Danube River Bike Tour Reviews (page 6)
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★★★★★ Jenny Hager August 17, 2023Great trip for young teens and adults!
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Our group of six, ranging in age from 13 to mid-thirties to mid-sixties, had a great time doing the Danube Classic in August 2023.
Throughout the planning process, BikeTours staff was helpful, courteous, and prompt - even when I kept making changes to our hotel and bike requirements.
Although the local tour operator - Radius Tours or Radreisefreunde - failed to show up for our scheduled bike fitting on the day before we starting riding, they provided good bikes and fabulous support van service. I would use them again.
We ordered support van service for the week. Our driver, Ernst, transported our luggage each day, followed us along the route as closely as he could, and provided suggestions on routes and places to stop. When the weather turned rainy or when we encountered the very rare hill that was too much of a challenge for a couple of us, he was there to give us a lift and put our bikes on the trailer. He arrived on time every morning no matter if we planned to start early or late and made sure we made it to our destination at the end of each day. His English was limited so it helped that one member of our group spoke some German. But we think we would have been able to communicate well-enough even if none of us spoke German. He was kind, cheerful, and courteous.
Riding along the Danube is easy - except on the very rare occasion when you have to get up a hill to reach a couple of the hotels. We ordered e-bikes for my thirteen year old nephew and for the adults who didn’t have a chance to get in shape before the trip, but two of us had traditional bikes. Those on e-bikes had no trouble reaching those hotels, but those of us with traditional bikes had to get off and walk - or be rescued by our driver.
Riding along the Danube is also very safe and lovely. Most of the time, you ride on a paved dedicated bike paths and quiet roads through towns and countryside. Sometimes the dedicated bike path runs next to busy roads but we felt safe. Sometimes you have to navigate through light traffic. The route is very well marked with signs. There are bridges and cute bike ferries that enable you to cross from one side of the river to another.
We chose the upgraded (Category A) hotels. They were all quite different, but all were clean and comfortable. All of them served breakfast. Some do not serve dinner, and it is important to know that before you finish riding for the day so that you can make arrangements - especially if your hotel is slightly out of town or up a hill. Based on other reviews, we did not choose the included dinner option at those hotels that offered it, so we were able to order from the menus.
We ordered twin beds for everyone on our trip. In Austria that seems to mean that you get a king-size mattress but two twin-size duvets. This arrangement worked fine for our group but might feel awkward if you’re not expecting it or if you are rooming with someone you don’t know well. SHOW MORE
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★★★★★ Max Peterson 5 months ago
Great, Balanced Bike Trip in the Spring Season
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
My wife and I had a great time on this bike trip, our first of this kind. The first 2 days took some adjusting - we ran into some unexpected detours the first day due to some unreliable info (seemed to be incorrect info from the trail authority/agency, not the tour company at fault), but it was easy enough to sort out on the fly. The 2nd day was full of rain and difficult biking conditions, but we knew the chance we were taking when we chose mid-April for our trip. Almost everything's else on our trip was great after that! The sites, towns, and views along the way were enjoyable and often beautiful. Some of our stops were suggested in our itinerary, and others we found on our own. The suggestions overall were good, but alternative options were always easy to find as well. The hotels were all nice and seemed well-placed along our route, for the most part. The Steigenberger Hotel & Spa in Krems was the one outlier for us on that front - to get there, we had to go up a road with fairly high traffic on a very steep hill that didn't have a bike lane, which we did not find mentioned in our documents. It was a small issue that probably would not matter much with an e-bike, but for an itinerary rated as 1-Easy, we feel it should have at least been noted in our documents. This hotel also seemed the least-oriented toward bicycle traffic/guests, but again these are small things we hope might help people taking this tour in the future, not major problems or complaints. All of the hotels had good bike storage, breakfasts, and friendly, helpful service. The rooms varied in size and quality of view from place to place, but all were clean, well maintained, and never lacked anything you'd expect in a hotel room. We didn't have dinner at every hotel (and not all had their own restaurant), but we did at Faustschlössl Hotel in Aschach and Hotel Rose in Maria Taferl, both of which were excellent. The bikes, bags, and other equipment all worked well, and pickup/dropoff was fairly easy at the first and last hotels. Overall, this was a great experience and everything from the tour company met our expectations. We would definitely recommend this trip to others, and look forward to doing more like it in the future!
