Danube River  Bike Tour Reviews (page 5)

  • Danube Bike Path
    (4/5) Pattio October 22, 2019

    Danube recycle

    · Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    A delightful way to see the Danube. Many exceptional views of castles and cathedrals along the way.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 4-11
    How many tours have you completed?
    Four
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    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, Germany
    • Even a few showers didn’t slow us down! (photo by Pattio)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Vienna to Budapest
    (3/5) Karen5 October 21, 2019

    Hungary countryside

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    Fortunately I always have fun. If the group had not taken lunch from breakfast buffet we would have been without food until lunch. Route directions could have bern clearer.

    What was the date of your tour?
    9/30 - 10/5
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe October 22, 2019

      Hi, Karen. Thanks for your review. We're glad to hear you're a person who always has fun! Thanks for letting us know about the need to be cognizant of lunch stops and/or availability of options and the directions. We will pass your feedback onto the tour operator so they can improve these aspects of the tour. Thank you again for this feedback.

    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection
  • Salzburg to Vienna
    (4/5) Geezer Biker October 20, 2019

    A good trip with its ups and downs

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    This self-guided ride from Salzburg to Vienna had a lot of really great moments and some that left me wishing for better. A few of the hotels are barely 3 star and some are solid 3 Star+. Mostly quiet and mostly friendly staffs, mostly spoke good to excellent english which really helped us. The hotel next to the castle in Grein was a high point: Super rooms and excellent dining. Every breakfast was quite good and lots of it.
    The two free bottles of wine from the lovely shop in the little town across the river from our hotel in Mitterarnsdorf were delicious. It took us 20 minutes to find the shop, but a couple of locals were kind enough to point us the right way.
    Consider taking your own bike or renting from a Salzburg shop (if you are returning to Salzburg). We've been on 5 bike and barge/boat, etc. tours in Europe and these bikes were the heaviest and poorest quality, making the long-ride days grueling, but doable.
    Our luggage showed up on time every day. No fuss no worry there.
    The maps they provided were marginal at best A couple of times we'd have been quite lost without my wife's adroit use of Google maps on her iPhone. Don't go without Google maps or some other app to clarify the routes. The tour company management should be required to ride the trip based on their own directions and see how they do.
    BUT---the countryside and the villages were beautiful and friendly. Much of the ride was on bike trails and back-back roads with no traffic. There were several places where we were direct to ride on somewhat busier roads, but the Austrian drivers were nearly always patient and courteous to us. The final few kilometers from the train station to the hotel in Vienna were partly on busy city streets, which I found quite imtimidating after a long hard riding day.
    Bottom line: Do the ride. It's a very good experience. But quiz the tour company about a bike upgrade and definitely take your own backup route finding app (which is probably a necessity regardless of the tour map accuracy).
    Happy cycling!

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 1/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Vienna to Budapest
    (3/5) Bike and ski October 17, 2019

    Trip review

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    The ride was somewhat boring, lots of farm lands. Not as scenic as I had hoped for

    What was the date of your tour?
    Oct 1
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe October 18, 2019

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts. We're sorry to hear that this tour was not as scenic as you had hoped for. There is a good bit of country and farmland cycling as you have mentioned. We find that many clients enjoy the contrast of the destination cities and the more relaxing and rustic cycling. Thanks again for sharing your feedback!

    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 2/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 1/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Spain October 12, 2019

    An Adventure

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    We selected a self guided tour which we have done several times in the past. Unfortunately the gps link did not work for us so we used the cue sheets and map. We got lost several times which was an adventure but difficult on the larger mileage days and in bad weather. There were many more miles on roads than we expected. Often the traffic was heavy and fast and the cycle paths in poor condition.We managed as we are experienced riders but it was not what we expected. We were glad to have the suspension of hybrid bikes. However when by the river on a good cycle path the ride was beautiful. We enjoyed the ferry rides. We were 15 riders and all liked the accommodations!

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 1, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    10
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe October 13, 2019

      Thanks very much for your review. If you have been on several tours, this one may feel more rustic than others (less developed paths, more adventurous - as you have noted). We're sorry to hear that the GPS link did not work for you. We know that can be frustrating. However, we appreciate that you were able to use the maps and cue sheets. We'll be on the lookout for further reviews denoting frequent heavy traffic. We've not heard that this was occurring outside when in Budapest and upon entering/leaving cities. We're glad to hear there were some enjoyable aspects and everyone liked the accommodations. Thanks again for your feedback on this tour.

    • 3/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) BobW October 12, 2019

    Great Tour

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    Yes highly recommend this. Mostly off road on good or at least reasonable paths. Bikes were heavy but sturdy and quite fun to ride. The geometry of the bikes means that you can get a good view of the countryside as you pedal through it. The standard of the hotels was good and we had no language problems. The guides and maps were pretty good but we also used a supplementary map we purchased. It is usually a bit tricky getting out of towns back on to the trail. My favourite place was Gyor which was unexpectedly really nice - great central old town. We added on days at either end so we got to see Vienna and Budapest properly - worth doing. We only had one significant problem which was the bikes were incorrectly sized - not sure whether our fault or theirs - but this was swiftly rectified on Day Two.

