Staff Picks Bike Tour Reviews page 7
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- ★★★★★ Lauren Brzozowski
Exceptional Scenery
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
This trip delivers epic views from start to finish. We were constantly in awe of the Austrian countryside and quality bike paths. This trip was enjoyable with a good amount of riding and opportunities for site seeing. It felt like a vacation. Hotels and villages were charming and well selected. We chose to add extra days in both Innsbruck and Salzburg. This was the right choice for us because it allowed more time for sightseeing. As mentioned in other reviews, the route book was challenging to navigate/ ride with, so we downloaded their GPS tracks which made navigation a breeze.
We loved the extra info in the route book such as places of interest along the route. We stopped at most and would recommend trying to see as many as possible. On a past biketour.com trip, the route book also included recommendations for restaurants. That would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for a great trip!- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 15 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Nancy Nestler
Where's the sun?!
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Even though we were a bit unlucky with the weather, the trip was fabulous!! The trails were leisurely and well marked. I know we missed out on some views because of our weather, but what we saw was amazing!! I loved staying in different cities and lodging each night. All places were clean and staff was friendly. I'd love to go back and do this trip again -- hopefully with clearer skies.
I would suggest being sure all bikes are equipped with odometers and a front basket that has a place to display the written directions so they are easily accessible. I had this on prior tours and missed it greatly this time. But overall -- very excellent!! I'd do it again in a heartbeat!!- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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
- ★★★★★ chuck hughes
Innsbrock to Salzburg
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Great way to see Austria, really enjoyed the trip, and would recommend it to others. Everything was very well planned and it went very smoothly.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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
- ★★★★★ Kirk R
Beautiful riding in Austria
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
The scenery on the ride through the Austrian Alps was amazing! Bike paths and trails on nearly the entire ride. The bikes we rented were in excellent condition. There was plenty of time to stop and explore the small towns along the route. The transfer of luggage was seamless, with prompt pickup and drop off each morning. The breakfast provided was very good and a great way to start the day. We will definitely consider another European bike tour in the future.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ BARAK JACOBS
Great tour
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Great tour
Amazing views
No AC at most of the hotels - We got along but would have made the trip perfect- What was the date of your tour?
- 06/24
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Marek Hartleb
Alpine pastures
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Although we went through all climate zones during our ride we find this vacation awesome. Selection of hotels and planning of bike routes was very good. Riding 40 to 65 km each day with e-bikes took 2-3 hours, therefore we had enough time to walk alpine pastures taken up by cable cars in Zell am See or Lofer. You may believe me that alpine meadows settled only by Milka cows is something that gives the best break from noisy and busy life.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ F.S
Beautiful trip
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Very nice routes through small rural towns, national parks and resort areas. Hotels were clean and offered local flavor. Road bike route needs to be more on bike paths than highways, but the distances and excursions were well thought out.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- 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?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Mark Anderson
Well Organized!
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Tour Date (wk beginning Sep 7, 2024)
Our chosen tour was the self guided tour and my wife and I rented a tandem for the ride. the weather was the only thing we would have hoped to of had different. We started out in the 80's F and ended in the low 40's with all day heavy rain.
Bike Tours and their local providers/coordinators did an excellent job of coordinating all the parts and pieces from the bike shop where we picked up the tandem in Innsbruck and including all of the accommodations and luggage movement along the way. Everything worked perfectly.
One comment I have heard in many other reviews was that the map book is difficult to follow. We decided to also rent a GPS as well to help with navigation. That was a good move as the GPS was easier to manage in the rain and then we pulled the map book out when we needed additional details.
The map book directions were hard to follow initially, but that got easier with familiarity after the first day. When you receive the GPS it's not preloaded with the route. We didn't realize this ahead of time, but after loading the Garmin app in our phone we would load each day's route from the map book into our phone and then transfer to the GPS the night before. We both grumbled a bit as we completed this process the first night, but this became much quicker after the initial run as well.
I would definitely do another tour with Bike Tours!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sep 7, 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Nancy Reid
Surrounded by beauty: Innsbruck to SalzburgA
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Our self-guided ride was a beautiful ride along the rivers on well marked bike paths and trails. The scenery was amazing and the hotels were very comfortable. It was a wonderful way to experience the Austrian countryside, towns and people. I enjoyed the ride so much, I'd like to do it again!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ JP and Shannon
First Bike Trip for us. Was wonderful.
