01 - Overview
The Gasteinertal Cycle Route (GTR) rolls mostly downhill, down-valley across some 31 kilometres through one of the most famous spa valleys in the Alps. From the head of the valley at Böckstein and the Belle-Époque spa town of Bad Gastein with its thundering waterfall, it follows the Gasteiner Ache down via Bad Hofgastein and Dorfgastein to Lend on the Salzach, where the route joins the Tauern Cycle Route. An easy, mostly paved valley ride beneath the backdrop of the Hohe Tauern - shadowed the whole way by the Tauern Railway, which stops in every valley town and carries bikes.
The Gasteinertal Cycle Route follows the Gasteiner Ache from the back of the valley at Böckstein down to where the valley meets the Salzach at Lend. It opens at Böckstein with the famous Gastein Healing Gallery, where spa guests take the radon-rich gallery climate, and the Tauernschleuse, the Tauern Railway car-shuttle through to Mallnitz in Carinthia. A few kilometres on lies Bad Gastein, the Belle-Époque spa town built spectacularly into the rock gorge, its venerable grand hotels stacked above the thundering Gastein waterfall that plunges right through the middle of town - the unmistakable landmark of the valley. High above the town, a suspension bridge on the Stubnerkogel, one of the highest in the Alps, gives a wide view of the three-thousanders of the Hohe Tauern. Down-valley the landscape grows broader and gentler: past Bad Hofgastein, the large spa resort with its Alpentherme baths, the path runs quietly along the Ache. At Dorfgastein the Entrische Kirche, the largest walk-through cave in Salzburg, is worth a detour, and nearby the medieval Klammstein castle stands over the entrance to the valley, where the Gastein gorge closes it off to the north. Through the narrow gorge the route finally reaches Lend on the Salzach, where the GTR meets the Tauern Cycle Route. The whole way the Tauern Railway shadows the valley and stops at Bad Gastein, Bad Hofgastein, Dorfgastein and Lend - carrying bikes, so the mostly downhill valley ride can be shortened or comfortably ridden back at any point.
- Regions
- Salzburg
- Start
- Böckstein / Bad Gastein
- Finish
- Lend
- Surface
- Paved
- Network
- Regional
- Best season
- May - October
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Families
- well suited
- Road-bike friendly
- Yes · Fully pavedwell documented
97 % paved, longest unpaved stretch 265 m.
02 - Stages
3 stages · 31 km
01Böckstein / Bad Gastein - Bad HofgasteinBöckstein · Bad Gastein · Bad Hofgastein14 km
Setting off at the head of the valley in Böckstein with the Gastein Healing Gallery and the Tauernschleuse car-shuttle. Over the rock step the path drops down to Bad Gastein, the Belle-Époque spa town built into the gorge, its grand hotels stacked above the thundering Gastein waterfall - the landmark of the valley. Short ramps make demands around the town, then the valley opens and the path runs quietly along the Gasteiner Ache out to Bad Hofgastein.
- Ascent
- 159 m
- Descent
- 422 m
- Duration
- approx. 1 h
- Surface
- Paved, short ramps around Bad Gastein
Surface (measured): paved
02Bad Hofgastein - DorfgasteinBad Hofgastein · Dorfgastein8 km
From Bad Hofgastein, the large spa resort with its Alpentherme baths, a relaxed, almost level stage follows the Ache down-valley. Broad meadows, wide views to the peaks of the Hohe Tauern and an even surface accompany the path to Dorfgastein, the oldest village in the valley.
- Ascent
- 47 m
- Descent
- 73 m
- Duration
- approx. 40 min
- Surface
- Paved, level valley path
Surface (measured): paved
03Dorfgastein - LendDorfgastein · Klammstein · Lend9 km
At Dorfgastein the Entrische Kirche, the largest walk-through cave in Salzburg, is worth a detour; just beyond, Klammstein castle stands over the mouth of the valley. Through the narrow Gastein gorge the path falls noticeably and reaches Lend on the Salzach, where the Gasteinertal Cycle Route meets the Tauern Cycle Route. A spirited finish where the spa valley gives way to the broad Salzach valley.
