Danube River  Bike Tour Reviews (page 15)

  • Danube Four Countries
    (5/5) Brenda Brown Wright 7 months ago

    Biking across the Danube

    · · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries

    It was a great experience, Leslie and Barbara plus the guides did an outstanding job. We were
    Lucky to be able to explore some
    Of the area, during flooding. Or near flooding .

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 22
    How many tours have you completed?
    1st one
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    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
    • Our Group! (photo by Brenda Brown Wright)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Tammy Noteboom 7 months ago

    Best trip ever!

    · · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries

    I loved everything about our bike and boat tour down the Danube. The e-bikes were high quality and well-maintained and the ship and the pampering they gave us after our days biking was fabulous. Everything on board was perfect. We loved our waiter, Ayup, and our cruise director, Leslie. And the biking—it was so incredible. The entire trip exceeded our wildest expectations. We are already planning our next one!

    What was the date of your tour?
    September/October 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    First one
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    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
    • Biking through Austria’s wine country (photo by Tammy Noteboom)
    • So much beauty (photo by Tammy Noteboom)
    • 70s and 80s night on board the Vivienne (photo by Tammy Noteboom)
    • Stopping for our delicious sack lunch. (photo by Tammy Noteboom)
    • Loving the celebration of our 49th wedding anniversary (photo by Tammy Noteboom)
    • More beautiful countryside. (photo by Tammy Noteboom)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Sean Thomson 7 months ago

    Amazing trip, wonderful memories

    · · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries

    Overall the trip was excellent. We enjoyed the rides, the beautiful countryside, City tours and company of our fellow passengers. The boat and rooms were clean, the service was great and the food was delicious. The bikes worked great and the seats were very comfortable.

    Communication could have been better. For example on the first day the boat couldn't make it into Passau so we showed up at the dock to busses with no notification. There were major floods about 10 days before our cruise and it would have been nice to get a general acknowledgement of the situation prior to the trip.

    We felt fairly rushed on the bikes especially on the first day through the Danube Bend and from Vác to Esztergom. Even another hour could have made the trip more relaxed. The later route still had lots of mud and took a lot longer than expected.

    The trip was comfortable and well organized. We plan to do another trip in the future.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2024
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    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
    •  (photo by Sean Thomson)
    • 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
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Emily W 1 week ago

    Exceeded my expectations

    · · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries

    I've gone on a number of bike/hotel tours and really loved them. Adding the river cruise exceeded my expectations. We met many new friends, enjoyed a very nice cabin for resting, and appreciated the very helpful staff. Having a daily talk meant we were very prepared, even though we selected the self-guided experience. The only "self" portion was on the route; every other step of the way, we had guidance. All of this, in addition to the exceptional route, helped make the trip so much fun. We did experience some country-specific issues that required rerouting for biking days 2 and 3, but the cruise director acted very quickly, and we made lemonade out of lemons. I would be happy to do this kind of trip again.

    If you're trying to decide between a bike/boat trip and bike/hotel trip, the major difference is that you do not have all day to complete your ride. You are on the riverboat schedule, which can make for odd timing and shortened riding days. If your primary goal is biking, then I would recommend a bike/hotel trip instead. The other downside is that you are rarely in a port during the evening. Walking around Budapest at night was a BIG highlight! On a bike/hotel tour, you can do that every night.

    Lastly, I was very happy with the biketours.com experience. Everything was handled very professionally. I would book through them again, especially if I were traveling to a country where I didn't know the language. Using the site was instrumental in my finding this amazing tour, and I look forward to looking for another tour again soon!

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much 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, Hungary, Slovakia
    • Getting off the boat, ready to go! (photo by Emily W)
    • Riding on the ferry (photo by Emily W)
    • Watching the boat coming into Bratislava (photo by Emily W)
    • One of many amazing bike paths (photo by Emily W)
    • Enjoying the sights from our incredible docking position in Budapest (photo by Emily W)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 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
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Vienna to Budapest 5-nights
    (5/5) Gina Kelley-Smith October 10, 2023

    Bike 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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Vienna to Budapest
    (5/5) Neal July 2, 2016

    Fabulous week on a bike

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    Jozef and his staff took care of the logistics and my wife and I just rode. The sights beyond belief. The only issue, beyond control of the tour, is there were a few segments of pretty rough road. Highly recommended

