Austrian Alps Bike Tour Reviews page 7
- Albania
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and H…
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United States
- Vietnam
-
★★★★★ Keith M.
The Best Way to Experience the Countryside Between Innsbruck and Vienna
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
This was a very well organized and well thought out way to experience the beautiful countryside between Innsbruck and Vienna. Chris at the bicycle rental shop in Innsbruck was very helpful and provided us with handlebar mounts for our phones to easily view GPS tracks, bicycle repair tools (including tire levers, spare inner tube, patch kit, hand pump, and CO2 inflator) and lock and pannier bags. Bicycles have been well maintained and were well suited for this tour. My wife used an e-bike whereas I used a 24 speed hybrid bicycle with a triple crankset giving me a wide range of gearing just in case it got hilly. Accommodations were good, mostly lodging facilities intended for winter skiing, with very good European breakfasts and excellent Austrian coffee. Our luggage was always available at the hotel when we arrived. I am 70 years old and have toured by bicycle throughout the United Staes since my teenage years but I found this tour far more enjoyable since the route we took was mostly on paved or crushed stone bicycle paths without auto traffic to deal with (in the United States I have bicycled through many beautiful national and state parks but have always had to deal with automobile traffic making it more difficult to enjoy the natural beauty). On this tour there are a few miles (but only a few miles) where we did need to ride with auto traffic in the cities. There are also some backroads and roads through neighborhoods that have very little auto traffic. There were a few very minor hiccups with the GPS tracks and the bicycle path signage. Although we found the GPS tracks very useful, on very rare occasion there were times that the GPS tracks did not perfectly match with the bicycle path signage which led to a little confusion but this was easily resolved after checking Google Maps. It was great that a shuttle was provided from Zell am Ziller to Krimml since the highway between these two towns is fairly steep and narrow with lots of auto traffic. The shuttle also got us to Krimml in time for us to hike up to the Krimml waterfalls. It was also nice that the shuttle took us to a higher elevation which resulted in a down hill coast on our bicycles the next morning. We were fortunate to have a layover day in Zell am See since it was the only day to rain on this tour. Although we are comfortable riding in the rain it is something we like to avoid which can be challenging to do in Austria. There were also a couple of minor hiccups with our lodging but these were quickly resolved by a phone call to Helmut Wagner, the bicycle tour operator. When we arrived at the hotel in Zell am See there was no one at the reception desk and we later found out we needed to go to the hotel next door to check in. When we arrived in at the hotel in Salzburg we were told by the reception personnel that we would need to pay for our room but again a phone call to Helmut Wagner quickly resolved this issue. I mention these minor inconveniences so one is prepared to be flexible and not to panic since these issues are easily resolved. Overall, the experience was most enjoyable and the scenery amazing. I strongly recommend this tour for anyone that enjoys bicycle touring through very scenic mountain valleys and historic towns. I am thankful that biketours.com has vetted this tour and made it easy and affordable to experience. The personnel at biketours.com were very helpful with the booking of this tour and patiently answered all of my questions. I will definitely book future European bicycle tours through biketours.com. SHOW MORE
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- Dozens
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Mike B
Post college graduation trip
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
This was a fantastic trip for two families - one had prior bike trip experience and one was new to the bike tour world. We flew into Munich and spent a day exploring prior to training to Innsbruck. We were super fortunate with the weather as it had snowed in Innsbruck the week prior but we had a full week of sun with only a few showers on the rest day in Zell am See. Picking up the bikes in Innsbruck was easy - Chris at Crazybikez made sure that everyone had a good fit and provided us with the repair kit. The bikes are touring bikes - comfortable, but nothing speedy. I wouldn't want to try and climb hills for extended periods with them. Aside from a single flat on the last day, they performed admirably. When you check in at the hotel, the group was usually listed as BestSeller Reiser instead of the family name. All the hotels were enjoyable with easy bike storage, yummy breakfast, and the luggage transfer went off without incident. At each hotel, expect to pay a per person tourism tax - usually about 4 euro per person. I strongly encourage using the provided GPS routes as opposed to the guidebook for active routing, but the book does provide some information for interesting side trips. Chris told us to visit the town of Hall the first day and the Swarovski Crystal Museum. Take the time to ride up to Mayrhofen on day 2 prior to the transfer from Zell am Ziller to Krimml. The gorges and cave between Zell am See and Lofer were fun to explore. Make sure to take advantage of the various SummerCards that the hotels will provide. In Krimml it gets you into the waterfalls, in Zell am See - the boat tour, gondola to the top of the ski area, and the beach park, in Lofer - the gondola. The extra day in Zell am See is well worth it. We also spent an extra day at the end to explore Salzburg before taking the train back to Munich. We never had to reach out to the local support but the guidebook packets were received at the hotel in Innsbruck provided us with contact information if needed. I would definitely use biketours.com again
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Jennifer Turnham
Beautiful countryside, smooth biking!
