Alpe Adria Cycle Route: from Bad Hofgastein to Möllbrücke

After a hearty breakfast at 8:00 a.m. we start the last climb before crossing the Hohe Tauern by train.

Like most of the time, we have bright sunshine, 31°C is forecast for today and we want to have completed the nasty climb in Bad Gastein by lunchtime.

The loading station for the Tauern Tunnel transport is in Böckstein. On the last few kilometers we had a strong headwind, which we didn't need at all after the climb in Bad Gastein.

The train runs every hour and we, along with the other cyclists, get on the next one.

The bikes are simply placed in the carriage and secured with straps. Once the bikes are stowed away, you travel through the tunnel in the passenger compartment at the other end of the train for 11 minutes, and unloading is also a breeze. The Austrians are just good at it: the train's punctuality rate is 96%. Ours was one of them. The journey costs 10 euros per bike and person.

The station after the tunnel is Mallnitz. From there it is about eight kilometers downhill on the country road - without a bike lane. But basically only the vehicles that arrived by train drive there.

We still had a strong gusty headwind on the way down, so we had to slow down at 40 km/h. With the panniers at the front and back, the wind has a good surface to attack, so grip the handlebars firmly and tense your arms. ;)

At Penk there is a very charming station for cyclists. There is a tool station, useful things like plasters, tissues and rags, a fruit section and sweets. Incredibly great.

In Möllbrücke we set up our tent at Möll Camping. A small campsite run by the municipality with everything you need. Very similar to the site in Meiningen: use of the swimming pool is included, a refrigerator for guests, a lounge, washing machine and dryer and a great lawn.