Danube Cycle Route - from the source in the Black Forest to the Black Sea
The Danube has become the most popular cycle touring route in continental Europe. The Danube Cycle Route is also part of EuroVelo 6 (EV6). Through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, the route visits spectacular gorges, hilltop castles, vine-covered hillsides and medieval towns. The highlights of the route are to be found in the three great imperial cities of Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest, where majestic royal palaces, soaring cathedrals and world-famous museums and galleries await.
The route continues from the vibrant Hungarian capital of Budapest through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia and Romania to the river delta on the banks of the Black Sea. The cycling is generally level with some gentle gradients, mostly on quiet country roads or riverbank flood embankments, but it remains a difficult route due to the lack of tourist infrastructure, especially in Romania.
Suitable for all levels of cyclists; from the most experienced to families who are new to this type of ride, the route has a gentle downhill gradient, is mostly off-road and uses well surfaced and dedicated cycle paths or quiet country roads.
Cycling infrastructure is generally good in Hungary, Croatia and Serbia. In Romania, where there are no route markings and there are often long distances between places to sleep and eat.
Along the way you will see spectacular gorges, medieval fortresses, poignant monuments to the recent Yugoslav civil war, vine-covered hillsides and rural areas where crops are still planted and harvested by hand and the main means of transport is horse and cart. Off-road excursions allow short visits to Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine and the Danube Delta.
READ ALSO: The best cycling routes in the world".
When to go?
- Black Forest to Budapest: Apart from the upper part of the first stage on the Black ForestThe route can be cycled at any time of the year, but it is best between April and October.
- Budapest to Black Sea: Can be done any time between April and October, but best in April-June and then September-October: July and August can be very hot.
Difficulty
- Black Forest to Budapest: An easy bike ride, mostly off-road, on well-surfaced (mainly asphalt) cycle paths with virtually no gradient, except for a steady 500m climb to reach the start. Suitable for all levels of cycling, on all types of bikes, although racing cyclists may use alternative routes to avoid a few short stretches of gravel surface.
- Budapest to Black Sea: Although the route is mostly flat, with some gentle inclines, it is a difficult ride due to the lack of tourist infrastructure, especially in Romania. There are long distances between places offering accommodation and services, there are almost no tourist offices or bicycle repair shops, and very few rural Romanians speak Western European languages. There are long stretches in Hungary and Serbia along unpaved flood dykes, although alternative routes are available to avoid these stages. Otherwise, surfaces are mostly asphalt and in good condition, suitable for hybrid or touring cycles.
To be seen
Black Forest, Danube sinkholes, Blue Lagoon, Ulm Cathedral spire (the highest in the world), Donaudurchbruch Gorge, medieval Regensburg loft, King Ludwig's Walhalla, Passau, Melk and Klosterneuburg Abbeys, Wachau vineyards, Vienna (Hofburg, Schönbrunn and Belvedere palaces, Cathedral, Spanish Riding School), Prater Ferris Wheel, Bratislava, Esztergom Basilica, Danube Bend, Budapest (Fishermen's Bastion, St. Matthias Church, Europe's largest synagogue).
Budapest: Fisherman's Bastion, St Matthias Church, Europe's largest synagogue, Freedom Monument; Kopački Rit Nature Reserve: Osijek; Tvrđa Fortress Vukovar Civil War Memorials: Novi Sad; Petrovaradin Fortress; Belgrade: Kalemegdan Fortress; St Sava Cathedral; Golubac Castle: Iron Gates Gorges; Golubacki klisura; Gospodin vir; Veliki Kazan; Mali Kazan; Rural Romania; Dervent Monastery; Tulcea; Danube Delta
The route
Germany
- Stage 1 Martinskapelle to Donaueschingen
- Stage 2 Donaueschingen to Tuttlingen
- Stage 3 Tuttlingen to Sigmaringen
- Stage 4 Sigmaringen to Riedlingen
- Stage 5 Riedlingen to Ehingen
- Stage 6 Ehingen to Ulm
- Stage 7 Ulm to Lauingen
- Stage 8 Lauingen to Donauwörth
- Stage 9 Donauwörth to Ingolstadt
- Stage 10 Ingolstadt to Kelheim
- Stage 11 Kelheim to Regensburg
- Stage 12 Regensburg to Straubing
- Stage 13 Straubing to Deggendorf
- Stage 14 Deggendorf to Passau
Austria
- Stage 15 Passau to Aschach
- Stage 16 Aschach to Linz
- Stage 17 Linz to Mauthausen
- Stage 18 Mauthausen to Grein
- Stage 19 Grein to Melk
- Stage 20 Melk to Krems
- Stage 21 Krems to Tulln
- Stage 22 Tulln to Vienna
- Stage 23 Vienna to Bratislava (Slovakia)
Hungary
- Stage 24 Bratislava to Mosonmagyaróvár
- Stage 25 Mosonmagyaróvár to Győr
- Stage 26 Győr to Komárom
- Stage 27 Komárom to Esztergom
- Stage 28 Esztergom to Szentendre
- Stage 29 Szentendre to Budapest
- Stage 30 Budapest to Ráckeve
- Stage 31 Ráckeve to Solt
- Stage 32 Solt to Kalocsa
- Stage 33 Kalocsa to Baja
- Stage 34 Descent to Mohács
Croatia
- Stage 35 Mohács to Osijek
- Stage 36 Osijek to Vukovar
- Stage 37 Vukovar to Bačka Palanka
Serbia
- Stage 38 Bačka Palanka to Novi Sad
- Stage 39 Novi Sad to Novi Slankamen
- Stage 40 Novi Slankamen to Belgrade
- Stage 41 Belgrade to Kovin
- Stage 42 Kovin to Stara Palanka
- Stage 43 Stara Palanka to Golubac
- Stage 44 Golubac to Donji Milanovac
- Stage 45 Donji Milanovac to Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Romania
- Stage 46 Drobeta-Turnu Severin a Gruia
- Stage 47 Gruia to Calafat
- Stage 48 Calafat to Bechet
- Stage 49 Bechet to Corabia
- Stage 50 Corabia to Turnu Măgurele
- Stage 51 Turnu Măgurele to Zimnicea
- Stage 52 Zimnicea to Giurgiu
- Stage 53 Giurgiu to Olteniţa
- Stage 54 Olteniţa to Călăraşi
- Stage 55 Călăraşi a Ion Corvin
- Stage 56 Ion Corvin to Cernavodă
- Stage 57 Cernavodă to Hârşova
- Stage 58 Hârşova to Măcin
- Stage 59 Măcin to Galaţi
Excursion 1 Galaţi to Giurgiuleşti (Moldova) and Reni (Ukraine)
- Stage 60 Galaţi to Isaccea
- Stage 61 Isaccea to Tulcea
Excursion 2 Tulcea to Sulina by boat through the Danube Delta
- Variant for Stages 56-61 Ion Corvin to Tulcea via Constanţa and Black Sea Coast
