The Danube Bicycle Route from Vienna to Budapest is the logical extension of the most popular cycling route in Europe, the Danube Bicycle Route from Passau to Vienna. A little wilder, but just as interesting, the 340-kilometer ride passes through parts of Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. The cycling tourist can look forward to excellent cycling paths on the dikes that line the Danube in Austria and Slovakia, quiet country roads, pristine villages, and culturally interesting cities like Györ, Tata and Esztergom in Hungary, the Danube‘s scenic "knee" north of Budapest, and of course the ancient and exquisite Hungarian capital city itself.
This bicycle touring atlas includes detailed maps of the countryside and of
many cities and towns, precise route descriptions, information about historic
and cultural sites as well as background information and a comprehensive list
of overnight accommodations. The one thing this atlas cannot provide is fine
cycling weather, but we hope you encounter nothing but sunshine and gentle tailwinds.
The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss has forever linked the Danube‘s flow with the waltz‘s three-quarters time. When Strauss wrote the piece, the Danube‘s waters were already dark, as dark as the Austrians‘ mood following their defeat against the Prussians at Königsgrätz in 1866.
It was also during that period that the Austrian capital decided to attempt to control the river‘s flow to put an end to the floods that frequently caused great damage. The project was completed in 1875, and since then the stream that flows through the old city is known as the Danube canal.
Downstream from Vienna, the river is lined by deep and lush flood plains, at
the edge of which generations of Austrian monarchs built their comfortable summer
residences.
Near the right bank of the Danube one can find the traces of Carnuntum, one
of the Roman Empire’s most important cities. Its ruins lie beyond several
side-arms of the river, away from the main stream. The last larger settlement
on the Austrian side of the river is the town of Hainburg, from where the imperial
tobacco company’s vessels once set forth with their valuable freight.
At the confluence of the Danube and the March stand the ruins of the ancient
Theben fortress, and in the distance the castle in Bratislava can be seen. A
border stone near here marks the end of the western world, but the Danube ignores
such categories and merely changes its name: to “Dunav” in Slovakian
and “Duna” in Hungarian. The stretch of the river between Hainburg
and Bratislava is often called the “Hungarian Gate,” where the Danube
breaks through the Hainburg mountains on one side and the Small Carpathians
on the other and enters the Small Hungarian Plain, where it forms the border
between Slovakia and Hungary.
At the eastern end of the Small Hungarian Plain before the river runs into another range of mountains, there appears in the distance a great dome like some optical illusion that blocks light and the river’s flow. It is the Esztergom Cathedral, modeled after St. Peters Cathedral in Rome, and seat of the Hungarian Roman Catholic primate. The classical basilica forms one of the three monumental Hungarian edifices that line the Danube. The other two are the Parliament in Pest and the castle in Buda.
Downstream from Esztergom the Danube continues towards the east before the river narrows between Zebegény and Visegrád. The river’s flow accelerates, forming dangerous eddies and currents, before it slows again as it passes through Visegrád. The Danube then curves around tall boulders, breaks through the mountains and turns toward the old city of Vác.
On the right bank, the river flows past the beautiful small town of Szentendre, which still looks much unchanged from how it was built in the 18th century. Szentendre’s narrow streets, its many church towers, the wooden staircases, steep alleys, covered walkways and gardens create an inviting atmosphere for romantic walks. The town has a significant Serbian community, which gives it a southerly flair mixed with the smell of garlic from hot “lángos,” the delicious Hungarian fried bread.
Just beyond Szentendre lies Budapest. From the Danube’s source in the Black Forest to its mouth on the Black Sea, there is no other place where the graceful river is enclosed with greater magnificence, generosity and dignity than in the Hungarian capital. This is where the Danube finds its “golden section” with a city that greets visitors with light and life.
The total length of the Danube Bike Trail from Vienna to Budapest is 299 or 306 kilometers on the Slovak side of the river, and 346 or 353 kilometers on the Hungarian side. This does not include side trips and alternative route possibilities.
The road quality on the Danube bicycle route from Vienna to Budapest varies greatly according to region and country. In Austria, all but a very short section is well developed, mostly following a paved path without motorized traffic on the Hubertusdamm.
Completion of the major hydro-electric plant on the Danube in Slovakia has also resulted in outstanding paved bicycle paths on the crowns of the dikes on both sides of the river. On the left side, this road is interrupted, but on the right side it goes all the way to Medved’ov. For this reason, only the route on the right side is described in these pages. BetweenMedved’ov and Štúrovo the route alternates between public roads and paths along the river, some of which are not paved.
Hungary has undertaken significant improvements. The Danube bicycle route is posted and stays close to the river. A bicycle path has been completed from Ásványráro to just behind Györ. From Bönyrétalap to Bábolna the route uses a more heavily-traveled road.
To Táta the route follows the main national road at times, or hilly but quieter country lanes. Another section of bicycle path begins in Esztergom, but is followed by a few kilometers with traffic. After the ferry to Szob it is possible to ride along the left bank of the river. Near Vác the route goes onto Szentendre Island before crossing to the right bank and the town of Szentendre. On the right bank, the route mostly runs on public roads with traffic. Downstream from Szentendre the Danube bicycle route is posted with signs along the right bank of the river.
