01 - Overview
The Almtalradweg (R11) follows the river Alm for some 55 kilometres south from the flat plain around Wels, climbing gently up the valley to the Almsee, a lake at the foot of the Totes Gebirge. The fully paved, well-signed route is suitable for road bikes and pairs perfectly with the Almtalbahn railway (Wels - Grünau im Almtal). Highlights include the Criminal Museum at Schloss Scharnstein, the Cumberland Wildlife Park with wolves, bears and European bison, and the internationally renowned Konrad Lorenz Research Station with its free-flying greylag geese - before the route ends quietly at the protected Almsee nature reserve.
The Almtalradweg begins in Wels, the Roman-era city on the Traun, where it joins the wider Wels cycle network and the Traun Cycle Route. From the flat Welser Becken the path heads south through agricultural countryside beside the Alm stream, through Eberstallzell and on to Pettenbach - the end of the long first leg through the still-open lower Almtal. Beyond Pettenbach the valley begins to narrow. The second leg leads to Scharnstein, whose castle stands high above the village and houses the Austrian Criminal and Gendarmerie Museum - more than twenty rooms of criminal and legal history from the late Middle Ages to the present, with exhibits on the history of punishment and torture. Scharnstein is also a stop on the Almtalbahn, handy for day visitors and as a mid-valley entry or exit point. The short third leg crosses into Grünau im Almtal, the heart of the valley and, surprisingly, a place of international renown in behavioural biology. On the edge of the village lies the Cumberland Wildpark: a naturalistic park of around 60 hectares with wolves, brown bears, lynx, European bison (Wisent), wild horses, moose and many other native species - a major draw for families. Also in Grünau is the Konrad Lorenz Research Station, a research facility of the University of Vienna: here free-flying greylag geese have followed the rhythms of the Almtal for decades, and the station is closely linked to the Waldrapp reintroduction project, which aims to bring the Northern Bald Ibis back to Central Europe. The fourth leg, from village to lake, is the most atmospheric of the whole route. The path follows the Alm through the quiet upper valley to where the forest opens and the Almsee appears: a still pre-Alpine lake in a nature reserve, cradled by the limestone walls of the Totes Gebirge. Above Grünau the Kasberg ski mountain towers over the upper valley. At the far end of the lake there is no onward path - the Almsee is a secluded dead end, and that is precisely what makes it the perfect final destination.
- Regions
- Upper Austria
- Start
- Wels
- Finish
- Almsee
- Surface
- Paved
- Network
- Regional
- Best season
- April - October
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Families
- well suited
- Road-bike friendly
- Yes · Fully pavedpartly estimated
100 % paved, effectively paved throughout.
02 - Stages
4 stages · 55 km
01Wels - PettenbachWels · Eberstallzell · Pettenbach26 km
The longest leg sets off from Wels - with connections to the Traun Cycle Route and the city cycle network - heading south through the flat Welser Becken into the Almtal. Initially level and agricultural, the path accompanies the Alm through Eberstallzell and further valley communities to Pettenbach, where the valley begins to narrow. A relaxed introduction, fully paved and well signed throughout.
- Ascent
- 198 m
- Descent
- 51 m
- Duration
- approx. 1 h 50 min
- Surface
- Paved, flat valley stretch
Surface (measured): paved
02Pettenbach - ScharnsteinPettenbach · Scharnstein8 km
The valley narrows and the Alm draws closer. Scharnstein welcomes you with its commanding castle, home to the Austrian Criminal and Gendarmerie Museum - over twenty exhibition rooms of legal and criminal history. Scharnstein-Mühldorf is a stop on the Almtalbahn, ideal for joining the route mid-valley or combining a shorter section with the train.
- Ascent
- 103 m
- Descent
- 44 m
- Duration
- approx. 35 min
- Surface
- Paved, gently climbing
Surface (measured): paved
03Scharnstein - Grünau im AlmtalScharnstein · Grünau im Almtal8 km
A short, gently undulating leg into the heart of the Almtal at Grünau im Almtal. On the edge of the village lies the Cumberland Wildpark with wolves, brown bears, lynx, European bison and many other native species. The village is also home to the Konrad Lorenz Research Station of the University of Vienna, where greylag geese once followed the valley’s rhythms under Lorenz himself and where the Waldrapp ibis reintroduction project has its roots. Grünau is the last stop on the Almtalbahn.
- Ascent
- 51 m
- Descent
- 63 m
- Duration
- approx. 35 min
- Surface
- Paved, gently undulating
Surface (measured): paved
04Grünau im Almtal - AlmseeGrünau im Almtal · Almsee14 km
The most atmospheric section: gently climbing, quiet and lightly trafficked, the path follows the Alm through the narrowing upper valley. No railway, no through-traffic - only the river and the limestone walls of the Totes Gebirge. At the end the forest opens onto the Almsee, a still pre-Alpine lake in a nature reserve at the foot of the Kalkalpen. A dead end in the finest sense.
