Prague to Vienna: Spring 2026 Tour

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $150 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

Overview: Join us for an incredible cycling adventure between Prague and Vienna! You’ll get to explore these two amazing capitals of the Czech Republic and Austria, as well as many historic towns along the way. We’ll pedal through the beautiful countryside of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. The route is filled with small lakes, forests, meadows, vineyards, and rolling farmland. We’ll pass through charming medieval towns with cathedrals, abbeys, castles, and palaces. Our journey will take us across the Sumava Mountains, from the Czech Republic into Austria, and along the Danube River, following its course to Vienna.

Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is famous for its stunning architecture, rich history, and warm hospitality. We’ll kick off our trip with a walking tour of Prague on the first afternoon to get you familiar with the city’s history and must-see attractions. The second day is for exploring Prague and visiting the attractions that interest you most. We will start cycling after being driven a short distance out of the city on the third morning. Along the route, we’ll visit UNESCO World Heritage sites like Kutná Hora, a town built atop the ruins of Europe’s largest silver mine, St. Barbora Gothic Cathedral, and the Ossuary, a macabre yet fascinating attraction decorated with over forty thousand human bones from the 15th-century plague. We will spend a night in Telc, with its charming historic town square lined with architecturally beautiful and colorful fairy-tale-like buildings from the 1500s. We will spend two nights in Český Krumlov, a mesmerizingly preserved medieval town once a major trading hub between Bavaria and Italy. We will have a guided tour of the Český Krumlov Castle upon arrival, and then take the following day off to wander the town, join the locals for a relaxing paddle down the Vltava River, or simply relax and immerse ourselves in the local culture. Upon leaving Český Krumlov, we’ll embark on a four-day cycling adventure along the Danube River through the picturesque Wachau Valley wine region, before heading to our final destination, Vienna, nestled on the river near the border with Slovakia. This city has a rich artistic and intellectual history, thanks in part to the contributions of famous figures like Mozart, Beethoven, and Sigmund Freud. It’s also home to stunning Imperial palaces, like Schönbrunn, the summer residence of the Habsburgs. If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the city’s culture and explore its many museums and monuments, consider staying an extra day or two.

This tour has been planned in cooperation with, and is supported by Czech Active Tours, a commercial cycling tour company specializing in European bike adventures. Mid to late May is the perfect time to bicycle in this area: the weather is pleasant and the summer crowds haven’t yet arrived!

Health and Safety: Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan for the participant’s isolation will be developed by the ride coordinator. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned. 

Ride Rating: The overall BAC ride rating is 2B!. The average riding distance is 43 miles, ranging from 35-55 miles over the 11 riding days. The average elevation gain is 2,300 feet, ranging from 1250-3600 feet over the 11 riding days. The eighth riding day (Day 10 of the tour) is a rest day. Czech Active Tours has scouted all of the routes and prepared the GPS files for this tour.

The “!” alert is included in the ride rating for the following reasons:

• There are two days on which the elevation gain exceeds the BAC Level 2 range of 1500-2500 feet. Day-4 the route is 44 miles and 3,440 ft. Day-11 the route is 45 miles and 3,600 feet. Riders should be aware of the extra elevation on these two days before signing up for this trip. The ride on Day-11 goes over the mountains between the Czech Republic and Austria and there is not an alternative route for this tour.
• The Day-12 route exceeds the Level B distance rating (35-50 mi) by 5 miles; the terrain is relatively flat (1,970 feet) and the riding conditions are very good;
• Days-5, -6, and -8 have one or two short (~100 yards) sections where the grade is 8-10.5%. Day-9 has 3 short (100-200 yards) sections where the grade is 8-10.5%. Participants should plan to walk their bikes if these sections are too challenging to ride.

Cue sheets, maps, GPS files: GPS files in .gpx and .tcx format will be provided for all of the routes on this tour. Participants will need to have the RWGPS app on their phone or equivalent GPS device (Garman, Wahoo). Whichever navigation device you choose, you must come to the tour knowing how to use it. A few weeks before the tour, the Ride Coordinator will send an email containing a link to our tour EVENT file which contains all of the routes. It is recommended that you download the routes before leaving home. Note that both the paid and free versions of the RWGPS app provides audible turn-by-turn directions for our EVENT. Printed cue sheets will also be available for the tour.

Weather: The weather in this region in late May to early June is changeable; the days are generally sunny and comfortably warm, with the early mornings and evenings cooler. There may be some periods of rain and riders should bring rain gear for those conditions. The average daily highs in late May are around 70 degrees, and the daily lows are in the low 50s. There are on average 8-13 days of rain during the months of May and June.

Lodging, Meals, & Happy/Social Hour: This is a 15-day, point-to-point tour starting in Prague and ending in Vienna. As we travel thru the countryside between the two major cities, we will be staying primarily in four-star and a few three-star hotels. The list of the hotels will be sent to the ride participants before the start of the ride, and a copy of the list will be posted in the Ride Leader Documents. There will be 8 group dinners, leaving you 7 evenings to choose your own dining options (a list of suggested restaurants and cafes will be provided). Lunches will be on your own most days, as food is available in towns along the route; light picnic lunches can be provided on days where food options are limited. Breakfast will be included at all of our hotels including the last day. We will have group Social Hours in the late afternoon/early evenings which will include alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and light snacks. The purpose of the Social Hour is to have fun, make new friends and reconnect with old friends, but we will also be covering important information regarding the following day’s route, as well as the schedules for breakfast, luggage loading, tours and other details.  

Logistics: This trip starts at our hotel in Prague on Wednesday, May 20 at 2:00pm. We will have a brief welcome and introductions followed by a group walking tour of the city. Participants renting  bikes will be fitted after the tour and before our first group dinner that evening. The Prague international airport, Vaclav Havel Airport (PRG) is located 12 miles west of the city center. There are both public transportation buses and reasonably priced shuttle as well as taxi services from the airport to the hotel.