    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 4/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Vienna to Budapest
    (5/5) Ron USA August 22, 2016

    Perfect week

    · Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    This was a perfect European week for us. We rode 5 days self-guided, and, speaking for myself, I would have loved to do another 5. I was in the groove.
    The biketours and their contractors are a well-oiled machine. They do this well. Our 3 Bikes were perfectly designed for this trip and had no problems. The luggage were there waiting at our hotel like clockwork.
    The route, Vienna to Budapest, has its spectacular moments especially coming into Esztergom (Hungary) and Budapest. and it has many tranquil lovely phases of riding right beside the Danube. There were a few duller stages early on-- riding for long stretches on the river levies-- but I didn't expect every moment to be picture-postcard.

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 2016
    How many tours have you completed?
    zero
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
  • Salzburg to Vienna
    (5/5) Mully July 14, 2016

    Great way to experience Europe

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    A wonderful experience. I have traveled to Europe many times, but this was the best way to see it in my opinion. I would recommend taking an extra day here and there along the ride to spend some additional time in areas that you have interest in so the focus isn't always.getting to the next destination. I think what makes this type of trip unique is that you are better immersed in the local sights and culture...you are on a bike, not in a bus or car. The countryside trickles by at a comfortable rate that encourages exploration. The lake portion of this particular trip involved considerable road travel which was a bit unexpected, but drivers were courteous and we quickly became used to it.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 25
    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 teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Salzburg to Vienna
    (5/5) allisong August 9, 2017

    Wonderful trip with my daughter!

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    We did a self-guided tour and had a wonderful time. We used electric bikes and I was very happy with that choice. It was still a lot of work and we got a ton of exercise, but it made it so we were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The paths were very good and we were on roads only about 10% of the time. The hotels were very nice-small and quaint with lovely breakfasts. The tour director in Austria was very quick to reply when the electric stopped working on my bike on the 4th day. She found someone to fix the bike early the next day. The only challenge was reading the maps but that was part of the adventure. We definitely made more than a few wrong turns and had to backtrack, but having the electric bikes made it okay.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 6-13, 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    just this one
    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
    • Photo 1 (photo by allisong)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Fishchico August 18, 2017

    Azure blue lakes

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    The Lakes option of the Danube River path was amazing. Lake Mondsee, Attersee and Traunsee were crystal clear and the most beautiful shade of azure blue. Most of the riding was along dedicated bike paths and lesser travelled roads. People friendly and helpful.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 30 - July 7,2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    9
    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
    • Lake Mondsee (photo by Fishchico)
    • 4/5 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) Kretch October 3, 2017

    One of the most beautiful rides I have taken in Europe

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    I am so glad I elected to ride from Salzburg to Vienna rather than Passau. The ride was beautiful, mountains coming down to the bike trails and Alpine lakes to ride along. It was not difficult for the average rider and a ranking of easy 2 is fair. From Linz to Vienna was also very nice and it gave us enough river riding to make the trip a good combination of mountains and riverside.

    What was the date of your tour?
    9-5-17
    How many tours have you completed?
    15 non supported rides in Europe
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Norm November 2, 2017

    Great ride.

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    Austria is beautiful with a lot of historic sites. We were late in season so a bit cooler, rained for 2 days but we were prepared. Very impressed with hotels and the mix of modern and historic settings, professionally organized. Only complaint was that on first part of trip, bike trail was not marked well and descriptions were hard to follow eg. go for a short ways and turn right at first farmyard turn left at the country road - keep at the block to the right? To a stranger to the area lot of this didn't make sense. We ended up getting most of our directions from local people who were very helpful. The portion on the Danube bike trail was very easy to follow.
    Overall we were pleased with the tour.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Oct 8 to 13, 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    three
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria
    • Photo 1 (photo by Norm)
    • 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
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) eb53 June 17, 2018

    extraordinary trip across Austria

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    This trip was truly stunningly beautiful. We were amazed at how much beauty and variety could be packed into one trip. Even though the directions were sometimes confusing, it was easy to figure your way around--the signage is fantastic and people are exceedingly kind and friendly. We really loved the self-guided option--it increased the sense of adventure, freedom and self-reliance. All accommodations were splendid as were the breakfasts. We were amazed at how great the bike infrastructure is in Austria--way better than in the US. Everyone bikes and cyclists are respected. Motorists were very considerate of cyclists. Temperatures in Austria were WAY ABOVE NORMAL this year. The lakes part of the trip was some of the best riding we have ever done; we also loved the Wachau region. We wished that
    this part had been longer. If we had it to do over, we would add a day to the lakes and maybe take a train over sections of the Danube. . . Do not miss the ecological gardens in Tullin! We wished we could have spent a day there.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    this is our first long tour
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Julane January 1, 2019

