Danube Bike Path - Vienna to Budapest
Austria, Hungary, Slovakia Bike Tours
Three Country Bike Tour along the scenic Danube Cycle Path
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length8 days
- Prices from€823 Rates
- Book This Trip
Overview
Following the flow of the Danube, along the Danube Bike Path, an indescribably beautiful and varied scenery surrounds you through three countries and three capitals. Between the Austrian and Hungarian alluvial landscape and the Danube River Bend, you will experience regional art, culture, and nature. The highlights of this bicycle tour in Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia are as varied as the people and cultures.
Your tour starts in Vienna, the capital of Austria, city of music, culture, art, and history and your final destination and delight is Budapest, Hungary's capital, regarded as one of Europe's most beautiful cities. You will enjoy the Danube Flood Plains National Park, Bratislava, Archaeological Park Carnuntum, and Esztergom.
The long and mighty Danube links nations and cultures and you will experience this as you bike Europe's best-known bike path through three countries and visit three capitals. Enjoy the journey.
This tour can also be taken as a 14-day tour from Passau to Budapest.
Highlights
- 3 capitals: Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest
- National Park Donauauen
- Archaeological Park Carnuntum
- Basilica in Esztergom – Hungary’s biggest church
- Danube Bend
- Artist town Szentendre
Want to see more bike tours in Hungary?
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Vienna
Day 2: Vienna - Hainburg/surroundings, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 3: Hainburg/surroundings - Bratislava, 21 mi. (35 km)
Day 4: Bratislava - Mosonmagyaróvár, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 5: Mosonmagyaróvár - Györ, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 6: Györ - Komárom, by train - Esztergom, 34 mi. (55 km)
Day 7: Esztergom - Szentendre - Budapest, 34 mi. (55 km) + boat or train
Day 8: Individual departure from BudapestDay 1: Arrival in Vienna
If at all possible, arrive early in this incredible city. This metropolis on the Danube has plenty to offer. Treat yourself to a Viennese-style Americano coffee and a piece of the famous Sachertorte cake in one of Vienna’s typical coffee houses. Explore the imperial Schönbrunn Palace and gardens, visit the Hofburg, or spend some time shopping on the Mariahilfer Strasse.Sample accommodation:
Cat. A - ARCOTEL Hotel Kaiserwasser Wien
Cat. B - ROOMZ Hotel Prater ViennaDay 2: Vienna - Hainburg/surroundings, 31 mi. (50 km)
The Donau-Auen National Park preserves the last great floodplain landscape in Central Europe, and today you'll cycle through it. Here, you will discover the diversity of the flora and fauna as well as the manifold types of landscape. You pass the Orth Castle and the village of Eckertsau before reaching Hainburg, your destination.Sample accommodation:
Cat. A - Hotel Altes Kloster Hainburg
Cat. B - Hotel Stöckl Bad Deutsch-AltenburgDay 3: Hainburg - Bratislava, 21 mi. (35 km)
From Bad Deutsch-Altenburg/Hainburg, you will cycle on the Roman bike trail (Römerweg) to Carnuntum. The archaeological park is regarded as one of the most significant archaeological sites in Austria. After Hainburg, you reach the border of Slovakia, and it's capital city Bratislava which is your next overnight stay. The shorter distance today allows plenty of time to visit the old part of this charming city.Sample accommodation:
Cat. A - Hotel Devín Bratislava
Cat. B - Hotel Apollo BratislavaDay 4: Bratislava - Mosonmagyaróvár, 28 mi. (45 km)
You'll spend only a short time in Slovak territory before passing the Hungarian border in Rajká. Within the first few miles of your cycle trip in Hungary, you will discover charming villages in a region heavily influenced by agriculture. The route guides you through the so-called Szigetköz or Little Rye Island. This is characterized by the numberless side arms of the Danube. Today´s destination is Mosonmagyaróvár which is also called the "City of 17 bridges".Sample accommodation:
Cat. A - Hotel Lajta Park Mosonmagyaróvár
Cat. B - Hotel Simbad MosonmagyaróvárDay 5: Mosonmagyaróvár - Györ, 25 mi. (40 km)
Little Rye Island is a natural paradise, and you'll discover more of it this morning. Continuing on, you will pass Hédervár, which is the perfect place to stop and eat lunch. The castle here is situated in the middle of a protected park. The day's destination is Györ and we highly recommend arriving with plenty of time to explore. The oldest, most tangled, and most compact quarter of Győr is the Káptalan Hill, the cobblestone episcopal district full of interesting buildings.Sample accommodation:
Cat. A - Barokk Hotel Promenád Györ
Cat. B - Hotel Klastrom GyörDay 6: Györ - Komárom, by train - Esztergom, 34 mi. (55 km)
After breakfast, you will start with a short train ride to Komárom. Today's route runs near riverbanks in the flat Danube valley. Over the course of this day, you pass quaint villages with vineyards always visible in the background. The sportier bikers can choose a route over Tata but there are some ascents, keep this in mind! Those interested in history should plan time for the Roman castle Kelemantia which is along the way. Your destination, however, is the highlight! Esztergom (also known as "Hungarian Rome") is home to a basilica which is the largest church in the country. Take your time to explore this amazing city!Sample accommodation:
Cat. A - Portobello Wellness & Yacht Hotel Esztergom
Cat. B - Hotel Szent Adalbert Esztergom, Szent Tamás HouseDay 7: Esztergom - Szentendre - Budapest, 34 mi. (55 km) + boat or train
You cycle along the "Donauknie", which is probably one of the most attractive sections of the entire Danube bike path. The Royal Palace and the castle of Visegrád are a delight and the open-air museum as well as the baroque old town of Szentendre invites you to linger. From Szentendre, you will board a river boat* that brings you the last few miles into Budapest. Budapest, a city that dates back to the Old Stone Age, has enough antiquity to satisfy any history buff, as well as the gastronomy and culture to impress travelers of all ages. Be sure to visit the Széchenyi Baths, the Hungarian Parliament, or the National Gallery.*The timetable for the boat in 2023 has not yet been established. The boat is expected to run every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, from early May until the end of September. Outside of this period, you will receive a train ticket as a replacement.
Sample accommodation:
Cat. A - NH Hotel Budapest City Center
Cat. B - Impulso Fashion Hotel BudapestDay 8: Individual departure from Budapest
Your time in Budapest comes to an end unless you wish to stay longer! Please inquire about extra nights!Day 1: Arrival in Vienna
Day 2: Vienna - Bratislava, 43 miles (70 km)
Day 3: Bratislava - Györ, 49 miles (80 km)
Day 4: Györ - Esztergom, 68 miles (110 km)
Day 5: Esztergom - Budapest, 53 miles (85 km)
Day 6: Departure from BudapestDay 1: Arrival in Vienna
If at all possible, arrive early in this incredible city. This metropolis on the Danube has plenty to offer. Treat yourself to a Viennese-style Americano coffee and a piece of the famous Sachertorte cake in one of Vienna’s typical coffee houses. Explore the imperial Schönbrunn Palace and gardens, visit the Hofburg, or spend some time shopping on the Mariahilfer Strasse.Sample accommodation:
ROOMZ Hotel Prater ViennaDay 2: Vienna - Bratislava, 43 miles (70 km)
The national park Donau-Auen will be the scenery to start your cycling day. Here you will get to know the diversity of the flora and fauna as well as the manifold types of landscape. You pass the castle Orth and the village Eckertsau before reaching Bad Deutsch-Altenburg. Here the Roman bike trail (Römerweg) will bring you to Carnuntum. The archaeological park is regarded as one of the most significant archaeological sites in Austria. After Hainburg, you reach the border of Slovakia, and it's capital city Bratislava which is your next overnight stay.Sample accommodation:
Hotel Devín BratislavaDay 3: Bratislava - Györ, 49 miles (80 km)
You'll spend only a short time in Slovak territory before passing the Hungarian border in Rajká. Within the first few miles of your cycle trip in Hungary, you will discover charming villages in a region heavily influenced by agriculture. The route guides you through the so-called Szigetköz or Little Rye Island. This is characterized by the numberless side arms of the Danube. Mosonmagyaróvár also called the "City of 17 bridges", is a great place to take a short break. Continuing on, you will pass Hédervár where you'll find a castle situated in the middle of a protected park. The day's destination is Györ. The oldest, most tangled, and most compact quarter of Győr is the Káptalan Hill, the cobblestone episcopal district full of interesting buildings.Sample accommodation:
Hotel Klastrom Györ, superior roomsDay 4: Györ - Esztergom, 68 miles (110 km)
A long day awaits you! Soon you reach Böny in Hungary. From there, you will pedal on to Bábolna, a delightful little town that is famous for its racehorses. You'll head back to the Danube where you'll soon reach the divided town of Komárom/Komárno. The route runs near riverbanks in the flat Danube valley. Over the course of the afternoon, you pass quaint villages with vineyards always visible in the background. Those interested in history should plan a visit to the Roman castle Kelemantia which is on the way. Your destination, however, is the highlight! Esztergom (also known as "Hungarian Rome") is home to a basilica which is the largest church in the country. Take your time to explore this amazing city!Sample accommodation:
Hotel Szent Adalbert Esztergom, Szent Tamás HouseDay 5: Esztergom - Budapest, 53 miles (85 km)
You cycle along the "Donauknie", which is probably one of the most attractive sections of the entire Danube bike path. The Royal Palace and the castle of Visegrád are a delight and the open-air museum as well as the baroque old town of Szentendre invites you to linger. From Szentendre, you will board a river boat* that brings you the last few miles into Budapest. Budapest, a city that dates back to the Old Stone Age, has enough antiquity to satisfy any history buff, as well as the gastronomy and culture to impress travelers of all ages. Be sure to visit the Széchenyi Baths, the Hungarian Parliament, or the National Gallery.Sample accommodation:
NH Hotel Budapest City CenterDay 6: Departure from Budapest
Your time in Budapest comes to an end unless you wish to stay longer! Please inquire about extra nights!More Danube Bike Tours can be found here or you can view all of our bike tours in Europe or look at our featured bike trips, specials, and news.
Map
Accommodation
You have a choice between two hotel categories for the Classic Itinerary:
Category A: Accommodation in well-selected 4-star hotels (some 3-star but best available)
Category B: Accommodation in chosen guest houses, hotels, and inns that are typically 3-star.
The Athletic Itinerary uses carefully selected 3 and 4-star hotels and guest houses.
An example hotel list is available in the day-to-day itinerary.Inclusions
What’s Included
- Accommodations for the selected number of nights in the chosen category
- Daily breakfast buffet
- Luggage transfer between the hotels (no limit, each piece no heavier than 20kg)
- Detailed travel documents including GPS-Tracks (1 package per room)
- 21-gear hybrid bicycle with waterproof pannier bag, handlebar bag, tool kit with extra tube and pump, and combination lock
- Personal welcome meeting and bike fitting
- Bike protection
- 7-day emergency hotline
- Train ticket from Györ to Komárom, including bike
- Boat or train ticket from Szentendre to Budapest, including bike (as described in itinerary)
Additional for Classic Itinerary
What’s Not Included
- Travel to Vienna/from Budapest
- Meals other than those mentioned (dinners may be included, please refer to pricing)
