The Danube Cycleway - Donaueschingen to Budapest - Europe

• Location
• Description
• Contents
• Introduction
• Sample Route
• Maps
• Reviews
• Further Reading

Any cyclist living in mainland Europe would almost certainly know the Danube Cycle Way as one of the most popular cycle routes on the Continent. In high season parts of it can be so busy that it is virtually impossible to use it without meeting groups of fellow cyclists every few minutes. Yet the route is little known to Britons and rarely cycled by them. A large part of the route is furnished with well-signed and mostly paved cycleways divorced from vehicular traffic and the whole route takes in four countries – Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary – with lovely scenery and fascinating villages, towns and cities. It is therefore high time that British cyclists got to know the route and enjoyed the outstanding facilities it has to offer. This book aims to introduce the Danube Cycle Way and to give some insight into the people and places encountered on a journey along its length.

The Danube Cycle Way is an ideal ‘starter’ for cycle touring, especially in Europe. It is flat so the rhythm of daily stages tends to be the same, the whole route is more than adequately provided with places to stay, there must be an information point every 10km along the way, and the route is well used so that anyone with a problem would find help almost immediately. It really is a ‘family’ route. Most of the cycleway is on dedicated cycle tracks and, therefore, safe. There are no sustained climbs that could exhaust a young rider. There is a lot to see and do when not cycling and there are plenty of like-minded people to meet. (We cycled alongside a German family with an eight-year-old boy, from Vienna to Budapest, and he led the way!) The whole route has 20 stages of about a day but, allowing for days off, a month is a more feasible time-span to complete the whole journey. Many cyclists split this in half and cover the whole route in two trips of a fortnight each, Passau being the ideal ‘halfway’ mark.

Background

The River Danube officially begins its life as a spring bubbling to the surface in the little German town of Donaueschingen. It passes from the edge of the Black Forest through Bavaria before crossing into Austria near Passau. It then winds its way through hilly country on its journey to Vienna before meandering lazily through flat farmland as it becomes the border between Slovakia and Hungary. Finally it swings round the famous ‘Golden Bend’ before dividing Hungary’s capital Budapest. The river continues to the Black Sea but, as a result of political problems involving border crossings, the Danube Cycle Way effectively ends in Budapest – after a distance of more than 1350km.

Preparation

For seasoned European travellers the Danube Cycle Way is a pleasant, simple route that should not cause any undue problems.

To get the best from the journey, however, it is worth putting in a certain amount of preparation. The route is not as physically or mentally demanding as, say, the Way of Saint James through France and Spain but reasonably fit, informed cyclists will enjoy the Danube Cycle Way so much more. This guide will give you an idea of what to expect.

Cycles
It is not unusual to see people, particularly from the Netherlands, bowling along the Danube Cycle Way on ancient ‘sit-up-and-beg’ cycles with few or no gears. This is because the way is predominantly flat (in fact it descends 575m in the 1367km from Donaueschingen to Budapest) and no long severe hill need be encountered if you stick rigidly to the prescribed route. However some places close to the trail which are worth a visit are at the end of lengthy ascents of the valley sides, some of which are quite steep. There are also long straight sections which, if wind assisted, could afford some high-speed travelling! With these things in mind, a set of seven gears (11-26) on a triple chain ring (42/32/22) or similar will in general provide all the gearing necessary for this journey.

This is one of the few European routes where touring cycles with drop-handlebars are rarely seen. The majority of mainland Europeans use town cycles with straight bars for the journey and, as there is some off-road cycling to be done (though nothing too long or severe), mountain bikes and hybrids are the next most popular cycles on the trail. In my own case a pair of American Trek hybrid trail cycles were used for the journey equipped with medium-range gears and Panaracer Passela kevlar tyres. The result was easy long-distance cycling, my wife and I suffering only one puncture each on the entire return journey. It is worth noting that because the terrain has little variation for long stretches, a comfortable riding position to prevent severe stiffness and soreness is essential. Straight handlebars can cause numbness of the hands, arms and shoulders on long journeys but a judiciously adjusted pair of bar-ends can alleviate much of this discomfort, allowing the hand position to be changed regularly.