- Ascent
- 109 m
- Descent
- 33 m
- Duration
- approx. 55 min
- Surface
- Paved, gently climbing
Surface (measured): paved
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 55 km. Ascent 461 m, descent 191 m. Lowest point 322 m, highest point 592 m.
Elevation from OSM geometry + Digital Terrain Model (DGM) Austria (10 m).
Hover the profile to see the point on the map - and vice versa.
04 - POIs & Services
- Wels old town & Traun Cycle Route junction
- Almtal - agricultural landscape of the lower valley
- Austrian Criminal and Gendarmerie Museum at Schloss Scharnstein
- Cumberland Wildpark - wolves, bears, lynx, European bison
- Konrad Lorenz Research Station (Uni Wien) - greylag geese & behavioural science
- Waldrapp reintroduction - the return of the Northern Bald Ibis
- Kasberg & upper Almtal - Salzkammergut mountain backdrop
- Almsee - nature reserve at the foot of the Totes Gebirge
Services along the route
- Bike service & e-bikeCycle shops and service in Wels; the valley itself has limited facilities - carry basic repair kit. E-bike charging available in Grünau im Almtal.
- Almtalbahn - bike carriageÖBB line 153 (Wels Hbf - Grünau im Almtal) carries bicycles and serves the whole valley. Ideal for a day-trip combination: train up, cycle back - or the reverse.
- Food & drinkInns and cafes in Pettenbach, Scharnstein and Grünau im Almtal; seasonal refreshments at the Almsee. The lower Almtal has fewer stops - carry provisions for the first leg.
- Drinking waterFountains and inns in the valley villages; the upper section between Grünau and the Almsee has little infrastructure - fill up before the final leg.
Service points along the route
- Drinking water6
- Repair station2
- Bike shop1
- Charging station19
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
The historic Stadtplatz of Wels with its town hall - the Roman-era city of Ovilava at the northern start of the tour.Photo: Wels, Stadtplatz · FranzOvilava · CC BY-SA 3.0 AT The river Alm on the valley floor near Scharnstein, with the peaks of the Salzkammergut behind - the valley narrows on the way south.Photo: Alm bei Scharnstein · Isiwal · CC BY-SA 4.0 Grünau im Almtal with its parish church against the mountain backdrop - the heart of the Almtal, home to the wildlife park and the greylag-goose research.Photo: Grünau im Almtal · C.Stadler/Bwag · CC BY-SA 4.0 A greylag goose in the Cumberland Wildpark Grünau - the emblematic bird of Konrad Lorenz’s behavioural research in the Almtal.Photo: Graugans, Cumberland Wildpark Grünau · Isiwal · CC BY-SA 4.0 The Almsee in its nature reserve beneath the rock faces of the Totes Gebirge - the quiet goal of the valley ride.Photo: Almsee · Mvsxyz · CC BY-SA 4.0
06 - Public transit
- ÖBB Wels Hbf (Westbahn main line)Wels is on the Westbahn main line and is directly reachable from Vienna, Linz and Salzburg. The tour start is easily reached by train; bikes are carried on Railjet/Intercity services.
- Almtalbahn (ÖBB line 153, Wels Hbf - Grünau im Almtal)The Almtalbahn serves the whole valley with bike carriage: stops include Pettenbach, Steinbachbrücke, Viechtwang, Scharnstein-Mühldorf, Kothmühle and Grünau im Almtal. No rail beyond Grünau - the Grünau to Almsee section is rail-free. Classic combination: train to Grünau, cycle the final stretch to the lake, then ride the whole valley back to Wels.
- Regional busesSupplementary bus connections into the Almtal; consult OÖVV journey planner for timetables and bike-carriage details.
Pairs perfectly with the Almtalbahn: ÖBB line 153 (Wels Hbf - Grünau im Almtal) carries bikes and allows flexible boarding at Scharnstein-Mühldorf, Viechtwang or Grünau. The Grünau to Almsee section (13.5 km) is rail-free and must be cycled. Wels Hbf is on the Westbahn main line (Vienna, Linz, Salzburg). At Wels, connection to the Traun Cycle Route.
07 - GPX & TCX download
Download for GPS devices & apps
Clean track with elevation - imports as a single tour, compatible with Komoot, Garmin, Wahoo, Strava, RideWithGPS, OsmAnd.
Download stages individually (4)
Route derived from OpenStreetMap geometry - may differ slightly from on-the-ground signage. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0) · Elevation © DGM Austria (CC BY 3.0 AT). Redistribute with attribution.