Innsbruck To Salzburg Through The Alps Along River Cycle Trails Bike Tour Reviews (page 2)
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★★★★★ Tom A.
Mountain valleys, forests, meadows, pastures, and rivers
I believe this has been our 4th trip with BikeTours.com, and this might be the best one yet. If you’re looking for a pleasant ride through a lush green countryside, and generally cool weather (and can tolerate a rainstorm or two), Austria is an ideal place for biking, and this particular tour is one of the very best. This trip was actually a little easier on the legs (we only use “real” bikes!) than the other Level 2 trips we’ve taken, and the overall vibe and scenery were just what we were looking for. While we enjoy the bigger cities of Innsbruck and Salzburg, what we love best are the trails through the countryside, with a nice village every 10 miles or so for a break and a bit of Apfelstrudel. Austrians are so friendly to tourists that it’s simply a delight to be here. The cool weather and lush green vegetation everywhere are a big plus, particularly if you come from a drier climate like we do. We navigated with the provided .gpx file using Google maps. Best navigation experience by far!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ AJM - Indy
This was the best of my Four European Bike Tours
We traveled in late-August to early-September of 2025. The scenery was more stunning than I imagined it would be and the weather was perfect nearly every day; sunny skies, mild temperatures, and cool nights. (Most European hotels do not have AC so cool nights were a real blessing.)
Our e-bikes were in excellent condition and all of them worked flawlessly during the entire trip.
The breakfast's were hearty meals including meats, cheeses, eggs, yogurt, fruit, juice, coffee, and some pastries.
Some thoughts about the cycling. Using a GPS app to map your day's ride is critically important if you do not want to get lost. Austria is full of biking and hiking trails so it is very easy to take the wrong trail at trail intersections. We used Garmin's Explore app to navigate the biking trails and it worked really well. (A link with the GPS coordinates will be provided by the touring company.) On a related note, Google Maps worked much better in Europe than Apple's Maps app when walking around towns and villages.
The paper maps provided by the touring company are nearly impossible to follow while riding but they do have a benefit. The night before each day's ride--after studying the map--we would make notes indicating the distance to select villages, bridges, lakes, and intersections, etc. (The maps provide these distances.) Our notes then served as our sign posts ensuring that were were on the correct road or trail during the next day's ride, and also plan our lunch stops.
Though this was not explained in any of the literature I read, at every hotel we stayed we were given a two day "summer card" ("Sommerkarte") free of charge. (We did have to ask for it at one hotel.) These cards are incredible deals. They allow for FREE transportation on local and regional buses and trains, and also provide free admission to select museums, free rides on the Schmittenhohe Cable Cars in Zell am See, and free access to the water falls in Krimml. Not sure why an explanation of this tremendous benefit was not provided.
Just for clarification, the "taxi" that you catch at the train station in Zell am Ziller is a large passenger van pulling a trailer. Your bikes are loaded into the trailer and then everyone piles into the van for a breathtaking 45-minute ride to Krimml. (Your luggage will be in the van as well.) By the way, the bike ride to Zell am Ziller is less than 15 miles and the village is beautiful so I would recommend getting there before noon and then having lunch at one of the restaurants along the river before catching your "taxi" to Krimml that afternoon.
Our favorite activities:
Schmittenhohe Cable Cars in Zell am See- Use your summer card to catch the bus to the cable car facility and then ride to the top of the mountains where you can hike trails and have lunch. The views from the mountain tops are stunning.
Water Fall at Krimml- Again, use your summer card to access that water fall. You can walk up to the base of the waterfall and/or walk up the trail that leads to the top of the falls. There are lookouts about every 200 feet of elevation gain.
The Schloss Tratzberg Castle in Jenbach- It's probably a 10-mile detour on your first day, and somewhat expensive (summer cards do not work there), but well worth it. I believe this is one of the best preserved castles in the world. The current owner of the castle accompanied our tour (we were the last tour of the day) and he embellished much of the narrative provided by our guide.
The Family Gundolf Dinner Show in Innsbruck- A quirky Austrian variety show that includes dinner and a beer. It's kind of a Lawrence Welk meets Hee-Haw fusion for those old enough to remember those programs.
