Four Countries of Lake Constance
Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland Bike Tours
Bike four countries + Lake Constance, Lake Zurich and Lake Walensee
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length9 days
- Prices from€1108 Rates
- Book This Trip
Overview
This cycle tour begins in Constance (Konstanz), which lies on the ever-so-beautiful Lake Constance (Bodensee) in Germany. It is the largest city on the lake and remains one of the best-preserved major medieval cities in Germany.
From Constance, the tour will cross the Swiss border and cycle through small romantic villages to Stein am Rhein, a beautiful, small medieval town, before reaching Schaffhausen. As you pedal, your route crosses into a total of four countries.
After departing Walenstadt, the route runs north through Liechtenstein. Then it is over the Austrian border to Feldkirch with a nice, medieval town center. Through more small villages and protected waterways, the route will lead you back to Lake Constance via the enchanting St. Gallen.
Come cycle these countries, rich in culture and history!
Highlights
- Lake Constance
- The town of Schaffhausen and the nearby Rheinfall or Rhine Falls
- Monastery of St. George
- Rapperswil, the Town of Roses
- Lake Zurich
- Lake Walen
Be sure to check out our full list of tours in Germany including small ship cruises and bike and boat tours.
Itinerary
Day 1: Individual arrival in Constance/Kreuzlingen
Day 2: Constance - Stein am Rhein - Schaffhausen, 32 mi. (50 km)
Day 3: Schaffhausen - Rhine Falls - Zurich, 43 mi. (70 km)
Day 4: Zurich - Lachen, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 5: Lachen - Walenstadt, 15 mi. (25 km) + boat trip
Day 6: Walenstadt - Feldkirch, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 7: Feldkirch - Alstätten - Gais - St. Gallen, 28 mi. (45 km) + train ride
Day 8: St. Gallen - Arbon - Constance/Kreuzlingen, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 9: Departure or extended stay in Constance.All distances are approximate. Due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during your holiday. For example, along the route, you may find temporary deviations/detours necessary due to roadwork that will not be reflected on your maps or route descriptions. In this case, please follow the directions posted locally.
Day 1: Arrival in Constance
Individual arrival into Constance (Konstanz) with the afternoon free for sightseeing in this intriguing city. The city is the largest on the lake and is still medieval in character to this day. Overnight in Konstanz.Sample hotels:
ABC Hotel
Apartment HotelDay 2: Constance - Stein am Rhein - Schaffhausen, 32 mi. (50 km)
Today is the first official day of cycling, and you will cross over the Swiss border and ride through small romantic villages to Stein am Rhein, one of the most beautiful remaining medieval towns in the German-speaking countries. Riding into Schauffhausen you'll see the Munot Fortress towering over the town. It is a beautiful town with many narrow streets decorated with Renaissance houses showcasing outdoor sculptures and frescos in addition to its impressive oriel windows and Munot fortifications. Be sure to enjoy a glass of local wine in the medieval Old Town. Schaffhausen became world-famous for the nearby Rheinfall or Rhine Falls, the largest waterfall in Europe that is said to be approx. 17,000 years old. You will have the opportunity to visit the falls on Day 3.Sample hotels:
Hotel Park Villa
Hotel Kronenhof
Day 3: Schaffhausen - Rhine Falls - Zurich, 43 mi. (70 km)
The first highlight of today's route is the Rheinfall waterfall, which you will approach by boat. Further along the romantic river valleys of the Rhine and Glatt Rivers, this tour will bring you to Zurich, the largest of all the Swiss cities. Its Bahnhofstrasse is one of the world’s most elegant shopping streets.Sample hotels:
Sorell Hotel Rex
Hotel Montana
Day 4: Zurich - Lachen, 28 mi. (45 km)
Today you can bike Zurich or you have sufficient time for a leisurely stroll through this great metropolitan city. Walk along the promenade, visit the beautiful old part of town and also one of its many museums or art galleries. Subsequently, you will bike following the banks of Lake Zurich which is locally known as the Gold Coast. You pass through to Rapperswil, a small town on the east side of Lake Zurich. It is frequently called Rosenstadt, the Town of Roses, and it won’t take you long to figure out why! Also of note are the 13th-century castle of Rapperswil, a wooden footbridge, and the Capuchin monastery from 1606, all mostly located within the medieval center.Sample hotels:
Hotel Bären
Hotel Marina
Day 5: Lachen - Walenstadt, 15 mi. (25 km) + boat trip
Cycling out of Lachen you will pedal along the man-made Linth Canal located between Lake Zurich and Lake Walenn, finally reaching Weesen. Here you will board a ferry which will take you to the other end of the Lake Walen to Walenstadt. The lake is 150 m deep and is towered by the Churfirsten Mountains, the highest peak being 1800 m high.Sample hotels:
Hotel-Restaurant Seehof
Hotel Churfirsten
Day 6: Walenstadt - Feldkirch, 31 mi. (50 km)
After a few kilometers of cycling, you will approach the valley of the Alpenrhein. From here, you will quickly reach the principality of Liechtenstein, where numerous, impressive castles decorate the valley. Moving on, you then reach the medieval Austrian town of Feldkirch.Sample hotels:
Hotel Gasthof Löwen
Gutwinski Hotel
Day 7: Feldkirch - Alstätten - Gais - St. Gallen, 28 mi. (45 km) + train ride
Today's route, following the banks of the Rhine and then a cog railway will bring you through Appenzell countryside to Gais. Alpen meadows and cows, like those found in children’s books, will accompany you on your way to St. Gallen which is home to one of the former, most important monasteries in the region. The library here is a UNESCO world heritage site.Sample hotels:
Hotel Metropol
Hotel Einstein
Day 8: St. Gallen - Arbon - Constance/Kreuzling, 28 mi. (45 km)
You will cycle downhill towards Lake Constance today, which you will reach at the town of Arbon. From here you will bike along the shoreline through Swiss villages and apple orchards on towards Constance.Sample hotel:
ABC HotelDay 9: Individual return home or extension of your trip.
After breakfast, your cycling tour through four countries comes to an end.Map
Hotels & Bikes
You will be accommodated in 3-star hotels during your tour. Twin rooms are generally not available but have double beds with two separate mattresses. In each day’s detailed itinerary you will find the name of the preferred hotel(s). We strongly advise that you research the hotels listed and are satisfied with the accommodations. If the preferred hotels listed are not available, you will be informed and can make a decision accordingly, to proceed with the booking or cancel your reservation. However, if the hotel(s) listed are available, the tour will be confirmed and subject to the terms and conditions of the booking.
Bicycles
Men & women’s city touring bike
City touring bike
- 27 gear unisex or men's frame custom made by Velo de Ville
- Men's bikes from a body height of 1.75 m
- Anti-puncture Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires
- Hub dynamo
- Luggage rack
- Comfortable saddle
- Weight approx. 17 kg
*Please note: Saddles and pedals on rental bikes can only be changed in Constance with prior notice at our partner's workshop. There are no guarantees that private/personal equipment will fit.
Accessories
- Pannier
- Handlebar bag
- Odometer
- Bike lock
- Repair kit (one per booking)
- Pump
Electric bike
For those who would like to have the support of a motor when they're out and about, these stable and reliable e-bikes are recommended. The electric support can be added as you need it to assist with longer stretches or hilly sections.
- Pedelec (pedal assist)
- Deep step-through frame or men's frame custom made by Velo de Ville
- Upright riding position
- Minimum body height: 150 cm
- Maximum body height: 200 cm
- Bosch drive, 400 or 500 Watt, 21 Ampere/hour.
- Integrated push assistance
- Assistance modes: Eco, Tour, Sport, Turbo
- Freewheel disc brakes/hydraulic rim brakes
- Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tires
- Weight: 25 kg
*Please note that the saddles and pedals are not interchangeable on electric bikes.
Accessories
- Pannier
- Handlebar bag
- Odometer
- Bike lock
- Repair kit (one per booking)
- Pump
Inclusions
What’s Included
- Hotel accommodations for 8 nights in 3-star hotels. (The majority of hotels have only double bed rooms.)
