01 - Overview
The grand tour of the Salzkammergut: from the Ennstal near Irdning across the Ausseerland to Austria's loveliest lakes - Hallstätter See, Wolfgangsee, Mondsee, Attersee and Traunsee. 358 km on a fully signposted cycle network (R2, R19, SRW) among mountains, salt towns and the imperial spa.
The Salzkammergut Cycle Path links the famous lakes of the Upper-Austrian / Salzburg / Styrian Salzkammergut into one grand lake circuit. It follows the fully signposted regional network (Upper Austria R2, Styria R19, Salzburg SRW), joined here into a single line of about 358 km - from the Ennstal near Irdning across the Ausseerland, the Hallstätter See and the Wolfgangsee through the Salzburg lake country to the Mondsee, Attersee and Traunsee, and back via Bad Ischl to the Mondsee. The route alternates between quiet lakeshore paths, minor roads and a few climbs over the saddles between the basins; it is mostly asphalt with short gravel sections. Highlights include the UNESCO World Heritage of Hallstatt-Dachstein, the Imperial Villa at Bad Ischl, the pilgrimage basilica at Mondsee and the spa villages around the lakes. Given its length, the climbs and a few unpaved stretches, the tour rates as moderate. Many ride the classic circuit over several days; individual lakes can be combined into day stages thanks to the Salzkammergut railway and the lake ferries. The Ennstal section connects to the Enns Cycle Path.
- Regions
- Upper Austria · Salzburg · Styria
- Start
- Irdning
- Finish
- Mondsee
- Surface
- Paved · Gravel
- Network
- Regional
- Best season
- May - October
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Road-bike friendly
- Partly · Mixed surfacewell documented
93 % comfortably ridable, but a 3.3 km gravel stretch - nicer on a gravel or touring bike.
02 - Stages
8 stages · 358 km
01Irdning - Bad AusseeTauplitz · Bad Mitterndorf33 km
An opening across the upper Ennstal: from Irdning beneath the striking Grimming massif, climbing gently via Bad Mitterndorf into the Ausseerland, Styria's gateway to the Salzkammergut. Quiet moorland, meadows and a first taste of the lake country around Bad Aussee.
- Ascent
- 316 m
- Descent
- 311 m
- Duration
- 2-3 h
- Surface
- asphalt
Surface (measured): paved 77 % · gravel 15 % · fine gravel 8 %
02Bad Aussee - StroblBad Goisern am Hallstättersee52 km
From the spa town of Bad Aussee over the Pötschen saddle down to the deep-green Hallstätter See - past UNESCO-listed Hallstatt and through Bad Goisern, then on towards the Wolfgangsee. A hilly but scenically overwhelming stage, with salt-mining heritage on both flanks.
- Ascent
- 312 m
- Descent
- 452 m
- Duration
- 3-4 h
- Surface
- asphalt, short gravel sections
Surface (measured): paved 71 % · gravel 29 %
03Strobl - Seekirchen am WallerseeThalgau51 km
From the east shore of the Wolfgangsee northward into the gentle Salzburg lake country: via Thalgau through rolling foothills to the Wallersee. Open woods, orchards and wide views replace the tight mountain basins.
- Ascent
- 440 m
- Descent
- 410 m
- Duration
- 3-4 h
- Surface
- asphalt
Surface (measured): paved
04Seekirchen am Wallersee - MattseeObertrum am See · Seeham40 km
A cheerful loop through the Trumer lakes: from the Wallersee via Obertrum and Seeham to Mattsee, a flat, swim-friendly three-lake stretch of short hops and many shoreline spots - the most relaxed section of the tour.
- Ascent
- 298 m
- Descent
- 360 m
- Duration
- 2-3 h
- Surface
- asphalt
Surface (measured): paved 88 % · fine gravel 12 %
05Mattsee - Unterach am AtterseeMondsee52 km
Over to the Mondsee with its famous basilica, then on to the south shore of the Attersee: between the Drachenwand and Schafberg cliffs the route enters the three-lake region and meets Austria's largest inland lake at Unterach.
