Ybbstal Cycle Route
The Ybbstal cycle trail is one of the three Danube-Alp routes for cyclists in the Mostviertel district. The distance from the mouth of the river at Ybbs an der Donau to Lunz am See is 107 km. Over its main section between Waidhofen an der Ybbs and Lunz am See, it largely follows the route of the former Ybbstalbahn railway line. In this area, the cycleway is a constant 2.5 metres wide and scores with its rest and picnic areas along the Ybbs river as well the spectacular historical railway bridges that cross it.
www.ybbstalradweg.at
The recommended direction is to go from Ybbs an der Donau to Lunz am See southwards from the Danube into the eastern Alps, in other words upriver; progress is gradual and has no appreciable climbs. Before setting off on the tour from Ybbs, you should take a look at the town. The starting point of the trail has a delightful old city centre as well as the Schiffmeisterplatz (Shipowner Square) on the Danube. It is also worth visiting the Bicycle Museum (Fahrradmuseum) which will take you back to the days of motorless mobility, dominated by wooden impellers, elegant penny-farthings, and mighty treadle wheels.
The first few kilometres are completely on the level, as the trail takes you through farming villages, from Ybbs to Blindenmakt. This is followed by a moderate climb on a hill ridge, which will reward you with grand views of the plain in the north and the gradually rising mountains in the south. Up to this point, the trail crosses the Ybbs a few times, but after the district town of Amstetten, the Ybbs and the cycle route frequently run close by each other. At times, the route offers deep views of the river bed, before diverging again from the Ybbs at extended valley stretches. Already from a distance, the towers of the Basilika Sonntagberg indicate the direction of travel. Paper and profile steel are still produced at the foot of the pilgrimage mountain to this day. In contrast, the days of iron processing in the nearby Waidhofen an der Ybbs are long over. The city centre with its historical houses, façades and arcades is also worth seeing. Only relics remain from the medieval fortifications. It is worth staying a while and going back in time as you enjoy the view of the nineteenth century burgher houses.
Waidhofen an der Ybbs is also where the new centrepiece of the Ybbstal cycle route begins, which opened in 2017. From here, it largely follows the former Ybbstalbahn railway line and offers plenty of wonderful views of the surrounding nature, combined with a safe and comfortable route quality, with no perceptible uphill climbs.
Iron processing is still an important activity at Ybbsitz, which can be reached by taking the small Ybbstal cycle path that branches off in Gstadt. The bridge from the past has been effectively brought into the present and future - Ybbsitz is one of the main centres of forging craft in Europe.
Still before Opponitz, there is the natural monument of Ofenloch, a fissured gorge that leads to the town of Opponitz. The gravel banks of the Ybbs constantly invite visitors to take a break and a refreshing paddle in the water. The route is now embedded in the mountain world of Eisenwurzen, and up to Göstling it is characterised by its imperceptibility - the difference in altitude is as indiscernible as the three extended loops of the route.
One sight that remains in view for quite a while is the church of Hollenstein on the hill. The well-being of its inhabitants was for centuries associated with the iron industry. More than a hundred years ago, the upper Ybbs valley was a location of summer recreation. The open air swimming area in Hollenstein and the station building of the Ybbstal railway from Kogelsbach can still be seen and gives you a chance to wallow briefly in nostalgia. Göstling offers a combination of river bathing and gastronomy, perfect for a refreshing visit. And at the end of the tour, the municipality of Lunz am See is a good place to mix cycling enjoyment with fun on the water in the form of pedal boats. If you wish to give your tired legs a rest as you enjoy the idyllic lake atmosphere, you can also use an electric boat, which follows the same principle as an electric bike. For the return journey, there is a bus that will transport both the cyclist and his bicycle back to Waidhofen an der Ybbs, but places have to be booked in advance.
And for those who still haven’t done enough cycling, there is also the Ötscherland bicycle route, which leads from Lunz am See via the Erlauftal back towards the Danube.
Author’s recommendation

Rest Stop
Schluchtenhütte OpponitzKonditorei Schwarzlmüller
Radweg-Stüberl Kogelsbach
Gasthof Bruckwirt
Osteria zum Kirchenwirt
Tips, hints and links
Mostviertel Tourismus GmbH
Töpperschloss Neubruck, Neubruck 2/10, 3270 Scheibbs
T +43/7482/204 44, office@mostviertel.at
Start
Destination
Turn-by-turn directions
To the south of Waidhofen, there is also a detour that follows the Ybbs to Ybbsitz.
The route now passes through the Ofenloch gorge on the former railway line to Opponitz. The profile of the course here in the upper Ybbs valley is largely flat. Another 14 kilometres past Opponitz lies the town of Hollenstein, followed 11 kilometres later by the small municipality of St. Georgen am Reith. The route now gradually begins to rise very gently to Göstling.
From here, the final stretch of 11 kilometres partly follows the federal highway to Lunz am See. By then, you will have covered a total distance of 107 kilometres. For the return journey to Waidhofen an der Ybbs, there is a bus service available. ('Radtramper' bus, Mostviertel line MO1, between Lunz am See and Waidhofen an der Ybbs). Or you can also arrange a taxi with bicycle transport service (this must be ordered two hours in advance). Detailed information about the mobility services is available from www.ybbstalradweg.at .
Note
Public transport
Public transport friendly
The Ybbstal cycle route is easy to reach via the Amstetten and Ybbs intersections in the north using trains run by the ÖBB and Westbahn on the line between Salzburg and Vienna. Tip: the carriage formations of the trains are displayed on the platform, where cyclists can find out which carriages will take bicycles. A regional train runs every hour from Amstetten to Waidhofen an der Ybbs (please note that between 30 June and 4 September 2017, this stretch is run as a replacement bus service, and it is not possible to transport bicycles in this period) and stops at several stations along the cycle route. Workdays. Different times apply on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Radtramper line MO1 between Lunz am See and Waidhofen/Ybbs (Tel. +43 810/ 22 23 24), timetables available from www.vor.at. Travel details: https://www.mostviertel.at/anreise-und-transfer-zum-ybbstalradweg
Getting there
A1 Westautobahn (motorway), Ybbs exit
Rail Ybbs or Amstetten and Waidhofen For directions by car and parking facilities, see: https://www.mostviertel.at/mit-dem-auto-zum-ybbstalradweg
Parking
Railway station at Ybbs, Amstetten, Waidhofen an der Ybbs
Detailed information: https://www.mostviertel.at/mit-dem-auto-zum-ybbstalradweg
Coordinates
Book recommendation by the author
Author’s map recommendations
The "Fluss-Radeln" cycle map shows details of the Ybbstal, Ötscherland and Meridian cycle routes. Available from Mostviertel Tourismus, Tel. 07482/20444, www.mostviertel.at/prospekte