E-biking brings riding fun for all

Cycling in Gastein means: fresh air, majestic mountains, sunshine, blooming meadows, rushing streams and as the end point Gastein hospitality in a rustic hut or a well-kept excursion restaurant enjoy. With a pedal-assisted bicycle, this enjoyment is possible for everyone. The use of an electric bike, e-bike or pedelec ensures that cycling is fun even for those who are less fit, that you can reach destinations that are otherwise reserved for near-professionals, and that you can cover longer distances without having to train regularly beforehand. For a multigenerational cycling trip, the use of e-bikes is ideal for balancing out differences in performance. The sporty bikers get their money's worth with the "normal" bikes, as do those who transport children in seats or trailers attached to the electric bike. And the older members of the excursion can keep up, since with the help of the pedal assistance even the more demanding sections or climbs are easily manageable. The calorie consumption of 200kcal per hour is only half as high as pedaling with a conventional bike, but the main thing is that the exercise is fun and everyone can participate. With mountain e-bikes, even longer climbs can be mastered in a pleasant way and rapid descents can be mastered, thus opening up a wider radius of activity in Gastein

Numerous possibilities for cycling excursions and tours in every degree of difficulty and different route lengths guarantee that there is something for every condition and every taste. Even a "mountain tour" just to ride downhill is possible. To do this, you take the gondola from Dorfgastein up to the Fulseck and take your bike with you.

The Gastein cycle path is part of the Ciclovia Alpe Adria, the connection from Salzburg to Grado, and runs through the entire valley. It starts in Lend and goes through Dorfgastein and Bad Hofgastein to the end of the valley. Over a length of 30 km, the ascent is 322 meters in altitude (hm). The strongest ascent is before Bad Gastein. A special feature of the route is the 130m long bike tunnel at Klammstein. Along the route, inns and cafes invite you to linger and there are also some sights, such as Klammstein Castle, along the way.

The side valleys of the Gastein Valley are always worth a visit. The tour from Bad Hofgastein via the Hartlgut into the Angertal is just under 11 km long and overcomes 467hm. If you are ambitious and still have enough charge, you can start from there to the local mountain of Bad Hofgastein, the Stubnerkogel with 2300m. In addition to the panoramic view of the Großglockner, another attraction is the 140 m long suspension bridge, which spans a precipice at a height of 30 m and is permeable to view downwards.

A very pleasant e-mountain bike tour is the one to the Rastötzen at 1740m altitude. The route leads steadily uphill from Bad Hofgastein via the Wasserfallgasse and the Annenkapelle, from where you have a beautiful view of Bad Hofgastein. Via a forest road leading through dense coniferous forest, you wind your way up in serpentines to three managed alpine pastures. These are nestled in a basin between several peaks. One of them is the Gamskarkogel, the highest grassy mountain in Europe at 2467m, which you can climb from here. Provided you still have enough strength after the trail distance of 7.5 km and the 944 hm and also enough battery.

The tour into the Kötschachtal begins at the train station in Bad Gastein. Passing above the waterfall, the path continues along the "Himmelwand". The gradient here is very moderate and so you can fully enjoy the extraordinary landscape. You want to sink into the view and need refreshment - no problem: the landlady of the Himmelwandhütte is famous for the huge selection of delicious strudel creations. At the end point at the head of the valley, the Alpenhaus Prossau invites you to a snack and afterwards you can experience the idyllic area once again while skiing downhill.

Another also culinary worthwhile destination, especially for beer fans, is the Schmaranzhütte on the Wiedner Alm at 1768m. The steady climb over 955 hm on 8.16 km is ideal to master with an e-mountain bike. The Viehauser family runs the hut and brews their own organic beer. Please ask for opening hours before starting the tour!

If you now feel like conquering the Gastein Valley by bike and you haven't taken your e-bike with you, that's no problem. Numerous rental companies provide you with the necessary equipment and perfectly maintained rental bikes, whether with electric pedal assistance or without. Whether it's a leisurely bike tour or a sweaty summit assault, you'll find the right bike with the specialists. Ongoing, different accompanied bike tours with different focuses are offered in Gastein. You can get to know the alpine world on sporty alpine biking, gain your first e-mountain bike experience with a focus on riding technique on a beginner's trail tour, or improve your downhill skills on a trail beginner's tour. Experts in your field will support you to improve your skills and show you one or the other hidden corner in Gastein.

Our staff at the reception will be happy to help you