    What was the date of your tour?
    21st Sept 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    first of this type
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Danube Bike Path
    (5/5) Rodhonaker October 11, 2019

    Very good bike tour

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    Very relaxed enjoyable ride down the Danube. Lots of places to stop for local food and drink. Flat trail all the way from Vienna to Passau and an opportunity to take bikes on ferry boats to shorten the daily travel. Bike tours provided an excellent biking experience and we will likely book another tour.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Aug31, 2019 to Sept 12
    How many tours have you completed?
    6
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • Leaving Passau (photo by Rodhonaker)
    • Almost to Schlogan (photo by Rodhonaker)
    • Late dinner at large Linz biergarten (photo by Rodhonaker)
    • Small village Sunday market (photo by Rodhonaker)
    • Famous Cafe Central vienna (photo by Rodhonaker)
    • Sachet Torte at Sacher hotel, vienna (photo by Rodhonaker)
    • 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
  • Danube Bike Path
    (5/5) Cyllene October 9, 2019

    Fabulous trip!

    · Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    We thoroughly enjoyed our experience. There were a couple of directional issues, but we got to our destination each day & enjoyed every mile we pedaled.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 19-26, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • Wine country (photo by Cyllene)
    • The Glockenspiel @ the Marienplatz, Munich, Germany (photo by Cyllene)
    • Reliable Ferry Systems! (photo by Cyllene)
    • Fantastic hotels-Donauhotel Lettnerhof (photo by Cyllene)
    • Magnificent history-cathedrals, castles, museums oh, MY! (photo by Cyllene)
    • Very romantic (hard to take a selfie when you're kissing) (photo by Cyllene)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 3/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Danube Bike Path
    (4/5) jpatrick October 9, 2019

    Danube upscale bike path trip report

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    Our group of five guys in their 50's and 60's had a great experience biking down the Danube. We booked separate rooms with the upscale lodging option. All hotels except one were very good to excellent. The route was well identified with maps provided at the briefing, the bicycles were great (21 speed, upright style) and the scenery was superb. All details with Bike Tours were without incident. Daily rides were generally in the 40
    miles/day range which was not an issue for our group. The terrain is flat to down hill. although we did have a significant headwind the last couple of days. I would rebook with Bike Tours without hesitation.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Danube Bike Path
    (4/5) cruzinrx October 4, 2019

    Take your time and savor every moment of this scenic ride

    · Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    I visited the Wachau wine valley on a day tour last year and just had to come back to see more of this trail and I was not disappointed. Such spectacular scenery with mostly dedicated bike trails and even the special bike ferries! As a solo female traveler, I felt very safe the whole time.Very clean, no graffiti, no weirdos living in the bushes. Although the mileage for this bike tour was considered "average", I really would not have minded even shorter riding days. So many places to stop and see along the way...beautiful churches, architecture, cute towns (Melk, just wow!), abbeys, monasteries, museums, coffee and beer breaks. On the longer riding days (60+km), I had to be careful not to spend too much time in one place so I could make it to my hotel before daylight ran out. Signage for the route was clearly posted however it is easy to get distracted by the scenic views. It is advisable to study the map ahead of time and watch for the bridge if you want to cross the river to see a particular monument. Be aware of adding the extra dinner package. You have to select from a special limited menu and it's the same 3 choices no matter what city/hotel you are in. If I were to choose from the regular menu, I would have picked other foods and it would have been significantly cheaper. Overall, I would do this ride again. My advise for future travelers, is to take your time and savor every moment of this beautiful ride.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 18
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • View from Passau Fortress (photo by cruzinrx)
    • Engelharszell Monastery (photo by cruzinrx)
    • Engelhartszell church (photo by cruzinrx)
    • Melk Abbey (photo by cruzinrx)
    • View from Melk Abbey (photo by cruzinrx)
    • Church by the river (Pyrawang) (photo by cruzinrx)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Vienna to Budapest
    (4/5) Middle Europe October 2, 2019

    Mighty Danube

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    We enjoyed the experience of cycling from Vienna to Budapest through 3 different countries. The people were lovely as was the ever changing scenery along the mighty Danube. All the hotels chosen were excellent. We appreciated that our luggage was always there when we arrived usually in the late afternoon. Distances were very manageable. Loading the electric bikes on the trains in Slovakia and Hungary was a challenging feat. Locating our hotel in beautiful Budapest was somewhat difficult due very busy traffic and not much cycling infrastructure. The reward of a lovely hotel with thoughtful staff soon eliminated any angst we may have had. Overall this is a trip I would happily endorse.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    over 20
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Danube Bike Path
    (4/5) oktobeerfest September 30, 2019

