01 - Overview
The Drava Cycle Path follows the Drau from its source on the Toblach Saddle in South Tyrol for some 360 kilometres downstream through East Tyrol and all of Carinthia to Maribor in Slovenia - Europe’s first five-star ADFC-certified long-distance route, a largely paved, gently downhill classic for leisure and family cyclists.
From the European watershed saddle near Toblach, where the Drau rises at around 1,230 metres, the path rolls down the Puster Valley to Lienz and on into the broad Upper-Carinthian Drautal - past the Renaissance palace of Porcia in Spittal and through the old town of Villach. In the Rosental valley reservoirs and Rosegg Castle line the river, before the route runs via Völkermarkt and its reservoir to the Drava headland at the border in Lavamünd. Across the border it accompanies Slovenia’s chain of Drava power stations through Dravograd and historic Fala to Maribor, where the world’s oldest grapevine still grows on the Lent embankment. The largely paved Austrian core is relaxed and family-friendly; the Slovenian finale, with gravel sections and some climbs, is more demanding. The certified classic ends in Maribor - but the signed Drava Bike continues on via Ptuj to Varaždin and the Mur confluence at Legrad.
- Regions
- Tyrol · Carinthia
- Start
- Toblach
- Finish
- Maribor
- Surface
- Paved · Compacted
- Network
- Regional
- Best season
- April - October
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Families
- well suited
- Road-bike friendly
- Yes · Mostly pavedwell documented
86 % paved, longest unpaved stretch 837 m.
02 - Stages
6 stages · 363 km
01Toblach - LienzInnichen · Sillian · Heinfels49 km
The opening at the Toblach Saddle where the Drau rises: from around 1,230 metres the path runs almost entirely paved down the High Puster Valley - past the Romanesque collegiate church of Innichen and Heinfels Castle, across the border into East Tyrol to the sunny town of Lienz. The steepest, fastest stretch of the whole tour.
- Ascent
- 106 m
- Descent
- 919 m
- Duration
- 3-3.5 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved 87 % · fine gravel 13 %
02Lienz - Spittal an der DrauDölsach · Oberdrauburg · Greifenburg · Sachsenburg78 km
The longest stage follows the Drau through the broad Upper-Carinthian Drautal, repeatedly switching banks - past the Roman town of Aguntum near Dölsach and through tranquil valley villages such as Greifenburg. Gently downhill and quietly scenic to the Renaissance town of Spittal.
- Ascent
- 318 m
- Descent
- 445 m
- Duration
- 4.5-5.5 h
- Surface
- Paved · short gravel sections
Surface (measured): paved 84 % · fine gravel 16 %
03Spittal an der Drau - VillachFeistritz an der Drau · Paternion41 km
The most relaxed section: largely flat along the river from Porcia Palace in Spittal to Villach’s lively old town with its Drava bridge. Ideal for a short, easy day with a chance to swim.
- Ascent
- 195 m
- Descent
- 237 m
- Duration
- 2.5-3 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved
04Villach - FerlachWernberg · Rosegg · Feistritz im Rosental52 km
Through the gentle Rosental valley between the Karawanken range and the river: the route rolls along dam-top paths past the reservoirs, by Rosegg Castle and wildlife park and the Celtic burial mounds of Frög, to the gunsmith town of Ferlach. Gently rolling, plenty of water.
- Ascent
- 425 m
- Descent
- 415 m
- Duration
- 3.5-4 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved
05Ferlach - LavamündVölkermarkt · Jauntal · Stein68 km
The stage with the most climbing on the Austrian side: across the reservoirs of southern Carinthia, past the old town of Völkermarkt and through the Jauntal with its striking Drava bridges to Lavamünd, where the Lavant joins the Drau and the new Drauspitz platform marks the border town.
- Ascent
- 637 m
- Descent
- 667 m
- Duration
- 4-5 h
- Surface
- Paved · dam-top paths
Surface (measured): paved 88 % · fine gravel 12 %
06Dravograd - MariborMuta · Vuzenica · Radlje · Vuhred · Fala · Ruše75 km
The Slovenian finale follows the chain of Drava power stations downstream - through Dravograd with its Romanesque rotunda, via Vuzenica and Radlje and past the historic Fala power plant. Partly on gravel and with real climbs, this is the most demanding section, before the world’s oldest grapevine on Maribor’s Lent embankment marks the finish.
- Ascent
- 1,238 m
- Descent
- 1,178 m
- Duration
- 5-6 h
- Surface
- Paved · gravel (around 30%)
Surface (measured): paved 69 % · fine gravel 22 % · gravel 9 %
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 363 km. Ascent 2919 m, descent 3861 m. Lowest point 269 m, highest point 1210 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
- Source of the Drava at the Toblach Saddle
- Innichen Collegiate Church
- Bruck Castle
- Aguntum Roman Town
- Porcia Palace
- Old Town & Drava Bridge
- Rosegg Castle & Wildlife Park
- Lake Völkermarkt
- Drava Headland at the Lavant Confluence
- Lent & the Old Vine (world’s oldest grapevine)
Services along the route
- Bett+BikeCyclist-friendly Drauradweg-Wirte hosts and certified establishments along the whole route
- Luggage transferStage-by-stage luggage transfer from many operators and shuttle services
- E-bikeRental and charging points across East Tyrol and Carinthia (incl. Kärnten rent e-bike)
- Bike serviceWorkshops in Lienz, Spittal, Villach and Maribor
- Refreshment stopsNumerous drinking fountains and inns right by the river
Service points along the route
- Drinking water210
- Repair station18
- Bike shop27
- Bike rental30
- Charging station121
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
The Drava Cycle Path on the stretch near Greifenburg in the upper Drau valleyPhoto: Drauradweg through fields near Greifenburg · Giorgio Galeotti · CC BY-SA 4.0 The Drava Cycle Path runs through the former railway viaduct JauntalbrückePhoto: Cycle path inside the Jauntalbrücke · Luxamman · CC0 The Drava Cycle Path in the Drau valley near Spittal an der DrauPhoto: Drauradweg near Spittal an der Drau · Giorgio Galeotti · CC BY-SA 4.0
06 - Public transit
- PustertalbahnFranzensfeste - Innichen - Lienz (SAD/Trenitalia/ÖBB), access to the start; bikes carried without reservation, subject to space
- Osttirol bike trainDedicated bike train Lienz - Innichen (mid-May to mid-September), ideal for the return of the first stage
- Drava Valley Railway (ÖBB)S-Bahn Lienz - Spittal - Villach along the Drau, bikes without reservation
- Dravska proga (SŽ)Maribor - Dravograd in Slovenia, bikes carried subject to space
- Cycle shuttlesSeasonal cycle buses (e.g. Drau-Radbus) and commercial Drauradweg shuttles Lavamünd - Toblach for luggage and return transport
Trains shadow the route almost the whole way, perfect for the return - most riders go west to east downhill and take the train back. No reservation is needed on regional and S-Bahn services (bikes by space), whereas it is compulsory on ÖBB long-distance trains. In high summer the commercial cycle shuttles are the more reliable option, as Slovenian and South Tyrolean trains carry bikes only when space allows.
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 (6)
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.