Posted signs marking the route also vary from country to country. In Austria, the Danube bicycle route is posted uniformly with large green rectangular signs. Slovakia uses the same signs on both sides of the dam, as far as Medved’ov. Hungary has marked the Danube bicycle route with different green signs, but these are not to be found along the entire route. From Ásvanyráró to Györ, from Zebegény to Göd and from Szentendre to Budapest. All bicycle trails and routes in Budapest are marked.
International telephone codes:
Hungary: 0036
Slovakia: 00421
Austria: 0043
Additional information is available from regional tourism offices:
The first stage of the bicycle tour takes you along posted bicycle routes through extensive flood-plains. The old woods are criss-crossed by forgotten arms of the Danube and small ponds and lakes that help irrigate the impenetrable thickets of willows, gray alder, liana, bushes and grasses. The verdant underbrush offers a rich habitat to countless species of animals and insects, forming a biotope which is unique in Europe. On your way out of Vienna, ride through the famous Prater and Lobau, then follow the Hubertusdamm through the Stopfenreuther and the Hainburg flood plain to the small city of Hainburg. From Hainburg one can easily take the bicycle to visit the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Carnuntum, before setting off through the Hainburg Gate to cross into Slovakia and arrive in the young nation’s charming capital, Bratislava.
This part of the trip follows marked bicycle paths and good quality tracks on the tops of the flood-barriers. Special caution should be exercised on the city streets in Vienna, along the B9 road near Wolfsthal and at the border crossing to Slovakia.
Construction of the hydro-electric power plant on the Danube turned this part of the river into a large reservoir and destroyed major portions of a previously undisturbed natural landscape. The man-made canal extends as far as Medved’ov. At Klížka Nemá the Mosoni Duna from Hungary converges with the main Danube. Because the infrastructure for tourists between Bratislava and Komárno is not yet well-developed, we recommend planning this stage of the trip carefully.
Many kilometers of straight, paved roads along the crowns of the man-made dikes along the Danube are open to cyclists and other recreation-seekers. Your route follows the right side of the reservoir to Gabíkovo. After Gabíkovo parts of the route switch to quiet country roads until one comes to southern Slovakia and the town of Komárno.
It is a short distance from Bratislava to the Hungarian border at Rajka. The route crosses the “Szigetköz“ – a large wetlands area bounded by the Danube and the Mosoni Duna (Small Danube). In many of the smaller villages one can still find straw-covered farmhouses. Discover Mosonmagyaróvár, the charming old “city of 17 bridges”, or the provincial capital Györ with its many sights. Horse-lovers will enjoy the Bábolna stables, and the thermal baths at Komárom offer relaxation and restorative waters.
The flat landscape between Bratislava and Györ is outstanding for bicycle riding. The paved country road leads through a landscape of quiet old Hungarian villages. Between Hédervár and Györ the route mostly follows a bicycle path. After Györ you will leave the Mosoni Duna and ride through a gently rolling landscape to Komárom.
This stage of the ride goes from Tata to Esztergom along the Slovak shore of the Danube. The cultural highlights of this stretch are Komárno, the important archaeological site at “Kelemantia,“ and, of course, Esztergom. Another favoured excursion destination are the two thermal-lakes at Patince. The destination and culturally most interesting piece of this stage is the city of Esztergom, the “Rome of Hungary.“ The huge basilica on top of a hill over the city can be seen from a great distance.
The route follows either the main national road or the often unpaved roads on the dikes along the Danube. If you prefer an alternative to the hilly stretches on the Hungarian side, this route offers an attractive alternative. It has only a few minor inclines and the landscape is similarly charming.
The route immediately after Komárom leads into an idyllic and quiet countryside away from the Danube. This stage of the ride offers a wealth of delightful landscapes and interesting cultural sites. These detours also provide more interesting scenery and cultural sites: the venerable old city of Tata at the feet of the Gerecse mountains and the “Alten See” beneath the vineyards over the Danube river valley. The route has a few moderate climbs which are rewarded by excellent views into the surrounding landscape and the exciting ride back into the valley. The last kilometers pass through Lábatlan and Tokod before arriving in the “Hungarian Rome,“ as the city of Esztergom is sometimes called.
This part of the route has sections with numerous hills and climbs, and mostly follows lightly-traveled country roads. The main exception is around Süttö, where the bicycle route runs along the B 10 main road.
The cultural highlights along this last stage to Budapest are the cities of
Visegrád and Szentendre. The royal palace and the castle in Visegrád
dominate the impressive bend in the river, the “knee” of the Danube.
The open-air museum and the baroque city center of Szentendre tempt the traveler
to pause once more before pushing on to the final goal of this tour, the Hungarian
capital and Danube metropolis of Budapest. This stage could hardly be more varied.
At times the route puts the bicyclist in traffic on the busy B10, at other times
it follows very-lightly traveled country lanes like, for instance on the Szentendrei
Sziget, or simple farm tracks and well-made bicycle paths into Budapest. There
are two possible routes through the Danube‘s knee. One goes from Visegrád
via Szigetmonostor and Szentendre into the center of Budapest; the other takes
the left bank of the Danube from Szob through Nagymaros to Vác before
it crosses onto the Szentendrei Sziget. More comfortable, but just as scenic,
is to take a ship down the river.