This trip ends at our hotel in Vienna on Wednesday June 3, after our final breakfast. The Vienna International Airport (VIE) is located 10 mi east of the city center. There are easy and fast public transportation options (trains and buses) as well as taxi services to get to the hotel from the airport. Vienna is well connected by train if you plan to continue your travel to other European cities, or if you want to return to Prague for round trip flights back home.

• Van Support: The support van will transport the luggage between hotels. Participants are expected to ride the entire route and will be transported only in the case of injury, illness or major mechanical failure.
• Luggage: We request that each participant limit luggage to one medium sized suitcase or duffel bag (40lb max) and a small backpack. You will be responsible for moving your luggage to and from the luggage van.
•  Bicycles: Single, tandem, and E-bikes are all eligible for this trip. Please communicate with the Ride Coordinator if you plan to use a tandem or an E-bike. If you bring your own bike, be sure that it is in good mechanical condition, and that you have spare tubes, a patch kit, etc. The routes are predominately on paved roads and bike paths with the exception of a few short distances which may be on cobblestone or compacted dirt; standard road bike tires of at least 28mm are suggested to provide rider comfort. Individuals bringing their own bikes can make arrangements with Czech Active Tours to transport bike boxes from the starting hotel in Prague to the final hotel in Vienna for a fee of 80 euro.

Bike Rental: Czech Active Tours has a variety of modern standard road and E-bikes available to rent directly through them. Participants planning on renting an E-bike should be experienced riding models similar to those that they rent. Participants wanting to rent a bike for this tour will need to make arrangements directly with the company: https://www.czechactivetours.com/bike-rentals

Cost & Administration: The estimated cost of this tour is $4,515 per person double occupancy at an exchange rate of $1.15 = 1 euro. The initial payment of $2,250 is due upon acceptance to the ride. The second payment of $2,000 will be due January 15, 2026, approximately 4 months before the tour begins. A final payment of approximately $265 will be due on April 20, 2026, one month before the tour starts. The final payment amount may be adjusted according to the currency exchange rate on or about April 1st. Payments for double occupancy must be made by credit card through the BAC website. The additional payments for singles or solo participants are described below.

The price includes 14 nights lodging in 4-star to 3-star hotels with breakfast included, 8 group dinners, nightly social hours with one alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage per person and light snacks. Van support with light snacks and water stops along the routes will also be included. Luggage transport between hotels is included. We will be co-led and accompanied by the bilingual Czech Active Tours company owner, Ludvik Grec on the cycling routes, at the group dinners, and during the evening Social Hour meetings. A standard gratuity for the staff of commercially assisted tours is included in the cost.

Six special tours and/or entrance fees to historic sites included:

• Walking tour of Prague
• Visit of the St. Barbora Gothic Cathedral and the Ossuary
• Guided tour of the Telč Chateau
• Český Krumlov Castle guided tour
• Walking tour of Linz
• Visit of the Melk Abbey

The cost of this tour does not include:

• Transportation to and from the airport or train stations to the starting and ending hotels.
• Meals other than the 8 group dinners and daily breakfasts
• Tourist sites and museums not listed above
• Bicycle rental; as described above bikes can be rented directly from Best European Bike Tours
• Transport of bike boxes, for those bringing their own bikes can be stored and transported from Prague to Vienna by Best European Bike Tours for a fee of 80 Euros.

Singles & Solos Policy: Singles and solos are welcome on this tour. A “single” is a member who signs up by himself or herself and wishes to share a room with another participant. A “solo” is a member who signs up by himself or herself and does not wish to share a room. Due to room availability at some hotels, only 4 solos will be accepted onto the tour.

It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single rider without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until March 20, 2026 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fee) or pay the Solo Supplement cost of $1200 and stay on the ride. If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride. Singles may of course request to share a room with another club member, and an effort will be made to accommodate the request. Members seeking specific roommates should communicate their wishes to the ride coordinator at the earliest opportunity.

The solo supplement payment of ($1200), is due on March 20, 2026 and can be paid by Zelle or check.  To pay using Zelle:  

• In your bank's website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org
• Initiate a payment
• In the Message block, enter the name of your ride.

If you have questions, contact Nancy Bohnett via email at nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to:  Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.

EU EUROPEAN TRAVEL INFORMATION AND AUTHORIZATION SYSTEM (ETIAS) TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION: ETIAS will not be implemented until about 6 months after the EU completes its Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals. The EES is anticipated to be functional sometime in 2025, but that is also uncertain. The ETIAS process will require short-term travelers to apply online, pay a small fee (€7 – roughly $7.40) and then wait up to 96 hours for applications to be approved. The authorization is good for a three-year period or until the traveler’s passport expires – whichever comes first. Unlike the ETA, ETIAS will not be required for a layover as long as you remain within the airport's international transit area and do not leave to enter the country itself.

For all of these programs, airlines will be required to notify passengers of requirements in enough time in advance of their flights to complete the process. BAC will continue to update members as the things change.

Cancellation Policy: BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance. 

Ride Participant Responsibility: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders/Coordinators are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader/Coordinator. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader/Coordinator with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader/Coordinator informed of any special request you might have and respect his or her decisions. 

Insurance Statements: Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, and repatriation. This coverage applies when touring outside the US and your home country, regardless of your nationality. It will cover you door-to-door for a maximum of 90 days but will expire if you make a side trip not related to the BAC tour for more than 7 days before or after. There is limited coverage for a family member to join a covered person in an emergency. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible.

Sign-up: To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. There is a $150.00 international ride fee. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description.