- Ascent
- 372 m
- Descent
- 417 m
- Duration
- 3-4 h
- Surface
- asphalt, short gravel sections
Surface (measured): paved
06Unterach am Attersee - GmundenAttersee · Seewalchen am Attersee47 km
North along the Attersee - past the sailing villages of the west shore to Seewalchen - and across to the Traunsee and the lakeside town of Gmunden with its island castle, Schloss Ort. Broad water, orchards and a first glimpse of the Traunstein.
- Ascent
- 497 m
- Descent
- 552 m
- Duration
- 3-4 h
- Surface
- asphalt
Surface (measured): paved
07Gmunden - Bad IschlTraunkirchen · Ebensee33 km
Along the west shore of the Traunsee beneath the cliffs of the Traunstein, over the Traunkirchen peninsula to Ebensee, then up the Traun valley into the imperial spa town of Bad Ischl - once Emperor Franz Joseph's summer residence at the heart of the Salzkammergut.
- Ascent
- 107 m
- Descent
- 46 m
- Duration
- 2-3 h
- Surface
- asphalt
Surface (measured): paved
08Bad Ischl - MondseeSt. Wolfgang · St. Gilgen · Fuschl am See50 km
The closing loop across three lakes: from Bad Ischl to the Wolfgangsee with St. Wolfgang and St. Gilgen, on to the quiet Fuschlsee and via Hof back to the Mondsee, where the grand Salzkammergut circuit comes full circle.
- Ascent
- 657 m
- Descent
- 612 m
- Duration
- 3-4 h
- Surface
- asphalt, short gravel sections
Surface (measured): paved
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 358 km. Ascent 2999 m, descent 3160 m. Lowest point 408 m, highest point 831 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
- Hallstatt
- Dachstein Ice Caves
- Imperial Villa
- Mondsee Basilica
- Schafberg Railway
- Schloss Ort
- Salzwelten Altaussee
- Attersee
Services along the route
- Bett+Bike hostsCyclist-friendly accommodation in every lake town; book ahead in season.
- E-bike rental & chargingRental and battery-charging points in Bad Ischl, Gmunden, Mondsee and St. Gilgen, among others.
- Bike service & repairBike shops and service stations in Bad Ischl, Gmunden and on the Attersee.
Service points along the route
- Drinking water92
- Repair station23
- Bike shop25
- Bike rental11
- Charging station170
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
The Salzkammergut Cycle Path on the former Ischlerbahn railway trackbed near StroblPhoto: Radweg auf der Ischlerbahntrasse bei Strobl · Ewald Ehtreiber · CC BY-SA 4.0 The Salzkammergut Cycle Path along the old railway line near Strobl in the Salzkammergut mountain landscapePhoto: Radweg bei Strobl mit Bergkulisse · Ewald Ehtreiber · CC BY-SA 4.0 The Salzkammergut Cycle Path runs through green meadows near Keuschen, with the Drachenwand cliff and the Schafberg in the backgroundPhoto: Salzkammergut-Radweg bei Keuschen mit Drachenwand · Herzi Pinki · CC BY-SA 3.0
06 - Public transit
- Salzkammergut Railway (ÖBB)Stainach-Irdning - Bad Aussee - Bad Ischl - Ebensee - Gmunden - Attnang-Puchheim; bikes carried with a ticket.
- ÖBB WestbahnSalzburg and Attnang-Puchheim as long-distance connections with bike carriage.
- PostbusRegional buses link the lake towns (Wolfgangsee, Fuschlsee, Trumer Seen); limited bike space.
- Lake ferriesScheduled boats on the Wolfgangsee, Attersee, Traunsee and Hallstätter See carry bikes - handy for shortcuts.
The Salzkammergut railway shadows the route for much of its length, making each stage reachable on its own; a bike reservation is wise in high season.
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.