Gravel means variety — and that is exactly what the Milan–Munich long-distance ride offers. Expect fast gravel sections, quiet back roads, narrow paths and the occasional steep ramp on concrete or grass. Variety is guaranteed, but you won’t find technical root trails or extreme terrain here — at most a single root at the edge of the path. Busy main roads are consistently avoided; you cross them only briefly before heading straight back into the next fine section.

A robust gravel setup pays off on the Milan–Munich ride. We recommend a tyre width of at least 40 mm — wider tyres add comfort and give you more security on descents over coarser material. In the wet, some sections can get muddy; with classic semi-slicks you will be noticeably limited here. For gearing, a low ratio is decisive: many climbs roll along evenly, but in between there are short, extremely steep ramps. With small chainrings and/or a large cassette you spare your legs and make sure you can still pedal smoothly after many hours and with luggage. Rule of thumb: the lower the gears, the more relaxed you handle the steep ramps.

Start in Milan

From Milan’s main station (Milano Centrale), it is only a few kilometres to the start at Porta Romana — one of the historic city gates that has guided travellers north for centuries. Milan is excellently connected: long-distance trains, coaches and night services run daily from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Train & bike are, in theory, a dream pairing — in practice, though, often a small challenge. Booking directly with ÖBB or Trenitalia is recommended:

• Nightjet connections (e.g. Vienna–Milan or Munich–Milan) are ideal: whole four-berth compartments can be booked affordably, and travelling with two people and two bikes is relaxed.
• In regional trains between Switzerland, Austria and Italy, a bike ticket is usually enough — no reservation needed.
• Long-distance coaches are an excellent option too: they run regularly between Munich and Milan, carrying a bike is often possible, and prices stay fair even at short notice. Travelling overnight saves time and gets you to the start at dawn.

Milan offers a broad range of places to stay — from modern design hotels to simple hostels or campsites near the city. As an international metropolis with a growing cycling culture, the city is well prepared for travellers with bikes: secure storage, flexible check-in times and good connections to train, bus and metro are standard in many places. Porta Romana, Navigli or Stazione Centrale — all with easy access to the start and nearby cycle paths. The Camping Village Città di Milano is a good option too: around eight kilometres west of the centre, with large tent areas, well-kept sanitary facilities and a direct bus connection into town. It’s also an easy solution for bikepackers travelling with a tent or light luggage. Alternatively, there are several cyclist-friendly hotels in the surrounding area — for example in Sesto San Giovanni or Cesano Maderno — offering secure bike storage and workshop areas. These are well connected to the centre by regional train and offer a quieter setting before the start. Whether central, quiet or under the open sky — in Milan there’s an option to suit every preference, making the start of the long-distance ride comfortable and stress-free.

This event is a self-supported ride: ultimately you are responsible for your own food, sleep and breaks. Whether you lean towards a spontaneous hammock or a hotel is your free choice. The code of self-supported rides, however, requires that accommodation is not booked in advance from your sofa at home, but at the earliest while underway. So commit to the ride and see how it unfolds. in Austria, wild camping is absolutely taboo.

Munich & the return journey

Munich is excellently connected — whether you travel back by train, coach or Nightjet. The city offers plenty of options to get home relaxed, with your bike in tow.

• Coaches (e.g. FlixBus) — regular direct connections between Munich ↔ Milan, bike transport selectable at booking. Ideal for spontaneous return trips, as long as spaces are available. www.flixbus.de
• Long-distance trains — e.g. via Zurich (SBB / DB) or Innsbruck (ÖBB). Bike transport is possible, but reservation is required and usually limited — so book early. www.bahn.de | www.oebb.at | www.sbb.ch
• Regional connections — via Milan – Verona – Brenner – Innsbruck. A bit slower, but usually more flexible when it comes to bringing your bike. www.trenitalia.com | www.oebb.at
• Nightjet (ÖBB) — on selected routes with bike spaces, reservation required. A comfortable option for travelling back overnight. www.nightjet.com

Tip: Plan some buffer time and reserve bike spaces as early as possible. If you prefer to travel spontaneously, the coach is usually the most flexible.

Return from Munich

After arriving, everything is easy: it is only a few kilometres from the finish to Munich main station. Munich is southern Germany’s most important transport hub — with direct links to international train, coach and night services. If you want to complete the loop, you can travel directly back by coach to Milan, or roll via Innsbruck → Verona → Milan on regional trains. This is usually more relaxed than securing a bike space on a long-distance train at short notice.

One more day in Munich

If time allows: stay an extra day. Munich has everything a good finish city needs — beer gardens, museums, the Isar meadows and a relaxed atmosphere. After the long kilometres, it is the perfect place to let the ride wind down. www.muenchen.de – the city’s official website with current events, sights and transport tips.

The road gradually steepens, the terrain becomes livelier. You pass old trade routes and small bridges, and with every kilometre you feel the mountains drawing closer. Lake Garda marks the first great panorama — a brief moment of southern ease before the route enters the narrow Adige valley. Vineyards, orchards and old village roads accompany you as the air noticeably changes: from the warm south to the cooler breath of the Alps.

From Bolzano the mountains start to get serious. The route follows old roads through quiet valleys, past castles, farms and rock faces. The valley opens, the landscape grows wide and clear. Here lie the first refuges and inns offering simple but authentic places to stay. A place to breathe — before the alpine core calls.

This is the queen stage. The crossing from Italy to Austria goes over a pass steeped in tradition, the Klamljoch, in the region that already challenged the long-distance riders in 1894. The climb winds in long curves, the rock turns barren, the air thinner. Every metre demands strength and focus — and rewards you with wide views over the peaks. At the top: silence, wind, perhaps snow. Below: the fast descent into Tyrol.

The descent takes you into the Brenner area, then on along the Inn. The landscape alternates between mountain and town, between history and modernity. Innsbruck makes a good logistical waypoint — with food, lodging and the chance to catch your breath before the north calls.

Beyond Innsbruck the land opens up. You follow the river towards Kufstein, then over gentle hills and forests to Rosenheim. Small roads and quiet field tracks alternate, villages appear and vanish again — a piece of Bavaria that doesn’t show off its beauty loudly, but reveals it in passing.

Finish in Munich — city of beer gardens, art and clear lakes. Where tradition and modernity are not opposites but meet on the same street. After days on gravel, asphalt and alpine passes, you reach the Bavarian capital — tired perhaps, but fulfilled. You roll in over the Isar meadows, past the towers of the Frauenkirche, through avenues where history and present overlap. Munich welcomes you with open hospitality: a cold Helles in the shade of the chestnuts, perhaps a jump into the Eisbach or a walk through the English Garden. The end point is the bike café 3Mills. Here the distance ends — but not the movement. Munich is hub and exit at once: perfectly connected for the return, full of life for anyone who wants to stay.