01 - Overview
The Steyrtalweg (R8) follows the river Steyr for some 47 kilometres, mostly downhill and down-valley, from the upper valley at St. Pankraz - at the gateway to the Nationalpark Kalkalpen - to the historic ironworking city of Steyr, where the Steyr flows into the Enns. Past Klaus an der Pyhrnbahn, alongside the turquoise river and through the narrow Steyrdurchbruch gorge, by way of Molln, Leonstein and Grünburg to Steinbach an der Steyr, the path runs in stretches alongside the historic Steyrtalbahn - Austria’s oldest narrow-gauge steam railway. An easy, family-friendly valley route, on its lower sections a traffic-free rail-trail, with a connection to the Enns Cycle Route R7 at Steyr.
The Steyrtalweg accompanies the river Steyr from its upper valley down to where it meets the Enns. It opens at St. Pankraz in the back of the Steyr valley, where the route joins the Nationalpark Kalkalpen cycle route R31 and the valley is framed by wooded limestone mountains. Down-valley it reaches Klaus an der Pyhrnbahn with the Klauser Stausee reservoir; the ÖBB Pyhrnbahn stops here, and from the south the Kremstal cycle route R10 joins. Further down the Steyr squeezes through the Steyrdurchbruch, a gorge up to forty metres deep with the river’s strikingly turquoise water, before the valley opens out again at Molln - the gateway to the Nationalpark Kalkalpen, whose visitor centre lies near the village. At Leonstein the Baroque castle stands right beside the path, and from Grünburg the cycle route runs on the former trackbed of the Steyrtalbahn: a level, paved and largely traffic-free rail-trail. Through the floodplain forest near Steinbach an der Steyr and past the living museum railway - Austria’s oldest narrow-gauge steam line, which runs between Grünburg and Steyr - the path finally reaches Steyr. The ironworking city at the confluence of the Steyr and the Enns is one of the most beautiful old towns in Austria: the broad Stadtplatz with the Gothic Bummerlhaus, Schloss Lamberg above the rivers, and the award-winning Museum Arbeitswelt. At Steyr the Steyrtalweg meets the Enns Cycle Route R7, which continues downstream via Garsten on to the Danube.
- Regions
- Upper Austria
- Start
- St. Pankraz
- Finish
- Steyr
- Surface
- Paved
- Network
- Regional
- Best season
- May - October
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Families
- well suited
- Road-bike friendly
- Yes · Mostly pavedwell documented
96 % paved, longest unpaved stretch 456 m.
02 - Stages
4 stages · 47 km
01St. Pankraz - Klaus an der PyhrnbahnSt. Pankraz · Steinwänd · Klaus an der Pyhrnbahn8 km
Setting off in the back of the Steyr valley at St. Pankraz, where the path joins the Nationalpark Kalkalpen cycle route R31 and the valley is framed by wooded limestone mountains. Gently undulating, the route rolls down beside the young Steyr to Klaus an der Pyhrnbahn with the Klauser Stausee reservoir; at Steinwänd the Kremstal cycle route R10 joins from the south. The ÖBB Pyhrnbahn stops at Klaus - a handy place to start or finish at the upper end of the valley.
- Ascent
- 122 m
- Descent
- 165 m
- Duration
- approx. 35 min
- Surface
- Paved, gently undulating
Surface (measured): paved
02Klaus an der Pyhrnbahn - MollnKlaus an der Pyhrnbahn · Steyrdurchbruch · Molln12 km
Below Klaus the Steyr squeezes through the Steyrdurchbruch, a gorge up to forty metres deep with the river’s strikingly turquoise water. Short climbs accompany the narrow valley section before the valley opens out again at Molln - the gateway to the Nationalpark Kalkalpen, whose visitor centre lies near the village.
- Ascent
- 94 m
- Descent
- 142 m
- Duration
- approx. 50 min
- Surface
- Paved, short climbs at the gorge
Surface (measured): paved
03Molln - GrünburgMolln · Leonstein · Grünburg10 km
A relaxed, almost level stage down-valley. At Leonstein the Baroque castle stands right beside the path, and at Grünburg the quiet rail-trail begins on the former trackbed of the Steyrtalbahn. Broad meadows and an even surface accompany the path along the Steyr.
