Backpack & Budget : Hills Are Alive With Bargains in Austria

Austria may have an expensive reputation, but it has opportunities for economical hiking and biking, with plenty of traveler’s hostels, pensions and camping facilities to choose from.

In Austria, 30% of the population over age 6 cycles regularly, and one of the most popular cycling routes is along the Danube River. The bike trail stretches 217 miles from Passau, on the German-Austrian border, through Vienna to Hainburg. Details about the route are covered in a free leaflet called Danube Cycle Track available from the Austrian National Tourist Office. It provides a basic map, information on the sights en route, and listings of accommodations, camping facilities, restaurants and emergency services.

Bikes can be rented at 160 train stations in Austria, and you don’t have to return them to the same station they were rented from. Deposits are not required, but you will have to produce identification such as a passport. The regular daily rental fee is $7.20. Travelers who have arrived by rail on the same day that they rent the bike are eligible for a reduced rate of $4. If you arrive by rail after 3 p.m., you can have the reduced rate the following day. Mountain bikes can be rented for $12 by rail travelers, or $16 if you haven’t arrived by train. It’s advisable to make a reservation for weekend rentals.

Special Austrian “Rabbit Cards” are available for unlimited travel on the Austrian National Railways for any four days within a 10-day period using first or second class services. The regular Rabbit Card costs $153 first class and $103 for second class. The “Junior” version, which is available to any traveler under age 26 on his/her first day of use, costs $95 for first class and $64 for second class. This year, for the first time, the cards must be purchased from a travel agent before you go abroad.

To bring your bike with you on Austrian Railways, you need a “bicycle take-along card” that costs $2.40 per day.

For those cycling along the Danube, there is a special “Bike Hiker” rail service operated by Austrian Railways between Vienna and Passau. The trains have special cars outfitted with bicycle stands. The fee for transporting your bike on this train is $3.20.

A real advantage to budget travelers who like to hike is that many of the Austrian resort areas provide free guided hikes for visitors. This can be a good way to spend a day with an expert, picking up advice for a more extensive hut-to-hut adventure.

For example, anyone who stays one night in Innsbruck can join in on free daily guided mountain hikes, and guests who need them are even provided with free boots and rucksacks to borrow. The three- to five-hour hikes are operated by the Alpinist School of Innsbruck and are lead by qualified mountain guides. On Tuesday evenings, “lantern” hikes are conducted up to a mountain hut where you can buy refreshments. This year the program operates until Oct. 8. Ask at your hostel/hotel for your free Club Innsbruck Card and the hiking program details.

Hikers and bikers should keep in mind that you can have your heavy luggage sent ahead to your train station or a hotel using Austrian Railways. If you take your luggage to the train station, it costs $3.20 per piece to have it delivered to another train station in Austria. You will need to allow one overnight for it to get there. If you want to store luggage at a rail station the cost is $1.60 per piece, per day.

For those who need help cutting costs in Vienna, the Austrian National Tourist Office can provide you with a free copy of Youth Scene--Vienna, a 15-page publication covering information on accommodations, camping facilities, cycling, making phone calls, entertainment, sightseeing, swimming, public transportation, emergency services and changing money.

Copies are available from the Austrian National Tourist Office, 11601 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2480, Los Angeles, Calif. 90025; telephone (310) 477-3332.