On the Danube Cycle Path from Passau to Vilshofen

There are 188 bicycle parking spaces as well as 20 row hangers in the immediate vicinity of the station.

The bicycle rental is located in the west building of the station.

Trekking touring bikes, e-bikes and accessories are rented. The bikes should be reserved online in good time. A return service is also possible by arrangement. (Only on the route towards Vienna.)

Just 200 metres north of the station you will come across the Danube Cycle Path (DRW) and EuroVelo 6 (EV6), which runs directly along the Danube.

Just outside Passau, you cross over to the north bank via a footbridge at the Kachlet dam and hydroelectric power station. The Kachlet is an approximately 20-kilometre-long river section with numerous rocks and small islands. Since its completion in 1927, the barrage with double lock has improved navigability at this dangerous point.

From about the mouth of the Gaissa, the trail runs mostly off the roads. You can relax as you pass small villages and ferry stations and rest under shady trees.

At Windorf you reach a special natural monument.

A footbridge connects the Lower Bavarian village of Windorf with the island, which at just under 2.5 kilometres is the longest between Ulm and Vienna. The island, which is freely accessible all year round, is a protected landscape. The island area is predominantly overgrown with deciduous trees. Two signposted circular paths offer hikers views of the beauty of the island, the Danube and its surroundings. There is also a landing stage for boats. There are various places to stop for refreshments on the Windorf promenade in front of the island.

Vilshofen is only a stone's throw away. At the level of the airfield, you can already enjoy a beautiful view of the town on the far bank, which rises on a promontory between the Vils and the Danube.

Before you cross the Marienbrücke bridge into the centre, however, you should pass through the Biertor, a triumphal arch of a somewhat different kind. It is a portal made of beer crates: a humorous reference to Vilhofen's centuries-old brewing history.

Deeper insights are provided by the "BierUnterwelten" exhibition in the old town.

Beer has been brewed in Vilshofen for around 700 years. In the exhibition "BierUnterwelten" (Beer Underworlds), all facets of this history are impressively illuminated. In a former fermentation and storage cellar of the Wieninger brewery, visitors can learn everything about the beverage: from production to marketing. Here, not without pride, reference is made to a son of the town. The master brewer Joseph Groll from Vilshofen went to Pilsen in 1842. There he brewed the first Pilsner and has since been regarded as its inventor.

Another section of the exhibition is dedicated to the town's 800-year history. A special highlight of the "BierUnterwelten" is a 90-metre-long vaulted passageway carved into the rock from the Middle Ages that leads under the Bürg, a street in the old town.

The fact that the beer tradition is still alive in Vilshofen today can be experienced - or rather tasted - in the quaint Wolferstetter Bräustüberl in the middle of the old town.

For more than 100 years, the Wolferstetter/Huber family has successfully continued the almost 500-year-old tradition of their hometown. The inn serves beers from its own brewery, which have already earned their producers many an award. The "Hefeweizen", "Edlem Hell", "Weizenbock" and many other beer products are accompanied by "fine home-style" cuisine in the restaurant.

In addition to the restaurant, the house also offers rooms for celebrations and inexpensive accommodation.

It is only a good kilometre from the old town to Schweiklberg Abbey. But it's a tough one. The monastery is perched on a mountain more than 50 metres above the city.

Schweiklberg Abbey is a monastery of the Benedictine monks and is still run by them today. The buildings date from between 1905 and 1925. A special eye-catcher is the Trinity Church built in Art Nouveau style with its two 51-metre-high towers. The monastery complex includes a school, library and guest house, but also businesses such as a market garden, candle factory, distillery and a cafeteria with a sun terrace. You can buy the monastery's products in the monastery shop. Among them is the "Schweiklberger Geist", an old household remedy that is only produced here.

The Benedictines see their main task in missions and often travel to Africa, where they help build schools and hospitals. For their projects, the brothers organise a weekly flea market. Over the decades, the monks have collected gifts and souvenirs from their mission trips. Some of the unique items can be seen today in the monastery's Africa Museum.

If you want to round off your excursion with something sweet, you have the opportunity to do so at Café Saxinger. It is located on Kirchplatz in Vilshofen's old town.

A good cup of coffee and a juicy slice of strawberry cake, Zwetschgendatschi or a piece of Sachertorte to go with it? At Saxinger, guests are spoilt for choice. For over 20 years, they have been serving freshly baked goods from their own pastry shop. But hearty dishes with seasonal ingredients are also on the menu. In the warm season, there are pleasantly shaded seats in the outdoor area, and if you like a hearty breakfast, this is also the place for you.

The way back to Passau follows the same route.

There, a final walk through the "Bavarian Venice" is worthwhile. The attractive old town on the headland between the Danube and the Inn can be reached quickly from the station. Therefore: Don't miss Passau!