Salzburg- I only mention it because the reviews I read of Salzburg before our trip suggested it was kind of a one-dimensional city. ("Sound of Music.") It was much nicer than I anticipated with many shops, delicious restaurants, and one fascinating "speak easy" bar called Burdoch's Punch and Cocktails. At Burdoch's, you tell the bartender the name of a drink you like and then she creates a similar alternative using all sorts of random ingredients. I like "French 75's"; she made me something that was even better. The bartender and waiters were also excellent conversationalists. SHOW MORE- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Wendy Kercher
Alpine cycle paths in Austria
We had a great week cycling through Austria. The bikes were in great condition. The bike shop was very accommodating and switched out the handlebar stem to make the bike more comfortable. We found the self-guided navigation easier than on past trips because we downloaded the routes provided to a cycling app on our phones. Family-run hotels in the overnight villages were all nice, however the breakfast at the second hotel in Strasse was disappointing.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- 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
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Keith M.
The Best Way to Experience the Countryside Between Innsbruck and Vienna
This was a very well organized and well thought out way to experience the beautiful countryside between Innsbruck and Vienna. Chris at the bicycle rental shop in Innsbruck was very helpful and provided us with handlebar mounts for our phones to easily view GPS tracks, bicycle repair tools (including tire levers, spare inner tube, patch kit, hand pump, and CO2 inflator) and lock and pannier bags. Bicycles have been well maintained and were well suited for this tour. My wife used an e-bike whereas I used a 24 speed hybrid bicycle with a triple crankset giving me a wide range of gearing just in case it got hilly. Accommodations were good, mostly lodging facilities intended for winter skiing, with very good European breakfasts and excellent Austrian coffee. Our luggage was always available at the hotel when we arrived. I am 70 years old and have toured by bicycle throughout the United Staes since my teenage years but I found this tour far more enjoyable since the route we took was mostly on paved or crushed stone bicycle paths without auto traffic to deal with (in the United States I have bicycled through many beautiful national and state parks but have always had to deal with automobile traffic making it more difficult to enjoy the natural beauty). On this tour there are a few miles (but only a few miles) where we did need to ride with auto traffic in the cities. There are also some backroads and roads through neighborhoods that have very little auto traffic. There were a few very minor hiccups with the GPS tracks and the bicycle path signage. Although we found the GPS tracks very useful, on very rare occasion there were times that the GPS tracks did not perfectly match with the bicycle path signage which led to a little confusion but this was easily resolved after checking Google Maps. It was great that a shuttle was provided from Zell am Ziller to Krimml since the highway between these two towns is fairly steep and narrow with lots of auto traffic. The shuttle also got us to Krimml in time for us to hike up to the Krimml waterfalls. It was also nice that the shuttle took us to a higher elevation which resulted in a down hill coast on our bicycles the next morning. We were fortunate to have a layover day in Zell am See since it was the only day to rain on this tour. Although we are comfortable riding in the rain it is something we like to avoid which can be challenging to do in Austria. There were also a couple of minor hiccups with our lodging but these were quickly resolved by a phone call to Helmut Wagner, the bicycle tour operator. When we arrived at the hotel in Zell am See there was no one at the reception desk and we later found out we needed to go to the hotel next door to check in. When we arrived in at the hotel in Salzburg we were told by the reception personnel that we would need to pay for our room but again a phone call to Helmut Wagner quickly resolved this issue. I mention these minor inconveniences so one is prepared to be flexible and not to panic since these issues are easily resolved. Overall, the experience was most enjoyable and the scenery amazing. I strongly recommend this tour for anyone that enjoys bicycle touring through very scenic mountain valleys and historic towns. I am thankful that biketours.com has vetted this tour and made it easy and affordable to experience. The personnel at biketours.com were very helpful with the booking of this tour and patiently answered all of my questions. I will definitely book future European bicycle tours through biketours.com. SHOW MORE
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- Dozens
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Issac Newton
Wonderful Ride Through the Scenic Valleys of the Alps
- What was the date of your tour?
- 30 Aug - 6 Sep
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Jannykae
Unbelievably fabulous!
We were surprised at how lovely the week long trip was for us a first time bike vacationers. It had just the right amount of challenge and comfort combined. The weather was lovely and the landscape perfect for this kind of biking.
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Dennis
Austrian Springtime
Everything went very well. The tour operator met all the schedules for baggage transfer and mountain shuttle with no difficulty. We particularly enjoyed the half-board meal arrangements which provided some contact with other travelers.
