Danube River Bike Tour Reviews
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★★★★★ Diane Griffin 5 months agoDisappointing - don't go during shoulder season
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
I've done four self-guided trips and this trip was my least favorite. The marketing material pitches "storybook villages" but most days are spent riding through corn fields. The hotels were outside of towns and hard to walk to restaurants. Because it was shoulder season, there were very few restaurants open.
First day's hotel was outside of town and front desk advised that we go to the mall for lunch. Fortunately we found a fun restuarant down on the river. The initial meeting with the bike company was disorganized and very brief. He barely talked about the tour, he didn't have tools to swap out pedals, there were too many of us attending the meeting and he said he didn't have time to answer questions - only 60 minutes alotted. We asked for spare tubes for the two road bikes but never got them. Skinny tires get flats!!
The "castle" we stayed in one night was not nice. It was clearly getting renovated - the rooms were nice but there were only five rooms. The property was overgrown and rundown, and with only five rooms it felt very creepy and unoccupied.
Breakfast at the castle - no protein - no eggs, no yogurt. We're on a bike tour and need energy! No fruit, no granola. Breakfast was just six slices of cucumbers, 10 cherry tomatoes, hard rolls, deli meat/cheese. Bar wasn't open for post-ride beer/wine.
Donauhotel Letternof - 11k from Enns, very remote, had to walk to a campground for food. Closest restaurant is cash only, need reservations. Front desk tried to make res but couldn't get through. The ONLY local taxi was working in Linz, not available for us. It was due to rain very hard. Hotel loaned us umbrellas and we went back to the campground for dinner.Day 3 - arrived at Cafe Braun (the meeting point) at 4:30 and called for shuttle (runs 3-6pm) told to go to a camping store(?) and get the bus as they don't have anyone to pick us up. One guy in our party was willing to make the 3k very steep climb to get us a ride. This hotel was nice but since it was past high season everything in this cute village was closed. Only one restaurant was open.
Last day - Vienna - hotel was so far from center city and far from anything interesting. Very long and confusing ride through busy city. Very limited restaurants. Shortest riding day and yet our bags didn't arrive until 5pm. -
★★★★★ Robert Taylor 6 months agoBest family trip ever
· Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
There were 13 of us in total from three generations ranging form 77 years to 6 years of age. Reception at trip start was great, accommodating swapping bike sizes for one of the children and a great send off. Some difficulty finding one of the accommodations. We were in several sub-groups and each of us got lost in Krems in our own way BUT no one was stressed because of the enjoyment we had from cycling such beautiful paths.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 203
- How many tours have you completed?
- Six
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ DANNY OPACIC 6 months agoTrip to remember
· Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
We traveled as a couple (82yrs oldest) and had an enjoyable time. It would have been more enjoyable if the bikes we hired were lighter. The navigation software was excellent. A couple of sections were difficult to negotiate due to strong headwinds, but the rest of the tour required only a moderate effort to complete. Accommodation and associated service were excellent throughout.
We were most impressed with the initial communication with biketours personnel.
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★★★★★ Cathy Patterson 6 months agoDanube Bike Path 8 nights (Upscale Lodging)
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
We had a fantastic bike ride along the Danube in September this year, taking the upscale lodging option. Very pleased with all our accommodation. The rooms were spacious and very comfortable. As we aren't regular bike riders we chose the E-bikes and had no problems at all. The weather was perfect the whole way - average 25 degree days.
Would recommend this ride as very scenic and lots to do on the way.
Would also recommend Google maps. -
★★★★★ William Wilson 6 months agoAdventure
· · Danube Bike and Boat: Passau-Budapest-Passau – MS SE-Manon
Overall, it was a great experience. Unfortunately, there was one large group of passengers that took over the lounge and dining room each night. Their behavior was loud and obnoxious. It would have been nice if someone if someone in authority could have spoken to them about the disruptions they created for others.
Our waiter, Emrah, was amazing. He was most attentive.
I was disappointed with the cost of the drink package. It was more expensive than I expected.
The entire crew worked very hard to ensure we all had a wonderful experience. -
★★★★★ Gina Kelley-Smith 7 months agoBike Snob pleasantly surprised at Bike Quality and Great Hotels
· Vienna to Budapest 5-nights (Active)
Overall a great trip. My husband, best friend & her mate rode the beautiful Danube winding through the small towns along the way. We did have a small glitch with our Estergrom Hotel given the Prime Minister Viktor Orban was booked. Our new hotel was another 15 miles away after the longest pedal day but BikeTours took care of it. I would recommend this outfit. Thank you!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- None but been on a couple dozen century, multi day bike rides
- 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, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ Alan Gardiner 7 months ago
Everything was perfect, from hotels to the route. It was a great trip.
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The tour was properly described by the tour company and everything was seamless.
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★★★★★ Renee Fogelberg 7 months ago
Great trip
· Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
It was a lovely combination of epic landscape and gorgeous towns to visit. Food was fabulous. Hotels were perfect.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 3023
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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, Germany
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★★★★★ Renee Fogelberg 7 months ago
Great trip
· Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
It was a lovely combination of epic landscape and gorgeous towns to visit. Food was fabulous. Hotels were perfect.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 3023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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, Germany
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★★★★★ Thayne Lyman 7 months agoWhat an awesome trip!
