01 - Overview
The Thermenradweg (R12) runs for some 148 kilometres from Mönichkirchen on the Wechsel right across eastern Styria down to Bad Radkersburg on the river Mur. A long descent from the wooded Wechsel ridge through the Styrian thermal-spa country and the Vulkanland, past the great spas of Bad Waltersdorf, Bad Blumau and Loipersdorf, through gentle hills full of vines and orchards to the Slovenian border. Mostly asphalt and steadily downhill - a relaxed ride from the mountain to the river.
The Thermenradweg begins high on the Wechsel at Mönichkirchen, the northernmost point of the route on the border between Lower Austria and Styria, and from there works its way south for nearly 150 kilometres to the Mur. The opening is the steepest part: from the wooded Wechsel ridge the path drops quickly through Friedberg and Pinggau into the eastern Styrian hill country and reaches Hartberg with its compact old town, its Romanesque charnel house and its eco-park. After that the ride grows gentler. Through the Safen valley the path enters the Styrian thermal-spa country that gives the route its name: the great spas of Bad Waltersdorf and the Rogner Bad Blumau, designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, lie a short way off in the hills above the valley, their railway halts right on the cycle path. By way of Fürstenfeld the path reaches Loipersdorf with one of the largest thermal spas in Austria, before dropping into the Raab valley and the Styrian Vulkanland - a landscape of extinct volcanoes whose cones carry castles and vineyards, like Schloss Kapfenstein high above the valley. Through the wine hills of Tieschen and Klöch the path finally rolls down to Bad Radkersburg, whose Renaissance old town was the first town in Austria to receive the European Gold Medal for monument preservation, in 1978, right on the Mur and the Slovenian border. The route is mostly asphalt; a few sections run over gravel, the longest about three kilometres in the southern Vulkanland shortly before Bad Radkersburg - a route for the trekking or touring bike that, but for these sections, would come close to a road-bike route.
- Regions
- Styria
- Start
- Mönichkirchen
- Finish
- Bad Radkersburg
- Surface
- Paved
- Network
- Regional
- Best season
- April - October
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Road-bike friendly
- Partly · Mixed surfacewell documented
95 % comfortably ridable, but a 3.3 km gravel stretch - nicer on a gravel or touring bike.
02 - Stages
5 stages · 148 km
01Mönichkirchen - HartbergMönichkirchen · Friedberg · Pinggau · Dechantskirchen · Grafendorf · Hartberg36 km
The alpine opening and the steepest day. From Mönichkirchen on the Wechsel, the highest point of the route, the path drops quickly into eastern Styria - past the old border town of Friedberg and Pinggau into the open hill country on the Lafnitz. By far the most descent-heavy section, almost continuously downhill. The goal is Hartberg with its well-preserved old town, the Tabor with its round charnel chapel, and the eco-park on the edge of town. A spirited start from mountain to valley.
- Ascent
- 301 m
- Descent
- 968 m
- Duration
- approx. 3 h
- Surface
- mostly asphalt
Surface (measured): paved
02Hartberg - Bad BlumauHartberg · St. Johann in der Haide · Bad Waltersdorf · Sebersdorf · Bierbaum an der Safen · Bad Blumau31 km
Into the Styrian thermal-spa country. Through the quiet Safen valley the path passes the first of the great spas: Bad Waltersdorf with its Heiltherme lies a short way above the valley, but its railway halt is right on the cycle path. On past Sebersdorf and Bierbaum an der Safen the stage reaches Bad Blumau, where the Rogner Bad Blumau designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser sits among the hills with its golden domes and grass-covered roofs - one of the most unusual spa hotels in Europe. Gentle, flat rolling through the hill country.
- Ascent
- 274 m
- Descent
- 323 m
- Duration
- approx. 2.5 h
- Surface
- mostly asphalt
Surface (measured): paved
03Bad Blumau - LoipersdorfBad Blumau · Großwilfersdorf · Fürstenfeld · Loipersdorf25 km
By way of Fürstenfeld to Loipersdorf. The path reaches Fürstenfeld, the old garrison and border town on the Feistritz with its broad main square and the Pfeilburg, where Austria's first tobacco factory was set up in 1693. From here it is not far to Loipersdorf, whose thermal spa ranks among the largest in Austria and made the spa country widely known. A short, gently rolling stage in the heart of the spa region - the one section without a continuous downhill.
