South Tyrol | Enit S.p.A. (English)

South Tyrol: Cyclists’ Paradise

Cycling in South Tyrol is a passion for many – but it’s also so much more. The region is constantly improving its cycling infrastructure. Here in South Tyrol, professionals aren’t the ones pedalling hard. Bolzano/Bozen is a genuine cycling capital because nearly one in three people cycle on a daily basis. Throughout South Tyrol, there are projects aimed at raising awareness of cycling as a means of transport and establishing it as an integral part of the population’s everyday mobility. Here, cycling is the people’s sport, which is promoted with a range of offers and campaigns. For instance, “South Tyrol cycles” is a project from Green Mobility South Tyrol. In 2022, nearly 3,096 cyclists participated: Unbelievably, on their way to work and school they managed to cumulatively pedal 2.5 km together. Plenty of cycling is not only good for the body, but also for the environment. All that cycling prevented 450,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide from being emitted into South Tyrol’s atmosphere.

Cycling tours for every taste

South Tyrol’s network of valley cycle paths spans more than 600 kilometres, while mountain bikers have around 1,900 km of approved tours to explore. There are also plenty of routes for road cyclists, from the classic Stilfserjoch pass to the much quieter Jaufen pass.

“Wine and Bike” unites cycling with guided vineyard and winery tours all along the South Tyrolean Wine Road.

South Tyrol’s cycle path network is also connected with the large long-distance cycling tours. The most famous of these are the “Via Claudia Augusta” and the “Munich-Venice” with nearly 700 km from Munich through Bavaria, Tyrol and South Tyrol and terminating in Venice. The completed EuroVelo7 long-distance cycling route, also named the Sun Route, connects the North Cape with Malta and includes the Brennero Cycle Route from Brenner/Brennero to Bolzano/Bozen.

Bolzano/Bozen’s car-free days are a special treat for cyclists. Once a year (Bolzano Cycling Day2022), the entire city is off limits for motorised vehicles for a whole day. This year, the first Bike Light Parade took place in the old town of Bolzano/Bozen. It is an awareness campaign on bicycle visibility aimed at increasing road traffic safety.

But the car-free movement is not limited to the city: every now and then, pass roads are closed to motorised traffic so that cyclists can enjoy them undisturbed. Events include the Cycling Day on the Stilfserjoch pass and the Mendel Pass, the Maratona dles Dolomites, the Dolomites Bike Day and the Sellaronda Bike Day. They are highlights on every cyclist’s calendar!

Services for cyclists

Since the beginning of April, the bike rental offices are open again. Most of them are connected to the bikemobil Card, which is an affordable combi ticket for bus, train and rental bikes in South Tyrol Holders of the bikemobil Card can rent bicycles from any Südtirol Rad, Papin Sport or Südtirolbike outlet along the railway lines and from the various branch offices –and return them to the same location. Both rental services offer a large selection of city bikes, mountain bikes, e-bikes and road bikes. The bikemobil Card is available for a single day, for three days or for seven days from all participating bike rental services, the tourism offices and the sales points of the transport association. Not all buses and trains in South Tyrol are suitable for transporting bicycles. For more details, see südtirolmobil.info. The railway stations in Naturns/Naturno, Lana-Burgstall/Postal and Gargazon/Gargazzone have bike boxes where you can safely leave your bicycle. They are locked, covered and monitored storage boxes. The bike boxes are another component of South Tyrol’s modern, innovative mobility concept.

The right accommodation for cyclists

In South Tyrol, there are accommodations and the right tour options for every taste, from sporty-easy to luxurious for road cyclists to mountain bikers. Whatever you're looking for, the ideal combination of accommodation and tour is available to suit your needs. The homepage of BikeHotels Südtirol is not limited to hotels only. It also features information about bike schools, bike shops, bike rentals and cable cars in addition to countless tips and special tours, trails and cycle paths.

Cycling events in South Tyrol:

10 June and 16 September 2023 - Sellaronda Bike Day