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★★★★★ R.M 5 months ago
Beautiful Bike Trip Along the Danube
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Lovely landscapes, with nice smooth mostly separate pathways. Plenty of signage for guidance.
Many small bakeries to pick up snacks.
Plenty of riverside places to have lunch and a beverage.
Good hotels nearby to restaurants.
Many small ferries or dam crossings to get across the Danue.
We also used Google maps to help us navigate within the various towns.
The bikes were almost brand new, and comfortable to ride.
We added an extra day in Krems to break up the trip. The Hotel & Spa was a treat.
We had a wonderful trip!
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★★★★★ Nils Bohlin 4 months ago
Trip with great scenery
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
All worked out according to expectations. The bikes worked fine, the map useful and the daytrips well balanced.
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★★★★★ GORD MAXWELL 4 months ago
Adult Family Trip of the Decade
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Did this trip with spouse and 3 adult children (+ significant other). Hotels were fantastic (call out on breakfasts), scenery awesome and great family bonding
Especially highly recommend Gästehaus Schloss Aschach (an old converted palace) and Hotel Schachner (worth the hill).
We had a few minor challanges but they were quickly sorted out by Biketours.com
- What was the date of your tour?
- May/June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Gayle Owens 3 months ago
Exceeded my expectations
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
The natural scenery was beautiful. Our hotels were charming, and they outdid themselves with breakfasts consisting of fresh loaves of bread, fresh fruits galore,fresh yogurt and nuts, meats and eggs.
At first I was skeptical of the road bike because it was heavy, but sturdy turned out to be a good thing, and it was comfortable to ride all the way.- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- 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
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★★★★★ Wei-Wei Huang 3 months ago
Great experience.
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
It was our first biking tour as a family. The bikes were in great condition. We had one loose handle bar that we were able to tighten. We never needed to pump for the whole trip. The views were fantastic and we had a lot of fun as a family, especially with two teenage boys. We loved the small towns along the way. Most hotels were great with wonderful views (we prefer local hotels). We will do more in the future. Thank you.
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★★★★★ Mary Giblin 2 months ago
Excellent Trip
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
I would definitely recommend Biketours.com. We had a fantastic trip from Passau to Vienna. Nothing to fault in any of the hotels en route. The Rose Hotel in Maria Taferl and the hotel in Schlogen were particularly fantastic. Quick checkin always and luggage always ahead of us. I got a puncture on day one and my bike was replaced immediately. The app and directions were first class and so easy to follow. We hired E-bikes and they had a great range - never in danger of running out of battery. I would not hesitate to use this company again.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2024
- 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
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★★★★★ Steve McCann 4 weeks ago
Danube river ride
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Very pleased with everything Ride was great paths were good. Weather was great although hot. Just wondering if I receive credit for my standard bike deposit because I upgraded to a while. Thanks Steve
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★★★★★ john thell 3 weeks ago
Wonderful Danube
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
We loved the trip along the Danube. Great scenery, great accommodations, wonderful food. Unfortunately we had several days of rain but we found some cafes and Gasthof’s along the way
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★★★★★ Don Ference 3 days ago
Fantastic experience! Loved it!
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Great way to see Austria, the scenery was spectacular. The local partner was very well organized and accommodating, they went above and beyond expectations. We were really impressed with the hotels selected and the food was delicious!
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★★★★★ bobt July 13, 2016easy rider
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
took a chance with the weather, did get wet. but had path to ourselves .
- What was the date of your tour?
- april30-may6,2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- three
- 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
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★★★★★ tyrrell2016 September 20, 2016
best trip ever!!
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
-flat great condition bike dedicated pavement path -90 percent of the time
-the places you are on the road, the roads are not too busy and there are so many cyclist and there are signs for drivers to be aware of cyclists
-we got the electric bikes...they were a lot of fun!
-trails marked well
-bike and equipment very nice. saddlebags are waterproof
-excellent staff, great support and guidance
-lots of bike shops along the path in case you break down. the company will reimburse you. you also have a small repair kit on board and the option to call them for assistance.
-this was our first bike tour.
-maps were good
-the bike path was not too crowded...but we did go after labor day.
-very scenic
-very safe
-we did the upscale hotels. they were solid-but considering we were going through small villages they were the best of the village. fyi...air conditioning is not like in the USA. I can't imagine doing the tour in July ugh
The hotels are very friendly and are very aware of the bike arrangement.
