Legendary long-distance hiking along the Danube River – Danube Trail

The northern route of the Donausteig starts in the three-river city of Passau, right on the border between Germany and Austria. Starting from the train station, you walk through the picturesque old town and after crossing the Danube, the Ludwigsteig leads you up the steep flank to Veste Oberhaus. From… read more

After the first stage, which is more than 27 kilometers long, the second day continues with a demanding 23 kilometers: From Obernzell you follow the mighty Danube along the Donauuferstraße to the Kohlbachmühle. There you turn left and start the ascent up to a picturesque high plateau in the Bavarian… read more

The third Donausteig stage starts with a brisk ascent from Niederranna: through the forest, it goes back up to the high plateau above the Danube valley. Again and again the path offers wonderful views down to the legendary river, on which ships and boats cavort. The striking tower of Marsbach Castle… read more

Stage 4 of the northern route starts in Obermühl. From the village center you initially hike up the slope of the steep Donauleiten on a forest path. Arrived on the high plateau of the Mühlviertel highlands, you will reach the observation tower at the Burgstall - the highest elevation that rises directly… read more

Sankt Martin is the starting point for the fifth and just under 13 kilometers long stage of the Donausteig north route. You leave the place and walk relaxed past fields, meadows and courtyards to the banks of the small Pesenbach. There is a lot to discover along the picturesque path: the bizarre rock… read more

The starting point for this stage of the Donausteig main route (designated with the letter G) is Aschach, which lies at the transition from the steep Danube valley to the fertile plain of the Eferdinger basin. At the beginning you follow the Danube downstream to soon turn into the cultivated plain of… read more

Today you can expect a relaxed and flat route along the blue Danube. With a view of Starhemberg Castle you leave Eferding and after a good two kilometers cross a tributary of the Aschach. Through the alluvial forest it goes to the Aschach, which you follow a little further downstream. Then you stand… read more

Starting from Ottensheim, you hike a piece on the Treppelweg along the Danube. At the bend in the Danube you leave the bank and start today's summit storm. It goes uphill through a rural cultural landscape and past mighty square courtyards. The field of vision expands again and again and you can enjoy… read more

Linz, European Capital of Culture 2009, is the starting point for this Donausteig stage. With a view of the Lentos and the Brucknerhaus, you follow the Danube downstream. At the bend in the Danube, you leave the stream and hike through the Au to Pleschinger See. From the popular bathing lake it goes… read more

This stage of the Donausteig north route starts in Steyregg, on the edge of the Linz basin. You hike back to Pulgarn, which you visited yesterday. At the train station you turn towards the Danube and march through a fascinating meadow landscape: small ponds, ancient trees and steep gravel pits await… read more

With just under 13 kilometers, this stage of the main route is a relaxed affair. From Mauthausen on the banks of the Danube you hike up a partly wooded ridge to the legendary Heinrichsbründl. Then it goes into the wide plain of the fertile Machland: small towns, wide fields and large courtyards characterize… read more

13 flat kilometers await you on this stage of the Donausteig main route. After a night in the historic town of Perg, head to the banks of the Naarn. The river leaves the hilly Mühlviertel here and flows through the fertile plain of the Machland. At the old floodplain, now a settlement, you leave the… read more

This Donausteig stage starts in Mitterkirchen and today takes you a little away from the Danube to the impressive Clam Castle. At first you cross the Naarn and then hike through the fertile Machland plain to Baumgartenberg. There begins a constant up and down through the hilly Mühlviertel, which is characterized… read more

The sixth stage of the Donausteig main route starts in Grein, the gateway to the Strudengau. From the center it goes up to the vantage point on Kalvarienberg, from which you can enjoy a fantastic view of the city and the Danube. Then you leave the last settlements behind you and dive into the forest… read more

The day starts with a brisk ascent from Sarmingstein: From the confluence of the Sarmingbach into the Danube, it goes through the forest up to the Predigtstuhl. On the Felskanzel high above the Danube you reach one of the seven Donausteig peaks with a magnificent view. After a well-deserved break on… read more

The starting point for this demanding Donausteig stage is Waldhausen. It starts at the market square. From there you walk to the former Waldhausen Abbey, a jewel worth seeing. The path then runs through a secluded landscape with small forest areas, babbling brooks and traditional farms. You hike up and… read more

The southern route of the Donausteig starts just like the northern route in the three-river city of Passau. From the train station it goes to the Inn, which you cross on the Fünferlsteg. A short time later, from the other bank, you can see the colorful facades and the Ortspitz, where the Inn, Ilz and… read more

The starting point for the second Donausteig stage of the southern route is Kasten. From the small town in the breakthrough valley of the upper Danube on the Austrian side you hike up to Vichtenstein. Once at the top, you can look forward to an impressive view of the Danube and the Jochenstein power… read more

More than 23 kilometers and 500 vertical meters await you on the third stage, so pack an extra sandwich in your backpack. From the village center you follow the course of the mighty Danube river and after a few steps you can visit the impressive monastery on the outskirts. Then it goes on the Treppelweg… read more

After a night in Schlögen, the fourth stage starts with a fantastic view of the Schlögen loop. Right at the beginning, you can expect a steep ascent up to the “Schlögener Blick”, which will make you forget all the effort. This vantage point is the guiding view of the entire Donausteig. At the same height… read more