On the Danube cycle path from Passau to Vilshofen

The bike service is located directly in front of the station.

There are 188 bicycle parking spaces and 20 bicycle racks in the immediate vicinity of the station.

The bike hire is located in the west building of the station.

Trekking tour bikes, e-bikes and accessories are available for hire. Bikes should be booked online in good time. A return service is also possible by arrangement. (Only on the route towards Vienna.)

Just 200 metres north of the station, you will come to the Danube Cycle Path (DRW) and EuroVelo 6 (EV6), which runs directly along the Danube.

Just outside Passau, you cross over a footbridge at the Kachlet dam and hydroelectric power station to the north bank. The Kachlet is an approximately 20 kilometre long section of river with numerous rocks and small islands. Since its completion in 1927, the barrage with double sluice has improved navigability at this dangerous point.

From about the mouth of the Gaißa, the route is mostly off the beaten track. You can take a relaxing ride past small villages and ferry stations and rest under shady trees.

At Windorf you reach a special natural monument.

A footbridge connects the Lower Bavarian town of Windorf with the island, which at just under 2.5 kilometres is the longest between Ulm and Vienna. The island, which is freely accessible all year round, is a protected landscape. The island area is mainly covered with deciduous trees. Two signposted circular trails offer hikers views of the beauty of the island, the Danube and its surroundings. There is also a landing stage for boats. There are various places to stop for refreshments on the Windorf promenade in front of the island.

Vilshofen is just a stone's throw away. At the airfield, you can already enjoy a beautiful view of the town on the far bank, which rises on a promontory between the Vils and the Danube.

Before you cross the Marienbrücke bridge into the centre, however, you should drive through the Biertor, a triumphal arch of a somewhat different kind. It is a portal made of beer crates: a humorous reference to Vilshofen's centuries-old brewing history.

The "Beer Underworlds" exhibition in the old town centre provides deeper insights.

Beer has been brewed in Vilshofen for around 700 years. All facets of this history are impressively illuminated in the "Beer Underworlds" exhibition. In a former fermentation and storage cellar of the Wieninger brewery, visitors can learn all about the beverage: from production to marketing. It is not without pride that reference is made to one of the town's sons. Master brewer Joseph Groll from Vilshofen went to Pilsen in 1842. There he brewed the first Pilsner beer and has been considered its inventor ever since.

Another section of the exhibition is dedicated to the town's 800-year history. A special highlight of the "Beer Underworlds" is a 90 metre long vaulted passageway from the Middle Ages carved into the rock, which runs under the Bürg, a street in the old town.

The fact that the beer tradition in Vilshofen is still alive today can be experienced - or rather tasted - in the rustic Wolferstetter Bräustüberl in the centre of the old town.

For more than 100 years, the Wolferstetter/Huber family has successfully continued the almost 500-year-old tradition of their home town. The inn serves beers from its own brewery, which have won its producers many awards. In addition to "Hefeweizen", "Edlem Hell", "Weizenbock" and many other beer products, "fine home-style" cuisine is served in the restaurant.

In addition to the restaurant, the house also offers rooms for celebrations and inexpensive overnight accommodation.

It's only a good kilometre from the old town to Schweiklberg Abbey. But it's a tough one. The abbey is enthroned on a mountain more than 50 metres above the town.

Schweiklberg Abbey is a monastery of Benedictine monks and is still run by them today. The buildings date back to between 1905 and 1925 and the Trinity Church, built in Art Nouveau style with its two 51 metre high towers, is a particular eye-catcher. The monastery complex includes a school, library and guest house, as well as businesses such as a nursery, candle factory, distillery and a cafeteria with a sun terrace. Products from the monastery can be purchased in the monastery shop. These include the "Schweiklberger Geist", an old household remedy that is only produced here.

The Benedictines see their main task as missionary work and often travel to Africa, where they help to build schools and hospitals. The brothers organise a weekly flea market for their projects. The monks have collected gifts and souvenirs from their mission trips over the decades. Some of the unique items are now on display in the monastery's Africa Museum.

If you want to round off your excursion with something sweet, you can do so at Café Saxinger. It is located on the church square in Vilshofen's old town centre.

A good cup of coffee and a juicy slice of strawberry cake, plum tart or a slice of Sacher torte? At Saxinger, guests are spoilt for choice. They have been serving freshly baked goods from their own patisserie for over 20 years. But savoury dishes with seasonal ingredients are also on the menu. In the warmer months of the year, there are pleasant shady spots outside and if you like a hearty breakfast, this is also the place to be.

The route back to Passau follows the same route.

There, a final walk through the "Bavarian Venice" is worthwhile. The attractive old town on the headland between the Danube and Inn rivers can be reached quickly from the railway station. So don't miss Passau!