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
The landscape was beautiful and the route was nice and flat. Everything worked out perfectly with the route and with out bags and the hotels were very comfortable. A really fun trip!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Ric
Most Scenic Least Effort Bike Tour Ever!
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Scenery was incredible every single day. Paths were easy to ride and easy to navigate. Bikes were flawless. Hotels were mostly family run places with lots of local character in great locations with wonderful food and drink. Book it now and thank me later!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- First of many
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Leslie C
So much FUN!!!
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Had a Wonderful Time!! What a Great way to see small towns and beautiful scenery!!! Just Breathtaking! Bike trails are amazing a few areas we got confused on which way but made for a good laugh. Will definitely do another Bike Tour!!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Tim
Beautiful scenery
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Great way to see beautiful Austrian scenery and small villages as well. Weather was great and our local contact, Helmut was fantastic. I messed up on the deadline to pick up our bikes and he coordinated with the bike shop to adapt to my mistake and meet us after hours! Much appreciated! Also, my wife had some back problems and he coordinated transfer for her on 2 days and a train related short cut for the biking on another day so she could take part as she improved. He was immediately accessible, kind, and sooo helpful.Also the employee at crazy bikes who stayed after hours to get us our bikes in Innsbruck. Thanks for all the extra effort! The hotels were all very nice with great breakfasts and staff. We did not do the extra stay day in Zell am See but would recommend it. Biking days were well balanced with some shorter and a couple longer days. One of the best tours of the many I have done with bike tours!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Late August 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ diane w
Joyful cycling and great views
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
One of the surprising bonuses of this trip was getting a feel for Austrian country life. The landscapes we cycled through had plenty of stellar views. But they also felt authentic in the sense that we were sharing space with rural working families and close-knit communities. Austrians in this region appear to be masters at integrating country roads, cycle paths, rivers, agricultural fields, lumber yards, clusters of rural homes, town centers (with the iconic long-steepled church), parks and other family-friendly spaces – all not far from a view of the Alps. The extra side trips to Krimmerl Falls, Lamprechtshöhle Cave and Seisenbergklamm and Vorderkaserklamm Gorges were especially worthwhile. (After quite a bit of puzzled searching, we realized it would have been helpful to have better directions to Seisenbergklamm.)
Generally we stayed on track with the GPX file maps mounted on our handlebars; occasionally a combo of other navigational tools came in handy: Google Maps, asking for directions, and/or trying to use the very detailed booklet with hardcopy maps and written directions, although this latter was not handy to do as we were cycling.
Also, it would have been super helpful to know beforehand that we needed to choose and upload a phone app that is able to read the GPX files – and then to more efficiently get the maps uploaded to our phone. (Three years ago, BikeTours simply gave us a link to the map files, so this new routine was unfamiliar to us, and we spent too much time in our Innsbruck hotel trying to figure it out.)
The only day that we were thrown royally off schedule was the very first cycling day. We ended up following the GPX map to the very end destination, which took us many kilometers past our target hotel, some of it up a steep mountain, only to find out that our lodging was not there at all. We had to backtrack a long ways. When we called the local guide to ask about this (not wanting to repeat the experience on subsequent days), he mentioned that we needed to pay attention to the booklet directions. There was a note in there about some of the lodging destinations coming before the end of the given day’s GPX route. However, many of the BikeTours reviews for this tour gave the advice to use the GPX directions rather than the guidebook because they are much easier to follow while cycling. We agree.
In the future, it would be handy to have a separate, clearly-worded, simpler document for each day that gives a good overview (clearer than in the booklet) and that offers reminders about what to expect that day. For ex., “Today you have the option to visit … Here are some pointers for locating these optional destinations … Be aware that your lodging may come well before the end of the GPS route; you may want to enter your lodging address into Google Maps to determine where your end point for the route is today. Etc.) SHOW MORE
Luggage transfer was always well-organized and all of the accommodations were pleasant, except at Hotel Zillertal. Beautiful views from the lodging, but the staff seemed overworked. (For ex., one individual was manning the restaurant, bar, cash register, and front desk check-in, and he was understandably exhausted and done with tourists.) In contrast, we especially remember the family-run Gästehaus Waltl, where we were welcomed with such genuine kindness and generosity.
We were glad for the layover day. Zell am See felt a bit too upscale touristy for our taste, and we maybe would have preferred one of the smaller towns in the area for our rest day. But the activity options still make it a logical location for most people.
