Gravel Austria
The gravel bike route through Austria.

The Burgenland part of the route leads past Carnuntum in Lower Austria to Berg and then on to Kittsee before continuing to Oggau and Oslip via Parndorf. The section to Oslip is flat and winds its way through the Lake Neusiedl - Leithaberg Nature Park. Making your way further to Wulkaprodersdorf expect a border crossing to Hungary in Klingenbach with short climbs. Continuing to Neckenmarkt and Lutzmannsburg the route becomes increasingly hilly. From Lockenhaus to Stadtschlaining, challenging sections with climbs are the norm.

The route section is 348 km (216 mi) long and leads from Burgenland near Doiber/Wartegg to Styria.

Tarmac, forest roads and gravel roads - Lower Austria's landscapes are diverse. The section starts in the Waldviertel region and leads along the Granit Trail towards the Danube. Through the gentle landscape of the Mostviertel it continues via Waidhofen an der Ybbs towards Lunz am See, into the mountainous part of Lower Austria. After a short detour to Mariazell, the route heads north to the Gölsental Valley and the Elsbeere Vienna Woods, through the Vienna Woods Biosphere Park on to Klosterneuburg. Then, it heads east along the Vienna city borders through forests and meadows to the region of Carnuntum, bordering Burgenland.

• Length of the route section: about 528 km (328 mi)

• Ascent: 8,920 m / Descent: 9,720 m (29.265 ft / 31.890 ft)

• Condition: 35 % gravel, 65 % tarmac

• Difficulty level: demanding

The Gravel Route in the scenic SalzburgerLand scores with impressive panoramic routes including viewpoints. It leads along picturesque bodies of water such as Lake Zell and the National Park Worlds in Mittersill. The picturesque Mandlwandstraße on the foothills of the Hochkönig mountain, is a highlight along the route.

The Gravel Route in SalzburgerLand splits into two sections: From Saalbach to Mondsee it covers about 275 km (170 mi) and 6,000 altitude metres (19,685 ft), with 35% of the route being gravel, 65% tarmac. The second section leads uphill from the Großglockner to Passthurn - 90 km (56 mi) and 900 altitude metres (2,953 ft). Downhill, the route covers up to 2,000 altitude metres (6.562 ft) through the Großglockner Road on Salzburg's side. This part is more than 90% asphalted and allows a brisk pace. The old pass road from Mittersill up to Pass Thurn features another longer uphill section.

The Gravel Austria route is divided into two sections in Tirol: It can be cycled both from west to east and from east to west, and offers challenging and scenic sections.

• Length: 600 km (372 mi) or 300 km (186 mi) each way depending on the route.

• Condition: More than 50 % gravel or loose ground, 10 % single trail, rest tarmac.

• Route east to west: Medium to difficult, covering 3,830 altitude metres (12,560 ft), the part in the Inn Valley is mostly on tarmac.

• Route west to east: Difficult, covering 5,470 altitude metres (17,946 ft) on gravel and loose ground, partly challenging descents on single trails.

Stay in harmony with flora and fauna

• We ride on designated paths: This way, we protect young plants and breeding animals and avoid soil changes and erosion.

• We adapt our speed to the terrain: This prevents skid marks caused by driving with the brakes on.

• We are considerate of wild and grazing animals: Especially at dusk, in forests and meadows, we let them forage undisturbed.

• We respect protected areas and barriers: They are there so that nature and animals get time to recover.

• We properly dispose of our waste: Everything, that we bring on the tour, we also take back to our accommodation.