    Valleys and Vineyards

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    We found the scenery on this tour stunning (especially on Lake Traunsee) and appreciated the variety of landscapes (forests, rivers, lakes, mountains, farmland) and terrain (flat to rolling hills). The hotels/inns were very comfortable and most within walking distance of interesting sites in the cities/towns. We combined this tour with another (Tauern Bike Path: Salzburg to Salzburg) which gave us an opportunity to experience a different but equally beautiful region of Austria.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 28-October 3
    How many tours have you completed?
    30+
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    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
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) KLVM July 11, 2019

    Biking in the Shoulder Season

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    Cold weather and rain did not prevent us from having a wonderful biking experience. The scenery was beautiful, hotels were in lovely locations, the people were friendly, and the tourist sites were virtually empty.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 12-18, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    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
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (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
  • Danube Bike and Boat
    (5/5) TJ8387 September 17, 2018

    My favorite way to travel!

    · · Danube Discovery: Bike and Boat through Enchanting Capitals

    I loved this tour! The bikes and cycle routes were great. The food was very good but unfortunately the the dining room on the boat was SO HOT that we could not enjoy our dinners. Thank goodness each stateroom had its own air conditioner. Fellow cyclists were very friendly and always willing to help if needed. Our guide seemed angry when people asked questions and responded in an aggressive manner (which made people hesitant to ask questions). We were told that there was internet on the boat in Austria but it was non-existent ... so it would have been better to advertise that there is NO WiFi.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 21-28
    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, Hungary, Slovakia
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 3/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Nitronan September 4, 2019

    Good trip

    · · Danube Discovery: Bike and Boat through Enchanting Capitals

    Boat crew was fantastic, cruise director was a hoot. Very accomodating.

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 19-26, 2019
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Hugh Larkin August 4, 2022

    2 Bucket list items completed

    · · Danube Discovery: Bike and Boat through Enchanting Capitals

    We have wanted to do a bike & boat tour as well as a bike tour along the Danube for many years (we previously did multi-week self-supported bike tours). In 2019, we thought we would be doing the latter for 2020, but a virus shut down everything. Even after the shutdown, BikeTours.com kept us informed and motivated about bike touring once a normalcy to life returned.

    In late 2021, when we could see travel was resuming, we began to look at various tours offered and found the Passau-Budapest-Passau boat & bike tour that fit very nicely into our developing "2022 grand Europe tour".

    BikeTours personnel quickly responded to all questions we had which made the booking extremely easy. And they and the tour operator provided us all the booking info before we departed for europe over a month before we were to experience this event.

    Once in Passau, and aboard ship (we were able to board early), we were able to unpack and relax. Our rented e-bikes were like new and were pre-adjusted to our heights. Instructions regarding operation and charging were clearly given.

    At all times, the crew was very courteous and helpful, which was extremely appreciated as we were the only "native-english" speakers onboard. The food was excellent and plentiful, and we appreciated the vegetarian options provided.

    Every day's itinerary was clearly provided, including detailed maps. The bikes worked wonderfully and provided us an opportunity to try an e-bike. We enjoyed the extra guided excursions into Bratislava and Vienna.

    Disembarking the Prinzessin Katherina was also painless. Before reaching Passau, the crew made taxi arrangements for us and many others. Hard to beat service like that!

    Overall, we had a wonderful tour. Plus we ticked off 2 b-list items. We are now wondering what will be our next BikeTours.com tour!

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    12 (2 weeks to 4 months long)
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Brian Bronson August 4, 2022

    Far exceeds expectations

    · · Danube Discovery: Bike and Boat through Enchanting Capitals

    What a deal. 8days 7 nights w attentive staff. Amazing biking. Great food. Fun times. Would love to do it again w other friends. Highly recommend for a wonderful time on the Danube.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2022
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    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, Hungary, Slovakia
    • 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