- Ascent
- 44 m
- Descent
- 124 m
- Duration
- approx. 45 min
- Surface
- Paved, level valley path
Surface (measured): paved
04Grünburg - SteyrGrünburg · Steinbach an der Steyr · Garsten · Steyr17 km
The long, spirited finish on the level, largely traffic-free rail-trail. Through the floodplain forest near Steinbach an der Steyr and past the living Steyrtal museum railway, the path runs via Garsten into Steyr. The ironworking city at the confluence of the Steyr and the Enns welcomes you with one of the most beautiful old towns in Austria - the broad Stadtplatz, Schloss Lamberg above the rivers and the Museum Arbeitswelt. Here the Steyrtalweg meets the Enns Cycle Route R7.
- Ascent
- 184 m
- Descent
- 238 m
- Duration
- approx. 1 h 15 min
- Surface
- Paved, traffic-free rail-trail
Surface (measured): paved 91 % · fine gravel 9 %
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 47 km. Ascent 444 m, descent 669 m. Lowest point 290 m, highest point 515 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
- Gateway to the Nationalpark Kalkalpen (junction R31)
- Klauser Stausee reservoir & Pyhrnbahn station
- Steyrdurchbruch - gorge of the turquoise Steyr
- Nationalpark Kalkalpen visitor centre, Molln
- Schloss Leonstein beside the path
- Steyrtal museum railway - Austria’s oldest narrow-gauge steam line
- Floodplain-forest nature trail
- Steyr old town: Stadtplatz, Schloss Lamberg & Museum Arbeitswelt
Services along the route
- Bike service & e-bikeCycle shops, repair and rental in Steyr and the larger valley towns; easily reached along the town-rich valley route.
- Rail-trailThe lower sections from Grünburg run on the former trackbed of the Steyrtalbahn: level, paved and largely traffic-free - ideal for families.
- Food & drinkInns, cider taverns and cafes in the valley towns and in the old town of Steyr; Upper Austrian cooking and the coffee-house culture of the ironworking city.
- Drinking waterFountains and inns in every valley town; always within reach on this town-rich valley route.
Service points along the route
- Drinking water5
- Repair station3
- Bike shop4
- Charging station22
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
Wooded limestone mountains in the Nationalpark Kalkalpen - the green backdrop of the upper Steyr valley around St. Pankraz.Photo: Nationalpark Kalkalpen · Leonhard Lenz · CC0 The strikingly turquoise water of the Steyr in the wooded valley near Molln, above the Steyrdurchbruch gorge.Photo: Fluss Steyr bei Molln · Elena Ternovaja · CC BY-SA 3.0 A wide view over the green Steyr valley near Steinbach and Grünburg against the backdrop of the foothills.Photo: Steyrtal bei Steinbach & Grünburg · Isiwal · CC BY-SA 4.0 The narrow-gauge tracks of the Steyrtalbahn at the Sommerhubermühle near Aschach an der Steyr - Austria’s oldest steam museum railway shadows the lower valley.Photo: Steyrtalbahn · Haeferl · CC BY-SA 3.0 AT The broad Stadtplatz of Steyr with its townhouses - the goal of the valley ride at the confluence of the Steyr and the Enns.Photo: Steyr, Stadtplatz · Palickap · CC BY-SA 4.0
06 - Public transit
- ÖBB Steyr main station (via Linz / St. Valentin)Steyr at the foot of the valley is reached by train via Linz or St. Valentin - the main access point for the tour. From there the mostly downhill valley ride is easy to start, or to finish and head home by train.
- ÖBB Pyhrnbahn - Klaus stationAt the upper end of the valley the Pyhrnbahn stops at Klaus an der Pyhrnbahn, so the route can be split or ridden back up-valley by train to the start.
- Regional buses 433 & 452Regional buses serve the Steyr valley and complement the rail connections at both ends.
- Steyrtal museum railway (Steyr - Grünburg)The historic narrow-gauge steam railway runs on operating days (roughly June to October) between Steyr and Grünburg and carries bikes - an attraction in itself and a charming way to ride one valley section by steam train.
The tour is best begun at Steyr (rail access via Linz / St. Valentin) and runs mostly downhill down-valley - or the other way around, arriving by Pyhrnbahn at Klaus at the upper end. Regional buses (433, 452) serve the valley as well. On operating days the Steyrtal museum railway, Austria’s oldest narrow-gauge steam line, runs between Grünburg and Steyr carrying bikes. At Steyr the Steyrtalweg connects to the Enns Cycle Route R7, which continues downstream to the Danube.
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.