-we did self guided and felt very comfortable with this particular itinerarytips
-be prepared for rain...it can happen. we got water proof socks, pants, jacket, shoes and gloves. it came in very handy one day. Eddie Bauer waterproof shoes were great for us. Lightweight and comfortable. my husband wants to buy another pair for backup.
-hat for sun and bug protection. We did not wear helmets because we were on bike paths.
-sunscreen for face, body and lips
-lightweight sunglasses
-consider bike gloves....the last day i got sun poison on my hands
-bring baby wipes. my husband got oily adjusting his chain
-bring washcloths (disposable)-we got dusty on the trail and none of the hotels provided wash cloths. also...bring shampoo and conditioner. many of the hotels only offered a liquid body wash.
-bring a little pharmacy antibiotics, miralax, monistat, tylenol, allergy meds,
-plan on layers for clothing and packing
-get good socks from a running store...my feet got hot- What was the date of your tour?
- September 3rd thru 11th 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- our first
- 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?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Halle96 September 26, 2016
One of Top 5 trips in 30 years travelling
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- Just this one
- 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
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★★★★★ rleehello June 8, 2017
Danube Bike with upgraded hotels
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Great scenic routes in Austria. It is one of our best vacations and almost feel like an adventure everyday! Many thanks to the great services from the local bike company to accommodate my last minute hotel change when we arrived in Passau. They really go the extra mile to accommodate you to make your trip a success. We are looking forward to sign up for another trip next year with the same company.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 29, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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
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★★★★★ kmetsos September 5, 2017
Great Experience!
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Really well organized from booking to arrival. The bikes were great and easily made the journey from Passau to Vienna a comfortable one. All of the lodging and towns exceeded expectations. We wouldn't have changed anything. In fact we are already looking into booking another tour for next year.
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★★★★★ Gary63 September 7, 2017
Once in a lifetime trip
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The service and bikes were great! The map given was I little hard to read and follow but gave good information to take you on your way. The route signs were easy to find, for the most part, but that isn't the tour groups fault. The hotels along the way we're very good with special charm attached with each one. The short verse is that I would recommend his group to anyone thinking of taking this trip!,
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- One, this one.
- 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
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson, Founder and president September 8, 2017
Gary, I'm so delighted you had a great time! Thanks for your feedback and comments!
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★★★★★ MungovanAJ October 15, 2017
Awesome experience!
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Our bicycle trip from Passau to Vienna was absolutely wonderful. BikeTours performed flawlessly for which we were very thankful.
We purchased the "Upscale Lodging" which was well worth the money. Some of our hotels were stunning chateaus, others ultra-modern glass edifices, but all were very nice and located in desireable locations.
The bikes are big and heavy but ride comfortably and smoothly.
Some advice to first-timers.
1. The bikes are very big. If you are not at least 5'8" you should probably consider getting the women's bike as the cross bar on the men's bike is unusually high compared to the typical American bike.
2. Bring a little pen light to help you find the bathroom at night without waking your partner. Staying in a different hotel each night can be a little disorienting, especially at 3 AM.
3. Bring good rain gear, gloves, and a layer of warm clothing. Our last day's ride into Vienna was cold and rainy and we were all freezing by the time we reached our hotel.
4. European hotels do not typically provide sheets. Instead, you get a single plush and very warm comforter. However, if the hotel room is warm it is hard to get the covers situated so you are not too warm or too cool. I would recommend packing a small sheet--or better yet a sleeping sack--to provide that "just right" sleeping temperature.
5. BikeTours will provide you a packet of maps and directions for your trip. Study them thoroughly before each day's ride to avoid making wrong turns, especially in the bigger towns or cities. (We made some wrong turns in Vienna.)
6. You will not have access to washers and dryers. To wash your underwear and socks bring a two gallon plastic storage bag and some liquid laundry detergents. (I used Woolite.) At your hotel fill the bag with water, detergent, and your dirty laundry. Agitate, soak, agitate, soak, agitate, soak, rinse, and then hang dry. If something is still wet in the morning affix it to your bike rack and let the wind and the sun dry it while you ride. It works perfectly.
7. Be gracious. Germans and Austrians are kind, friendly people. Compliment the many things they do well, they will be very appreciative.
8. Be excited, because you'll love the trip.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept'17
- 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
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★★★★★ Pearl June 15, 2018
Danube Bike 8 Day w/upgraded lodging
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
