01 - Overview
The Alpe-Adria Cycle Path runs some 410 kilometres from Mozart's Salzburg across the Alps to the Mediterranean. The main Tauern ridge is taken in comfort by car-train through the tunnel from Böckstein to Mallnitz; from there the route rolls through Carinthia into Italy, where a famous railway trail descends the Canal Valley into Friuli - past Udine to the lagoon of Grado.
From the old-town banks of Salzburg the route follows the Salzach south, past Hohenwerfen castle, and climbs through the Gastein valley to Böckstein. There the Tauern car-train takes over: bike and rider travel by train through the 8.3-kilometre Tauern tunnel to Mallnitz, in the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park. A long descent follows through the Möll valley to Spittal an der Drau, on along the Drau to Villach and over Arnoldstein to the border at Coccau. At Tarvisio the centrepiece begins: the Pontebbana, a cycle path on the old railway line through the Canal Valley, dropping for kilometres past tunnels and viaducts along the river Fella. Via the rebuilt medieval town of Venzone and Gemona it reaches the Friulian plain with Udine, the star-fortress of Palmanova and Roman Aquileia, before the path runs out flat to the sea and the lagoon town of Grado. Because the highest point is crossed by train and the surface is largely paved, the Alpe-Adria Cycle Path counts - despite the Alpine crossing - as a very rideable, family-friendly leisure route, usually ridden north to south to enjoy the gradient.
- Regions
- Salzburg · Carinthia
- Start
- Salzburg
- Finish
- Grado
- Surface
- Paved · Compacted
- Network
- International
- Best season
- May - October
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Families
- well suited
- Road-bike friendly
- Yes · Mostly pavedwell documented
82 % paved, longest unpaved stretch 1.5 km.
02 - Stages
8 stages · 405 km
01Salzburg - BischofshofenHallein · Golling · Werfen56 km
An overture in Mozart's city: south along the Salzach cycle path through the Tennengau, past the Hallein salt mines and beneath Hohenwerfen castle into the Pongau. Gently rising and fully paved.
- Ascent
- 501 m
- Descent
- 280 m
- Duration
- 4-5 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved 82 % · fine gravel 18 %
02Bischofshofen - Bad GasteinSt. Johann · Schwarzach · Dorfgastein · Bad Hofgastein55 km
The main climbing stage: up from St. Johann im Pongau into the Gastein valley, through the gorge between Dorfgastein and Bad Hofgastein to the Belle-Époque spa town of Bad Gastein with its waterfall. Steadily uphill - a place for an e-bike or an easy pace.
- Ascent
- 1,067 m
- Descent
- 339 m
- Duration
- 4-5 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved 75 % · fine gravel 25 %
03Bad Gastein - Spittal an der DrauBöckstein · Mallnitz · Obervellach · Möllbrücke54 km
Just past Böckstein you load the bike onto the Tauern car-train and cross the Tauern tunnel to Mallnitz. Then a long, rewarding descent through the Möll valley on the edge of the Hohe Tauern National Park down to Spittal an der Drau.
- Ascent
- 470 m
- Descent
- 1,089 m
- Duration
- 4-5 h
- Surface
- Paved · car-train tunnel
Surface (measured): paved 87 % · fine gravel 13 %
04Spittal an der Drau - VillachPaternion · Villach-Warmbad40 km
An easy roll along the broad Drau valley to Villach, Carinthia's rail hub. Flat to gently falling, much of it on riverside path - a recovery day between the mountain stages.
- Ascent
- 266 m
- Descent
- 339 m
- Duration
- 2.5-3.5 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved 53 % · fine gravel 47 %
05Villach - TarvisioArnoldstein · Coccau (border)36 km
Up via Arnoldstein into the Canal Valley: at the Coccau crossing you pass into Italy and reach trilingual Tarvisio in the three-borders corner. One last noticeable climb before the route turns downhill for good.
