With the bicycle from Mals to Merano: Report by Reinhard Jakubowski

60 km through the Vinschgau

The Event Card of the Vinschgerbahn

The „Event Card“ of the Vinschgerbahn makes it possible: a splendid combination to explore the Vinschgau, one of the most beautiful valleys of the alpine region, per rail or bicycle. This enchanting cycling tour takes you 60 km along the Etsch down to the valley, off the main roads through orchards and pituresque villages.

The Event Card and how it works

Photo: Reinhard Jakubowski

The Vinschgerbahn, which runs between Mals and Merano daily, permits bikes to be taken.

The Event Card for the Vinschgerbahn includes the daily railway ticket between Merano and Mals and a leased bike (incl. helmet), obtainable from the 6 bike rentals of the railways in Merano, Naturns, Latsch, Spondinig, Schlanders and Mals as well as from the ticket vending machines at the railway stations and in the train (vending machine in the bike compartment – have change ready!), the Vinschger tourist offices and from those stores which bear the logo of the South Tyrolean transport authority.

At all leasing stations bikes (mountain bikes, city bikes, trekking bikes and bikes for children) can be hired and returned.

The price of the Event Card is 14 € (rental fee without train 10 €), for children and juveniles up to the age of 16 7 € (rental fee without train 5 €) and for kids up to the age of 6 years the rental fee for the bike is 5 € (the train ride is free of charge).

Beside the Vinschgerbahn it is also possible to use the bus from Mals up to the Reschenpass. Bike rentals can be found here and at the Messebahnhof in Bozen Süd.

It is also possible to take your own bike on bord the Vinschgerbahn, provided there is enough space. The ticket costs 4 € per bike.

Prices in September 2008

Our bike group

Photo: Reinhard Jakubowski

Orientation at the start of our bike tour in Mals. The cycling track is well signposted.

Four of us started to bike the core of the Etsch valley cycling track from Mals to Merano on 9th of Sepember 2008. Our mini group is proof enough that the 60 km cycling track is very popular with the young and the old. Nina is 27 years, Michael 36, Bärbel and myself (Reinhard) stand with 55 years of age for the somewhat older generation.

With the Vinschgerbahn from Merano to Mals

We have parked our car in Tschars, because we like to spend our holiday near there, and leave at 8.51hours with the Vinschgerbahn to Mals.

After we bought the Event Card on the train and found 4 seats we are now enjoying the 47-minute trip via Latsch and Schlanders to Mals.

The tiny, wonderfully and true-to-style restored railway stations along the route, dating from 1903 till 1906, fit agreeably into the landscape.

Since for the most part the Vinschgau has passed us “in a train” and we were able to gather first impressions of mountains and castles, fruit and villages, we now want to experience these impressions in the opposite direction somewhat sporty and intensively by bike.

Words by Bärbel & Reinhard Jakubowski from Gladbeck. Pictures by Reinhard Jakubowski & Michael Banken. They are being use with the kind permission of the authors.

Reports and wordings of guest authors are not necessarily the opinion of the owner of the media

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