01 - Overview
The Traisen Valley Cycle Path follows the Traisen upstream from the Danube at Traismauer through St. Pölten and Lilienfeld Abbey up into the Mariazell hills - a mostly flat, fully paved family and pilgrim route with a single real climb at the very end.
From the harbour at Traismauer the route runs up the valley on riverside asphalt paths and quiet back lanes - the first roughly 80 kilometres to Lilienfeld stay almost level and are ideal for families. Along the way the baroque provincial capital of St. Pölten, the mighty Cistercian abbey of Lilienfeld and quiet riverside woods set the scene. Beyond St. Aegyd am Neuwalde it turns alpine: the steep four-kilometre climb to the Gscheid pass (around 970 m) is the only genuinely demanding stretch before the path joins the Via Sacra to the pilgrimage town of Mariazell. Riders who prefer descending start in Mariazell and enjoy the altitude as one long downhill to the Danube. The upper stage is best from May to September.
- Regions
- Lower Austria
- Start
- Traismauer
- Finish
- Mariazell
- Surface
- Paved
- Network
- Local
- Best season
- April - October
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Families
- well suited
- Road-bike friendly
- Yes · Fully pavedwell documented
100 % paved, effectively paved throughout.
02 - Stages
4 stages · 114 km
01Traismauer - St. PöltenHerzogenburg · Oberndorf · Pottenbrunn31 km
A flat opening along the Traisen from the Danube to Herzogenburg and on into the baroque provincial capital - barely a gradient, perfect for warming up.
- Ascent
- 130 m
- Descent
- 49 m
- Duration
- 2-2.5 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved
02St. Pölten - LilienfeldWilhelmsburg · Traisen · Schrambach24 km
Up the valley on riverside paths and quiet lanes to the vast Cistercian abbey of Lilienfeld; still gentle, with the first hills on the horizon.
- Ascent
- 133 m
- Descent
- 21 m
- Duration
- 2 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved
03Lilienfeld - St. Aegyd am NeuwaldeTürnitz · Hohenberg · Kernhof31 km
The valley narrows and greens; past the Schleier waterfalls and over light climbs into the Mariazell country - the most scenic stretch.
- Ascent
- 364 m
- Descent
- 26 m
- Duration
- 2.5-3 h
- Surface
- Paved
Surface (measured): paved
04St. Aegyd am Neuwalde - MariazellKernhof · Gscheid · Mariazell27 km
The sporting finale: four steep kilometres from Kernhof up to the Gscheid pass (around 970 m), then rolling up and down across the provincial border to the basilica of Mariazell.
- Ascent
- 480 m
- Descent
- 324 m
- Duration
- 3-3.5 h
- Surface
- Paved · steep ramp to the Gscheid
Surface (measured): paved
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 114 km. Ascent 1107 m, descent 420 m. Lowest point 184 m, highest point 990 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
- Roman town of Traismauer
- St. Pölten baroque old town
- Wilhelmsburg China Museum
- Lilienfeld Abbey
- Mathias Zdarsky Memorial
- Schleier Waterfalls
- Mariazell Basilica
Services along the route
- Bett+BikeCyclist-friendly accommodation along the valley
- E-bikeRental and charging points in St. Pölten, Lilienfeld and the Mariazell area
- Bike serviceWorkshops in St. Pölten and Lilienfeld
- Refreshment stopsDrinking water and inns along the Traisen
Service points along the route
- Drinking water51
- Repair station6
- Bike shop8
- Bike rental45
- Charging station50
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
Paved Traisental cycle path running alongside the Traisen valley railwayPhoto: Cycle path beside the Traisental railway in the upper valley · AlexHauss2608 · CC BY-SA 4.0 The Traisen river winds through the green valley near Wilhelmsburg below forested hillsPhoto: Traisen river winding through the green valley near Wilhelmsburg · Linie29 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Paved Traisental cycle path running along the Traisen next to a bridge near TraismauerPhoto: Cycle path along the Traisen beside a bridge near Traismauer · Linie29 · CC BY-SA 4.0 The Traisental Cycle Path through the meadows of the upper Traisen valley with a view of the pre-AlpsPhoto: Traisental Cycle Path in the upper Traisen valley with a pre-Alpine peak · Matthias Leihs · © Matthias Leihs
06 - Public transit
- Traisental Railway (R55)St. Pölten - Schrambach, hourly, bikes carried
- Mariazellerbahn "Himmelstreppe"St. Pölten - Mariazell; bike ticket with seat reservation
- ÖBBSt. Pölten hub; line to Traismauer and Krems
- Radtramper busKernhof - St. Pölten (weekends, daily in July/August)
On the Mariazellerbahn bikes are only guaranteed with a bike ticket and seat reservation; the Ötscherbär excursion train offers far more bike space in summer.
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.