We very much enjoyed exploring both Innsbruck and Salzburg on each end of the trip. The young woman who set up our bike rental in Innsbruck was super helpful and patient. She familiarized us with the equipment and supplied us with some extra tools such as the phone attachment for the handlebar.
After the tour, we rented a car to explore the Salzkammergut Lake District for a couple of days, just outside of Salzburg. Beautiful! Side note: We were scammed in a major way by Sixt Rent-a-Car after we returned our rental, so we would recommend looking at other rental options. (You can see more details, if desired, in our Google review for Sixt in Salzburg.)
This was our second self-guided tour with BikeTours, where I rented an e-bike (I like to stop and take photos) and my cyclist husband rented a regular road bike. This arrangement works well for us. We are both active in our sixth decade, and this tour was a good blend of cultural exploration, wholesome exercise, and memorable views.As was the case on our cycling tour three years ago, we leave with tremendous respect for the countries who provide safe and (very often) scenic trails, roadway passage, and clear signage for cyclists.
SHOW LESS- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Whereisrick
Absolutely Fantastic time!
Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
We just finished the ten lakes tour in June, 2016 and had the time of our life. Bike Tours Direct set us up with a local tour provider and delivered everything we hoped for. We opted for the eBikes and those are way too cool. These guys took our luggage from Gasthaus to Gasthaus (okay - inn to inn) and it was sure nice to arrive the next location and find our luggage waiting for us. Our tour took us through some amazing countryside, farms and especially the lakes. We would get to small villages in mid afternoon (i.e. - no tourists!), enjoy a local meal and head off to our next location in the morning. All the lodgings were fantastic with very friendly inn keepers. We will do this again and we will use Bike Tours Direct.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ David vL
3-Day Tour of The Lakes Region Around Salzburg, Austria
Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
We were grateful to have EuroBike put together a customized, 3-day self-guided tour of the Lake Region as we had limited time in the Salzburg area. The hotels selected for the tour were very familiar with handling bicyclists and very helpful in solving minor problems such as laundering wet clothes and helping us with ferry transportation and pickup on Lake Wolfgangsee. It took us awhile to get the hang of the directions as there are multiple standard tour routes and ours was customized. Once we got the hang of it, there were no problems following the routes and Eurobike signs. We began to love the minor uncertainties of figuring out our routes and being free to stop for lunch and refreshments at places of our own choice
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 4-6, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- Just this one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Richard 69
Gute fahren... aber.....
Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
Let me begin by saying that we have taken several European bike tours and the was by far the most scenic. The Alps in the backround, the farms, the lakes and the quaint villages and towns were absolutely breathtaking. However, there are some things you should know. This is a level three ride. Prior to this we had only done level two and the difference can be measured in light years. This was a very challenging ride on heavy rental bikes. We are experienced cyclists, however we are seniors and found ourselves walking our bikes up many, many hills.Also much of this ride is on public roads and there was traffic and the occasional piece of farm machinery. Although most of the roads were fairly quiet, many times we found ourselves on busy highways with very narrow shoulders. This was mentioned in the tour description but in my opinion it was somewhat glossed over. If we had it to do over again we would have inquired about upgrading to a more roadworthy bike or perhaps upgraded to the e-bike.
The tour company Eurobike provided us with maps and route directions, as well as placing stickers along the route to guide us. This is extremely important because this was a complicated route with many twists and turns. We both had some mechanical issues with our bikes and the company brought us new bikes in a very timely fashion. They also made excellent recommendations for lunch and dinner along the route and in the towns where we spent the night. I must say ate well on this ride. Also the hotels we stayed at along the way were excellent. Small friendly hotels with comfortable rooms and friendly staff.Each hotel provided us with a lovely buffet breakfast. Another point that gets glossed over in the tour description is the hike on the last day's ride. This is a very challenging 3K hike up and over a mountain. I felt like I was climbing Mount Everest.
In conclusion I would say that if you are an experienced cyclist and are looking for a challenge and some of the most spectacular scenery in Europe then this is the tour for you. If you are just a casual or occasional rider, then you might want to choose a less demanding ride.- What was the date of your tour?
- May 25 - 31 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Jenrob
Fantastic scenery !
Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
Cycling in this area of Austria by bike was just perfect. The scenery was stunning. We were given a really good briefing st the start of the tour and we were provided with extensive maps and instructions to make our trip easy to follow. Having a phone no to ring if we got into trouble was also reassuring. We were mainly on good bike path so or very quite country roads so felt safe for the majority of the ride. We booked the higher grade of hotels as we wanted air conditioning in as early of hot weather. Unfortunately the hotels outside of Salzburg did not have air conditioning so this was a minor disappointment. In general the hotels in this grade of hotels were pretty good providing a good breakfast and all were very central to amenities in the town. Our favourite place Rs were Mondsee and St Wolfgang. We had some relatively hard rides quite undulating so many climbs so grade 3 would be a fair classification for this road. If your not cycle fit not miss out because of this take an E bike as it was a really pretty ride.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ ualift
Could not have been better
Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
Well thought out routes and hotel selection. Three 60 and 70 something guys on level 3 Salzburg Takes Tour had great trip with moderate riding. Variety of light to moderate terrain with scenery unparalleled on post cards was fantastic.
Everyone we encountered from booking to bike and route briefings was outstanding, helpful and seemed to love what they do.
I'll be looking at future trips as this one ranked very highlly!
- What was the date of your tour?
- 01 May 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- first one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Anne52
Gorgeous Salzburg Lakes Tour!
Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
We had an outstanding week biking around five lakes in the Salzkammergut. We were so lucky with the weather, which was sunny every day except Friday, with highs in the 70's. The views on this trip are superb. We found the instructions to be very good, the hotels were all comfortable and had unbelievable breakfasts. The service at all the hotels was great. We are working on our 5th bike tour in Europe and this is one of our favorites. We were able to swim in four of the lakes and what a refreshing and awesome experience that was, too! One wish was that it would have been nice to have a paper map of Austria, or at least the Salzkammergut so that we could get an overall idea of where we were. All in all we would highly recommend this trip. Thanks to Stefan and everyone who made it possible!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 9 - 15, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- Three previous ones.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Creaky
Lovely lakes
Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
Beautiful scenery and pleasant hotels. Good organisation as usual. One forest section (in pouring rain) was pure misery and wouldn’t have been terrific even in good weather.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 28/7-3/8
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Joannie
This is our third bike trip, and by far the most scenic.
Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 25 to Sept 2 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Brittany at BikeTours
Beautiful scenery and quaint villages!
Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
I went on this tour as a BikeTours.com staff member. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking! The tour is 80% downhill. This made for cycling near the Austrian Alps fantastic. This tour is mostly on dedicated bike paths and quiet back roads, except for brief moments of cycling near the main road. The route maps are more basic which allow for more adventure. I would recommend this tour for a first-time traveler and casual cyclist.
-
-
★★★★★ Rick1
A nice blend of mountain valleys and river cycling
Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
The first 3 days from Krimml to Lofer were terrific; the scenery spectacular and the hotels great, the directions and signage generally good. The signage into Salzburg was deficient with at least 1 key turn ("Morzg") not signed at all. The Hotel was a significant step down from the first 3.The directions to the Glockhofer in Burghausen and the signage was also totally deficient....it would have been better if the hotel was in the main square, rather than in an industrial/commercial part of town. The hotel was a business hotel which was totally out of character with everything else we saw and a real disappointment (though the staff in the hotel were great). Happily, the next stop in Obernburg, the Gasthof zur post was wonderful. Passau hotel was ok.
Over all, we felt that the trip could easily have been done in 1 fewer day and would recommend that the written instructions be tailored to the exact Hotel being used.
-
★★★★★ Moody Group
Fun Experience
Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
The biking was a great experience based on something we have not done before. The bike route took us through the beautiful country side and charming communities of Austria and Germany. However, when the bicycles were delivered to our hotel in Salzburg no one from the bike company remained to provide assistance as we were lead to believe. Directions were not always clear so making decisions for the correct direction was sometimes difficult.
Accommodations in Salzburg and Obernburg am Inn were quaint, cozy and delightful and the staff were very pleasant and accommodating. However the accommodations at a couple of the other hotels were not very favorable. The Elevators/Lifts to the rooms at Hotel Gloecklhofer Burghausen were not available in our section of the hotel and the staff did not offer assistance. The staff at Hotel Spitzburg in Passau were not not very helpful or friendly. They seemed disinterested,. Example: On our last day in Passau we asked for an early wake up call to catch an early morning train. This did not happen. Fortunately we had set our own alarm and woke up on time. Then when we went down to the lobby that morning it was dark and no one was around. The door back to the rooms locked behind us and the lobby door to the street was locked. Fortunately we somehow managed to get the door open and were able to leave to catch our 7:25 AM train.Our overall experience was good and we did have a great time with our friends.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Started in Salzburg on Sept 18th.
- How many tours have you completed?
- First one.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
-
-
★★★★★ John Parsons
Really great trip.
Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
To start off with the Sound of Music Tours and then fairly leisurely riverside roads and fantastic food and culture - we just loved it. One of the towns was not as good as the rest but for the most part just great
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
Email
Mailing Address
Office Hours