The cycleways described here cover an extensive part of southern Austria and northern Slovenia with connections to Italy. Depending on your starting point, these cycleways can be linked into a circular route for a minimum of back tracking. The Austrian cycleways are well established, designed and maintained, the Slovenian portions not so much or are non-existent.
Drau (Drava) Cycleway and Val Pusteria
The Drau cycleway (Drauradweg) officially starts near Toblach in Austria where you can catch a train to/from other parts of Europe or connect to other bike rides in Italy. The Drau cycleway leads through natural areas of international importance and provides options for traveling by train, as it follows Austria's southern railway line. In Austria much of the cycleway is car free paths. In Slovenia it is a mix of paths and roads. The cycleway is especially scenic in Austria.
Signage along the Drauradweg
Mur Cycleway
The Mur Cycleway (Mur Radweg) travels from the High Tauern National Park and follows the Mur river through Austria's culinary capital of Graz to the wine and thermal springs country in the border triangle of Austria-Slovenia-Hungary.
Radovna Valley and Sava Cycleway
In Slovenia from Lake Bled to Austria, there is a little known cycleway called the Sava. To get to the cycleway ride the Radovna valley from Lake Bled to Mojstrana. Use this route to connect to the Drava Radweg. The 907 road isn't paved but the surface is suitable for bikes and there is virtually no traffic.
Guides, Maps and Other Information
Drau Radweg Official site for the Drau cycle way. Has detailed information about the route.
Mur Radweg Official site for the Mur cycle way. Has detailed information about the route.
Val Pusterai Radweg Austrian site for the Kronplatz region which connects to the upper Drau and includes the Val Pusteria cycle path.
The Murtalbahn Unzmarkt - Murau - Tamsweg is the longest STLB railway line with a length of around 65 km and extends beyond the Styrian border into Salzburg's Lungau
Cycling routes in the Mura region "In the Murau region, a diverse network of routes full of adventures are waiting for you. Loops for leisurely rides, impressive scenic routes and the Murtalbahn as a bicycle train make for a comprehensive range of offers for cyclists and mountain bikers."
See the Maps and Guides page for more mapping information.
Map information
There are many cycling apps with maps available for iphone/ android. Here are a couple of the better offline apps.
Can be used to follow this and other routes. Click here for KML files that can be loaded into the app. Drau Radweg Mur Radweg Sava Radweg Place the file in the maps.me bookmarks folder (MapsWithMe/bookmarks on your phone or tablet) or alternately, email/text it to your device and open the file with maps.me. Total Commander works great for managing and opening files.
Guru Maps has the ability to show map types other than OpenStreetMap, in particular, OpenCycleMap. KML files can be imported by "opening" the file with Guru. To import the KML file place the file in a folder or email/text it to your device, press and hold and open with the app. The route will appear in "collections." A user manual is available.
The Sava river bike route downloadable PDF.
What it is Like
Maribor is a good end point or starting point for either the Drau or Mur rides. The two rides can be connected by riding from/to Maribor where the routes are closest and using the small roads to get from one ride to the other. From Maribor one can take a train to Lake Bled (a great place to visit) and ride the Sava cycleway back into Austria. The Mur and Drau rides can also be connected by taking the bus between Spittal an der Drau and Sankt Michael im Lungau. See the Austrian Postbus timetable
- Best Season
Probably spring when the apple trees are in bloom but almost any months from May through September should be good. We rode the pathways in October and it was a bit cold and rainy.
- Elevation Changes
Since the cycleways follow river valleys there is a continuous gradient up or down depending on your direction but not too steep. In the mountains near the Austrian border the route can be fairly steep but not extreme except over Wurzenpass. Take care planning your route over Wurzenpass. You should only ride from Slovenia into Austria.
Drava (Drau) Cycleway
Most of the route is on bike paths from Toblach to Spittal and downstream of Villach. From Völkermarkt and onwards into Slovenia the route follows small roads. Beyond Maribor the route is fairly well marked but is more of a route through the countryside than a path. We tried following the route out of Maribor to the east and eventually gave up as the route was non-existent in places. Portions are on gravel roads.
- Ride Quality
Most of the route in Austria is traffic free paved cycleways. Directly on the banks of the Drau, the cycleway is either paved or easily ridable gravel road. (ADFC certification 4 stars). In Slovenia it is a mix of roads and gravel paths and in places, does not exist as a developed cycleway. In Slovenia, you can follow the route along the south bank of the Drau on small, quiet country roads with steady ups and downs.
Signs for the Val Pusteria.
Cycling through Val Pusteria.
Mur Cycle Path
From high in the mountains of Austria near St. Michael im Lungau to somewhere in Slovenia beyond Maribor this cycleway follows the Mur river through a varied landscape. From the Mur Cycle Path site "The Mur Cycling Path is known among aficionados as the most diverse scenic river bike path in the Alps, which by virtue of its course is a truly enjoyable cycling path - slightly downhill and with many culinary destinations. It begins in the High Tauern National Park and accompanies the Mur river through Austria's culinary capital of Graz to the wine and thermal springs country in the border triangle of Austria-Slovenia-Hungary."
Signs for the Murradweg.
- Ride Quality
In Austria, along the Mur, most of the route runs on paved cycle paths and quiet country roads. Unpaved sections are rare and there are very few traffic-intensive sections. Similar to the Drau, the Mur cycleway becomes less certain in Slovenia and beyond Maribor, stage 8.
The Murtalbahn crossing the cycle path. For train aficionados don't miss a ride on the Murtalbahn historical train. Its narrow gauge and goes through some wonderful mountain scenery.
Radovna Valley and Sava Cycleway
The Sava "Not a "cycle path“ but a cycling route on different types of infrastructure." The upper Sava Valley path is high quality and brings you to/from the Drava in Austria. Lake Bled is a great place to visit and to cycle. Take the train or ride to Maribor to connect to other routes.
- Ride Quality
The Sava is mostly a concept but on the upper portions of the river in Austria the path is quite good and car free. The cycleway is mostly level following the very scenic Sava valley near winter ski areas.
The Sava cycle path. The photo was taken in October so its a little rainy
Follow the 201 road over Wurzenpass into or out of Austria depending on your direction. Caution! the road over Wurzenpass is extremely steep on the Austrian side. This is the steepest road we have ever seen in Europe. Stop and let your brakes cool if you ride down Wurzenpass.
Starting down Wurzenpass. The automobile sign is an illustration of how steep it is.