- Breakfasts
- 27 gear touring bicycle
- Bike protection
- Luggage transportation (max. weight 44 lbs / 20 kg)
- Route descriptions & maps (1 set per room)
- Entrance to the Rosgarten museum in Constance, incl. 1 coffee
- Boat trip to the Rhine Falls Rock
- Train from Altstätten - Gais incl. bicycle
- Boat transfer Weesen - Walenstadt incl. bicycle
- GPS tracks available on request
- Service hotline available from 8 am to 8 pm
What’s Not Included
- Individual arrival to Constance
- Remaining meals
- City tax, if applicable (to be paid at each hotel) approximately €2 per person per night
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates & Pricing
2022
Daily arrival from April 14 to October 16, 2022
Season A: April 24 - April 29 & October 9 - October 16, 2022
Season B: April 14 - April 23 & April 30 - May 14 & September 18 - October 8, 2022
Season C: May 15 - May 21 & May 29 - May 31 & June 19 - June 30 & August 21 - September 17, 2022
Season D: May 22 - May 28 & June 1 - June 18 & July 1 - August 20, 2022The season is dictated by arrival date.
Season A Season B Season C Season D Double* $ 1728 £ 975 $ 1,539 € 1108 ₪ 4091 NZ$ 1900 kr 12060 $ 1,196 $ 1884 £ 1063 $ 1,678 € 1208 ₪ 4460 NZ$ 2072 kr 13149 $ 1,304 $ 2040 £ 1151 $ 1,817 € 1308 ₪ 4829 NZ$ 2243 kr 14237 $ 1,412 $ 2118 £ 1195 $ 1,886 € 1358 ₪ 5014 NZ$ 2329 kr 14782 $ 1,466 Single supplement $ 419 £ 237 $ 374 € 269 ₪ 993 NZ$ 461 kr 2928 $ 290 *Very important: twin bed rooms are generally not available in every hotel. If your booking is contingent upon you having twin bed rooms in every hotel, please inform us accordingly. We will do our best to accommodate but cannot guarantee confirmation of this tour.
Extra Options
Electric Bike: $ 172 £ 97 $ 153 € 110 ₪ 406 NZ$ 189 kr 1197 $ 119
Fenced parking spot in Constance (must be reserved and paid for in advance): $ 61 £ 34 $ 54 € 39 ₪ 144 NZ$ 67 kr 425 $ 42
Child bike or trailer: $ 62 £ 35 $ 56 € 40 ₪ 148 NZ$ 69 kr 435 $ 43
Child seat: Free
Extra Nights
Zurich
Double: $ 154 £ 87 $ 138 € 99 ₪ 366 NZ$ 170 kr 1078 $ 107
Single room: $ 217 £ 122 $ 193 € 139 ₪ 513 NZ$ 238 kr 1513 $ 150
Constance/Feldkirch
Double: $ 101 £ 57 $ 90 € 65 ₪ 240 NZ$ 111 kr 708 $ 70
Single room: $ 148 £ 84 $ 132 € 95 ₪ 351 NZ$ 163 kr 1034 $ 103
Schaffhausen/Lachen/Walenstadt
Double: $ 133 £ 75 $ 118 € 85 ₪ 314 NZ$ 146 kr 925 $ 92
Single room: $ 179 £ 101 $ 160 € 115 ₪ 425 NZ$ 197 kr 1252 $ 124
Adding addtional nights will not change your tour start day. Official tour start day is always Day 1 on your itinerary.
Children discount on request.
Please Note
- Rates are 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
This is an easy self-guided hotel tour with variable daily distances from approximately 19 to 41 miles, mainly along bike paths and separate cycle routes. The route is mainly flat but you will encounter hills in Appenzeller Land.
Airport Info
Fly to Zurich Airport (ZRH), the largest international airport in Switzerland.
Local Travel
Zurich Airport has a railway station located directly under the terminal building and has excellent railway links. From Zurich airport to Constance (Konstanz) by train, is approximately one hour and depending on time of departure, is either a direct train or will require on transfer.
Climate
Please check local conditions before your arrival.
Important to know
Extra booking requirements during Covid
Applicable from November 8, 2021, until further notice, bookings will only be accepted from vaccinated or recovered guests. If you travel without a valid Covid certificate or proof of recovery from Covid, you do so at your own risk. Any trip interruption or cancellation due to insufficient documentation will be at the client's expense, regular cancellation fees apply.
Travel 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 are available in Constance. Please ask!
Tour Operator
This tour is run by Radweg-Reisen GmbH.
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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