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
This was our first bike and barge tour and it didn't disappoint! We found that we prefer it to regular river cruising. The tour was very well organized, the bikes were always ready and in great condition. The balance of cycling vs site seeing was perfect for us. We loved it so much that we plan to return next year!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 24, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1 including this tour
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ Caroline Dewar 7 months ago
A perfect way to see and experience Germany and Austria.
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
We loved our cycling trip along the Danube; it was a memorable experience in so many ways. The bike paths were well marked and made the ride so enjoyable. The scenery was beautiful, and we loved each day and the cities and towns we had a chance to visit. The accommodation was fabulous - each hotel/inn was beautiful and unique and we were welcomed with incredible European hospitality. Our luggage transfer was seamless, without a glitch the entire trip and made the arrival (and departure) so easy for us on both ends. I would highly recommend this tour and the company itself - we hope to plan another trip in the future. Thank you Bike Tours.com - it was a trip that we will never forget.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September/October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our second self-guided bike tour
- 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, Germany
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★★★★★ Carolyn Clubine 7 months agoAll round awesome
· · Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
We found every detail thoughtfully handled. Gracious on board staff, excellent information for each day’s ride and great meals and accommodations.
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★★★★★ Cynthia John 7 months ago
Fascinating trip through beautiful countryside
· · Danube Bike and Boat: Passau-Budapest-Passau – MS SE-Manon
This was an amazing trip! From Passau to Bratislava, Budapest to Vienna and back to Passau. We had fantastic weather. The only challenging aspect was lack of clarity on the bike routes. The tour directors were challenged in explaining the routes; and the booklets were confusing because they did not shoe the entire routes.
The meals were great; our room service were very responsive, and the bar servers were great.
I do wish we had had more time at each of the ports.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 8, 2023
- 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, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ John Vasicek 7 months agogreat trip aided by perfect weather
· Danube Bike Path 5-nights (Active)
It was a great trip, very well organized. Did not get lost once in a 250 mile journey. I went in late fall and the weather was perfect each day. I was on the bike an average of 4 to 4.5 hours a day, but was able to break that up by stopping for lunch, a beer or site seeing. I am 59 YO but an active runner. I used an eBike which helped with the headwinds, but I was still pretty tired / sore by the end of the trip. I saw lots of other 'mature' couples that were doing a similar trip as well. Even though the route is labeled as moderate, you are still doing 50 miles a day. I think you need to be in at least average to above average shape to enjoy the trip.
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★★★★★ Michael Pettit 7 months ago
Danube Waltz
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
The bike and barge (SS Swiss Crown) provided the perfect way to experience the beautiful cities along the Danube. The Swiss Crown was very comfortable and the meals provided were delightful. The bar was managed expertly. Phyo behind the bar was always willing to provide valuable tips for our travel as well as keeping the cocktails flowing.
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★★★★★ Corina Santoro 7 months ago
AMAZING! Better than I even imagined it would be.
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
This was our first ever bike trip and we loved every minute of it. The boat was wonderful and the staff was truly outstanding. Each day was well organized with enough structure so we knew what to do but enough freedom to make the trip our own. The rides each day were unique from each other and each one beautiful. The rest days in Budpest and Vienna were magical. The food, service and attention to detail left nothing to be desired. What an amazing trip.
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★★★★★ James Potter 7 months ago
Danube bike and boat
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
It was a great trip! We biked through the most scenic countryside, passing vineyards, old castles, and small villages. Of course all of that with the beautiful Danube by our side.
The crew on the Swiss Crown was extremely friendly and very accommodating.
We enjoyed lots of great views from the boat. We especially enjoyed sitting on the upper deck of boat or on our cabin balcony in the evening.
The meals were great. Starting the morning with the breakfast buffet or a freshly made omelette. For dinner, you had your choice of entrees including regional dishes.
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★★★★★ Robert and Kathy England 7 months ago
Great trip for a group of five people with mixed biking abilities
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The sights on this trip were perfect and so enjoyable. Everyone felt that generally speaking the cycling was the right level and the scenery was everything we hoped for. There was a section of the bike path going into Linz that was on a narrow sidewalk next to a busy road that was not suitable for the less experienced members of our group. Also generally speaking our daily mileages as recorded by our GPS watches were several miles longer than the distances noted in the tour description on the website. On the whole, the hotels were charming and the service to move luggage was very effective. Luggage was often early and never past the promised time of 6 PM, although the last day cut it close! Trail directions were excellent, among the best we've had on several bike tours we have taken. Directions to specific hotels were mostly good, except for the directions to Landgasthof Winter in Ardagger Stift. Those directions were really terrible and caused us to get seriously lost. In addition, that hotel was very very charming, but not in a great location as it was a ways off the trail and up a steep hill. In the time before the trip BikeTours.com was slow in responding to questions and requests. Regardless of some of these points, on the whole we all absolutely loved this trip, would recommend it to others, and would look for one like it to do again.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 8, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7+ like this, 10+ do our own route, carry our own luggage in panniers
- 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, Germany
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BikeTours.com staff reply from jan October 2, 2023
Thanks for your business, the wonderful review, and updates to this tour! Also, apologies for the tardy reply pre-trip. September is by far the busiest month for everyone in our business so the entire team was buried with requests. Hope to see you again.
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★★★★★ Debra Miller 7 months ago
A Bit Disappointing
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Cycling along a paved path along the Danube was relaxing for our group of four. Day three was truly beautiful with cobblestone roads and colorful houses in the villages. Wish we had gone earlier in the year as many restaurants and shops were closed for the season.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
