Cycle from Aggstein to Mautern in Austria along EuroVelo 6 – Danube Cycle Route, one of Europe’s most popular long-distance cycling routes. This 21.26 km stage forms part of the Passau to Vienna cycling journey and follows the Danube through the scenic Wachau region in Lower Austria.
With only 58 m of elevation gain and 60 m of descent, this is an easy and enjoyable section suitable for recreational cyclists, touring riders and anyone exploring the Austrian Danube by bike. The route follows the river through a beautiful landscape of wooded hills, vineyards and small settlements, with long stretches offering direct views of the Danube.
Starting near Aggstein, the route continues east towards Mautern, providing a relatively relaxed ride with minimal climbing. It can be ridden independently or combined with neighbouring EuroVelo 6 stages.
Explore the route, check the interactive map, download the GPX track, and watch the full ride video to experience the journey from Aggstein to Mautern.
Aggstein to Mautern – Cycling EuroVelo 6 Through the Wachau Valley
The cycling route from Aggstein to Mautern is a beautiful 21.26 km section of EuroVelo 6 – Danube Cycle Route in Lower Austria. Following the Danube through the famous Wachau Valley, this stage combines relaxed riverside cycling with impressive views of the river, wooded hills, vineyards and the characteristic landscape of one of Austria’s best-known cycling regions.
With only 58 metres of elevation gain and 60 metres of descent, the route is classified as Easy. The entire stage is on asphalt, making it particularly suitable for touring bikes, trekking bikes, e-bikes and recreational cyclists. The recorded ride takes approximately 1 hour and 6 minutes, although riders planning their own trip may want to allow considerably more time to enjoy the scenery and stops along the way.
Cycling from Aggstein towards Mautern
The route begins near Aggstein and continues east along the Danube towards Mautern. From the start, the river plays an important role in the experience, with long sections providing views across the water and towards the hills surrounding the Wachau Valley.
The riding itself is relatively undemanding. There are no major climbs on this stage, and the modest elevation gain is spread across the route. This makes Aggstein → Mautern an accessible section for cyclists who want to enjoy the Danube landscape without dealing with demanding gradients.
The asphalt surface also contributes to a comfortable ride. For cyclists travelling with luggage or completing a multi-day tour between Passau and Vienna, this type of terrain allows for steady progress while still leaving plenty of opportunity to slow down and enjoy the surroundings.
Cycling through the Wachau
The Wachau Valley is one of the highlights of the Austrian section of the Danube Cycle Route. The combination of the river, steep hillsides, vineyards and historic settlements gives this part of EuroVelo 6 a distinctive character.
On the Aggstein to Mautern stage, the landscape gradually changes as the route continues downstream. The Danube remains close for much of the journey, while the surrounding hills frame the river corridor and provide the scenery that makes cycling through this region so memorable.
At just over 21 kilometres, this stage is long enough to provide a substantial cycling experience while remaining manageable for a wide range of riders. It can be ridden independently or combined with the neighbouring stages when planning a longer day on EuroVelo 6.
Part of the Passau to Vienna cycling journey
Aggstein → Mautern forms part of the larger Passau to Vienna journey documented by Cycling Horizon.
The Danube Cycle Route between Passau and Vienna is particularly suitable for multi-day cycle touring because riders can divide the journey into stages of different lengths. Shorter sections such as Melk → Aggstein can be combined with this 21.26 km route, while Aggstein → Mautern can also be used as an independent stage depending on accommodation, sightseeing plans and preferred daily distance.
Documenting the journey in individual sections makes it possible to examine each part of the route separately before deciding how to organise your own cycling trip.
For riders travelling downstream towards Vienna, Mautern represents another important point in the progression along the Austrian Danube and provides a natural endpoint for this particular Cycling Horizon stage.
Real-world cycling video
The Cycling Horizon video shows the complete real-world ride from Aggstein to Mautern.
Instead of presenting only selected highlights, the video allows you to follow the route from start to finish and see what cycling this section of EuroVelo 6 actually looks like. You can observe the cycling infrastructure, surface conditions, surroundings and general character of the route.
This can be particularly useful when preparing for your own Danube cycling trip. Maps and written descriptions provide important information, but a complete ride video adds another layer of practical context.
You can see how the route develops, what the cycling paths look like and how the surrounding landscape changes as the journey progresses towards Mautern.
For cyclists researching EuroVelo 6 before travelling to Austria, this combination of visual information and recorded GPS data provides a more realistic impression of the route than a map alone.
Interactive map and GPX download
The interactive map on this page displays the recorded Aggstein → Mautern GPX track, allowing you to examine the route and see how it follows the Danube through the Wachau region.
The GPX file is available for download and can be transferred to a compatible cycling computer, GPS device or navigation application. This makes it possible to use the recorded track when planning or riding the route yourself.
Combining the GPX track with the full Cycling Horizon video gives you two complementary resources. The map and GPX provide the navigation data, while the video provides a visual reference for the actual riding environment.
This approach is especially useful for touring cyclists who want to understand a route before arriving at the starting point.
An easy 21 km ride along the Danube
With a distance of 21.26 km, an elevation gain of only 58 metres and an asphalt surface, Aggstein → Mautern is an accessible cycling stage.
The route is suitable for cyclists who prefer relaxed touring as well as riders completing a longer journey along the Danube. The relatively flat profile means that the focus remains on the surroundings rather than climbing or technical riding.
Although the recorded cycling time is approximately 1 hour and 6 minutes, there is little reason to rush through this landscape. Riders can easily turn the stage into a longer experience by stopping along the Danube, exploring the surroundings or simply taking time to enjoy the Wachau scenery.
Explore Aggstein to Mautern
Whether you are planning the complete EuroVelo 6 journey from Passau to Vienna, researching individual sections of the Danube Cycle Route, or looking for an easy cycling route through the Wachau Valley, Aggstein → Mautern is an excellent section to explore.
Use the interactive map to examine the route, download the GPX track for navigation and watch the full Cycling Horizon video to experience the ride from a cyclist’s perspective.
With its asphalt surface, modest elevation profile and close connection to the Danube, this 21.26 km stage captures many of the qualities that make cycling through Lower Austria so appealing. It continues the journey east through the Wachau and brings the Passau → Vienna cycling adventure another step closer to Vienna.