The trails are paved, in good condition, easy to follow, and provide an abundance of local scenery. However, if you do not speak German, be sure to bring your phrase book! Most of the people speak at least some English but the road and warning signs are not often translated.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 28 - Jun 03, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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
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★★★★★ alicia
A great bike ride
My husband and I took this ride in late June 2017 as we were in the region for a wedding. It was an absolutely fantastic way to see a beautiful part of the world. The towns were charming, the scenery beautiful, and the people friendly. This trip is definitely not well-suited for anyone who is looking for a heavy dose of nightlife as the towns along the route are all fairly small. Think villages and ski towns.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2017
- 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
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★★★★★ Newbie
Beautiful Austria!
This was a wonderful tour for a "beginner" like me! The countryside was gorgeous, the bike paths varied, and the extra sights mentioned in the navigation book were easy to find and well-worth stopping to see. Everything organised by the tour company ran like clockwork: the bike delivery, hotel reservations, luggage transfer and mountain-pass transfer.
The three of us on this self-guided tour did not always agree on the direction to take, which led to quite a few "navigation discussions" and a few wrong turns, but that actually added to the adventure of the experience. Two days out of our five ride days, including the longest day, were in the rain (pretty heavy rain, in fact). Judging by the printed material, this is not unusual for the area, so be prepared!
A great experience - the area, the ride and the organisation!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Start date: 23 July, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- none
- 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
-
★★★★★ Ernie
Scenic Tour
The scenery was even better than the promotional pictures indicate. The arrangements were great, the hotels were wonderful, and I would recommend the half-board option. Food was super. Rained on us several days but it was still beautiful. Directions got a little vague in some cases through the cities. We were very happy with our experience.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 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 teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ RobertH
Innsbruck to Salzburg Austria: OUTSTANDING!!
This is a very well run self-guided tour that takes you through beautiful Austria. I was out of the regular "American tourist" areas and experienced true Austria. I had the 7-day tour with a rest day in Zell Am See - highly recommend this option. I did some hiking and a boat trip during my "rest day"! Beautiful mountains and lakes. All my B&B's / hotels were excellent and the staffs were so nice. I also did an extra day at the end of the tour in Salzburg. Wonderful city. The bike was excellent and the represented on Day #1 was very nice and explained working the GPS.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 14 to 20 August
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8 to 10
- 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?
- No
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★★★★★ DavidW
Amazing scenery day after day
We have cycled in most countries in Europe and picked this trip for two reasons. 1) Our adult daughter was traveling with us, and she loves mountains, and 2) I had major knee surgery this past winter and wanted a ride that was fun but not overly strenuous. This trip met both criteria and more! The scenery from day-to-day was unmatched. My wife and I had visited some of these locations in winter, but the summer was a different and wonderful experience. This trip would be great for novice riders because it would be very hard to get lost (mountains on both sides). Also, being able to ride on dedicated bike trails with very few stretches of road is a great benefit. Just enough gentle climbs to keep your heart pumping.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 20-26, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- 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
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★★★★★ jfred
One of our best trips.
We've taken lots of bike trips, and this was one of our favorites. Innsbruck is well worth a day. The first day down the Inn River is a little disappointing; valley is beautiful, but lots of light industry. After that it becomes spectacular. Up the Zillertal through farmlands, then over a high pass by van to Krimml and down the Salzach River all the way to Salzburg (not as interesting as Innsbruck unless you are really into Mozart memorabilia). We had electric bikes which were much appreciated, but it could be easily be done on conventional bikes. Accommodations were great as were the breakfasts. As for the Austrian food in general, enough with the pork already!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Started June 11, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- At least 10
- 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
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★★★★★ Trisha
Trip was a beautiful bike ride through the alps!
We had a wonderful bike trip from Innsbruck to Salzburg on electric bikes. The mountains and valleys we biked through were spectacular. I would recommend this trip. The hotels were very good and in great locations. Breakfast were also very good.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 4, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ MichaelandErin
Spectacular Scenary
We thoroughly our cycling trip between Innsbruck and Salzburg. Day one was a nice scenic warm up ride mostly along a river. The second day ride, heading 'up' another valley (still fairly flat in valley, with beautiful mountains on either side) was enjoyable....but the highlight of that day was after the ride. Our transfer minibus picked us up (promptly) that took us up and over to another valley to the town of Krimml. Fortunately, we had enough energy left to hike up to the top of the Krimml falls (tallest series of waterfalls in Europe). Spectacular. Down another valley the next day to Zell am See, where we spent our rest day. Lot's to do there, if it's sunny....but alas, we were rained out (which we were relieved we were not cycling that day). Our highlight day followed, with the combo of stops...one heading inside an extensive cave network (trails inside for the public to travel a fair distance into the mountain), and another stop after that one involved a short hike trail up into a narrow gorge (bring rain gear, waterfalls and mist made it like walking thru a shower in places). Again, unexpected and very, very scenic. Our wrap up in Salzburg we were glad we tacked on a extra day to see some of the local sites.