- Local tourist tax if applicable
- Helmet purchase
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates & Pricing
2023
Season 1 (arrival every Saturday): April 1 - 13 | September 30 - October 7, 2023
Season 2 (arrival every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday): April 14 - May 31 | September 1 - 29, 2023
Season 3 (arrival daily possible): June 1 - August 31, 2023Category A Category B Season 1 $ 1557 £ 828 $ 1,384 € 943 ₪ 3865 ¥ 144222 NZ$ 1699 NOK 11360 kr 11131 $ 1,030 $ 1359 £ 722 $ 1,208 € 823 ₪ 3373 ¥ 125870 NZ$ 1483 NOK 9914 kr 9714 $ 899 Season 2 $ 1738 £ 924 $ 1,545 € 1053 ₪ 4316 ¥ 161046 NZ$ 1898 NOK 12685 kr 12429 $ 1,151 $ 1524 £ 810 $ 1,354 € 923 ₪ 3783 ¥ 141164 NZ$ 1663 NOK 11119 kr 10895 $ 1,009 Season 3 $ 1837 £ 977 $ 1,633 € 1113 ₪ 4562 ¥ 170222 NZ$ 2006 NOK 13408 kr 13137 $ 1,216 $ 1639 £ 872 $ 1,457 € 993 ₪ 4070 ¥ 151869 NZ$ 1790 NOK 11962 kr 11721 $ 1,085 Single supplement $ 725 £ 385 $ 644 € 439 ₪ 1799 ¥ 67141 NZ$ 791 NOK 5288 kr 5182 $ 480 $ 477 £ 254 $ 424 € 289 ₪ 1185 ¥ 44200 NZ$ 521 NOK 3481 kr 3411 $ 316 Dinners included (excluding Vienna & Budapest) $ 262 £ 140 $ 233 € 159 ₪ 652 ¥ 24317 NZ$ 287 NOK 1915 kr 1877 $ 174 $ 213 £ 113 $ 189 € 129 ₪ 529 ¥ 19729 NZ$ 232 NOK 1554 kr 1523 $ 141 Bike supplements
Premium rental bike $ 99 £ 53 $ 88 € 60 ₪ 246 ¥ 9176 NZ$ 108 NOK 723 kr 708 $ 66 Electric bike $ 231 £ 123 $ 205 € 140 ₪ 574 ¥ 21412 NZ$ 252 NOK 1687 kr 1652 $ 153 Season 1 $ 1177 £ 626 $ 1,046 € 713 ₪ 2922 ¥ 109046 NZ$ 1285 NOK 8589 kr 8416 $ 779 Season 2 $ 1301 £ 692 $ 1,156 € 788 ₪ 3230 ¥ 120517 NZ$ 1420 NOK 9493 kr 9301 $ 861 Season 3 $ 1392 £ 740 $ 1,237 € 843 ₪ 3455 ¥ 128928 NZ$ 1519 NOK 10155 kr 9950 $ 921 Single room $ 469 £ 249 $ 417 € 284 ₪ 1164 ¥ 43435 NZ$ 512 NOK 3421 kr 3352 $ 310 Dinners included (excluding Vienna & Budapest) $ 147 £ 78 $ 131 € 89 ₪ 365 ¥ 13612 NZ$ 160 NOK 1072 kr 1051 $ 97 Bike supplements
Premium rental bike $ 91 £ 48 $ 81 € 55 ₪ 225 ¥ 8412 NZ$ 99 NOK 663 kr 649 $ 60 Road Bike (Merida, Model Ride 91) $ 215 £ 114 $ 191 € 130 ₪ 533 ¥ 19882 NZ$ 234 NOK 1566 kr 1534 $ 142 Electric bike $ 215 £ 114 $ 191 € 130 ₪ 533 ¥ 19882 NZ$ 234 NOK 1566 kr 1534 $ 142 Extra Options
Extra Nights
Classic
Category A Category B Vienna $ 130 £ 69 $ 116 € 79 ₪ 324 ¥ 12082 NZ$ 142 NOK 952 kr 932 $ 86 $ 114 £ 61 $ 101 € 69 ₪ 283 ¥ 10553 NZ$ 124 NOK 831 kr 814 $ 75 Single room $ 229 £ 122 $ 204 € 139 ₪ 570 ¥ 21259 NZ$ 251 NOK 1674 kr 1641 $ 152 $ 190 £ 101 $ 169 € 115 ₪ 471 ¥ 17588 NZ$ 207 NOK 1385 kr 1357 $ 126 Bratislava $ 140 £ 75 $ 125 € 85 ₪ 348 ¥ 13000 NZ$ 153 NOK 1024 kr 1003 $ 93 $ 102 £ 54 $ 91 € 62 ₪ 254 ¥ 9482 NZ$ 112 NOK 747 kr 732 $ 68 Single room $ 246 £ 131 $ 219 € 149 ₪ 611 ¥ 22788 NZ$ 269 NOK 1795 kr 1759 $ 163 $ 180 £ 96 $ 160 € 109 ₪ 447 ¥ 16670 NZ$ 196 NOK 1313 kr 1287 $ 119 Budapest $ 140 £ 75 $ 125 € 85 ₪ 348 ¥ 13000 NZ$ 153 NOK 1024 kr 1003 $ 93 $ 114 £ 61 $ 101 € 69 ₪ 283 ¥ 10553 NZ$ 124 NOK 831 kr 814 $ 75 Single room $ 256 £ 136 $ 227 € 155 ₪ 635 ¥ 23706 NZ$ 279 NOK 1867 kr 1830 $ 169 $ 206 £ 110 $ 183 € 125 ₪ 512 ¥ 19117 NZ$ 225 NOK 1506 kr 1475 $ 137 Athletic
Vienna $ 114 £ 61 $ 101 € 69 ₪ 283 ¥ 10553 NZ$ 124 NOK 831 kr 814 $ 75 Single room $ 190 £ 101 $ 169 € 115 ₪ 471 ¥ 17588 NZ$ 207 NOK 1385 kr 1357 $ 126 Bratislava $ 140 £ 75 $ 125 € 85 ₪ 348 ¥ 13000 NZ$ 153 NOK 1024 kr 1003 $ 93 Single room $ 246 £ 131 $ 219 € 149 ₪ 611 ¥ 22788 NZ$ 269 NOK 1795 kr 1759 $ 163 Budapest $ 140 £ 75 $ 125 € 85 ₪ 348 ¥ 13000 NZ$ 153 NOK 1024 kr 1003 $ 93 Single room $ 256 £ 136 $ 227 € 155 ₪ 635 ¥ 23706 NZ$ 279 NOK 1867 kr 1830 $ 169 UVEX Helmet Purchase (advanced reservation required) $ 81 £ 43 $ 72 € 49 ₪ 201 ¥ 7494 NZ$ 88 NOK 590 kr 578 $ 54
Transfers*
Budapest to Vienna (by bus), without bikes,
available Fri, Sat, Sun in seasons 1&2 and daily in season 3$ 124 £ 66 $ 110 € 75 ₪ 307 ¥ 11470 NZ$ 135 NOK 903 kr 885 $ 82 Budapest to Vienna (by bus), with own bikes $ 172 £ 91 $ 153 € 104 ₪ 426 ¥ 15906 NZ$ 187 NOK 1253 kr 1228 $ 114 *Please refer to extra info for more information including travel times!