Equipment
Climatic conditions are not likely to be as extreme as those encountered in, say, the Pyrenees, the Cantabrian Mountains or the Alps but during our journey in July and August we had only five dry days out of 40 and the weather was cold and windy enough to demand hot drinks at regular intervals! It is these very variable conditions that dictate the equipment necessary for the journey.

A pair of totally waterproof panniers and a similar bar-bag are absolutely essential. There is nothing worse than arriving at an overnight halt to find that everything in your bag is soaking wet. Our bags were expensive but for this sort of journey, where the weather is so unpredictable, they are worth the outlay.

Similarly, lightweight breathable waterproof clothing that does not become clammy and cold after several hours’ continuous cycling is a must. When travelling alongside the water’s edge in high gusty winds, a cape is not a wise choice. Whilst capes do allow the wind to pass over the body, keeping it free from perspiration, their propensity to act as a sail when cycling less than a metre from the edge of a deep, fast-flowing river makes them too dangerous to seriously contemplate on this particular trail.

Flies and midges can be a severe problem. Whilst cycling, a pair of tight-fitting glasses will keep eyes protected and, in the evening, either mosquito repellent or a net should ensure a good night’s sleep.

This is more of a family holiday route than one cycled by lycra-clad enthusiasts so clothing tends to be T-shirt and padded shorts rather than race-wear. (However no one will stare at you whatever you turn out in!) It is essentially a journey to be enjoyed, so comfort dictates. There are places along the route where the cycleway is used by pedestrians and roller-blade enthusiasts as well as cyclists, when there is always the possibility of cyclists being unseated. Wearing a helmet along the whole route is therefore strongly advised.

There are few hostels on this route but bed and breakfast accommodation is both plentiful and cheap (often little different in price from that of hostels). It is therefore debatable whether there is any need to carry sleeping bags (they take up a lot of room and may never be opened) or cooking equipment (though a small electric travel kettle with continental adapter is useful).

Basic tools, including a small jar of Swarfega, should be carried for emergencies, as should a pump, but almost every small town on the way (several can be found each day) has a cycle shop manned by helpful, knowledgeable staff (the one in Passau is even open 24 hours a day). There are also large numbers of cyclists on this trail and they can be relied on to swarm to your assistance should the need arise.

A full kit list of items you may wish to consider taking with you can be found in Appendix B.

Maps and Route-Finding
I have yet to find a good set of compatible maps for the whole route. Road maps like the Michelin 1:400,000 number 984 (Germany) do not show the cycleway clearly enough, and walkers’ maps are often too detailed and you have to purchase and carry too many of them. The best and most detailed maps are to be found in the Donau-Radweg books published by Bikeline (see Bibliography). There are three books covering the whole route though the first and third are only published in German. This does not of course affect the maps, which are clear and accurate though not always precisely up-to-date. Unfortunately local authorities make a habit of changing the route or repositioning signs throughout their region and this can cause considerable confusion. If you are in doubt anywhere it is better to ask a local inhabitant rather than a fellow cyclist who may be just as lost as you are. However with these books you are unlikely to get seriously lost.

I could find no suitable detailed map for the Altmühl Trail (Stages 6–8 in this guide) and had to rely on one advertising supermarkets in the area that I found in a local tourist office! That said, the signing along this stretch was exceptionally clear and there were no route-finding difficulties in this region at all.

When finding your way in Slovakia and Hungary be prepared to find that road signs, if they exist, particularly in towns and cities, may be written in Cyrillic script, which does not match the names found on maps. Also remember that a minor road in these countries may not be paved and could easily turn out to be little more than a muddy track. Signing of the trail throughout Hungary is very intermittent. The Michelin Map 925 – Hungary (1:400,000) is perfectly adequate to give an overview of the journey for the purposes of route planning through Slovakia and Hungary but do not expect to find the cycleway marked on it – or even many of the minor roads.

