01 - Overview
The Piestingtal-Radweg (route 43), also known as the Biedermeier-Radweg, follows the river Piesting down from the Wiener Alpen into the Wiener Neustadt basin - around 53 kilometres mostly downhill from the mountain village of Rohr im Gebirge, by way of the Biedermeier town of Gutenstein, to Sollenau. An almost continuously asphalted valley ride through the valley of painters and poets, with the Gutenstein railway as a handy companion and the detour to the Myra Falls as its scenic highlight.
The Piestingtal-Radweg earns its second name, Biedermeier-Radweg: in the early 19th century the valley of the Piesting was a retreat for Vienna’s artists. The comic playwright Ferdinand Raimund spent his summers here and lies buried in Gutenstein, the painter Friedrich Gauermann was born in nearby Miesenbach, and the Nazarene painter Leopold Kupelwieser came from Markt Piesting. That cultural thread runs through the whole tour - from the quiet upper reaches of the valley out into the broad basin at the gates of Wiener Neustadt. The line mapped here measures a good 53 kilometres and runs mostly downhill. Official figures vary: the popular flat valley stretch from Sollenau to Gutenstein is quoted at around 38 kilometres, the full route including the sporty mountain climb up to Rohr im Gebirge at just under 59 kilometres. Riding the whole route from top to bottom, you begin at the highest point: Rohr im Gebirge at around 670 metres, deep in the limestone Alps between the Schneeberg and the Gutenstein Alps. The first stage is at once the most demanding and the finest. From Rohr im Gebirge the path climbs once more in the opening kilometres, over a height of about 780 metres at the Haselrast, before throwing itself down in a long, partly steep descent (short ramps up to 15 %) to Gutenstein. Gutenstein itself is the heart of the Biedermeier valley: the baroque pilgrimage church of the Mariahilfberg crowns the town, Ferdinand Raimund lies buried in the mountain cemetery, and in summer the Raimund Festival keeps the poet’s memory alive. This is also where the Gutenstein railway ends - from Gutenstein on, the valley turns flat and family-friendly. From Gutenstein the route rolls gently down the valley. At Pernitz the well-signed detour to the Myra Falls branches off, one of the loveliest gorges in Lower Austria: over 26 bridges and walkways, the path tended by the Austrian Tourist Club for more than a century leads through the roaring ravine of the Myrabach. Further down, around Waldegg and Markt Piesting, the valley widens; above Dreistetten the mighty ruin of Burg Starhemberg, one of the most significant 13th-century fortifications in Lower Austria, looks down on the cycleway from a rocky spur. The final stage runs through Wöllersdorf out to Sollenau. Wöllersdorf is a place with a heavy past: during the First World War it held the largest munitions factory of the monarchy, and on the same grounds the Austrofascist regime ran a detention camp for political prisoners from 1933 to 1938. Visible remains and memorials make this stretch a ride through Austrian contemporary history as well. At Sollenau the route ends at the station on the Pottendorf line and meets the EuroVelo 9, which continues along the Wiener Neustadt Canal. An honest note for planning: the cycleway is continuously asphalted from Sollenau to Gutenstein, and so suitable for road bikes, but it crosses the B21 several times and is therefore not entirely car-free - for the flat lower half with children, some traffic experience is advisable. The upper mountain stage to Rohr im Gebirge is sporty and should not be underestimated. Thanks to the Gutenstein railway, which accompanies the valley as far as Gutenstein, the tour is easy to plan as a one-way downhill ride.
- Regions
- Lower Austria
- Start
- Rohr im Gebirge
- Finish
- Sollenau
- Surface
- Paved
- Network
- Regional
- Best season
- April - October
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Road-bike friendly
- Yes · Fully pavedwell documented
100 % paved, effectively paved throughout.
