Passau to Vienna along the Danube by Brompton Bike.

[EltonFrog]

I’m re-posting my posts as I realise that I posted my last Danube Tour from Vienna to Budapest here and not in My Ride Today thread.

Day 1 30/06/26
On Saturday we flew to Vienna, embarking on a trip whose central premise is: take a train to Passau, then cycle all the way back like people who have voluntarily chosen discomfort as a hobby.

Sunday involved riding twelve miles from the airport hotel to Vienna Central Station in a toasty 39°, which is the sort of temperature normally used to keep food warm, not cyclists. Nevertheless, we arrived early, glowing gently like pastries fresh from the oven.

Monday was devoted to sightseeing in Passau — a restful interlude before today’s grand adventure along the cycle paths. These began beside a “busy‑ish” main road, the sort of traffic that makes you question your life choices, until the road was blessedly closed for resurfacing. The bike path, however, remained open, presumably because cyclists are considered expendable. Still, riding traffic‑free through quiet villages with the Danube sweeping dramatically alongside does make one feel almost heroic.

At Au the north‑bank path abruptly ends, as if the planners simply ran out of enthusiasm. A short ferry trip carries you downstream to where the route resumes, pretending nothing happened. We stopped for the night in Obermühl at a guest house with excellent food and absolutely no air conditioning — a combination that encourages one to eat heartily and then lie very still. It’s 26°, storms are expected tomorrow, and we await them with the optimism of people who have not yet cycled in a storm.
Approximately 30 miles.

 

[EltonFrog]

Day 2.
Obermühl to Linz.

We left early, not out of enthusiasm but because the storm apparently had plans for us. A quick ferry crossing and we were on the south bank of the Danube, cycling through air best described as “lightly poached.” The scenery was offensively gorgeous: lush greenery, immaculate flat paths, and a level of traffic‑free serenity that felt almost smug. Touring cyclists appeared everywhere, all clearly attempting the same meteorological dodge.

We stopped for a brief coffee at Asach — the sort of pause that suggests civilisation still exists — then continued south of the river until Ottensheim. Another ferry, another bank, and then the inevitable punishment: a dreary 10 km beside a busy road and railway, as if the universe felt we’d been having too nice a time. At least it was on segregated cycle path, just wasn’t very pretty.

Eventually we rolled into Linz, bustling and tourist‑heavy, slipping in just before the storm made its dramatic entrance.

 

[EltonFrog]

Day 3.
Linz to Ybbs.

51.47 of your earth miles today or nearly 83kms in new money, from Linz to Ybbs. Mostly pan‑flat, smooth, traffic‑free tracks — the sort of cycling that feels like cheating, or at least like someone finally read the brief. Every so often the route lurches you into a village or small town, presumably to remind you that civilisation exists. And, naturally, on those rare detours you encounter the obligatory nobheads in cars being twuntish. A sort of cultural outreach programme, really. Still, nothing approaching the full‑fat idiocy one routinely enjoys in the U.K.

The scenery continues to show off: flat farmland plateaus, tree‑lined valleys, quiet countryside, villages that look as though they’ve been curated for a brochure, and people who are disarmingly pleasant. We stopped for coffee at a bar styling itself as an 18th‑century American tavern — because why not, Frankly the most eccentric thing we’ve seen all day. Cooler temperatures, but still warm enough to feel smug.

A bicycle weather vane.

 

[EltonFrog]

Day 4.
Ybbs to Krems.

Just under 40 miles today from Ybbs to Krems. Mixed feelings about the ride: it began well enough, but thanks to a navigation error on my part we strayed over to the north bank — entirely unintentionally — and spent about ten miles cycling beside a busy main road, diverting through the occasional, not‑terribly‑interesting village. The pavement was safe, but the proximity to the traffic made the noise relentless, and I endured a mild malaise of the soul, largely of my own making.

At Melk we happened upon a landing party for about four of those River Cruise boats, hundreds of people queuing to get on, looked more like a prison ship to me. Each to their own, but it ain’t for me.

After lunch we reached Spitz and crossed back to the south side which, I should say, was much nicer — quieter, prettier, and altogether more what one hopes for when cycling the Danube. We passed apricot orchards, vineyards, and a handful of genuinely pleasant villages, even if the R1 did insist on wandering away from the river more than usual. Still, the weather was kind and we met some lovely people — even Americans.

 

[EltonFrog]

Day 5.
Krems to Vienna.
55.37 miles today, from Krems to Vienna. And I don’t care what anyone says — 55 miles is a long way to cycle, thank you very much.

A lovely day overall: smashing weather, a tailwind doing most of the heavy lifting, and a blissful absence of nobheads. Well, aside from one or two delivery blokes on scooters in the city, but they barely count — more environmental hazards than actual people.

I’ll let the photos do the rest of the talking.

 

[EltonFrog]

Day 5 continued

Continue…

 

[EltonFrog]

Day 6.
After a wander around Vienna this morning — breakfast, then the obligatory coffee and strudel — we finally loaded up the Bromptons for the grand finale: cycling to the airport like two people who’ve clearly made choices. The city’s segregated lanes did their best, but getting out of Vienna was… let’s call it “character‑building”. The suburbs were marginally more cooperative, though they did occasionally remind us why postcards rarely feature ring‑road architecture.

Further out, things improved: familiar territory, quiet paths, country parks, and the faint sense that civilisation had not entirely given up. And yes, you really can cycle right up to the departures door, should you wish to make an entrance.

12.33 miles today.
I only took one photo.

 

[EltonFrog]

The total mileage we rode that week from Passau to Vienna inc from and to the airport was 229.86.

 

[Aston]

Thank you for this, it looks to have been a wonderful trip, I enjoyed you're commentary and photos, dangerously inspiring... though I don't have a Brompton, thoughts have started!