The Danube Valley Getting there & around

Getting around

A popular way of exploring the region is by boat, particularly between Krems and Melk, but it’s also possible to travel from Passau to Vienna. The most popular time to take a boat trip on the Danube is between May and September, when a several companies ser­vice the route.

DDSG Blue Danube (01-588 80; www.ddsg-blue-danube.at; 01, Friedrichstrasse 7, Vienna; Vienna-Dürnstien one way/return €19.50/26, Melk-Krems one way/return €17.50/22.50, Melk-Spitz & Spitz-Krems one way/return €10/13.50) does the routes Melk–Krems, Spitz–Melk, and Spitz-Krems from early April to October up to three times daily, and between Vienna and Dürnstein every Sunday from May till September.

Brandner (07433-25 90-21; www.brandner.at; Ufer 50, Wallsee; Krems-Melk return adult/child €22.50/11.50, one way adult/child €17.50/9) operates boats between Krems and Melk one to two times daily from mid-April to late October.

More popular is exploring the region by bicycle. A wonderfully flat cycle path runs along both sides of the Danube from Vienna to Melk, passing through Krems, Dürnstein, Weissenkirchen and Spitz (these are all on the northern bank). Many hotels and pensions (B&Bs) are geared towards cyclists and most towns have at least one bike-rental shop. For more information pick up a free copy of The Donauradweg – Von Passau bis Bratislava (from tourist offices and some hotels), which provides details of distances, hotels and information offices along the route.

The roads on both sides of the Danube between Krems and Melk, where the B3 and the B33 hug the contours of the river, lend themselves well to a driving tour. Vehicle bridges cross the river at Krems, Melk, Pöchlarn and Ybbs. A rail track runs along the Danube’s northern bank and while it’s a scenic trip, it’s slow.