02 - Stages
4 stages · 53 km
01Rohr im Gebirge - GutensteinRohr im Gebirge · Haselrast (approx. 780 m) · Gutenstein16 km
The opening stage is the sportiest of the whole tour. From the mountain village of Rohr im Gebirge, set deep in the limestone Alps, the path climbs once more and crosses a height of around 780 metres at the Haselrast - the highest point of the route. A long and varied descent then follows, through forest and across open slopes down into the Piesting valley proper, with occasional steep ramps that call for full attention and good brakes. The stage ends at Gutenstein, the heart of the Biedermeier valley: the baroque pilgrimage church of the Mariahilfberg rises above the town, and the poet Ferdinand Raimund lies buried in the mountain cemetery. Gutenstein is where the Gutenstein railway begins - from here the valley is reachable by train, and the route grows distinctly flatter.
- Ascent
- 124 m
- Descent
- 314 m
- Duration
- approx. 1 h 20 min
- Surface
- asphalt, short steep ramps (up to 15 %)
Surface (measured): paved
02Gutenstein - PernitzGutenstein · Miesenbach (Gauermann) · Pernitz7 km
From Gutenstein the Piestingtal-Radweg shows its easy-going side: a flat, almost continuously asphalted valley stretch that follows the Piesting. In the side valley near Miesenbach the Gauermann Museum recalls the Biedermeier landscape painter Friedrich Gauermann, born here in 1807. The stage ends at Pernitz, the transport hub of the middle valley: the Gutenstein railway stops here (Pernitz-Muggendorf station), and the well-signed detour to the Myra Falls branches off.
- Ascent
- 7 m
- Descent
- 58 m
- Duration
- approx. 30 min
- Surface
- continuous asphalt
Surface (measured): paved
03Pernitz - Markt PiestingPernitz · Myra Falls turn-off · Quarb · Waldegg · Markt Piesting14 km
The third stage is the richest in scenery. Just beyond Pernitz the detour to the Myra Falls near Muggendorf is well worth it - over bridges and walkways the path leads through one of the loveliest gorges in Lower Austria (on foot from the car park). Back in the main valley the route passes the narrows of the Quarb gorge, where cycleway, railway and river share the valley floor; a short steep walkway calls for a little effort here. By way of Waldegg with its protected limestone-sinter ridge the stage rolls on to Markt Piesting. High above the valley, on a rocky spur above Dreistetten, the ruin of Burg Starhemberg looks down - one of the most significant 13th-century fortifications in Lower Austria. Markt Piesting, birthplace of the painter Leopold Kupelwieser, lies on the railway and makes a good stage town.
- Ascent
- 56 m
- Descent
- 137 m
- Duration
- approx. 1 h
- Surface
- asphalt, short steep walkways (Quarb gorge)
Surface (measured): paved
04Markt Piesting - SollenauMarkt Piesting · Wöllersdorf · Steinabrückl · Sollenau17 km
The final stage leads out of the hill country into the broad Wiener Neustadt basin. At Wöllersdorf the route brushes a place with a heavy past: during the First World War it held the largest munitions factory of the Habsburg monarchy, and from 1933 to 1938 the Austrofascist regime ran a detention camp for political prisoners on the grounds. Visible remains and memorials make this section a ride through Austrian contemporary history. The valley then turns fully flat, the Piesting branches across the plain, and by way of Steinabrückl the route reaches its end at Sollenau. From the station on the Pottendorf line, the S-Bahn runs back towards Vienna; this is also where the EuroVelo 9 along the Wiener Neustadt Canal meets the route.
- Ascent
- 14 m
- Descent
- 102 m
- Duration
- approx. 1 h 10 min
- Surface
- continuous asphalt
Surface (measured): paved
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 53 km. Ascent 201 m, descent 611 m. Lowest point 260 m, highest point 759 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
- Rohr im Gebirge & the Haselrast height
- Ferdinand Raimund’s grave, mountain cemetery
- Mariahilfberg pilgrimage church (above Gutenstein)
- Myra Falls (detour from Pernitz)
- Gauermann Museum (Biedermeier painter)
- Burg Starhemberg ruin (above the valley)
- Biedermeier town of Markt Piesting (Kupelwieser)
- Former munitions works & detention camp, Wöllersdorf
Services along the route
- Supplies and refreshmentsThe valley towns of Gutenstein, Pernitz, Waldegg, Markt Piesting and Wöllersdorf offer shops, inns and cafés. Gutenstein, as a Biedermeier town, makes a good starting point or rest stop. On the uppermost section between Rohr im Gebirge and Gutenstein supplies are sparse - it is worth carrying a snack here.