- Ascent
- 190 m
- Descent
- 82 m
- Duration
- approx. 2 h
- Surface
- mostly asphalt
Surface (measured): paved
04Loipersdorf - KapfensteinLoipersdorf · Hohenbrugg an der Raab · Kapfenstein28 km
Into the Styrian Vulkanland. The path leaves the spa country and follows the Raab south, by way of Hohenbrugg with its castle into a landscape of extinct volcanoes. Their cones carry vineyards and castles - above all Schloss Kapfenstein, perched high above the valley on an old volcanic vent with a wide view over the hills. Quiet roads, wine and volcanic cones.
- Ascent
- 325 m
- Descent
- 308 m
- Duration
- approx. 2.5 h
- Surface
- mostly asphalt
Surface (measured): paved
05Kapfenstein - Bad RadkersburgKapfenstein · Tieschen · Halbenrain · Bad Radkersburg28 km
Through the wine hills to the Mur. Through the wine villages of Tieschen and Klöch - known for its Traminer - the path runs through the southernmost Vulkanland down into the Mur plain. This stage holds the longest gravel section of the route, about three kilometres through the wine hills. At the finish lies Bad Radkersburg, whose fully preserved Renaissance old town - with its main square, Marian column and striking town-hall tower - is protected as a single historic ensemble; just beyond, the bridge crosses the Mur into Slovenia. A relaxed finale through sunny wine country to the border.
- Ascent
- 253 m
- Descent
- 381 m
- Duration
- approx. 2.5 h
- Surface
- asphalt, one gravel section
Surface (measured): paved 83 % · gravel 17 %
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 148 km. Ascent 1344 m, descent 2063 m. Lowest point 209 m, highest point 929 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
- Wechsel & Mönichkirchen
- Old town & charnel, Hartberg
- Heiltherme Bad Waltersdorf
- Rogner Bad Blumau
- Fürstenfeld
- Therme Loipersdorf
- Schloss Kapfenstein
- Tieschen & Klöch wine country
- Bad Radkersburg old town
- The Mur & Slovenian border
Services along the route
- Trekking & touring bikeThe route is almost entirely asphalt but includes a gravel section of about three kilometres in the Vulkanland - a trekking or touring bike is the right choice, not suitable for a pure road bike.
- Bike serviceCycle workshops in Hartberg, Fürstenfeld and Bad Radkersburg, among others.
- E-bikeA dense network of charging and rental stations in the spa towns and along the route.
- Thermal spasBad Waltersdorf, Bad Blumau, Loipersdorf and Bad Radkersburg lie on or near the path - a stage combines well with a day at the spa.
Service points along the route
- Drinking water45
- Repair station6
- Bike shop4
- Bike rental1
- Charging station58
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
Hartberg nestled in the eastern Styrian hill country, the first larger town after the Wechsel descentPhoto: Hartberg in the eastern Styrian hill country · Liuthalas · CC BY-SA 4.0 The Rogner Bad Blumau spa designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, its grass-covered roofs set into the hills of the thermal-spa countryPhoto: Rogner Bad Blumau, designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser · nnike · CC BY 3.0 A quiet lane through the vineyards and orchards of the Styrian Vulkanland near KapfensteinPhoto: Country lane through the Vulkanland vineyards at Kapfenstein · Funke · CC BY-SA 4.0 Schloss Kapfenstein and the parish church on an extinct volcanic cone above the hill countryPhoto: Schloss Kapfenstein and parish church on the volcanic cone · Zeitblick · CC BY-SA 4.0 The rolling wine hills of the Vulkanland looking towards the Stradner Kogel on the southern sectionPhoto: Vulkanland vineyards towards the Stradner Kogel · Funke · CC BY-SA 4.0 The river Mur at Bad Radkersburg, the border river to Slovenia - the route's finish in autumnPhoto: The river Mur at Bad Radkersburg on the Slovenian border · Asurnipal · CC BY-SA 4.0
06 - Public transit
- Aspangbahn (Wiener Neustadt - Friedberg - Hartberg)Serves the north of the route: Friedberg, Pinggau and Hartberg sit on the Aspangbahn with regional trains from Wiener Neustadt. A convenient start near the Wechsel opening.
- Thermenland / Ostbahn line (Hartberg - Fürstenfeld - Fehring)Follows the middle of the route: halts at Bad Waltersdorf, Bad Blumau and Fürstenfeld, among others, lie right on the cycle path - ideal for joining or leaving between stages.
- Bad Radkersburg stationThe finish is reachable by rail: Bad Radkersburg is the terminus of the regional line from Spielfeld-Straß on the Southern Railway - an easy journey back from the end of the route.
A point-to-point route with good rail links: arrive via the Aspangbahn in the north (Friedberg/Hartberg) and return from Bad Radkersburg. Several halts along the way allow flexible day stages.
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 (5)
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.