Please Note
- Rates are per person, based on double occupancy
- Tour prices are based on the fuel costs at time prices are set, often months or years in advance. In rare cases, additional fees may apply for fuel cost increases.
- Information to read before you book
- We recommend purchasing trip insurance
- Please see our FAQ
Extra Info
Skill Level — Easy
Relatively easy hotel tour along the Danube River bike path with rolling hills that at times can be steep. The Austrian section follows well-maintained cycling paths. In Hungary, you will often cycle on country roads. Upon entering and leaving the cities, you will encounter traffic.
Airport Info
Fly to Vienna (VIE) or Bratislava (BTS). Vienna International Airport is about 16 km east of the city of Vienna in Schwechat.
Local Travel
Beginning of tour:
Vienna
Vienna Airport Lines operates two bus lines from the airport to the center. The buses leave at 30-minute intervals. Tickets are purchased on board.
Bratislava
Take Slovak Lines/Postbus to Vienna Central Station.
End of tour:
Public bus
Departures every 2 hours on a daily basis, 11 am, 1, or 3 pm. Travel time is approx. 3 hours, stopping at Vienna International Airport as well as the city center (please inform at time of booking where you’d like to get off).
Other departure times are on request, schedule is subject to change.
If you are returning to BTS (Bratislava), you can take a bus from Budapest.
More details regarding travel will be provided.
Bookable Transfers
The transfer from Budapest to Vienna by bus is bookable every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in seasons 1 and 2, & daily in season 3. Departure takes place at approx. 3pm with pick-up directly at the hotel. The duration is approx. 3.5 hours. The price is €75 per person when renting bikes, or €104 per person with own bikes. Special transfers for 4 or more people available upon request.Climate
Please check local conditions on arrival. The region has a moderate continental climate, generally experiencing pleasantly mild winters and relatively warm summers. Please check local conditions prior to your departure and remember that your tour will cover a significant distance and will stretch along the Danube from Vienna to Budapest.
Recommended
Extra nights in Vienna and Budapest are highly recommended.
Remarks
In Austria, it is mandatory for children under the age of 12 to wear a bike helmet when on a bike. Please protect your little ones and bring their helmet. Reflective vests are not obligatory, but advised.
In Slovakia, it is obligatory to wear a bike helmet outside of villages and for children under 15 years, mandatory at all times. Reflective vests are mandatory during times of low visibility.
In Hungary, it is mandatory to wear safety vests during times of low visibility. It is not obligatory to wear a helmet but we advised to never cycle without one!Important to know
Documents
It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with the country or countries you plan to visit. This includes and is not limited to passport validity, visa requirements and acquisition, blank passport pages required for your destination (s), etc.
US citizens: A good website to research the requirements of the Schengen Agreement and entry into other countries is travel.state.gov.
Non-EU and EU residents: Please research the requirements of your country of residence for international travel and your destination country or countries.
*Important note: Please check on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) status as once implemented, this will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visa.Covid-19 Info
Country Entry Requirements
Due to the changing requirements for entry, it is imperative that you stay up to date on requirements set by the country/countries that you are visiting. Please visit our Travel Restrictions Tool page and the country/countries government webpage for this information.
Extra Stay
Extra nights in Budapest and Vienna are highly recommended
Tour Operator
This tour is run by Radreisefreunde.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
We are simply travelers helping travelers.Would you like to learn more About Us? How about What Makes Us Different than other companies?
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