East Tyrol · Moderate · One way

San Candido to Lienz down the Drava valley

Downhill from the source of the Drava at San Candido through the Puster valley into East Tyrol to Lienz, with the train back.

Distance
44.1 km (27.4 mi)
Ascent
6 m
Riding time
About 3 h
Grade
Moderate
Bike
Any bike
Runs on
74% cycle path, 16% track, 11% road

Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.

0 km10 km20 km30 km40 km1,179 m675 m
Move along the height chart to see each point on the map.
San Candido to Lienz down the Drava valley
Giorgio Galeotti · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The ride

From the car park by San Candido (Innichen) station the Drava cycle path (Drauradweg) follows the young river east out of the Puster valley in South Tyrol, past Versciaco and over the border at Winnebach into Austria. It runs on through Sillian, Heinfels, Tassenbach and Abfaltersbach, down past Mittewald and Thal and through the gorge of the Galitzenklamm at Leisach into Lienz.

It is 44.1 km (27.4 miles) one way with 6 m of climbing; allow about 3 hours of riding. The grade is Moderate. It loses about 500 m, so it is downhill nearly all the way, on tarmac cycle paths and quiet lanes.

The Puster valley cycle paths are open from 1 April to 31 October 2026. The path is very popular in summer and busy with families: ride at a steady speed and take care where it crosses roads.

The car park by San Candido station costs €1.50 an hour, for up to eight hours. Trains run back from Lienz to San Candido every hour at 33 minutes past, taking about 55 minutes; from May to September the Austrian bike tickets are not valid on this line, so buy the return at Lienz station. San Candido has bike hire, including one-way hire, and there are cafés all along the way.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.

Good to know

  • Downhill all the way from the source of the Drava to Lienz, about 500 m lower, through Sillian, Abfaltersbach and Leisach
  • Trains back from Lienz to San Candido every hour, taking about 55 minutes; from May to September the Austrian bike tickets are not valid on this line
  • One-way bike hire in San Candido
  • The car park by San Candido station costs €1.50 an hour, for up to eight hours

Getting there

Start: San Candido · Pay and display. 46.73317, 12.27406

Directions to the start

By train: Innichen - San Candido station is 0.2 km from the start.

Places to stay nearby

Rooms in and around Innichen - San Candido: Booking.com → Expedia →

Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.

Paths and roads change, and surfaces vary with the weather. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; ride to what you find, give way to walkers and horses, and carry what you need to mend a puncture.