Danube River  Bike Tour Reviews (page 10)

  • (5/5) Brianna Oehm November 8, 2022

    First solo trip & first bike trip!

    · Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    Absolutely would recommend this tour for anyone! I went in April which was a bit chilly, but had the trails to myself. I felt very supported by the staff if I needed, but was independent the whole time. Fairly flat and easy trail, but the mileage added up throughout the week. Hotels were easy to find and lovely to stay at!

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    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, Germany
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Carol McClennan November 8, 2022

    Very relaxing and scenic

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    We thoroughly enjoyed this trip toward the end of September, specifically Sept. 22 was the day we started cycling. It was just my husband and myself. We had no issues with our bikes, or with the maps and directions. Our hotels were excellent with the upgrades. It was relaxing in that we took in the sites, chatted with occasional folks along the way and ate well! And enjoyed extra time in Vienna..

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
  • Vienna to Budapest
    (3/5) Fred Inglis November 7, 2022

    The hotels were first class and the staff very helpful. The trip itself was away from the Danube for most of the mileage covered and there were too many rough parts along the trail , i.e. tractor tracks with gravel ruts that were uncomfortable to traverse and longer than comfortable sections of heavily used roads. We took a day of rest in Gyor and this was a very pleasant place to spend time touring on foot. Vienna and Budapest are wonderful cities to explore on foot and via trams also.

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    Biking is a wonderful way to explore a different country and there were pleasant surprises in a couple of restaurants we came across in small towns along the way.
    Unfortunately our maps were in German as they had run out of English versions, which made it more difficult to orient oursenves.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    9
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 2/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
  • (5/5) Carol McClennan November 7, 2022

    Very relaxing and scenic

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    We thoroughly enjoyed this trip toward the end of September, specifically Sept. 22 was the day we started cycling. It was just my husband and myself. We had no issues with our bikes, or with the maps and directions. Our hotels were excellent with the upgrades. It was relaxing in that we took in the sites, chatted with occasional folks along the way and ate well! And enjoyed extra time in Vienna..

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
  • Danube Bike Path
    (5/5) MF November 7, 2022

    Made for an unforgettable honeymoon!

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    This was a great tour through Austria and the upscale markup was definitely worth it. The trip went exceptionally smoothly and we had a great time! Great food and scenery that changed every day of the trip, comfortable accommodations, and no worries. Having the luggage forwarded each day made for an easy trip.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Salzburg to Vienna
    (5/5) Hilary Powell November 7, 2022

    Amazing

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    This trip was amazing! I had so much fun and it was very well organized. Any problems we ran into we were able to get answered quickly through email or a phone call. Someone was always available. I had never been to Austria and in one trip I saw a little bit of everything the country had to offer.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria
  • (5/5) David Weaver November 7, 2022

    Tour de Danue Excellent!!

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    What a great way to travel. The route was clear, weather was warm, the hotels were very good!! Not too fancy, but all well setup. The luggage was always there. Could not ask for anything else. Not too many other biker from this company on the tour. Oh well, nice not to be crowded.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    High
    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, Hungary
    •  (photo by David Weaver)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Danube Cycle Path
    (3/5) Ricardo Hein November 7, 2022

    Nice biking vacation

    · Danube Cycle Path Passau – Budapest

    The Danube is beautiful and the Austrian portion is beautiful. After Vienna it turns flat and less developed. The opportunity to share with people is limited by the places to stay, I didn't like to stay away from the towns in isolated guest houses, when guest homes were available in small towns.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
    • 2/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 2/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
  • Vienna to Budapest
    (3/5) Carol Dienhart October 5, 2022

    Vienna to Budapest sister trip

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    Tour route was very well laid out, enjoyed overnight cities and accommodations. Disappointed in materials, one important guide not available in English. Made it difficult to chart routes and alternative routes and to plan for landmarks/scenery to watch for along the way.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept-Oct 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    10
    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?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Billy Jackson October 4, 2022

    Classic Vienna to Budapest

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    Trip was wonderful. The scenery got better as the trip went on. Hotels were wonderful and picked for easy in and out of cities. We used their GPS with Kamoot app and their paper turn by turn, we rarely got lost but some the terms were confusing such as; follow the dam, or follow the detour or right at the Y,. They have different meanings based on where you are from. Kirsten was great from Bike Tours and answered all our questions. Talking about a trip to Dolomites next year. Also the pretrip bike meeting was very beneficial. No fault of anyone, but got rained on for 15 minutes on the whole trip, mostly overcast, but great weather otherwise, was good for biking.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
  • (4/5) Donna Reyes October 2, 2022

    Overall great trip

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    Bikes were phenomenal, hotels were great. Only complaint was all our paperwork was in German. So then we got online English versions which could not be printed to put in the map holder. AND the new printed materials did not match the route maps. It was very confusing!

