Over the Alps - Brenner Pass

[Pedaljunkie]

I’m planning trip from Norwich to Verona in July 2019. Any advice / shared experience of the trans-Alpine section from Innsbruck to Bolzano would be appreciated.

 

[Ivo]

Very easy going. It can be a tad busy though since a lot of cars take the scenic route. On some parts there's a bikepath a bit further away from the main road. I wouldn't use it on the descents, your fast enough to float with the traffic (or cause psychological issues for Porsche drivers). In the lower parts of the descent to Bolzano some tunnels are banned for cyclists so you should use the bikepath there. Bolzano-Verona, the bikeroute is superb cycling, many cyclist's caf's serve your needs. I can recomend it.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I’m planning trip from Norwich to Verona in July 2019. Any advice / shared experience of the trans-Alpine section from Innsbruck to Bolzano would be appreciated.

I did this a few years ago in reverse. Cycle paths all the way up, if I recall and road down to Innsbruck. I did ask about cycle paths down, but was assured taking the road was no problem - and it wasn't.

As @Ivo says, it was very busy and very much an anti-climax. Lots of outlet stores. Not what I was expecting at the top of a mountain!

There's a great campsite on top of a hill, just outside of Verona. Camping under vines, fantastic views. Be warned, though, Verona was packed and thronged with tourists. It's one of those places that has so many tourists it seems to have lost its original appeal (in my opinion).

some pics from the day.....

 

[Pedaljunkie]

Thanks guys - that’s really helpful. I thought the cycle path looked a bit intermittent, so good to know I’m not missing something. HobbesOnTour your fab pics have whetted my appetite!!

 

[RobinS]

Hi, My wife and I (also from Norwich) cycled back over the alps via Bolzano summer before last. We discovered the "via Claudia Augusta" which goes via the Reschen/Resia pass rather than the Brenner, and meets the Inn valley a bit west of Innsbruck. If heading south you could pick it up in Germany and follow it all the way to Verona. The section we did Italy was a superb off road, tarmacked cycletrail for a huge distance (we did 165km from Trento to the border), unfortunately as we were heading north it was uphill for all of this distance for us, but it would be a fantastic downhill run. The Austrian section we did from the border to Landeck was downhill for us, on back roads and cycletrails, mainly but not entirely surfaced, if you feel lazy there are buses that will take you uphill on this stretch. It is all a really superb route to take, much better than the Brenner. If you have a look in the members travelog section for my European Tour 2017 it is described with some pics in there.

 

[Ivo]

The Rando Imperator Audax follows part of the Via Claudia Augusta' (but going south), the scenery is superb.

https://fotoalbum.dds.nl/ivo_m/randoimperator2017

 

[Brains]

A second vote for the Via Claudia route

There is an excellent map/route book, written in German, but a map is a map in any language and the Bikeline cycle maps are the best

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Claudia-Augusta-Donau-Alpen-Adria/dp/3850006271

 

[Blue Hills]

A second vote for the Via Claudia route

There is an excellent map/route book, written in German, but a map is a map in any language and the Bikeline cycle maps are the best

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Claudia-Augusta-Donau-Alpen-Adria/dp/3850006271

Thanks for the post Brains. But a question. Am assuming that the route will be marked on any decent open street/cycle map which I can load onto my (bottom of the range) Garmin. I know the Bikeline route books have an excellent reputation but do they offer any real advantage over this?

 

[RobinS]

The bikeline guides are really good (and given the choice we would have bought one), but we followed the Via Claudia Augusta easily with only maps that did not show cycle routes - most of it is so well signposted. Unlike many cycle routes there are signs pointing towards it when you have left the route for shops, campsites etc, and from the route shops etc are signposted. On the Italian section especially it really is the best, and best signed route we have done, better than the Velodyse, Rhine route, Via Rhona etc...

 

[Brains]

Thanks for the post Brains. But a question. Am assuming that the route will be marked on any decent open street/cycle map which I can load onto my (bottom of the range) Garmin. I know the Bikeline route books have an excellent reputation but do they offer any real advantage over this?

A Garmin is great for telling you where you are,
a map is great for telling you what is ahead.

You take both, and plan your day using the BikeLine book as it will tell you not only the route, and the route variations, but also what lies just off the route such as cafes, hotels, camp sites, museums, art galleries, great views. etc. etc.
You have not said what you are using as a bed for the night, we found using the book we could find 'bike und bett' (BuB) (Bike & Bed) places every night.

We don't speak German, but the iPhone translate app works well enough to translate the book, you just point the phone at the German page and read the English off the screen

 

[Pedaljunkie]

Awesome advice. Thanks so much - sounds like the Via Claudia Augusta is the way to go. Will change my Garmin route (and set about getting the BikeLine book!)
We’re planning a detour to Lake Garda en route to Verona, so heading slightly west would work also. Cheers guys.

 

[RobinS]

When we were there we had stayed for a break at Arco, just north of Lake Garda, we left there heading north to join the Via Claudia Augusta at Trento. There is a nice cycle trail most of the way, but be aware that the bit (only 5 miles) between Trento and Terlago is a main road through tunnels where cycles are not allowed - we unexpectedly had a 20km detour over an 800m high pass. That said it is a really nice route, but be prepared - we left the campsite at Terlago expecting a quick 5 mile downhill to Trento, only to be faced with one and half hours of uphill slog! The road down the east shore of Garda is nice as well, there is a weight limit so no trucks.

 

[vt2]

A group of 11 of us did the VCA from Innsbruck last year - http://basu3acycling.joomla.com/past-rides/across-the-alps We are not in the first flush of youth [you can tell from the photo!] and thought it was a great ride. The route is well signposted and almost all on tarmac with some lovely long descents after the Reschenpass. The core group stopped at Torbole on Lake Garda although I headed off on the alternative route from Trento via the Valsugana to Bassano del Grappa then Verona. If you are coming from Germany on the VCA then there is a section over the Fernpass that is a gravel mountain bike trail but I was OK with it on my tourer and thought it was one of the highlights of the route. [There is a bike shuttle over the pass if you don't fancy this section]

 

[Ivo]

Awesome advice. Thanks so much - sounds like the Via Claudia Augusta is the way to go. Will change my Garmin route (and set about getting the BikeLine book!)
We’re planning a detour to Lake Garda en route to Verona, so heading slightly west would work also. Cheers guys.

Then do check the Merselo-Verona route. This did lead from the Netherlands to Verona, partially via the via Claudia Augusta and partially via other roads. There's even an audax-style routesheet for those who don't want to rely on modern technology