- Ascent
- 91 m
- Descent
- 267 m
- Duration
- approx. 45 min
- Surface
- Paved, descent through the Gastein gorge
Surface (measured): paved
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 31 km. Ascent 297 m, descent 762 m. Lowest point 647 m, highest point 1116 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
- Gastein Healing Gallery & Tauernschleuse car-shuttle
- Gastein waterfall - the landmark in the middle of Bad Gastein
- Belle-Époque spa town of Bad Gastein
- Stubnerkogel suspension bridge & Hohe Tauern (detour)
- Bad Hofgastein & Alpentherme baths
- Entrische Kirche - show cave (detour)
- Klammstein castle above the mouth of the valley
- Gastein gorge & junction with the Tauern Cycle Route
Services along the route
- Bike service & e-bikeCycle shops, repair, rental and charging stations in Bad Gastein, Bad Hofgastein and Dorfgastein; the tourist-dense spa valley is well supplied throughout.
- Tauern Railway (bike carriage)The ÖBB Tauern Railway runs the length of the valley and stops at Bad Gastein, Bad Hofgastein, Dorfgastein and Lend, carrying bikes. Ideal for shortening the mostly downhill ride or returning up-valley.
- Food & drinkSpa cafes, inns and mountain huts in close succession in the resorts; Pinzgau specialities and the classic coffee-house culture of the Belle-Époque town of Bad Gastein.
- Drinking waterFountains and inns in every valley town; always within reach on this short, town-rich valley route.
Service points along the route
- Drinking water23
- Bike shop1
- Charging station15
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
The Belle-Époque spa town of Bad Gastein at dusk, its grand hotels stacked above the rock gorge of the Gasteiner Ache.Photo: Bad Gastein · Funke · CC BY-SA 4.0 The Gastein waterfall plunges right through the middle of Bad Gastein - the unmistakable landmark of the valley.Photo: Gasteiner Wasserfall · Naturpuur · CC BY-SA 4.0 A view over the Gasteinertal and the peaks of the Hohe Tauern - the alpine backdrop to the valley ride.Photo: Gasteinertal & Hohe Tauern · Fl.schmitt · CC0 Bad Hofgastein on the broad valley floor, the valley’s large spa resort with its Alpentherme baths.Photo: Bad Hofgastein · Arne Müseler · CC BY-SA 3.0 DE Dorfgastein, the oldest village in the valley, set among the green meadows near the mouth of the valley.Photo: Dorfgastein · C.Stadler/Bwag · CC BY-SA 4.0
06 - Public transit
- ÖBB Tauern Railway (Schwarzach-St. Veit - Bad Gastein - Mallnitz)The Tauern Railway shadows the Gasteinertal from Lend up to Böckstein and stops at Dorfgastein, Bad Hofgastein and Bad Gastein, carrying bikes. The tour can be split at will or ridden back up-valley by train. At the head of the valley the Tauernschleuse car-shuttle in Böckstein carries cars through the Tauern tunnel to Mallnitz in Carinthia.
- Junction with the Tauern Cycle Route (Lend)At Lend on the Salzach the Gasteinertal Cycle Route joins the Tauern Cycle Route, which follows the Salzach valley from the Hohe Tauern all the way to Salzburg - a direct link onto one of Austria’s great river routes.
The Gasteinertal is close to the railway from end to end: the ÖBB Tauern Railway runs in parallel through the valley and stops at Bad Gastein, Bad Hofgastein, Dorfgastein and Lend, carrying bikes, so the mostly downhill route can be shortened or returned comfortably by train. Arrive by Tauern Railway from Schwarzach-St. Veit (connecting to the ÖBB long-distance network). At the foot of the valley near Lend the GTR connects to the Tauern 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 (3)
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.