousand-foot (325-meter) famous Krimml waterfalls, which are the largest in central Europe. On one side is the impressive panorama of the Hohe Tauern National Park, Europe’s largest, with 246 glaciers and 304 mountains over 9,000 feet.
After following the bike trails, you reach the River Salzach, which you follow. After riding 35 km (21 miles) with a vertical drop of almost 1,000 feet, you arrive in lovely Mittersill, a perfect lunch spot. We were riding with our lunches packed in our Ortlieb panniers.
Continue along on your bicycle tour, passing through Kaprun with its castle and by the end of the day reaching Zeller See (Lake Zeller), where you can spend the night.
Zell am See is a delightful lakeside ski resort and was very quiet during our visit in early September. When on a cycling vacation, I rarely have dinner at a hotel, but the Hotel Lebzelter gave us an attractive package that included a room, breakfast, and a multi-course dinner to get business at this time of year.
For something a bit different, try the private tandem paragliding flight from the Schmittenhöhe in Zell am See with amazing views.
Starting Location 2: Cycling the Tauern Bikeway via Bavaria
Our starting point on this different route was the Bavarian Bad Reichenhall to the Austrian-Bavarian border with hilly terrain. We had headed to southern Bavaria on the Bodensee-Konigssee cycle route to Berchtesgaden. Then over a hill to join the Austrian border, where we picked up the Tauern Bikeway. To our left, we could see the mountains of the Maria Alm ski resort.
At the Austrian-German border, the route was along a busy highway (with a paved shoulder). Then we rode through a forested section of the Saalach River and into Lofer. Continuing through the towns of Lofer and other picturesque towns in Saalfelden, there were frequent turns along the signed route, yet it got confusing in a few places (even with a detailed map), and we had to trace our route a few times.
We continued on a combination of bikeways and quiet roads through the flat farmlands of the Saalach Valley to the cool water of Lake Zell and along the shore to the town. This stage was 95 km (60 miles).
Cycling the Tauern Bikeway via Salzach Valley
This is my recommended route from Zell am See to Salzburg. There is a railway station here, should you wish to start here and go to Salzburg or Passau. This section was 108 km (67). After leaving Zell and crossing the highway, you head into some hills and unique landscapes with easy climbing along quiet country roads and a terrific bit of steep descent with loaded bicycles before following the Salzach River valley the rest of the way.
Just past the town of Grafenhof and to the south of the route is the romantic Liechtensteinklamm, a narrow gorge with walkways.
Continue through little villages such as Taxenbach and St. Johann Im Pongau while mountains surround you on both sides and at times close in quite tight to the bicycle path as you ride along the banks of the Salzach. There are short sections of gravel roads, which did not cause any issues for our road bikes, but for the most part, you are on paved roads and paths.
Werfen
We stopped in Werfen for an extra day, where the movie “Where Eagles Dare” and the opening scene of the “Sound of Music” were filmed. During the day, visit the fantastic old walls of the Fortress Hohenwerfen, a hilltop castle built in 1077, where a falcon show entertains, as do the views of the valley below.
Our hotel was right in the center of town, the Gastehaus Erzherzog Eugen, which stored our bicycles.
Insider Tip: Also, leave enough time for the Eisriesenwelt Cave, which is the world’s largest ice cave extending for 42 km. Getting there involved a 15-minute ride on a public bus up a 21% grade mountain (with switchbacks), then a 20-minute hike, a 3-minute cable car ride, and then another 20-minute steep hike just to reach the entrance.
The tour is in German; however, we were the first to arrive, and the only other visitors from Germany also spoke English, so the guide was kind enough to do the tour in English.
As there is no electricity in the cave, we used miner’s lanterns with open flames while walking up the steep steps to see our way, magnificent tour. When we left, there was a large group waiting to get in, so I am glad we went early, as it was worth seeing.
Cycling from Werfen to Salzburg
We next cycled from Werfen to Hallein along the River Salzach, a short distance of 33 km; however, at the start, the Salzach funnels through a narrow chasm, so the road for cars with a paved shoulder for cyclists was squeezed between the mountain walls.
We stopped at Hallein for the night as we wanted to experience the Salt Mine Tour with its awesome slides and underground lake. You can join the Salzkammergut cycle path through the Austrian Lakes District here or from Salzburg and head towards St. Wolfgang.