Overall, we had a great time. The accommodations were just the right fit to our tastes...friendly, cozy and comfortable. The rental bikes sturdy. The route is mostly bike trails, usually paved, but not always...and with only modest time on side roads. The self guided bike map book was pretty good (although we did have to pull out our smartphone map app to clarify some directions at times). The distances were long enough to feel like we'd traveled someplace, but short enough that we still had time to enjoy the sights.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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
-
★★★★★ Smedley
This is the reason that we bike!
Wonderful trip, but that doesn't tell you what you really want to know. So here goes a day-by-day review and a few overall impressions.
Innsbruck - arrive a day or two early to experience the city and mountains. Purchase the 'Innsbruck Card' and save on many of the city's attractions and transportation. Hotel Cafe Central - nice facility close to the 'Old Town'. Ask for the recently renovated rooms.
Zillertal - good first day ride. Take time to stop at the Swarovski museum complex. Gasthof Hotel Post - nice facility, great menu. Ask for a room away from the dairy farm next door.
Krimml - short ride, no hurry to arrive at the pickup point for the van ride across the pass. The falls at Krimml are amazing. Prepare yourself for a good hike to see them up close. The Gastehaus Waltl was comfortable. Plenty of dining options in the town.
Zell am See - Scenic ride. Use the extra rest day to explore the mountains. Weather permitting go to the glacier, ride around the lake and hike the hills. Great dining options. Lebzelter Hotel - in the heart of town, comfortable inn.
Lofer - best riding day, mountains close on both sides of the narrow valley. Gorges and cave are must visits. Nice lunch at the golf course at the midway point. St Hubertus Hotel was inviting.
Salzburg - last day of riding was the most challenging. Hills and gravel paths dominated the day. Navigating through Salzburg requires a good map and/or GPS. The Goldenes Theater Hotel was the only accommodation below the standard set by all of the other hotels. Spend an extra day or two in the city.
General impressions: one of the most scenic rides in Austria with great stops along the way to explore. The booked hotels were excellent with the exception of Salzburg. The route map/directions need to be updated. GPS really helped out especially in the larger towns. Bikes were in great shape but they should be equipped with odometers since the route map is based on distance traveled turn points. You won't be disappointed boking this trip!- What was the date of your tour?
- August/September 2018
- 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
-
★★★★★ robbo1
Fantastic scenery
An amazing trip with awesome scenery and excellent accommodation. Saw the Krimml Falls at their best and alpine vistas were totally amazing
- What was the date of your tour?
- 11 June 2019
- 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 young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ ned75
excellent trip very worth doing
the landscape was great, the bike tracks were equally good. Cannot fault the hotels either.
just one little problem the suitcases arrived late only on one day and it was the rainy day and we looked at sitting around in wet bike gear for three hours. the good thing was that the hotel in Lofer the Hotel St; Hubertus gave us a dressing gown and cakes (at no charge) until the bags arrived. what a nice gesture- What was the date of your tour?
- 16/June 23/June
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4th
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ RiderSA
It was a dream cycle ride!
What a beautiful way to experience Austria and the Austrian Alps. The journey was well-planned, there was a lot of time to enjoy the scenery and cuisine, and the hotels were all great.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 1-8 July 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ NancyinCO
Amazing Scenery!
This was our third bike tour through biketours.com and it was definitely the most scenic. This must be one of the most beautiful areas on earth. Each day seemed better than the day before. Zell am See was absolutely gorgeous, in Lofer we had a beautiful view of the mountains from our room next to a stream, and Bad Reichenhall is a very quaint town you'll want to stop at for refreshments. The inns we stayed at were all we could ask for; very well-chosen, professional and comfortable. The breakfasts were a highlight for me; all-you-can-eat spreads with a wonderful variety of fresh food to give you energy for the day of cycling ahead. I would highly recommend this tour!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 14 - June 21, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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