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
  • (3/5) Scott Katzer September 29, 2022

    Enjoyed the trip but some things can be improved

    · Cycling the Altmühl Valley - Round trip from Regensburg

    The sites and surroundings were great and we lucked out with the weather as it rained almost every other day. Although we completed the tour with no issues, it was a bit complicated at times. The information between Bike Tours and the tour company Ragwed wasnt always fluid and simple questions seemed to take a bit of time to answer which is a problem when trying to book flights. The information given with the tour company package was a bit limited. Although maps were included, they are not provided with any sort of turn by turn direction. This isnt a big deal for most days as the trail is obvious but entering a city has its own challenges. It is recommended for anyone going on this tour to have GPS on their phone which we had to use (and incur roaming charges) several times. The signage in some locations simply dont exist and some roads were even closed during our tour due to construction. It would be wise for this tour company to occasionally ride their own route and note any changes.
    The hotels were nice for the most part and breakfasts were good. The only one that I felt could be improved was the Regensburg location (IBIS Hotel). While it was nice and fine for the stay, its location is a decent distance from the Old Town (30 minute walk minimum) when there are tons of other places right in the Old Town area to stay. The other locations had hotels right in the middle of the main area (The one in Belingres was real nice). Mileage was fine and a majority was on bike paths/trails. My only request would have been providing the option to use a GPS on this tour as many of the paths either were not labeled or so close to the country roads that its hard to tell them apart. The bikes could be improved a bit as they are a bit bulky and heavy and really could do without the bright red advertising all over it. I will give kudos to the luggage people as we never had to wait for our luggage to arrive and they were usually there by 3pm at the latest.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    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?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Germany
    • 2/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection
  • Danube Bike Path
    (5/5) Michael Mccutcheon September 24, 2022

    Wonderful bike trip

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    Glad we added days in melk and durnstein. It helped us enjoy the towns more. We also stayed a few days in Passau, before our bike trip which we really enjoyed. Did not like Goldenes Kreuz in Grein. Hotel would not let us check in even though we were wet. Favorite hotels were Schloss Durnstein and Gierlinger in Schlogen, Zur Post in Melk.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Cathy September 23, 2022

    I've wanted to do this for years!

    · Danube Bike Path 5-nights (Active)

    Way back in 2005 I took a river boat cruise down the Danube and saw people cycling along the bank. Finally, after retiring and after covid, my dream ride happened. We weren't sure about the distance from Passau to Vienna, so we chose to take the ferry from Passau to Linz and start from there. We rode ebikes. This was a difficult choice for us because we ride quite a bit weekly in the States, but we were glad to have the ebikes. The bikes are a little heavy so riding on the econo mode gave us the feel of a regular weight bike. That detail aside, the ride, the hotels, the meals, and of course the people, were all fantastic. We planned to dress in layers and that served us well; mornings would start cool and afternoons could warm to the low 70's in early September. The scenery was amazing. Each hotel was lovely and if not directly on the trail, quite easy to find in the town/city. Because we rode through small towns, we saw a part of Austria that you cannot see from a boat or bus tour. The route was mostly well marked and when we did get off the beaten path, there was always someone who could point us in the right direction even if we don't speak the native language. We ate in our hotels, in small pubs, and a grocery store on Marback where we had a freshly made sandwich eaten on the deck at the edge of the river. It was all delicious. The beautifully refurbished family home in Mitterkirchen was lovely as was Stephanie, the owner, who greeted us. We sampled local wines as we traveled through the towns and Wachau Valley and had a fabulous dinner at the Hotel Schloss in Durnstein, while overlooking the Danube. We met people young and older from vairous parts of Germany, the UK, Canada, and local Austrians. I was a little worried about getting to the hotel in Vienna as we had to go down a main road and around a rotary, but Austria is such a bike friendly country that designated bike routes took us from the bridge to our hotel. An added bonus, when we did have to leave, the hotel was about 300 yards from the train station that took us directly to the airport. We won't wait years for the next bike trip, we're already looking at Vienna to Budapest!

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 10, 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    First 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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Vienna to Budapest
    (3/5) Mike Corney September 21, 2022

    Vienna - Budapest

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    I rate the tour over 6 attributes: Terrain, Scenery, Bikes & Equipment, Hotels, Directions / Maps and Cycling Infrastructure over the toute.
    Terrain - was as advertised - mostly flat
    Scenery - was disappointing. I expected to be cycling along the Danube. For large parts of the route the Danube was nowhere in sight.
    Hotels - Hotels and the food that they provided were very good.
    Directions / Maps - These left something to be desired. The directions were in English, but the maps were in German. It was often difficult to match up the written directions with the maps. Finding our way into and out of towns and locations of hotels was particularly difficult.
    Cycling Infrastructure - This was often poor. The designated route often had us on busy roads. We had to traverse unpaved portions of the route that were often little more than tractor ruts in a field. Paved paths were often in poor condition with many uneven patches and bumps. Very poor.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    8
    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?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Sunil Savara September 14, 2022

    Time of my life with my family!

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    Everything was great, except for the documentation and organisation around that. Three changes you should make, and I will share this with Carla and Thomas as well:
    1. Please provide an English map and booklet. In fact, when booking the tour, you can ask preferences for languages, and ensure that its followed through by the appropriate documentation.
    2. When booking the tour, check if this is a first tour and/or use of the e-bikes, and if it is, offer the option of someone spending an hour to rope the persons in... there can be a small charge for it..
    3. Share information on online maps, aside of Google Maps. I downloaded on the 3rd day an application that was very helpful, and which made it easier for me to figure things out.

    What was the date of your tour?
    1-7 Sep 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Terry Connolly September 12, 2022

    Very Smooth Arrangements

    · Vienna to Budapest 5-nights (Active)

    This worked pretty seamlessly. Bike rentals were in excellent shape, well equipped for storage and travel. Paper maps they gave us were good, but seems like should advise traveler to download Komoot or similar for detail of route map and GPS. All hotels were very nice. Bags got there ahead of us every day. Gyor to Esztergom is a long ride, on busy roads and non-paved surfaces. But overall a positive using BikeTours.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary, Slovakia