Wienfluss extended cycle path into city centre
The new extended route along the Wienfluss that stretches from Auhof at the border of the Vienna Woods through to Kennedy Brücke in Hietzing has become a popular keep fit destination for cyclists, skaters and walkers.
At Hietzing the route picks up the existing cycle path right into the centre of town. The initiative sponsored by environment councillor Ulli Sima runs parallel to the U4 and it is a new area for relaxation as well as a more pleasant way to cycle in and out of the city and for fitness.
Every weekend it is filled with joggers and roller skaters and families with their children. It is closed during the winter though. It is also closed at night and during heavy rain.
Cycle paths are very much in use in Vienna because bicycles get cyclists anywhere nearly always more quickly than any other mode of transport in the city.
Environmentally friendly, they are a good way of keeping fit as well. They require little space so traffic jams are never a problem and there is no need to look out for parking spaces either. Bicycles are allowed on the underground from 9am to 3pm and after 6pm on weekdays, and all day Saturday and Sunday. Half-price tickets at EUR 0.90 each are required for transportation.
The bicycle path network in the city is more than 1,050 kilometres long and it will continue growing as new projects are carried out to improve it.
Moreover “City Bikes Wien” introduced in 2003, is among the most modern free city bike systems worldwide. There are more than 60 bike stations throughout the city, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To use a City Bike users need a Bankomat (cash-point) card or a Citybike-Card. The first hour is free with prices rising progressively from there on. All terminals are equipped with touch screens, which also give cyclists access to Vienna’s internet pages.
Adventurous bikers can also get their fill in the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald), Vienna’s biggest recreational area close by. There is a total of eight signposted mountain bike routes for average and advanced bikers which can be accessed at twelve different points. The routes are between 10 and 42 kilometres long. Nearly every route is connected with another one, which enables cyclists to plan their own routes.
The Wienerwald is the first mountain bike region of Lower Austria that offers GPS information about the Wienerwald routes free to download on www.mtbwienerwald.at.
There are also enough locations where cyclists can regain their strength: More than 80 gastronomic businesses alongside the mountain bike routes specialise in the needs of cyclists. The network extends from the Danube to the south of Bad Vöslau and from Neulengbach in the west to Vienna in the east.