Tauern Bike Trail

The Tauern Cycle Route

Start on a dream journey in a bicycle saddle.
On this 285 km long round trip you will discover the most scenic region of the Salzburg region on cycle paths and roads with little traffic. Quaint farming villages and towns, colorful flower meadows and wild nature, as well as the festival and Mozart city of Salzburg await. The multitude and authenticity of the sights and the fascinating phenomena of nature (such as the roaring Krimml waterfalls, the largest ice caves in the world, ...) are impressive and will make the holiday a very special pleasure which will be remembered for a long time. Enjoy a fantastic panorama and fascinating views of the imposing mountains on your daily stages. Let yourself be impressed by Watzmann, Großglockner and the Kitzbühel Alps.

1. day Salzburg arrival

Individual arrival in the festival, Mozart and cultural city of Salzburg. Winding alleys and squares invite you to take a stroll around. Charming, cozy cafes offer Austrian coffee specialties. You breathe in culture and history with every step. You can stroll through Getreidegasse, discover Mozart's birthplace or take the opportunity to go shopping. Outside the festival season, too, you can expect a diverse and sophisticated range of concerts, theater performances and exhibitions.

2. day Salzburg - Golling approx. 35 km

Your bike journey begins in Salzburg, where the Mozartkugel rolls. You roll slowly through the shady Salzach floodplains to Hallein, a Celtic town that used to be rich in salt mining. Hallein surprises with a romantic old town with small alleys, archways and houses with magnificent facades. The main attraction of the cute city is without a doubt the world-famous Celtic Museum. Past the Gollinger waterfall, the Tauern cycle path winds through beautiful meadows. If you are ready to cycle a few more kilometers today, we recommend a more than worthwhile loop (approx. 8 km) through the romantic Bluntau valley.

Finally you will reach the picturesque town of Golling with its pretty market square. Stretch your legs again in the evening, stroll through Golling or enjoy good cuisine in one of the many restaurants.

3. day Golling - St. Johann in Pongau approx. 35 km

The Lueg-Höhe Pass is the first on the program today, followed by the "Salzachöfen", an imposing gorge created by the Salzach, from which the loud roar of the water can be heard from afar. At the foot of the Hochkönig you reach the atmospheric village of Werfen. The world's largest ice cave invites you to take a tour through a fairytale world made of glittering ice (duration approx. 4 hours). Your path continues through the Salzach Valley. Already visible from afar, the Hohenwerfen Fortress sits enthroned high up here. You pass the district town of Bischofshofen, where the final of the four-hill tournament takes place every year, and enjoy the wonderful view of the striking Tennengebirge on the Salzachdamm. The towers of the Pongau Cathedral greet you in St. Johann. We recommend a visit to the wild and romantic Liechtenstein Gorge.

4. day St. Johann in Pongau - Kaprun approx. 55 km

You cycle through the Gastein Valley towards the first highlight of the day: the Kitzlochklamm near Taxenbach, an imposing natural spectacle. From afar the highest mountain in Austria, the Großglockner with the Großglockner High Alpine Road, beckons, but you stay well in the valley. If you have too much strength, we recommend going around Lake Zell (approx. 18 km). After all, only a few kilometers separate you from Bruck from the former mountain guide village of Kaprun. From here you have excellent bus connections to the high mountain reservoirs.

5. day Kaprun - Krimml - Kaprun approx. 60 km

After breakfast, take the local Pinzgau Railway to Krimml (included in the tour price). The famous Krimml Waterfalls, which tumble 400 meters down here, are a must. Your way through the Hohe Tauern National Park is characterized by the untamed nature of the high mountains and the colorful mountain farmland with meadows, forests and alpine pastures. Almost always downhill you pass the many sights of the small villages and hamlets of Oberpinzgau (the Kammerlandstall in Neukirchen, the Emerald sites in the Habach Valley, the local museum in Mittersill, Kaprun with its glacier ski area, ...). You roll back to Kaprun at a leisurely pace.

6. day Kaprun - Lofer approx. 55 km

If you count the mountains around Kaprun, you will come across at least 250 two and three thousand meter peaks. Start the day with a cable car ride to the Schmittenhöhe and enjoy the view of the mountains and Lake Zell, which lies picturesque on the lake side, from where the route continues through lush green alpine pastures and meadows to Saalfelden. Here, Ritzen Castle and the Ritzensee are worth a visit. A short but worthwhile detour takes you to Maria Alm, surrounded by the peaks of the Steinernes Meer. Shortly before Lofer, the Lamprechtshöhle, the deepest water-bearing cave in Austria, awaits you. Your  destination Lofer welcomes you atmospherically framed by the imposing mountain ranges of the Loferer and Reither Steinberge. At the end of the day, visit the center of Lofer with the Gothic parish church from the 15th century.

