Cycling the Danube from Vienna to Budapest

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Experts in Self-Guided Tours

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8 Days from

USD 1,799

Cycling

Ways to Travel :

Self-Guided Holidays

Activity :

Cycling

Activity Levels :

2 out of 7 - Leisurely / Moderate

Ages :

12+

Trip Code :

C07VB

Enjoy meandering rides along the Danube from Austria to Hungary.

This is a classic ride linking two historic cities. Your journey starts in Vienna, which requires little introduction, with its abundance of famous sites, entertainment and culture. The River Danube serves as the spine of the cycling route as you meander back and forth through woodland, farmland, avenues of walnut trees, wide flat landscapes and shady hills. A night is spent in the pretty city of Bratislava and in the lovely town of Gyor, as we head towards the Danube Bend at Esztergom. The end point for the trip is the city of Budapest with time to soak up the wonderful atmosphere and enjoy the stunning architecture.

Highlights

Meander along the Danube
Cycle 3 countries in one week
Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest

Key Information

7 nights 4-star hotels
6 days cycling with luggage transfers
80% cycle path, 20% road
E-bike hire available on request (supplement applies)
Mainly quiet roads and cycle paths, but some busier points when entering/leaving the cities
Gentle hills on some days
Self-guided holiday. Min age 12 yrs

Countries visited: Austria, Hungary, Slovakia

What's Included

All breakfasts
All accommodation (see accommodation)
All luggage transfers
Route notes and maps
High Quality Bikes
Esztergom to Visegrad boat including the transfer of the bikes
Train ticket including bike from Györ to Komàrom

What's Not Included

Travel insurance
Single accommodation (compulsory supplement)
Visas or vaccinations
Dinners (half board option including 5 nights dinner available for supplement.)

6 Days of Cycling

Terrain:

The suggested cycling mainly follows quiet tarmac roads and designated cycle paths, however, there are some sections on busier roads. Much of the route is gently undulating, but there are some steeper hills.

Day 2

68 km / 42.3 miles

Day 3

45 km / 28 miles

Day 4

45 km / 28 miles

Day 5

41 km / 25.5 miles

Day 6

55 km / 34.2 miles

Day 7

56 km / 34.8 miles

Responsible Travel

At Exodus we believe in the power of Responsible Travel.

Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here…

Itinerary

Make your own way to the hotel. The rest of the day is left free to explore Vienna at your leisure. It is a metropolis with unique charm, vibrancy and flair. It boasts outstanding infrastructure, is clean and safe, and has all of the culture, architecture and inspiration that you could wish for in this wonderful part of Europe. Highlights that you may consider include visits to the grand Schonbrunn Palace, Sigmund Freud Museum and a tour in the Vienna State Opera House. Don't miss a visit to one of the many wonderful coffee shops to enjoy the typical cake Sachertorte!

This morning you receive your bikes before setting off on your first day of riding.

On leaving Vienna the route takes you through the Donau-Auen National Park, an area of extensive flood plains, which have turned into small ponds offering a rich habitat to countless species of birds, animals and insects. From here, pass Orth Castle and the pretty village of Eckertsau before arriving in Hainburg.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Follow the Roman bike trail to one of Austria's most important archaeological sites, the Roman remains at Petronell-Carnuntum. End your day in the Gothic old town of Bratislava, Slovakia's pretty capital city that exudes old world charm.

Meals Included: Breakfast

After a short cycle through Slovakia, you cross the Hungarian border into Rajka. Cycle past storybook villages, where you can still find traditional thatched-roofed farm houses. Your route guides you through the Szigetkoz (a small Rye island) towards Mosonmagyarovar; the charming old 'city of 17 bridges'. The city centre is noteworthy for its impressive collection of Baroque buildings.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today, you follow a flat cycling route as it takes you through the outstanding natural surroundings of the island between the Danube and the Mosoni Duna (Small Danube). Make a stop to see Hedervar Castle, before arriving in the colourful town of Gyor, to take in its sights and breathtaking historic centre.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Take the train to Komarom then pedal along the riverbanks of the flat Danube Valley, passing quaint villages and lush vineyards. Fitter cyclists can choose a route over Tata, but be aware this is more strenuous and there are no shops and restaurants along the way. Those interested in the history of the area should plan some time for the Roman archaelogical site of Kelemantia, where a military camp stood from the 2nd to the 4th Century. The absolute highlight of the day however, is Esztergom (also known as Hungarian Rome), with the largest basilica in the country.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Head to the Danube Bend, probably one of the most attractive sections of the Danube bike trail. Here, the river winds its way through the Visegrad Mountains and makes a sharp turn towards the south. The Royal Palace and castle of Visegrad, and the open air museum are well worth a visit, as is the old Baroque town of Szentendre. Here you take a leisurely boat ride into the centre of the city and appreciate the stunning architecture.

