The journey begins in Inzersdorf, a district in the south of Vienna, and first leads through the gentle hills south of the city. The route* winds through idyllic field landscapes shaped by wide meadows and small woods. The first part is mostly flat and lets riders settle into their rhythm. Here you can enjoy the calm surroundings while preparing for the challenges ahead.
Heading south via Wiener Neustadt and Neunkirchen, the rural idyll of Lower Austria reveals itself. Once Neunkirchen is reached, the terrain changes and becomes hillier. The gentle climbs and winding roads through the wooded area challenge riders as they move through dense forests and across wide fields. This region offers a perfect mix of natural paths and quiet, remote country roads.
As soon as the route leaves the Mürz valley and enters Styria, it grows more mountainous and forested. Before you reach Graz — a historic checkpoint of the ride — you have to clear some metres of climbing. After that the route runs through the pumpkin-seed country of southern Styria to the Slovenian border, where more climbing awaits.
Beyond the border into Slovenia you meet the first rises of the Julian Alps. Here begins the more demanding part of the route, with steep climbs and narrower, winding roads. The route runs through alpine terrain, past remote villages and over high passes. The climbing increases, and the way tests body and mind as the view opens over the breathtaking mountain backdrop.
-
- Seealpsee
After crossing the mountain massif it descends into lower ground and finally down into Upper Carniola and the Italian Friuli, until the Adriatic region is reached. The descent into the Mediterranean landscape brings welcome relief, with the final kilometres down to Trieste accompanied by a magnificent view of the sea.
-
- The Pisnica River in Kranjska Gora in the Upper Carniola region of north west Slovenia. It is a tributary of the Sava Dolinka River. Nature scenery in Triglav national park. Kranjska Gora, Slovenia
Trieste, the destination, welcomes riders with a spectacular view of the harbour and the blue water of the Adriatic. The final sprint is favoured by the last metres of descent, making the end of this exceptional and demanding route an unforgettable experience.
-
- Historisches Kaffeehaus mit dem Rathaus und dem Brunnen der vier Kontinente
-
- Splendid summer view from flying drone of Trieste, Italy, Europe. Aerial seascape of Adriatic sea. Traveling concept background.
The route from Vienna to Trieste offers a challenging elevation profile, ranging from flat plains to demanding alpine climbs and finally descending into the coastal region of Trieste.
The start in Vienna begins on flat terrain in the Vienna Basin, marked by level landscape. The first kilometres run through farmland and the Marchfeld, where there is hardly any change in elevation. Here the route stays low and is well suited for warming up. But soon, after leaving the city limits, the topography gradually changes.
South of Vienna the route meets the foothills of the pre-Alps. Here the elevation profile begins to rise gradually. Smaller ranges of hills and moderate gradients make the route more varied. It leads over the Lower Austrian plain up into Styria, where the hills gradually give way to the pre-Alps. The climbing now increases, and gentle ascents and short descents shape the rolling landscape.
On entering the Styrian Alps the route reaches its most demanding section. Here several passages with partly steep climbs test your stamina. The route runs at altitudes of 800 to 1,200 metres above sea level and offers imposing views over the alpine foreland. This section demands good fitness, as the climbs are long and the air grows thinner.
After crossing the Styrian alpine foothills, it slowly descends again towards the Slovenian border, where the climbing gradually eases. The route finally leads through the Slovenian hill country, with a gentle up and down that allows a little recovery after the steep alpine passages. Here you can enjoy the landscape and prepare for the last stretch.
Finally you approach Trieste and the coastal region of the upper Adriatic. The last kilometres run partly steeply downhill, and the sea gradually comes into view. The way down to the harbour of Trieste is accompanied by the salty sea breeze and spectacular views of the Adriatic — an unforgettable finish after the highs and lows of this varied route.
The term “gravel” is used for all sorts of things these days. With us, gravel really means gravel. You need not worry about long bike-and-hike sections or unexpected detours onto the motorway. Our carefully chosen routes focus on fine gravel tracks and surfaced forest roads. Only for unavoidable connections, and due to the restrictive right-of-way rules in Austria, do we occasionally switch to quiet roads. In the mountains the surface can get coarser at times. But our route design always ensures the route stays easy to plan and pace. Our route is based on the free
CXB Gravel route planner. For it, the extensive open-source community toolkit was adapted specifically for gravel cycling: gravel tracks are highlighted visually across Europe, so you can factor them into your planning. We tested the planner extensively on rides across Europe, including while scouting Vienna–Berlin.
In the tracks themselves we also mark supply points such as supermarkets, petrol stations and shelters as POIs.