- Ascent
- 595 m
- Descent
- 221 m
- Duration
- 3-4 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved 86 % · fine gravel 14 %
06Tarvisio - VenzonePontebba · Chiusaforte · Resiutta · Carnia56 km
The highlight: the Pontebbana, a cycle path on the disused railway line. Through tunnels and over viaducts you roll for kilometres downhill along the river Fella to the medieval walled town of Venzone. Effortless and spectacular.
- Ascent
- 266 m
- Descent
- 987 m
- Duration
- 3.5-4.5 h
- Surface
- Paved (rail trail)
Surface (measured): paved
07Venzone - UdineGemona del Friuli · Tricesimo49 km
Out onto the Friulian plain: via Gemona, rebuilt after the 1976 earthquake, into the lively provincial capital of Udine with its Venetian main square. Flat and fast.
- Ascent
- 172 m
- Descent
- 339 m
- Duration
- 3-4 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved
08Udine - GradoPalmanova · Aquileia59 km
The finale by the sea: past the star-fortress of Palmanova and Roman Aquileia with its mosaic basilica, then across the causeway into the lagoon town of Grado. Flat, southern and salty - wheels roll out, feet into the Adriatic.
- Ascent
- 94 m
- Descent
- 250 m
- Duration
- 4-5 h
- Surface
- Paved · short gravel sections
Surface (measured): paved 83 % · fine gravel 17 %
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 405 km. Ascent 3431 m, descent 3844 m. Lowest point -2 m, highest point 1216 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
- Old Town & Hohensalzburg Fortress
- Hohenwerfen Castle
- Gastein Waterfall & Belle-Époque spa
- Tauern car-train (tunnel crossing)
- Hohe Tauern National Park
- Pontebbana railway trail
- Medieval walled town of Venzone
- Piazza Libertà & castle hill
- Palmanova star fortress (UNESCO)
- Roman Aquileia & mosaic basilica (UNESCO)
- Grado lagoon & Adriatic beaches
Services along the route
- Bett+BikeCyclist-friendly hosts the whole way, from Salzburg to Grado
- Luggage transferStage-by-stage transfer from many operators - ideal for the one-way Salzburg-Grado trip
- E-bikeRental and charging in Salzburg, the Gastein valley, Villach, Tarvisio and Udine
- Bike serviceWorkshops in Bischofshofen, Spittal, Villach, Tarvisio and Udine
- Return transferBike shuttle buses and rail bring you back from Grado to Salzburg/Villach
Service points along the route
- Drinking water503
- Repair station61
- Bike shop67
- Bike rental67
- Charging station249
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
The Alpe-Adria cycle path near Mallnitz with a view over the valleyPhoto: Alpe-Adria-Radweg near Mallnitz with valley view · PantheraLeo1359531 · CC BY-SA 4.0 The cycle path crossing the old Pontebbana railway bridge over the Fella below the Julian AlpsPhoto: Ciclovia Alpe Adria on the old Pontebbana railway bridge over the Fella · Ajznponar · CC0 The cycle path on the former Pontebbana railway line at the San Rocco tunnelPhoto: Ciclovia Alpe Adria on the old Pontebbana railway at San Rocco tunnel · Herzi Pinki · CC BY-SA 4.0
06 - Public transit
- ÖBBMainline trains to Salzburg and Villach; bikes with reservation
- Tauern car-trainBöckstein-Mallnitz through the Tauern tunnel; dedicated bike wagon (late April-mid-October), ticket on site, no reservation needed
- MICOTRACross-border train Villach-Tarvisio-Udine with bike wagon (summer); bikes free but reservation required
- Villach rail hubCarinthian junction connecting to the Drau Cycle Path
- Reaching GradoGrado has no station - bus to Cervignano/Udine, then rail
As of 2026 the Udine-Tarvisio railway is closed for construction from 22 August to 20 September; the replacement buses do not carry bikes. Anyone relying on the Canal-Valley train in that window should plan alternatives. The car-train through the Tauern tunnel runs only from late April to mid-October.
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 (8)
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.