From Innsbruck to Bolzano by bike
8 days / 6 days riding / ref. IB / Difficulty Moderate / Linear tripper person
Your cycling tour from Innsbruck to Bolzano
Whether spring, summer, or autumn: South Tyrol is always worth a visit by bike. The glittering ice worlds, huge mountains, fertile orchards and vineyards make your journey an unforgettable sensual experience. You will start your tour in Innsbruck with a stopover in Imst, also called “Merano of North Tyrol”. From Landeck, you will take a bus to Nauders on the Reschenpass. And from there, you will cycle mostly downhill. This way, also less athletic cyclists can master the route easily. Join the river Adige flowing into the valley, past the sunken village in Lake Reschenstausee, until you reach Bolzano. Take a rest, drink a bottle of the widely praised Kalterer wine, and enjoy the view of the Rose Garden: for some a beautiful mountain backdrop, for others the kingdom of the dwarf king Laurin, in which the roses start to glow in the sunset. This will be the perfect culmination of an amazing trip.
Tour highlights
- South Tyrolean wine on lake Caldaro
- Beautiful panoramic view of the Ortler mountain
- The golden roof in Innsbruck
- Amble through the Laubengasse in Bolzano
Day 1Arrival in Innsbruck
The starting point of the tour is the beautiful city of Innsbruck! Settle in to your hotel, welcome briefing and bike fitting. We then recommend that you visit Innsbruck’s famous old town with its City Tower and its “Golden Roof”
Day 2Innsbruck – Imst | 65 km
You will pedal on the former towpath along the river Inn, at the foot of Martinswand (mountain face) and through little villages and market towns to Stams (baroque Cistercian convent). Then, you will continue your tour via Haiming to Imst, the so-called “Merano of North Tyrol”.
Day 3Imst – Burgeis/Mals/St Valentin | 50 km + bus ride
Today, you will cycle along the river Inn, past the monastery Zams to Landeck. A bus will take you to Nauders from where you will cycle less than 100 metres in altitude uphill to the mountain pass Reschenpass. From there, you will cycle downhill to Lake Reschensee and continue on minor roads to Mals (many towers in the centre) or to Burgeis at the foot of the castle Marienburg.
Day 4St Valentin/Burgeis/Mals – Merano | 65 km
Your day starts with a trip to Glurns (perfectly preserved medieval city walls). Then, you will cycle via the Montani ruins, through Schlanders, down to Merano. On your way, you will come across some pretty castles (mountaineer Reinhold Messner’s castle Juval) and you will get marvellous views of the impressive mountain massif Ortlermassiv and the mountain pass Stilfserjoch. Since 2004, the Venosta train (Vinschgaubahn) has been operating again between Mals and Merano. You can almost always take this train to travel a part of your journey.
Day 5Passeiertal/Merano | 40 km
On the fifth day, you will have the opportunity to ride your bike into the Passeiertal valley to the Sandwirt inn (birthplace of the Tyrolean freedom fighter Andreas Hofer). Alternatively, you can hike on the famous Tappeiner trail or go shopping at the famous arcades of Merano.
Day 6Merano – Auer | 50 km
Today’s stage will take you via Lana (Schnatterpeck Altar) and through numerous orchards and vineyards in the area of the South Tyrolean Wine Road, past many fortresses, castles, and ruins such as Hocheppan (famous frescos), to Lake Kalterer See. You usually stay in the cosy wine town, Auer.
Day 7Auer – Bolzano | 35 km
Leaving the charming wine town behind you, you will cycle on flat routes through the Adige valley or via the Montiggler lakes (scenic, but more demanding route), past Sigmundskron to Bolzano (arcades, “Ötzi” museum).
Day 8Departure during the day
Documents
> Download tour programKTM hybrid bike - 21 speed gears
Man or Lady frame
- 1 rear pannier (saddlebag)
- 1 front pannier
- 1 repair kit
- 1 pump
- 1 lock
Helmets are not provided. We suggest to bring yours.
VTC KTM 27 speed gears
High frame
- Hydraulic Magura breaks HS 11 Shimano Deore XT
- Suntour suspension fork
- 1 rear pannier (saddlebag)
- 1 front pannier
- 1 repair kit
- 1 pump
- 1 lock
With supplement
PEDELEC e-bike
Universal frame
- 1 rear pannier (saddlebag)
- 1 front pannier
- 1 repair kit
- 1 pump
- 1 lock
Helmets are not provided. We suggest to bring yours.
Practical details
- Bikes will be delivered at the 1st hotel.
- At the end of the tour, leave the rental bikes at your hotel, we will pick them up.
Your journey
You will cycle on bike paths in the river valleys of the Inn and Adige rivers. A bus will take you from Landeck to Nauders. From there you will cycle uphill 70 metres in altitude until you reach Reschenpass (mountain pass). Afterwards, you can enjoy cycling downhill for more than 1,200 metres in altitude to Bolzano. In order to stay on calm roads, cycling some small climbs will be necessary.
How to arrive in Innsbruck
By car :
Motorways in Austria: Vignette (road tax disk) mandatory: 10-day vignette around € 10, 2-month vignette around € 30
Garage approx. EUR 17 / day ; to be paid for at the time, no reservation possible
By train :
Innsbruck main train station.
From here, we recommend taking a taxi to your hotel.
If you stay in Austria Trend Hotel Congress: taxi takes about 5 minutes and costs about €8. Alternatively, it is about a 2 km walk or you can go by bus according to timetable www.postbus.at and get out of the bus at “Haus der Begegnung” which will cost about € 3.
If you stay in Hotel Central or Hotel Zach: taxi takes about 3 minutes and costs approx. €7. Alternatively, it’s about a 750m walk.
By plane :
Innsbruck airport.
From Innsbruck Airport, the cost per taxi is approx. € 16. Alternatively, you can catch bus “F” to station Hauptbahnhof for Hotel Central and hotel Zach or further on by bus according to timetable www.postbus.at and exit the bus at “Haus der Begegnung” to Austria Trend Hotel Congress. The distance from the airport to your hotel is about 5 km.
Return
If you have to come back to the start point:
- This return can be carry out by RandoVelo/Biking France: please see “Options”
- A return transfer by train is possible and organized on your own.
Plan to go to the train station with your luggage (and your potential own bike)
(Personal bike return costs are on your responsibility.)
– Bolzano train station >> Innsbruck train station (journey approx. 2 hours without change; costs approx. € 20 per person)
More informations on www.oebb.at or www.trenitalia.it