Visiting Salzburg
Then our cycling continues along the Salzach River to the Mozart city of Salzburg, located in a dramatic setting where you must spend a few nights. This city is easy to walk around and visit the Mirabell Gardens, the Dom (main cathedral), and the main pedestrian shopping street. Our accommodation was the Hotel Zum Hirschen, an easy walk to the city center.
Another of the numerous attractions in the city of Mozart is taking a walk up to the imposing castle Hohensalzburg, although many visitors use the inclined railway.
If you are a fan of the movie, take the Sound of Music tour, and if you are not cycling there, you can consider the Hallstatt tour or the apple strudel cooking class.
Insider Tip: An interesting experience in Salzburg is St. Augustine Beer Garden, where you first pay for your beer, then go to a shelf and pick out a mug, wash it, and walk nearby to fill up your mug with the only type of beer available. Then it is outside to a huge tree-filled patio with hundreds of patrons enjoying the beer and food from the vendors. They claim to have been in business since 1621.
Cycling from Salzburg to Passau
Continue along the Tauern cycle trail and the Salzach River, stopping in Oberndorf (18 km/11 miles) to visit the church where the Christmas carol, Silent Night, was first composed. Continue northwards along the bikeway for another 24 km (15 miles), where you might want to take a short detour across the river to Germany to visit Tittmoning and its 13th-century castle.
Later, you arrive at the towns of Braunau and Scharding with their baroque architecture, before crossing the border into Germany and arriving in the three-river city of Passau, where you connect with the Danube Bike Route, along one of the largest rivers in Europe and perhaps the most famous cycling route in the world.
The magnificent old town area of Passau sits between two rivers, and a highlight is St. Stephan’s Cathedral with the largest church organ in the world. To learn more, why not take the guided walking tour or the sightseeing cruise, which passes sites like Oberhaus Castle and the Monastery Maria Hilf.
I stayed at the Rotel Inn, Passau, which is a bike hotel with a huge lock-up area, located on the Danube Cycle Route. Not so good is that the rooms are really tiny, but the breakfast is superb.
From Passau, you can continue on the Danube Cycle Path or take the train to Vienna or Munich.
Tauern Cycle Path Accommodation
Where I stayed during this cycling trip:
Hotel Lebzelter, Zell am See – great location near the center, and as I was there during the off-season, a special dinner package in the hotel restaurant.
Gastehaus Erzherzog Eugen, Werfen – with an attractive price and location
Hotel Zum Hirschen, Salzburg – they were able to store our bicycles and were walkable to the city center. Helpful staff.
Rotel Inn, Passau – a bike hotel with tiny rooms, and a great breakfast.
You can also use VRBO, Expedia, Logis Hotels, or Tiscover to find unique hotels and B&Bs.
Other Resources
Also consider obtaining travel insurance for this cycling ride.
Trip.com – train reservations to get to the start of the tour
Tauern Cycle Route Map
FAQs: Tauern Cycle Path
When is the best time to cycle the Tauern Cycle Path?
The best time to cycle the Tauern Cycle Path is May/June or September to early October. The summer months can be busy and difficult to find accommodation.
Which direction to cycle the Tauern Bike Route?
You want to start by the Krimmler Waterfalls or in Lofer and head towards Passau, so you are heading downhill.
Where does the Tauern Cycle Path start?
The Tauern Cycle Path starts in Krimml in Pinzgau or at the Bavarian-Austrian border near Berchtesgaden and ends in Passau at the Danube River.
Is the Tauern Cycle Trail also suitable for road bikes?
Yes. I rode a road bike, and although there are some gravel sections, I did not have any issues.
Looking for more information on Austria Cycling?
If you’re going cycling in Austria and looking for more information, consider reading some of my other posts:
- Although the Bodensee to Königssee bike route is in Bavaria, it connects with the Tauern bicycle trail
- Connecting in Salzburg is the Salzkammergut Austrian Lakes Bike Route
- The Tauern route ends at the Danube with the Cycle Trail from Passau to Vienna
- Another section is the Danube Bicycle Route from Vienna to Budapest
- The Adige Bike Route starts in Austria and heads to Verona in Italy
- Some other easy European cycling routes
Final Thoughts: Tauern Bicycle Route
The Tourist office has information on other cycling routes in Austria.
Suitable for beginners and those who are more well-traveled, the Tauern Bicycle Route offers some of the most amazing variety of scenery in Austria, along with the highest waterfalls, 2 castles, a massive cave, and Salzburg.
