Crossing borders – hiking the alpannonia from Austria to Hungary

The 125 kilometre-long (77.6 mile) alpannonia long-distance trail takes you from the Alps to Pannonia, a former province of the Roman Empire. The high-altitude, panoramic route leads over the eastern peaks and foothills of the Alps in Austria through the provinces of Styria, Lower Austria and Burgenland to Kőszeg in Hungary. Along the way, you can expect fantastic mountain panoramas, rustic alpine huts, cosy villages and picturesque hiking trails. The alponnonia was awarded the title of ‘Best Trail in Austria’ for good reason. You’ll soon understand why on this cross-border hiking adventure which reveals the alpine heights of Lower Austria, the Burgenland hill country and the Pannonian lowlands of western Hungary.

The alpannonia starts in the region of Styria either from the town of Fischbach, where the main route begins, or from the town of Semmering. The trail can be conveniently divided into seven stages, although you can save yourself a day from starting in Semmering. Whichever variant you choose, the trails merge together at the Feistritz Saddle, a high mountain pass.

You can expect breathtaking alpine panoramas from the Stuhleck, the highest mountain of the Fischbach Alps, to the Hochwechsel and Mönichkirchner Schwaig. You enjoy views that stretch far into Hungary, overlooking the Vienna and Graz basins. Next, you drop down from alpine heights and hike through the picturesque so-called Bucklige Welt hill country and Burgenland. In the last third of the Tour, you climb up again to the 883-metre-high (2,896-foot) Geschriebenstein which marks the border of Austria and Hungary. You hike the final section on Hungarian soil to finish the alpannonia in the centre of Kőszeg town.

You can travel to Fischbach as well as Semmering by public transport. From Kőszeg, you can take public transport to Vienna or Graz, but make sure you leave enough time for the journey. There’s also a special taxi service which will take you back to the start in Semmering or Fischbach for a fixed price of around €100, but you should book this in advance. You can find detailed information (in German) on travelling to and from the route, here: alpannonia.at/anreise-alpannonia.

If you’ve already started preparing for your trip, don’t forget to book your accommodation in advance too. This way, you don’t have to worry about it and you can concentrate on the wonderful hike. You can find more information about the hosts en route, here: alpannonia.at/gastgeber

Make sure you pack sun and rain protection and sufficient water for your hike in the mountains. It also never hurts to have some snacks in your rucksack. You may want to have a picnic ready to enjoy your scenic breaks even more.

Now that you’re prepared and organised, you, your hiking fun on the alpannonia can begin. The trail’s philosophy is all about overcoming borders, whether geographical or personal. The trail connects two countries that were once separated by the Iron Curtain but today, it brings hikers from the Alps to the Hungarian plain. This gives you even more reason to explore new regions and countries and get to know the connection between the two.