Overview
A seven day adventure cycling the Lechradweg, a tranquil trail along the Lech River that takes you between Austria and Germany. Considered by many to be one of the wildest rivers of the Tyrol, this journey through the Vorarlberg Mountains has many cultural and natural highlights along the way, including traditional Tyrolean villages, the iconic and always impressive Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, as well as an array of medieval towns such as Königsbrunn and Friedberg, before arriving in Augsburg, one of the oldest cities in Germany, a true Bavarian beauty. Both traditional and e-bikes available to rent on this tour.
- Lechradweg Cycle Trail
- Lech and Augsburg
- Landsberg am Lech
- Neuschwanstein Castle
- Lechfall
- Hohenschwangau Castles
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Lech am Arlberg
Depending on arrival time, spend the afternoon or early evening exploring Lech am Arlberg, one of Austria’s most famous ski resorts in winter, a small village with an idyllic location enveloped by the Lechquellen Mountains.
- Accommodation: Schneider in Lech am Arlberg or similar
Day 2: Lech am Arlberg – Elbigenalp | 45km
Today’s route heads toward Formarinsee, the source of the River Lech, before continuing through farmland and meadows, towards Steeg. From here, the route takes you to Holzgau, home to a number historical houses painted with Baroque facades and the second-longest suspension bridge in Austria. The day comes to a close in Elbigenalp, in the centre of Lechtal Valley, know for its traditional woodwork and carving.
- Cycling for the day: 45km
- Accommodation: Stern in Elbigenalp or similar
Day 3: Elbigenalp – Schwangau | 55km
Begin the morning with a short cycle to Häselgehr, a traditional Tyrolean village, before passing through Forchach, crossing its 75m-long suspension bridge. Once across the river, the route crosses the border into Bavaria to visit Lechfall, a powerful man-made waterfall with a footbridge passing over it. The day concludes in Füssen, where we recommend taking time to visit Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, which are 3km and 4km away respectively, both accessible by bus from Füssen, if you have had enough cycling for the day.
- Cycling for the day: 55km
- Accommodation: Weinbauer in Schwangau or similar
Day 4: Schwangau – Schongau | 40-55km
Leaving Schwangau, follow a route along the banks of Forggensee, pausing for a short break in Lechbruck am See. From here, the route continues towards Schongau, where one option is to spend the remainder of the evening in one of the town’s many beer gardens.
- Cycling for the day: 40-55km
- Accommodation: Hotel Alte Post Schongau in Schongau or similar
Day 5: Schongau – Landsberg am Lech | 40km
Spend the morning walking along the walls that encircle Schongau, discovering its many battlements, before heading towards Epfach to visit Museum Abodiacum to learn about the area’s Roman history. From here, the route continues towards the colourful town of Landsberg am Lech, with its intricately decorated town hall and Gothic town gate.
- Cycling for the day: 40km
- Accommodation: Landhotel Endhart in Landsberg am Lech or similar
Day 6: Landsberg am Lech – Augsburg | 50km
The day begins by following one of the best-preserved sections of the Via Claudia, an ancient Roman road that led from the Adriatic Sea all the way to Bavaria. Cycle past Königsbrunn and the old Bavarian town of Friedberg, before arriving in Augsburg, Bavaria’s largest city and one of the oldest cities in Germany. Spend the afternoon visiting the many sights of the city including Fuggerei, the world’s oldest social settlement, the puppet theatre of Augsburger Puppenkiste and the Renaissance-era fountains of Maximilianstraße.
- Cycling for the day: 50km
- Accommodation: Dom Hotel Augsburg in Augsburg or similar
Day 7: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to natural adventures. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms. Please note that, in Austria, it is common practice for hotels and other accommodations to join twin beds together to make a double, with separate linen for each person. If you prefer to opt for twin beds, we will happily request this at time of booking, however they can’t always be guaranteed.
Click to view default hotels
- Schneider (Lech am Arlberg)
- Stern (Elbigenalp)
- Weinbauer (Schwangau)
- Hotel Alte Post Schongau (Schongau)
- Landhotel Endhart (Landsberg am Lech)
- Dom Hotel Augsburg (Augsburg)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This route is rated easy to moderate with daily cycling distances of between 40-55km. The routes mainly follow cycle paths or quiet side roads, alternating between asphalt and gravel paths. The route gains the most elevation between Füssen and Landsberg, ascending approximately 450m before following a downhill section to Füssen (read more about difficulty grades).
When to go
This trip is available from mid-June until the end of September with departures on Sundays only. Departures on other days are possible for min. six people on request.
For more information, please visit our blogs Best time to go to Austria and Best time to go to Germany.
Getting there
FCO up-to-date travel advice on Austria and Germany.
Click to view travel options
By train or bus
If you are able to travel to and from Austria or Germany without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with railway stations in nearby Saint Anton am Arlberg and Augsburg. For more details, see the national rail operators ÖBB, in Austria or Deutsche Bahn in Germany. From Saint Anton Am Arlberg, take bus number 760 to Lech am Arlberg (30mins).
From Innsbruck airport, take a bus to the city centre, then a train to Saint Anton am Arlberg train station, changing at Ötztal. From Saint Anton Am Arlberg, take bus number 760 to Lech am Arlberg (30mins). For timetables and further information visit ÖBB or use the Omio planner above.
If arriving by car, public parking garages are available in Lech am Arlberg, approximately €10/day (payable locally).
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- 6 breakfasts
- Luggage transfer between hotels (maximum of 20kg per bag)
- Digital travel information including route maps, route descriptions and further information
- Welcome briefing by our local representative
- GPS tracks
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses such as phone calls, extra transfers and tips
- Tourist taxes
- Any other services not mentioned as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Bike rental, including bike insurance
- Return transfer by minibus to Lech every Saturday morning, reservation necessary
- Extra nights
Bike rental
Both hybrid and e-bikes are available to rent on this tour. All bikes are equipped with a combination lock, saddle bag, handlebar bag, pump, service set with tools and an extra inner tube. Sample pictures attached below, note that the exact models may differ depending on availability, but the standard will be the same.
Hybrid bikes
- 21/24-speed, freewheel, gender-neutral bike
- 7-speed, gender-neutral bike with coaster brakes
- 21-speed freewheel, men’s bike
E-bike
- 8-speed e-bike
- Bosch Active Line Plus motor
- 550Wh battery with up to 120km range
Hybrid bike plus
- 20/27-speed, freewheel, men’s bike
- Hydraulic brakes
- Shimano XT/DEORE rear derailleur
Children’s bikes
- 20inch, 12-speed, freewheel bike
- 24inch,18-speed, freewheel bike
- 26inch, 9-speed, freewheel bike
