The Wachau Valley by Bike: the Tour, the Ride and the Ferry

The Wachau Valley by bike is a flat river ride between wine villages, with ferries to swap banks and ships that carry bikes. Here is the guided winery bike tour stretch by stretch, what it asks of you, and how to ride the valley on your own.

What is a Wachau bike tour?

It is a day out of Vienna with a guide, a bike and wine tastings. The winery bike tour takes the train from Vienna to Krems, where you collect your bike. You ride west along the Danube to Dürnstein, on to Weißenkirchen, cross the river by ferry to Rossatz-Arnsdorf, and ride back to Krems for the train.

It rates 4.8 from 509 reviews, one of the most reviewed days in the valley. The fare is $159 per person and includes the train, the tasting fees at the wineries, an expert guide, the bike, a helmet and a rain poncho. It runs eleven hours and finishes at Spittelau station.

How far, how flat, how long in the saddle?

You ride about 25 km in total. The tour is described as not strenuous and suitable for all ages. The longest stretch without a stop is about 30 minutes, depending on the wind.

The day is built from short legs. Krems to Dürnstein takes about 45 minutes. After a tasting and free time, you ride 30 minutes to Weißenkirchen. After the crossing and a second tasting, the last leg back to Krems takes about 45 minutes. That is roughly two hours of riding in a day of eleven.

Getting the bike there: train and boat

On the guided tour you do not bring a bike. You ride a rented one from the rental shop, where Wi-Fi and snacks are in the fare and hot and cold drinks are for sale.

On your own, bikes travel easily. DDSG carries bicycles for €3 on its Wachau line, so you can sail one way and ride back. The Wachaubahn along the left bank takes bikes too, and bike reservations are free. At Melk Abbey there is bike parking, and the abbey sits on the Danube Cycle Path.

How do you cross the Danube by ferry?

Small river ferries link the two banks, and a bike rides on with you. The bike tour crosses in about 15 minutes, from the Weißenkirchen side to Rossatz-Arnsdorf.

The region lists cable ferries between Spitz and Arnsdorf and between Weißenkirchen and St. Lorenz, and a crossing between Dürnstein and Rossatz. Their fares and hours are set by each operator, so check them before you plan a loop. Low water can restrict ferry services as well as the ships.

How do the tastings work on a bike day?

You stop twice. The first tasting is in Dürnstein, about an hour, followed by 45 minutes of free time. The second is at Rossatz-Arnsdorf across the river, another hour. The tasting fees at both are in the fare.

You taste the valley's dry whites, and the tour also samples local delicacies like apricot jams and liqueurs. Pace yourself: you still ride about 45 minutes back to Krems after the second tasting. Water between glasses helps. Lunch is an optional extra at a local restaurant, €17 per person in cash, paid to the guide, and the guide can suggest other options.

Where can you stop along the way?

On the guided tour, the stops are set: Dürnstein, Weißenkirchen and Rossatz-Arnsdorf. On your own, the valley gives you more to park the bike for.

• Stift Dürnstein: the abbey with the blue tower is open 28 March to 26 October 2026, Monday to Saturday 9:00 to 17:00 and Sunday 10:00 to 17:00. An adult ticket is €9.50, with 20% off if you hold a DDSG ticket.
• The Aggstein ruin: on the right bank, open daily 9:00 to 18:00 from 21 March to 1 November 2026. Adults pay €10.50.
• Göttweig Abbey: across the river from Krems. Its museum opens 10:00 to 18:00 from 21 March to 1 November 2026, at €14 for an adult.
• Melk Abbey: at the western end, with bike parking. The €16 ticket covers the Marble Hall, the library and the church.

Leave time for at least one of them: a ride with no stop off the bike misses half the valley. Things to do in the Wachau Valley has more on each stop.

E-bikes and fitness

Electric bikes are available on the bike tour at extra cost; ask when you book. They make the headwind legs easier, and they suit a mixed group where one rider is less fit.

If you ride a bike a few times a year, you can manage the distance. If you have not ridden in a decade, take an e-bike, or try a short ride at home first. The route follows bike paths and riverside lanes, and the stops come often.

What should you bring and wear?

The tour asks you to bring comfortable shoes, a sun hat, sunscreen, a camera, swimwear and a towel. A rain poncho is provided. Add a water bottle and a light layer.

In summer the valley is warm: Krems averages 27.0 °C at the top of a July day and 26.6 °C in August. Bring cash for the €17 lunch, and a small backpack for whatever you buy at the wineries.

What happens when the weather turns?

The bike tour runs in all weather, and the poncho is there for that. Summer is also the wettest season in Krems: the 1991-2020 normals give 81 mm of rain in June and 77 to 78 mm in July and August, against 49 mm in September.

A September ride is often drier and cooler, with the average high at 21.0 °C. Check the forecast two days out; the tour refunds in full if you cancel 24 hours before the start. When to visit, month by month has every month.

Can you ride it on your own?

Yes. The Danube Cycle Path runs through the valley as part of EuroVelo 6, the route that follows the river from Germany to the Black Sea. One easy plan is to sail one way with your bike for €3 and ride back.

A simple self-guided day uses the timetable. Sail from Krems at 10:15 with your bike, get off in Spitz at 11:45, and ride back downstream with the current. The fare from Krems to Spitz is €34 one way, plus €3 for the bike. Stop in Weißenkirchen and Dürnstein on the way, and you are back in Krems for an evening train.

If your legs give out, the Wachaubahn is the fallback. It follows the left bank from Emmersdorf through Spitz and Dürnstein to Krems, runs daily from 24 April to 1 November 2026, and takes bikes with a free reservation. Tickets are sold online or on board. In the shoulder season the boat is thinner: from 5 October one ship leaves Krems daily at 10:15, so plan a ride around that one sailing or take the train out instead.

For walkers there is the Wachau World Heritage Trail, 180 km on both banks, and a shorter apricot trail from Krems to Angern of 7.42 km. On a bike, stay on the cycle path. Bring your own bike or arrange a rental before you arrive, and drink little if you ride.

Bike tour or kayak day?

Both are active wine days, but they ask different things. The bike tour is for anyone who can ride. The kayak and wine day is for paddlers with prior experience who swim confidently.

If you want a relaxed day with the most tastings for the money, ride. If you want the river itself, and you have paddled before, kayak. If you would rather taste without exercise, the small-group wine tasting tour drives you.

Frequently asked questions

Active days that fit this ride

Grape Grazing: Wachau Valley Winery Biking Tour

The train to Krems, 25 km of riding through Dürnstein to Rossatz-Arnsdorf with a ferry crossing, and two winery tastings.

From $159 per person

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Wachau Valley Kayak & Wine Tour

A full day paddling double kayaks downstream from near Melk, with a wine tasting in Spitz, for paddlers with some experience.

From $991 per group, up to 2

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Wachau Valley Small-Group Tour and Wine Tasting from Vienna

Eight seats from Franz-Josefs-Kai at 9:00, tastings in the fare, a 70-minute cruise May to September and Melk Abbey in winter.

From $232 per person

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