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We loved Austria and biking on this route was great. The route is very well designed. We took traditional bikes and it was no problem at all. We wished it could have lasted longer with another segment. We were very lucky with the weather in September as it was sunny our entire journey but had rain when we arrived and on the day we departed.
Bike rental shop, equipment and all hotels were top notch!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Tom A.
Mountain valleys, forests, meadows, pastures, and rivers
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ AJM - Indy
This was the best of my Four European Bike Tours
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Wendy Kercher
Alpine cycle paths in Austria
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Keith M.
The Best Way to Experience the Countryside Between Innsbruck and Vienna
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Cramaz
The Great Tour of Salzburg
Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
This ride took us through some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable. While there were a couple of difficult hills, the majority of the ride was quite manageable and structured so that there was plenty of time to sightsee on the way and at each destination. The towns we stayed in all had something a little different to offer and all had plenty of good places to eat and relax. As a self-guided tour, this would be hard to beat. The Tauern bike path is a great way to see this part of Austria.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 28th August to 5th September 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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
- ★★★★★ paula12
I Would Go Back Tomorrow...
Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
I've been to Europe a dozen times, but seeing the Salzburg
area by bike was the best trip yet. Such beautiful scenery.
Loved the e-bike!- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 12-19
- How many tours have you completed?
- no others
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Fishchico
Spectacular Tauren bike route
Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
This was an amazingly beautiful route through small villages, stunning granite mountains and wildflower meadows everywhere. Not to be missed were Krimmel Falls with vintage train ride and the Werfen Ice Cave. Signage was good, we only missed one directional marker but remembering that "the adventure begins when the plan fails" kept us in good cheer! Meeting locals when inquiring for directions is sometimes the best part.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 21 - June 29, 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
- ★★★★★ Rich and Alesa
Wonderful trip among the Alps
Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
This is our fourth self-guided bike trip with Bike Tours (Tuscany/Umbria, Romania, Greece, and now Austria from/to Salzburg). It is the new benchmark.
The bike trails were glorious and often in the country and along the rivers, usually
paved. The hotels (except for the last one near Salzburg) were excellent. The bike equipment was first class and very appropriate for the bike trails and occassional gravel.We are in our late sixties, so having so much of the trip on bike trails was special. The countryside was green and when we saw the Alps after some cloudy days, it was awe-inspiring.
This is a special trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2 2018
- 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 teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Julane
Scenic Adventures!
Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
This tour was one of our all-time favorites for its scenic beauty, unique adventures (salt mine, falconry demonstration, ice cave), charming hotels and quaint small towns. We spent two extra nights in Salzburg before the start of the tour to take advantage of all that the city offered as well as to test our bikes on two separate loop rides. At the end of this tour we did another week-long tour (Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option) to see a different but equally beautiful region of Austria.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 21-27, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 30+
- 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
- ★★★★★ Fletch
Fabulous scenery!
Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
We chose this tour because it stayed in the vicinity of the alps but was in the river valleys. The scenery did not disappoint. It was glorious when we had clear skies. We had some rain and snow when up on the mountains but even then the villages and farmland were wonderful. We spent extra days in Salzburg before the tour and spent an extra day in Zell am See in the middle of the tour. We were so glad we had those extra days because there was so much to see and do. We went up to the ice cave, up to the Krimml waterfall, and up to Kitzsteinhorn and had snow in all three places. It was like a winter wonderland. For the five of us from Florida, it was great.
The hotels were all good and provided great breakfasts. The luggage transfer went off without a hitch. Our bags were always at the hotels when we got there.
After a few days self supported from Passau to Salzburg we decided to upgrade to ebikes for this tour to make the climbs more manageable and to make it more likely that we would take side trips to see additional things along the way. We are really glad that the tour company was able to accommodate this last minute request. They were very helpful.
We found that the signs for the Tauern radweg changed part way through the ride. This is something to watch out for. We made a couple wrong turns but learned to keep our eyes peeled for signs.
It was a wonderful trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 10, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- Several
- 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