Meals Included: Breakfast

End your trip in Budapest. There is much to see in this iconic city and we are pleased to book additional nights for you if you wish. Hungary's capital is bisected by the River Danube, and the 19th Century Chain Bridge connects its hilly Buda district with the flat Pest. The city is easy to explore on foot; don't miss the chance to visit one of the city's famous thermal baths or walk up to the dome of St Stephan's Basilica for a fantastic panoramic view!

Meals Included: Breakfast

Essential Info

Visa

Austria

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Austria. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through. Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/austria
Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/austria
United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austria/entry-requirements
USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Austria.html

Hungary

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Hungary. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/hungary
Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/hungary
United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/hungary/entry-requirements
USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Hungary.html

Slovakia

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Slovakia. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through. Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/slovakia
Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/slovakia
United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/slovakia/entry-requirements
USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Slovakia.html

Vaccination

Austria

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Hungary

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Slovakia

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts are included.
Breakfast: Continental style buffet breakfast.
Lunch and Dinner: there are numerous restaurants along the route with a selection of menus of two or more courses and the route notes will provide more details to help you decide. Self-guided cycling also lends itself really well to picnics. You can stop wherever you please, in a spot that suits you and eat your lunch taking in your chosen view.

Weather

The weather here is comparatively stable, particularly during mid-summer. Temperatures are similar to those experienced in the UK and rainfall, although relatively low, is possible throughout the year.

Weather Charts

Is this trip for you?

Cycling Conditions
Classification: Self-Guided
Activity Level: 2 (Leisurely/Moderate)
Average daily distance: 54km (34 miles)
No. of days cycling: 6
Terrain and route: surface: The suggested cycling mainly follows quiet tarmac roads and designated cycle paths, however, there are some sections on busier roads. Much of the route is gently undulating, but there are some steeper hills.
Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to cycle independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodation, provide you with a map and route notes so that you can cycle at your own pace, while your bags are transported from one hotel to the next.

It is important that you are happy reading maps and following route notes, we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly checked. Where possible we stick to cycle tracks and quiet roads to make the journeys as pleasant as possible, however, on occasion we have to use busier routes.

On many occasions in the route it is possible to shortern the day's ride by taking the train or a boat - this will be detailed further in the route notes.

As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There maybe others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The routes notes contain an emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the hotels are normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.

Please note that helmets are obligatory for adults cycling outside cities in Slovakia, and at night or if there is bad visibility you are required to have either reflectors or a safety vest.

Families
Self-guided cycling holidays are a perfect option for families as they offer the freedom for you to take your holiday at your own pace. You can stop as and when you want and need, at the cafes and restaurants that suit your family and the sites that interest you. As a guide we have suggested that 12 years is the minimum age for this trip, but as it is self-guided and you will be leading your own family we will ultimately leave this decision up to you. The daily distances are all published in the trip notes along with a description of each days cycling so you have a good idea of what to expect. Please be aware that some of the cycling on this route is along busier roads so any children must be confident at cycling alongside traffic. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact one of our experts. The principle idea is that these holidays can be as flexible as you like, with logistical support but no group or leader to dictate the daily activities.

Covid-19 refund commitment

You will get a refund if you have to cancel your trip due to COVID-19.

Availability

This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and can be booked, although some components will need to be requested. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.

Cycling the Danube from Vienna to Budapest

Enjoy meandering rides along the Danube from Austria to Hungary.

6 Days of Cycling

Responsible Travel

Itinerary

Essential Info

Visa

Austria

Hungary

Slovakia

Vaccination

Austria

Hungary

Slovakia

Eating and Drinking

Weather

Weather Charts

Is this trip for you?

Hotels

Would you like to include flights with your booking?

Looking to set your own pace on your next adventure?

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Cycling the Danube from Vienna to Budapest