Overview
An eight day, self-guided cycling holiday along the iconic Danube Cycle Path, Vienna to Budapest section. Cycle through three countries, spending nights in some of its iconic towns and cities which, as well as the start and end points, include Bratislava and Esztergom. Natural heritage highlights on this section of the Danube Cycle Path include Donau-Auen National Park, Szigetköz Delta and bends of the Danube. Stay in mostly traditional hotels, with luggage transfers.
- Vienna
- Szigetköz
- Donau-Auen National Park.
- Bratislava
- Esztergom
- Budapest
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Vienna
Arrive in Vienna. If you have time, explore the capital city’s cultural highlights, starting with Staatsoper and Stephansdom Cathedral, but also its plethora of galleries and museums. These include Hundertwasserhaus, Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM) and Mak, followed by visits to Schönbrunn Palace and Heldenplatz.
- Accommodation: Hotel Roomz or similar in Vienna
- Upgraded accommodation: ARCOTEL or similar in Vienna
Day 2: Vienna – Bratislava | 65km
Cycle through the Donau-Auen National Park, following well-maintained paths through floodplain forests and riverbank landscapes. Continue on to Eckartsau Castle and Eckartsau village as far as Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, a spa and market town near the border of Austria and Slovakia. From here, an optional short detour along the Roman Cycle Trail (Römerweg) leads to Carnuntum, one of Austria’s most significant archaeological sites. Continue via Hainburg and cross the border into Slovakia to arrive at Bratislava, your overnight stop.
- Cycling for the day: 65km
- Accommodation: Apollo Hotel or similar in Bratislava
- Upgraded accommodation: Hotel Devin or similar in Bratislava
Day 3: Bratislava – Mosonmagyaróvár | 40km
Cycle a short distance through Slovakia before crossing into Hungary at Rajka. Continue through the traditional village of Benzenye village and continue on to the delta region of Szigetköz, an island area on the Danube which has a network of waterways and cycle paths. The day ends in Mosonmagyaróvár, also known as the City of 17 Bridges, thanks to its many canals and crossing points.
- Cycling for the day: 40km
- Accommodation: Nimród Hotel or similar in Mosonmagyaróvár
- Upgraded accommodation: Hotel Lajta Park or similar in Mosonmagyaróvár
Day 4: Mosonmagyaróvár – Györ | 40km
Start off in Szigetköz again, continuing on to Hédervár, which is an ideal place for a lunch break, where a castle takes centre stage. Ride on to Ásványráró passing its well-known religious shrine, and also a collection of old poplar trees. While in Györ, we recommend visiting the cathedral and taking time to wander around the Old Town.
- Cycling for the day: 40km
- Accommodation: Hotel Klastrom or similar in Györ
- Upgraded accommodation: Barokk Hotel Promenád or similar in Györ
Day 5: Györ – Komárom | 40km
Cycle towards Gönyű, then continue to Komárom along the Danube. Komárom is a city split in two by the Danube, with the southern part belonging to Hungary and the northern part belonging to Slovakia. We recommend visiting Fort Monostor, one of the largest modern fortresses in Central Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or try one of the city’s thermal baths.
- Cycling for the day: 40km
- Accommodation: Hotel Forrás or similar in Komárom
- Upgraded accommodation: Hotel Európa or similar in Komárom
Day 6: Komárom – Esztergom/Visegrád | 55km
Continue cycling along the riverbanks of the Danube and briefly cross into Slovakia to visit Kelemantia, the largest Roman castellum in the region. Continue through Slovak villages such as Obid and Štúrovo, with views of local vineyards, before crossing back into Hungary and following the route to Esztergom. This was the capital of Hungary until the 13th century, and still capital of the Hungarian Catholic Church, which is why it’s home to Esztergom Basilica, the largest church in Hungary. Other ecclesiastical sights include Prímási Palota or archbishops’ palace and the Keresztény Múzeum, home to a large collection of religious paintings and sculptures. Depending on availability, tonight’s stay is either in Esztergom or in nearby Visegrád.
- Cycling for the day: 55km
- Accommodation: Hotel Adalbert or similar in Esztergom or Hotel Visegrádon or similar in Visegrád
- Upgraded accommodation: Portobello Wellness & Yacht Hotel or similar in Esztergom
Day 7: Esztergom/Visegrád – Budapest | 65km
In the first part of today’s stretch, cycle along the Danube Bend where the Danube makes a sharp turn south. Arrive at Visegrád, where we recommend making a stop to visit Fellegvar Citadel, the Royal Palace ruins or the 12th century Solomon Tower. Continue to Szentendre, where you take a boat to Budapest (1h, included). Spend the rest of the day exploring the Hungarian capital on foot. Recommended places to visit include the Parliament building, Buda Castle or St Stephen’s Basilica. Whether you visit the riverfront, take the funicular to Buda Castle Hill, walk up Gellért Hill to see the Freedom Statue, or spend time at the historic Gellért Baths, Budapest offers a wide range of places to explore.
