Visitors wanting to go on eBike discovery tours in Carinthia should best set up camp in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee. The Carinthian provincial capital is the ideal base for extended eBike tours in southern Austria. From here via well-developed cycle paths you can rapidly reach the topographically varied cycling regions of southern Carinthia, the enjoyable central Carinthia and naturally the lake region, as well as the Drau Cycle Path, which has been awarded 5 stars.
Hiring eBikes
But of course before setting off, budding eBikers first require the right bike. The Tourist Information office at Neuer Platz 5 in Klagenfurt is a good place to find out about the eBikes available.
Right on the doorstep alongside the Lindwurm fountain, from April to October you can hire bikes from Soziale Betriebe Kärnten GmbH. Electric city bikes can be hired depending on availability. Electric mountain bikes have to be reserved at least 2 days in advance.
Hire an eBike in Klagenfurt and return it anywhere in Carinthia
eBikers are also especially well cared for in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, because via the provider PAPIN eBikes (and all the other Papin cycles) can be reserved online, borrowed and – here’s the best bit – returned later to around 50 hire stations throughout Carinthia. Which means you no longer need to plan your cycle tours to come back to the same starting point again, but can also take part in longer rallies.
For example, how about a trip to Villach through the valley of the lakes? Pre-order an eBike online, and next day you can set off directly from the Neuer Platz. Once you are in Villach, simply hand the bike back at the hire station there and take the train back to Klagenfurt. That’s how convenient eBiking in Carinthia can be!
The best eBike tours
But now you can really get started in all directions. Both up and down. The nice thing about eBiking is that you can go faster and further with less effort. And of course all the shorter tours around Klagenfurt.
Thanks to its central location in the Carinthian cycle path network, Klagenfurt also offers the opportunity of going on longer bike trips. Your fitness level and the eBike battery permitting, whole days on your bike are feasible. With leisurely breaks, obviously.
Up to Lower Carinthia
To the east of Klagenfurt, the cycle path alongside the future Koralmbahn railway runs straight as a die and will rapidly take you to the Carinthian lowlands, where excellent Carinthian snacks with cured ham and Glundner cheese can be found in the numerous farmhouse taverns. Gentle hills and wide views invite you to explore. Lake Klopeiner See and Völkermarkt are not far away. You can then start your return route via the Drau Cycle Path among other options.
Down to the Drau Cycle Path
Which is also the absolute king of the Carinthian cycle paths. In 2019 the 510-kilometre-long R1 Drau Cycle Path was one of only four European cycle paths to be awarded five stars by the German cycling association Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrradclub (ADFC), which means it represents a truly outstanding experience for eBikers.
It is signposted continuously in both directions, and is easily reached from Klagenfurt via the “R7 Loiblweg” to Ferlach. Here it is well worth stopping off at the Gasthof Plasch – Auf der Huabn to fortify yourself for eBiking along the River Drau.
Down to Villach
You can also take the Drau Cycle Path to pedal to Lake Faaker See and into the Drau town of Villach; it is no problem at all by eBike. The return route can be taken either by train (see above) or, if your eBike battery and your legs still have some power left, also via Lake Wörthersee (R4) or the Keutschach lake valley (R4A).
Into the lake valley
The “R4A Keutschacher Seentalweg” is well connected via the R1 Drau Cycle Path and the “R4 Wörtherseeweg”, and leads past Lake Hafnersee, Lake Keutschacher See, Lake Bassgeigensee and Lake Rauschelesee to Klagenfurt.
The Pyramidenkogel
With its viewing tower that is visible from far away, is also on this cycle path. You can fortify yourself in between at the “Liendl” for example, in the tavern on the farm, or in the Seecafé, directly alongside Lake Keutschacher See. You can either take the lake valley path from Velden if you have ridden along the north shore of Lake Wörthersee (R4), or come from Klagenfurt and then cycle back along the south shore.
Up to Central Carinthia
eBike tours to Central Carinthia also have their own special charm. The “R7 Friesacher Radweg” leads directly northwards from the Neuer Platz in Klagenfurt into the old ducal town of St. Veit via the Zollfeld, which is steeped in history with Maria Saal Cathedral, the Herzogstuhl, Hochosterwitz Castle and the excavations on the Magdalensberg. From St. Veit you could take a detour to Lake Längsee and enjoy refreshments from one or other of the “Längseewirt“. Afterwards, at Treibach-Althofen, eBikers will pass one of the most beautiful skylines in Carinthia, and finally ride into the medieval castle town of Friesach. From here it is easy to take the train back to Klagenfurt.
The perfect starting point for eBike tours
Thanks to its ideal location in the centre of Carinthia, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee is an Eldorado for eBikers. Well-signposted cycle paths and adventure-filled eBike tours for beginners and advanced cyclists lead in all directions, with many culinary highlights and notable attractions along the way. And best of all: thanks to the convenient hire system you can eBike further in Carinthia than anywhere else.
Last tip: with the suburban railway network, the connection between bikes and trains in and around Klagenfurt is perfect!