7. day Lofer - Salzburg approx. 50 km

You leave Lofer with its splendidly preserved town center and winding alleys and head towards Unken on quiet paths and through the wonderful meadow landscape of the Pinzgau Saalach Valley, in the midst of beautiful mountain forests, between the narrow passages of the Knie and Steinpasses. You cycle over the "Little German Corner" and thus the well-known health resort Bad Reichenhall (Germany), surrounded by the mighty mountain scenery of the Berchtesgaden and Chiemgau Alps, along the Saalach back to Salzburg In Salzburg you can also find a palace that an archbishop had built. There is still enough time to stroll through the alleys and streets.

8. day Salzburg Departure

Unfortunately, you have already reached the end of your bike tour through the imposing valley of the Hohe Tauern and along the Salzach and Saalach. But one thing is certain: you will start your journey home today full of new impressions and experiences.

Worth knowing about your Tauern Bike Trail

Below please find more information about your Tauern Bike Trail and surroundings. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us by phone: 0049 - (0)6421-886890.

Arrival by train

Salzburg is easily accessible from all major cities in Germany by train. We recommend to take a taxi from the station to get to our partner hotels in Salzburg. Current schedule information and price information can be found at:

Train schedule Deutsche Bahn

Train schedule OÖB

Parking at the hotel

You can park your car at the hotels in Salzburg for the duration of the trip.

Costs in the deluxe category € 14.00 per day, category A € 10.00 per day and category B € 8.00 per day. A reservation in category A and deluxe is required, this is not possible in category B. Parking costs are payable on site. You will receive detailed information on parking at the hotel booked for you with the detailed travel documents two weeks before the start of your journey.

Conditions of cycle paths

The Tauern Cycle Path is signposted continuously and in great detail. The route runs on quiet, paved bike paths and country roads, only partially on more heavily traveled routes. Some short parts also have to be mastered on unpaved bike paths. Overall, the quality of the paths can be described as very good. In some cases you have to reckon with slight inclines, so some basic fitness is recommended for this tour.

Available rental bikes

You can choose between a 7-speed unisex tour bike with hub shifting and a foot brake or a 27-speed woman’s and men's bicycles with chain shift and freewheel. The standard equipment includes a pannier, a handlebar bag with a map holder, a bicycle lock, an air pump, a spare hose and a small repair kit. Electric bicycles (without back-pedal) are bookable on request, as they are only available in limited numbers. You simply specify your wishes at time of booking.

Helmet duty in Austria

In Austria applies a helmet duty for children up to an age of 12 years.
Helmet obligation worldwide

Your accommodations

Category A (comfort): Overnight stays in selected hotels and inns at the national 3 * / 4 * level, rooms with shower / bath and toilet. Mostly centrally located.

Category B (standard): Overnight stays in hotels typical of the country as well as well-kept inns at the national 3 * level with friendly rooms with shower / bath and toilet. Some of the accommodations can be located a little outside the city/town center.

Deluxe: Overnight stays in hotels with a special flair and mostly wellness options, 4 **** superior.

Example hotels: Hotel & Villa Auersperg or Hotel Villa Carlton in Salzburg, Genießerhotel Döllerer in Golling, Hotel Brückenwirt St. Johann in Pongau, Alpen-Wellnesshotel Barbarahof in Kaprun, Juniorsuite at the Hotel-Gasthof Bad Hochmoos or Hotel Das Bräu in Lofer.

Extra costs which are not included in the price

A possibly applicable city tax is not part of the travel price and therefore has to be paid at the hotel locally.

7 day hotline service

Just in case the bike chain breaks, flooding makes it impossible to continue your tour or any other nasty surprise: You can reach us seven days a week and we will do anything to help you as fast as possible.

Passport and visa requirements

For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.

Travel insurance

The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Fortress Hohensalzburg Salzburg

The 900-year-old fortress Hohensalzburg, the landmark of the city, is Europe's largest and best preserved castle. The fortress built by Archbishop Gebhard during the investiture period in 1077 served to protect the clergy and the population.

Fortress Hohensalzburg

Keltenstadt Hallein

The dreamy alleyways, the romantic corners and the lovingly renovated houses make Hallein, the historic town center as a whole, a jewel of medieval architecture. A walk through the old town is a journey on the trail of the time when salt was still called "white gold". This was the basis for the development of the townscape, its inhabitants, as well as trade, crafts and trade for many centuries.

Keltenstadt Hallein

Ice world Werfen

The Eisriesenwelthöhle is a cave labyrinth of over 40 kilometers total length. The formation took place as in all caves over a very long period of time. The first crevices and clefts in the limestone rock originated already in the course of the mountain heights before approx. 100 million years ago and was enlarged and developed by chemical dissolution procedures and water erosion over a thousand years. The caves in the Alps are still undergoing a development process, although many cave systems - including large parts of the ice giant world - are not significantly further developed by dehydration.