- Cycling for the day: 65km
- Accommodation: Impulso Fashion Hotel or similar in Budapest
- Upgraded accommodation: Hotel NH or similar in Budapest
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast. Extra nights in Budapest are available upon request.
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
- Hotel Roomz Prater (Vienna)
- Apollo Hotel (Bratislava)
- Nimród Hotel (Mosonmagyaróvár)
- Hotel Klastrom (Györ)
- Hotel Forrás (Komárom)
- Hotel Adalbert (Esztergom)
- Wellness Hotel Visegrádon (Visegrád)
- Impulso Fashion Hotel (Budapest)
Accommodation is 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.
Click to view upgraded hotels
There is the option to upgrade your accommodation to selected 4-star hotels. Please note that the itinerary will change slightly as per the location of your accommodation.
- ARCOTEL Kaiserwasser (Vienna)
- Hotel Devin (Bratislava)
- Hotel Lajta Park (Mosonmagyaróvár)
- Barokk Hotel Promenád (Györ)
- Hotel Európa (Komárom)
- Portobello Wellness & Yacht Hotel (Esztergom)
- Hotel NH Budapest City (Budapest)
Accommodation is 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. Half board option can be pre-booked and includes 5 dinners (no dinner in Vienna and Budapest).
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated easy to moderate, with an average daily cycling distance of 40-65km. The route is flat, or slightly downhill at points, and it follows a cycle path almost all the way, with minor roads used only on very short sections of the route. The path is well-maintained, as the Danube Cycle Path is considered one of the best cycling routes in Europe (read more about difficulty grades).
We will provide you with detailed route descriptions and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from end of March until the beginning of October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your trip on any date during the season.
For more information, please visit our blogs Best time to go to Austria, Best time to go to Slovakia and River Danube travel guide.
Getting there
FCO up-to-date travel advice on Austria, Slovakia and Hungary .
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this holiday is Vienna Airport (VIE), Bratislava Airport (BTS) and Budapest Airport (BUD).
By train or bus
If you are able to travel to Austria and back from Hungary without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with railway stations in Vienna and Budapest. For more details, see the national rail operators ÖOB and MÁV or use the Omio planner above.
Arrival in Vienna:
From Vienna Airport, there are direct train services to Vienna Hbf (15mins).
From Bratislava Airport, take the Flix Bus to Vienna Airport (1h 20mins) followed by a train to Wien Mitte (23mins). For more information visit Flix Bus and ÖOB or use the Omio planner above.
Departure from Budapest:
From Budapest city centre bus number 100E (27mins) takes you directly to Budapest Airport. To get to Vienna Airport, take the train from Budapest-Kelenföld then take the train to Flughafen Wien Train Station with a change in Vienna Central (3h 2mins). For more details, see the national rail operator MÁV and ÖOB or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- Daily luggage transport (20kg per piece, no limit in pieces)
- Boat ticket from Esztergom to Visegrád or from Szentendre to Budapest, depending on where you spend the overnight, including transfer of bikes. (The boat is expected to run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from early May until middle of September. Out of this period or these days, you will receive a train ticket as a replacement.)
- Access to a navigation app with a road book and additional information (GPX tracks also available)
- Personal welcome meeting and bike fitting
- 24/7 phone support
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Bike and helmet rental
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
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.
- Extra nights in Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest
- Hotel upgrades
- Half board (includes 5×3-course dinners except for Vienna and Budapest)
- Bike and e-bike rental
- Helmet rental
- Printed tour materials
Bike rental
The bikes available for rent on this tour are a standard 21-gear bike, premium bike, gravel bike and an e-bike:
Standard 21-gear bike:
- Special production based on KTM, smooth-running bike, specially customised for our tours
- Sturdy pannier rack
- Puncture kit with air pump, spare inner tube and small repair kit
- Vaude handlebar and pannier bag water-repellent
- Combination lock (one piece per room)
- Rental bike insurance included
Gravel bike:
- Comfortable gravel geometry for a fast ride
- SRAM Apex gear system with 1 x 12 gears (front chainring 40 teeth, rear sprockets 11-50 teeth)
- Bottle cage and vaude Trailsaddle for day luggage
- Puncture kit with air pump, spare inner tube and small repair kit
- Rental bike insurance included
Premium bike:
- Special production based on Velo de Ville, smooth-running bike specially customised for our tours
- Sturdy pannier rack
- Puncture kit with air pump, spare
- Inner tube and small repair kit
- Vaude handlebar and pannier bag, water-repellent
- Combination lock (one piece per room)
- Rental bike insurance included
E-bike:
- Wave frame with balanced e-bike geometry and low step-through
- Easy-to-use Shimano LCD display
- 630 Wh battery from Shimano including charger
- Pedal assist up to 25km/h
- Sturdy pannier rack, vaude handlebar and pannier bag
- Lockable frame and battery lock
- Puncture kit with air pump, spare inner tube and small repair kit
- Rental bike insurance included
Sample pictures attached below, note that the exact models may differ depending on availability, but the standard will be the same.
