01 - Overview
The Feistritz Valley Cycle Route (R8) rolls almost entirely downhill across some 87 kilometres, from the Waldheimat down into the apple and thermal-spa country. From the upper Feistritz valley at Ratten in the Fischbacher Alpen it follows the former Feistritz Valley railway trackbed through shady woods to Birkfeld, on via Anger and through the Feistritzklamm gorge at Herberstein, then across the ApfelLand around the Stubenbergsee and finally into the Styrian thermal-spa region to Rudersdorf near Fürstenfeld, where the R8 meets the Thermenland Cycle Route R12. A gentle, scenically varied valley route - with a short stretch of shared road between Birkfeld and Koglhof and a few fords in the Feistritzklamm where you push the bike.
The Feistritz Valley Cycle Route accompanies the Feistritz from its headwaters in the Fischbacher Alpen down to the lowland south of eastern Styria. It begins in the Waldheimat, the woods-and-pasture landscape around Ratten and St. Kathrein am Hauenstein that the writer Peter Rosegger made famous. From here the path uses the trackbed of the former Feistritz Valley railway, whose narrow-gauge rails between Birkfeld and Ratten were lifted long ago: an even ribbon falling barely one percent through cool forest, made for easy rolling. In Birkfeld the Feistritz Valley railway, preserved as a heritage line, recalls the old route (though it runs only seasonally and in sections). Further down the valley widens through Anger, where the Feistritz viaduct at Oberfeistritz and the Hart tunnel make the railway past tangible. At Herberstein the route squeezes through the Feistritzklamm - a wild, narrow gorge with fords where you push the bike - right below Schloss Herberstein with its wildlife park and the Gironcoli Museum. Now the ApfelLand begins around the Stubenbergsee, Austria warmest bathing lake; orchards, wine taverns and cider taverns line the way through Kaibing and Blaindorf to Großwilfersdorf. On the final section the apple country gives way to the thermal-spa country: passing Fürstenfeld, the signed R8 ends at Rudersdorf near the Burgenland border, where the Thermenland Cycle Route R12 branches off toward Therme Loipersdorf and the Lafnitz Valley route continues. The ride is mostly easy and largely downhill, but honestly it is not family-friendly end to end: the short shared-road stretch near Koglhof and the fords of the Feistritzklamm demand care, and across 87 kilometres it is worth splitting over two days.
- Regions
- Styria
- Start
- Ratten
- Finish
- Rudersdorf
- Surface
- Paved · Fine gravel
- Network
- Regional
- Best season
- April - October
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Road-bike friendly
- Yes · Mostly pavedwell documented
88 % paved, longest unpaved stretch 964 m.
02 - Stages
4 stages · 87 km
01Ratten - AngerRatten · St. Kathrein am Hauenstein · Birkfeld · Koglhof · Anger31 km
Setting off in the Waldheimat near Ratten (or higher up at St. Kathrein am Hauenstein). On the lifted trackbed of the Feistritz Valley railway the path falls evenly and in shade through the forest to Birkfeld, where the heritage railway recalls the old line. On via Koglhof - briefly sharing the road - to Anger. The most scenic, almost entirely downhill opening of the route.
- Ascent
- 105 m
- Descent
- 408 m
- Duration
- approx. 2.5-3 h
- Surface
- Former railway trackbed, paved and fine gravel; short shared-road stretch Birkfeld - Koglhof
Surface (measured): paved 92 % · fine gravel 8 %
02Anger - Sankt Johann bei HerbersteinAnger · Oberfeistritz · Feistritzklamm · Sankt Johann bei Herberstein18 km
At Oberfeistritz the Feistritz viaduct and the Hart tunnel cross the railway past. Then the path squeezes through the wild Feistritzklamm with its fords, where you push the bike, down to Sankt Johann bei Herberstein. High above the gorge sits Schloss Herberstein with its wildlife park and the Gironcoli Museum - a rewarding climb aside.
- Ascent
- 75 m
- Descent
- 197 m
- Duration
- approx. 1.5 h
- Surface
- Paved and fine gravel; fords in the Feistritzklamm (push the bike)
Surface (measured): paved 66 % · fine gravel 34 %
03Sankt Johann bei Herberstein - GroßwilfersdorfSankt Johann bei Herberstein · Stubenbergsee · Kaibing · Blaindorf · Großwilfersdorf19 km
Now the ApfelLand begins around the Stubenbergsee, Austria warmest bathing lake. Through orchards, past wine and cider taverns, the flat stage rolls via Kaibing and Blaindorf to Großwilfersdorf - a gentle, sunny pleasure ride in the heart of the Styrian apple country.