    Wonderful way to truly experience Austria

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    The maps and suggestions of places to see along the way were very informative. So many beautiful hamlets to visit. There just wasn't enough time to see everything! The route suggestions were very helpful and the upscale lodging was mostly superb. Breakfast accommodations exceeded our expectations! We would highly recommend this trip to anyone, even non-bikers.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 14 - 21, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    0
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Danube Bike Path
    (4/5) pennworld September 29, 2019

    NICE

    · Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    Nice trip. Only drizzled one day. September is the time to go. Not many people on the path. Could have used shorter segments as there was not enough time to see most things off the path. Hotels were very nice with excellent breakfasts.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 5-13
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • 2/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
  • (4/5) Calgary Couple September 28, 2019

    Great bike trip!

    · Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    The bike path along the Danube is excellent. It's near impossible to get lost as the "R1" or "R6" are clearly marked the entire way. I have to agree that this is a "mostly flat" route but when leaving the river and heading through villages, it can be a bit hilly (and we are regular, avid cyclists). We did struggle twice trying to find our hotel (and came across others experiencing the same problem) and needed to use our phones and google maps to find them. Perhaps the tour company could consider more detailed instructions than "turn right at the statue". We never did see that statue!! But that's part of the adventure too! We found two of the hotels a bit far out from the main city area (Aschach and Krems). We prefer finding little cafes or family owned establishments when on this type of trip and do not like eating in the hotel restaurants. In Aschach, there was no meal available at the hotel and after cycling in the POURING rain for 4 hours, we had to either get back on the bike or walk 2 km back to the village to find dinner. The hotels themselves, however, were great. Luggage transfer was excellent. The bikes were good and we never had any problems with them.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 8
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Salzburg to Vienna
    (4/5) Middle Europe September 27, 2019

    one of the best

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 6
    How many tours have you completed?
    6
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Danube Bike Path
    (4/5) Jackie1234 September 23, 2019

    Danube trip

    · Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    Very scenic, well thought out tour of what has been described as the most popular cycle route in Europe. I picked this tour among other choices because the last day was short, allowing extra time in Vienna and the cations overnights stays.

    The (upgraded) hotels were fantastic, breakfasts wonderful. The accompanying maps & books were complete, though directions to popular city attractions would have been helpful (Goggle Maps with cycle directions will be your friend if you want to make side trips) Bikes were in excellent condition, though i found the seat initially uncomfortable (and I ride 40+ miles/week).

    I would recommend this tour to those friends wanting to cycle along the Danube, noting that European fitness levels are higher than than American and there are opportunities for elevation for those whose who want it by taking side trips to hotels or other sites/detours.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    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, Germany
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Tauern Bike Path
    (5/5) DotK September 17, 2019

    Wonderful views and terrific overnight stops

    · Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)

    This is the second self-guided tour that we've cycled with Bike Tours. So glad we chose it. the preparation and advice were so valuable. It's great to be able to focus on the fun of cycling while the arrangements for hotels and luggage are taken care of.
    We stayed over in Salzburg on our way to Krimml to break up the train journey from Munich and that worked out really well, giving us a chance to see the highlights of Salzburg before taking the 3 hour train to Krimml the next day. The BikeLine map book that accompanied the tour was very easy to follow and the Tauern route very well marked, staying in the river valley though with a few hills to challenge us (we did walk up a few). The bicycles were very comfortable. We did notice that e-bikes have become very popular with both urban and touring cyclists along the route.
    The views of the Alpine foothills were amazing as we cycled along the valley from Krimml. Our ride into Zell am See was charming, and the hotel very welcoming and helpful. We had a wonderful time walking around the pedestrian district along the lake. Each day's ride gave us ample time to explore interesting towns along the path and still arrive at our destination mid to late afternoon.
    Once we left Salzburg the river became broader and the route included more forests, hills, and farmland. Luckily when we arrived in Burghausen, we stopped and ate a late lunch at a cafe on the main street before tackling the steep hill to the hotel. The advantage was that the hotel was just outside the castle complex that overlooks the town. What a wonderful walk through the five castle courtyards in the late afternoon sun. Descriptions of the castle's history were positioned along the walk. Then it was on to Bad Fussing, with an indoor-outdoor thermal pools at our hotel. The spa town and the hotel were picturesque. We enjoyed cycling through the open countryside of Bad Fussing so decided to take a different route through farm villages instead of following the river to Scharding and on to Passau. I would recommend taking an extra day in Passau as well to visit the attractions of the city. We were pleased to have the time there before traveling back to Munich.
    We had a wonderful time!

    What was the date of your tour?
    8/18/2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • Zell am See (photo by DotK)
    • A house in Lofer near our hotel (photo by DotK)
    • A Burghausen Castle courtyard (photo by DotK)
    • View of Passau from Veste Oberhaus (photo by DotK)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 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