Cycling in Austria

[Simon_m]

Hi there, off to Austria in a few weeks time. Anyone got any experience of cycling there, not touring, just going out for rides. Got two weeks there, but the last week is walking and hope to get a few rides in. We are staying over in the West for that week near Pertisau near Innsbruck. Not really wanting hard steep climbs, road cycling and not mountain biking. Thanks

 

[TheDoctor]

Austria has always struck me as being flat (if you're riding along a valley) or too hilly by half (if you're going out of a valley). Riding round lakes is always good though. Is Pertisau the place that's near Zell am See, or am I mixing it up with somewhere else?

 

[Simon_m]

yes that is what i am thinking too, too steep a climb to be enjoyable. Not sure where it is near tbh, over in the mountains if that helps lol.

 

[andym]

... Not sure where it is near tbh, over in the mountains if that helps lol.

https://www.achensee.com/en/towns/pertisau-am-achensee/

There's also a section on cycling in the area and a downloadable bike map.

 

[Simon_m]

ah fab! thanks very much. Have you been there then?

 

[andym]

No - I was curious and Googled 'pertisau'.

 

[Speicher]

Austria has always struck me as being flat (if you're riding along a valley) or too hilly by half (if you're going out of a valley). Riding round lakes is always good though. Is Pertisau the place that's near Zell am See, or am I mixing it up with somewhere else?

Do you mean Kaprun? That is slightly south of Zell am See.

 

[Speicher]

I have been to Pertisau and Achenkirch (north of Achensee) but in the winter for cross country skiing. I have also been to various other towns in Austria, Trins, Zell am See, Mayrhofen, Seefeld, Brixen, Soll, Igls, and Niederau, in the summer, and Strobl, and one or two others.

 

[Simon_m]

Might take a cycling kit anyway, just in case i think i can do a nice ride without having to get off and push

 

[Haitch]

Go for it. The valleys are flat and good for an out-and-back ride. Some small narrow roads can get busy with HGVs. A bit more challenging would be Innsbruck to Brixen in Italy, 85 km on a relatively quiet road next to the motorway and come back on the train.

 

[andym]

A bit more challenging would be Innsbruck to Brixen in Italy, 85 km on a relatively quiet road next to the motorway and come back on the train.

Pertisau is on the new Muenchen-Venezia cycle route (I say new, newly-signposted might be more accurate as it's a repackaging of existing routes) that goes via Innsbruck to the Brenner pass and then almost to Brixen.

I don't know about the Austrian side, but there's a top-quality tarmac cycleway from Brenner via Sterzing that's a much nicer alternative than the road (although the road isn't awful).

There is a short stretch between Brixen and Fortezza Franzensfeste that you might want to avoid if you are on a road bike, but the rest is all good.

The train back can be a bit tricky: if anyone is interested I can give chapter and verse.

 

[Simon_m]

wow thanks, sounds good. The scenery is breathtaking in the pics, so can't wait for that. I will do a bit more research on hiring bike and the routes. Fountain of knowledge on here

 

[Yorksman]

Hi there, off to Austria in a few weeks time. Anyone got any experience of cycling there, not touring, just going out for rides. Got two weeks there, but the last week is walking and hope to get a few rides in. We are staying over in the West for that week near Pertisau near Innsbruck. Not really wanting hard steep climbs, road cycling and not mountain biking. Thanks

You lucky so and so. I was in Pertisau in July but was ill and unable to cycle. I used the lifts and noticed that most allow you to take a bike up FOC. Usually there are routes on the tops and you can also cycle down. In Pertisau, you also have the Achensee lake which has a good track and in Maurach there is a lift to the Rofan.

But, Pertisau is at the lake end of a valley which is fairly flat bottomed and which runs to a place called the Graialm. Its easy cycling, up in the morning, superb place for lunch and then back, slightly downhill in the afternoon. Off the side of this valley are a couple of other valleys. I had to catch the bus :-(

Graialm:

Typical descent from the top chair lift:

 

[Yorksman]

The lift directly in Pertisau is called the Karwendel Bergbahn and you can take your bike to the top. There are a few routed down ranging from the dangerous to the service road used to stock the restaurants:

Its breathtaking.

There is a bike hire shop right next to the lift station.

I'm too old for this but it may be more your thing. I stick to the paths that the snow cats use in winter.

These guys are using ebikes. I don't know why because the track around the lake is flat! You can always catch the ferry back to Pertisau anyway.

 

[Cathryn]

Austria is magical for cycling, it's covered with cycle paths. I've done the Innradweg which goes through Innsbruck and is really pretty. Enjoy.