- Ascent
- 22 m
- Descent
- 85 m
- Duration
- approx. 1.5 h
- Surface
- Paved and fine gravel
Surface (measured): paved
04Großwilfersdorf - RudersdorfGroßwilfersdorf · Altenmarkt bei Fürstenfeld · Fürstenfeld · Rudersdorf19 km
The apple country gives way to the thermal-spa country. Via Altenmarkt the path reaches Fürstenfeld, the largest town in the region, and runs out flat to the signed finish at Rudersdorf near the Burgenland border. Here the Thermenland Cycle Route R12 branches off toward Therme Loipersdorf, and the Lafnitz Valley route continues.
- Ascent
- 9 m
- Descent
- 55 m
- Duration
- approx. 1.5 h
- Surface
- Paved and fine gravel
Surface (measured): paved
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 87 km. Ascent 211 m, descent 745 m. Lowest point 244 m, highest point 783 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
- Waldheimat - home of Peter Rosegger
- Cycle path on the former Feistritz Valley railway trackbed
- Feistritz Valley heritage railway (seasonal)
- Feistritz viaduct & Hart tunnel
- Feistritzklamm gorge (fords, push the bike)
- Schloss & wildlife park Herberstein, Gironcoli Museum
- Stubenbergsee (Austria warmest bathing lake)
- Thermenland & Fürstenfeld (junction Thermenland Cycle Route R12)
Services along the route
- Bike serviceCycle workshops and repair stations in Birkfeld, Anger, Weiz (near the route) and Fürstenfeld; pump stations along the former railway.
- E-bikeCharging and rental stations in the market towns from Birkfeld to Fürstenfeld; densely spaced in the ApfelLand and Thermenland.
- Drinking waterFountains, inns and wine taverns in the towns; well supplied along the valley.
- Food & drinkWine and cider taverns, inns and cafes, especially in the ApfelLand around the Stubenbergsee; Styrian cider and apple juice are the speciality.
Service points along the route
- Drinking water15
- Repair station3
- Bike shop6
- Charging station22
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
Birkfeld, hub of the historic Feistritz Valley railway in the upper Feistritz valley.Photo: Birkfeld im oberen Feistritztal · C.Stadler/Bwag · CC BY-SA 4.0 The Feistritz viaduct near Oberfeistritz - the former railway line now carries the cycle path.Photo: Feistritz-Viadukt bei Oberfeistritz · C.Stadler/Bwag · CC BY-SA 3.0 Schloss Herberstein above the Feistritzklamm gorge, with its wildlife park and Gironcoli Museum.Photo: Schloss Herberstein · Zeitblick · CC BY-SA 3.0
06 - Public transit
- ÖBB Südbahn (Vienna - Mürzzuschlag - Krieglach) + regional busThe northern start points Ratten, St. Kathrein am Hauenstein and Birkfeld have no regular rail service. Arrive by ÖBB Südbahn to Krieglach or Mürzzuschlag, then take the regional bus into the upper Feistritz valley - check the current connection on verbundlinie.at.
- S-Bahn Styria S31 (Graz - Gleisdorf - Weiz)Weiz, served regularly by Steiermarkbahn, is the nearest rail node near the middle of the route; the R8 itself does not pass through Weiz. From there continue by bus or a short ride into the Feistritz valley.
- Thermenbahn (Fürstenfeld)At the southern end Fürstenfeld is reachable by rail via the Thermenbahn (as of 2026), though the line future is contested - check the ÖBB timetable before travelling. Rudersdorf lies a few kilometres further and is linked by bus or a short final stretch.
The Feistritz Valley route cannot be started or ended by train directly at its termini: in the north there is only the seasonal heritage railway (no scheduled service), in the south the contested Thermenbahn. In practice you arrive in the north via Krieglach/Mürzzuschlag or Weiz (S31) plus a bus and finish the tour at Fürstenfeld. At the southern end the R8 joins the Thermenland Cycle Route R12 (toward Therme Loipersdorf) and the Lafnitz Valley route at Rudersdorf.
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.