Eisriesenwelt Werfen

Castle Hohenwerfen

For more than 900 years, the mighty castle of Hohenwerfen has been perched on its steep, 155-meter-high rocky cliff above the Salzach Valley. The powerful defense system was built at the same time as the fortress Hohensalzburg and is considered one of the best preserved buildings of the late Middle Ages. Over the centuries it was the site of attacks and sieges. Great rulers and landlords such as Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau were prisoners in the castle.

Burg Hohenwerfen

Kitzlochklamm

The name comes from the young goat folk, who in the summer liked to see the cooling gorge and the stollen. In the gorge, the Rauriser Ache has drilled through the limestone slate and carved in vertical walls. The tunnel you pass is called the Ritzstollen, because it was attacked by Bergknappen in 1553 for ore mining and gold mining.

Kitzlochklamm

Großglockner

With its altitude of 3,798 m, the Grossglockner is not only the highest mountain in Austria but also one of the highest peaks in the Eastern Alps. The pyramid-shaped Großglockner is preceded by the somewhat lower Kleinglockner (3,770 m), and the so-called Glocknerscharte lies between.

Großglockner

Krimmler waterfalls

The Krimmler waterfalls are the fifth highest waterfalls in the world with their impressive drop height of 380 m. With some 350,000 visitors per year they are one of the most visited sights in Austria. A hiking trail created by the Austrian Alpine Association (OeAV) leads directly to this breathtaking nature play and gives you unique insights. Experience the refreshing spray and the imposing power of the water amidst the fantastic scenery of the national park Hohe Tauern.

Krimmler waterfalls

National park Hohe Tauern

With 1,856 km² of area, the national park Hohe Tauern is by far the largest nature reserve in the entire Alpine area. The protected area stretches over vast Alpine landscapes such as glaciers, rock walls and lawns as well as over the centuries carefully and painstaking cultivated alpine landscapes. The national park Hohe Tauern was established in 1981 and is therefore Austria's first national park. During the following years, the protected area, in which the three provinces of Carinthia, Salzburg and Tyrol are involved, has developed into the largest protected natural area in the Alps.

Nationalpark Hohe Tauern

Zell am See

The idyllic mountain town of Zell lies in the midst of the Mittelpinzgauer valley, 758 meters above sea level. The valley landscape is drained by the Saalach and Salzach. The southern part of this valley is the Zeller Furche, the only beautiful valley of the Pinzgau Grass Mountains. In this valley lies the famous Lake Zell, four kilometers long and 1.3 kilometers wide.

Zell am See

Pinzgauer local railway

The Pinzgauer local railway has existed since 1898. It runs from Zell am See to Krimml and runs along the Salzach between Nationalpark Hohe Tauern and the Pinzgauer Grasbergen. The Pinzgauer local railway was opened on 2 January 1898. As early as 1889 there were first plans for the construction of a railway line from Zell am See to the Oberpinzgau. The preparatory work up to the concession division lasted however still until 1896. On 19. May 1896 Emperor Franz Josef I. signed the certificate for the construction and operation of a narrow-gauge local railway from Zell am See over Mittersill to Krimml.

Pinzgauer Lokalbahn

Castle Ritzen, Saalfelden

The Ritzen Castle, also known as the "Ritzenschloss", is located in the municipality of Saalfelden in the municipality of Saalfelden in the Pinzgau. The castle is situated on a gentle high ridge that accompanies the Saalachtal from Saalfelden to Maishofen and from the center of Saalfelden via the Grundruckrücke. The first mention of the "Grub near Saalfelden", today Schloss Ritzen, dates back to 1339. In 1603 the castle came to the free Haimeram of Ritz, which was subsequently named for the tower and the new castle, probably completed in 1593. The present castle of Ritzen, however, comprises only one side of the former Burgenlage. It was highly probable that this was the time of the pasture. Schloss Ritzen was acquired in 1968 by the then market town of Saalfelden, so it has been preserved and has since been home to the Ritzen Castle Museum, whose first custodian was the well-known creator Xandi Schläffer. The actual castle originated from a small Burganlage and around 1800 still four corner turrets. The remains of this building can still be seen today north of Schloss Ritzen.

Schloss Ritzen

Lustschloss Hellbrunn

The Hellbrunner Monatsschlösschen, which is actually called Waldems and which owes its popular name to its exceptionally short period of construction, was erected in 1615 by Archbishop Markus Sittikus in the past. Today it houses the Museum of Ethnography of the Salzburg Museum. In the storey, the Lustschloss, idyllically situated above the Hellbrunner Parkanlage, shows a cross-section through the Salzburg folklore with testimonies of customs and popular piety, residential culture, folk medicine and a number of the most beautiful costumes typical of the Salzburger Gaue.

Lustschloss Hellbrunn