Info required: cycling in Switzerland and Austria

[alpine fenlander]

I rode chunk of the Drauradweg between Toblach in Italy, and Villach and quite a lot of it was unsurfaced - and the unsurfaced bits were pretty similar to NCN routes (ie perfectly fine unless you have really narrow tyres). I'd suggest putting in 25 or 28mm tyres if you can.

Yes that's pretty much what I was trying to say. By Sustrans bad I meant like this:
https://mobile.twitter.com/Sustranslation/status/519924123100004354

Which is pretty much what our local NCN route looks like in winter...

 

[alpine fenlander]

This is probably as bad as it gets:


This is what most of the roads will be like:


And that's just a couple of nice pics to get you motivated for your tour :-)

 

[midliferider]

Oh the memories of cycling in Switzerland.......

 

[GrumpyGregry]

[QUOTE 4116316, member: 21629"]Got an answer from Austrian National Tourist Office.

My email was:

"I live in UK and I have got plans to cycle through Austria in July this year. I try to find info about cycling rules and laws. I have found some requirements - is it a "must" or just an advice?
1. Yellow reflectors on the pedals, at least one white or yellow reflector in the spokes of each wheel and a clear sounding bell as a warning signal.
I have got road bike with clipless pedals on it. Should I change them to flat pedals ? I do agree with requirements about front and rear lights and bike bell, but pedal and spokes reflectors ... hmmm.
2. Am I allowed to use public roads? I know that using motorways/highways for cycling is forbidden anywhere in EU - what about non - highways?"

So there's their answer:

" <......> According to the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology, it is necessary that your bike be equipped with all the items you mentioned in your mail. This means that if you are pulled up by the police, you might risk being fined if you don’t dispose of some of the equipment.
Regarding the use of public road, you are fine. As long as you keep to the side of the road so that you don’t block the way if cars want to pass, you can use those roads – obviously, as you already said, the use of motorways and highways is forbidden for cyclists."


Reflectors on spokes and pedals. Hmmmm ... Will take a risk to go without them.

[/QUOTE]
Spoke reflectors cost peanuts from the usual German websites. Why risk it?

 

[midliferider]

I rode chunk of the Drauradweg between Toblach in Italy, and Villach and quite a lot of it was unsurfaced - and the unsurfaced bits were pretty similar to NCN routes (ie perfectly fine unless you have really narrow tyres). I'd suggest putting in 25 or 28mm tyres if you can.

Hi andym, Thank you for that.
I was not aware of Drauradweg till you mentioned it here. I just did a Google search and found its official website. It looks really good and would love to do it either this year or may be next. Can I ask couple of other questions?
The route is only about 300 Km, not enough for a week of cycling. How would you suggest to extend it? I was thinking of continuing in Slovenia, may be even to Croatia.
Is it possible to cycle to Toblach but the terrain look very hilly.
What is the best way to get to Tolbach?

 

[contadino]

I got pulled over near Lugano in 2015 and got the 3rd degree. The two policemen produced a list of about 25 requirements of a bike used on roads.

I pointed out that I was just passing between two bits of greenway, maybe 30 metres apart. No joy. Apparently I had to refit my bike within a few hours (on a Sunday) and report to the police station, or have the bike confiscated.

Then I explained that I am from Italy. Southern Italy. And I got waved on and wished a nice holiday.

Make what you will of that, but it made me chuckle.

 

[andym]

Hi andym, Thank you for that.
I was not aware of Drauradweg till you mentioned it here. I just did a Google search and found its official website. It looks really good and would love to do it either this year or may be next. Can I ask couple of other questions?
The route is only about 300 Km, not enough for a week of cycling. How would you suggest to extend it? I was thinking of continuing in Slovenia, may be even to Croatia.
Is it possible to cycle to Toblach but the terrain look very hilly.
What is the best way to get to Tolbach?

Hi

I'm really sorry, somehow this thread and your post dropped out of sight. Hopefully you've subscribed to this thread.

There are a few options:

- you could, as you say, continue along the Drau to Maribor
- you could turn off at Villach (I've described this here) and take the Ciclovia Alpe-Adria Radweg to Tarvisio and then to Grado on the Adriatic Coast. You could also go the other way to Salzburg
- you could turn off at Villach and then just before Tarvisio turn off towards Slovenija and follow the D2 cycleway/cycle route to Kranjska Gora. this is the jumping off point for a couple of routes (well you could also go over the Vrsic pass but that's fairly challenging). One option is to follow the AdriaBike which takes you down to the coast and Slovenian Istria, the other is the Bike-Alpe-Adria (yes I know the names are all very similar).

You could cycle to Toblach it's on a cycle route (the Pusterbike) that follows the valley of the river Puster so it's not that hilly. If you want to get there by train the main train line runs between Bologna, Verona, Innsbruck and München. You get off at a station called fortezza Franzensfeste and the train takes you to Toblach. You can also get there via Lienz in Austria.

There's more information on my site Italy Cycling Guide