- Surface and bikeFrom Sollenau to Gutenstein the cycleway is continuously asphalted and so suitable for road bikes. There are occasional short steep walkways (for example at the Quarb gorge) and crossings. The upper mountain stage to Rohr im Gebirge is surfaced but sporty, with ramps up to around 15 %; good brakes matter on the way down. A trekking or gravel bike is the all-rounder, while a road bike copes well on the valley stretch.
- Families and trafficThe flat lower half from Gutenstein to Sollenau is considered family-friendly. The cycleway is not entirely car-free, however, and crosses the B21 several times - with children, some traffic experience is sensible. The sporty mountain stage from Rohr im Gebirge to Gutenstein is less suited to families and should not be underestimated.
- Myra Falls detourAt Pernitz a well-signed cycling detour branches off towards Muggendorf and the Myra Falls. The gorge itself is walked from the car park (around 600 m of path with 26 bridges, maintained by the Austrian Tourist Club). A rewarding half-day side trip that crowns the tour scenically.
Service points along the route
- Drinking water21
- Repair station2
- Bike shop1
- Bike rental1
- Charging station12
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
The Biedermeier town of Gutenstein, crowned by the baroque pilgrimage church of the Mariahilfberg - the cultural heart of the Piesting valley.Photo: Gutenstein mit dem Mariahilfberg · Niki.L · CC BY-SA 4.0 The Myra Falls near Muggendorf, a short detour from Pernitz: walkways and bridges lead through one of the loveliest gorges in Lower Austria.Photo: Myrafälle bei Muggendorf · Kstipek · CC BY-SA 4.0 In the narrow Quarb gorge the cycleway, the Gutenstein railway and the river Piesting share the valley floor.Photo: Radweg, Bahn und Piesting in der Quarb-Schlucht · Herzi Pinki · CC BY-SA 3.0 The river Piesting, which gives valley and route their name, in the lower valley near Oberpiesting, just before Markt Piesting.Photo: Die Piesting bei Oberpiesting · Linie29 · CC BY-SA 4.0
06 - Public transit
- Gutenstein railway (ÖBB, Wiener Neustadt - Gutenstein)The Gutenstein railway accompanies the valley and stops at, among others, Wöllersdorf, Markt Piesting (Piesting station), Waldegg, Ortmann, Pernitz-Muggendorf and the terminus Gutenstein. Bikes travel on the regional trains under ÖBB conditions (bike ticket). This makes the flat valley part easy to plan as a downhill ride: take the train to Gutenstein, then ride down to Sollenau.
- Bus 339 for the mountain stage (Rohr im Gebirge)Rohr im Gebirge has no rail connection. Bus line 339 (Pernitz - Schwarzau im Gebirge - Rohr im Gebirge) links the head of the valley with the rail hub at Pernitz-Muggendorf. This makes it possible to reach the sporty opening stage by bus, or to organise the approach to the highest point.
- ÖBB S-Bahn Sollenau (Pottendorf line) + EuroVelo 9At the lower end Sollenau lies on the Pottendorf line; S-Bahn and regional trains carry bike and rider back to Vienna in around three quarters of an hour. At Sollenau the route also meets the EuroVelo 9, which continues along the Wiener Neustadt Canal - a handy connection towards Wiener Neustadt and beyond.
- One-way downhill rideThe natural logistics: take the Gutenstein railway (or bus 339 up to Rohr im Gebirge) to the head of the valley, then ride mostly downhill to Sollenau and return by S-Bahn. Both ends of the valley are reachable by public transport.
The Piestingtal-Radweg is ideal as a one-way downhill ride: the Gutenstein railway (bikes carried under ÖBB conditions) takes you from Wiener Neustadt up to Gutenstein, from where it is flat and mostly downhill to Sollenau. The sporty upper stage to Rohr im Gebirge is served by bus line 339 from Pernitz. The return from Sollenau is by S-Bahn on the Pottendorf line, where the EuroVelo 9 also connects.
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.