Finding your way round most of the larger cities should not pose a problem – just follow signs to the Centrum (town centre). Tourist information centres in Donaueschingen, Regensburg, Passau, Linz, Vienna, Györ and Budapest all provide good detailed maps that are ideal for exploring the cities on foot or by cycle. (The exception is Bratislava, where you may have difficulty even finding the tourist office!) Note also that, whichever maps are used, the exit from Vienna is likely to prove a challenge.

See the Bibliography for a list of maps.

Fitness
Peak fitness for this route is not essential. Depending on the time you have, distances can be tailored to your needs. Accommodation is plentiful enough that any day can easily be curtailed. Remember, however, that on most mornings you will have to climb back onto your trusty steed and cycle for several hours, and that sometimes there may be a headwind all day, so stamina is more important on this journey than strength. Some sections of the route are exposed and this can result in hard pedalling into a wind that is funnelled up the river valley, even though overall the route may be descending. It is advisable to start cycling a few miles at home each day prior to commencing the journey, increasing the distance gradually until, before departure, a string of journeys exceeding 80km per consecutive day does not seem too daunting.

For most of the journey the route runs along the bottom of the Danube Valley, but if you wish to cycle to the panoramic viewpoints such as monasteries or castles that you can see off the trail it will usually entail some quite severe climbing, and this should be taken into consideration when planning the day. Try not to arrive at your overnight accommodation totally exhausted or you will not want to travel at all the next day!

Accommodation
The Danube Cycle Way is used by many people as a long-distance holiday route so there is no shortage of accommodation anywhere along it. Hostels (Herbergen), private rooms (Zimmer), guesthouses (Gasthöfe, Pensionen) and hotels (Hotels) are plentiful. That said, they can be busy or full in high season as many Germans and Dutch make block bookings at hotels months in advance and many places are filled by groups of cyclists who are riding together, so it pays to think ahead a little. In general prices are lower than in Britain for similar standards of accommodation, the lowest prices being in Slovakia and Hungary.

In many ways booking more than a few hours ahead spoils the adventure and may prevent time being spent at unexpected discoveries along the route because a pre-booked accommodation must be reached by nightfall. You can book ahead en route at tourist offices or at the special Radstationen (cyclists’ information bureaux) found at regular intervals along the way and especially in Austria. The latter are very helpful and have lists of overnight accommodation geared to cyclists’ needs. If you are doubtful about making yourself understood on the telephone some will make the booking for you. If you do not book ahead try to arrive at your destination before 6pm as accommodation is usually full by then and many tourist offices in towns and villages close at this time.

In Hungary (particularly Budapest) people offering different types of accommodation may accost you in the street and particularly at railway stations. This is quite normal and legal but be prepared to haggle and do not accept lavish accommodation that you do not want. There are several tourist offices that have the addresses of pensions – basic rooms but clean and extremely good value.

Apart from international youth hostels there are in Germany a number of Naturfreundehausen. These are superior hostels with restaurants attached that are usually set in fine scenery or even nature parks, though they often charge no less than bed and breakfast accommodation.

In Vienna, where cheap accommodation may seem scarce, the Viennese Tourist Office produces an excellent accommodation guide in which even the least expensive Pensionen are both clean and comfortable. At railway stations there, students offer leaflets advertising hostels for overnight accommodation in the city. These are perfectly adequate but bear in mind that they may be crowded, noisy and filled with excited young people!

Although it is possible to find campsites along the whole of the route, there are a number of factors against camping. It is little cheaper than simple bed and breakfast accom­modation, and unreliable weather means the unpleasant prospect of having to pitch or strike tents in pouring rain as well as having to pack and carry wet camping equipment. However many campsites do offer cheap chalet accommodation and this too can be ascertained at the Radstationen along the way.