Luftberg Pass – Luftberg South Ascent loop from Kilb

Luftberg Pass – Luftberg South Ascent loop from Kilb

Moderate

4.8

(6)

riders

Luftberg Pass – Luftberg South Ascent loop from Kilb

02:15

48.0km

500m

Road cycling

Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: September 23, 2026

Tips

Cycling is not permitted along parts of this route

After 15.4 km for 73 m

After 15.7 km for 249 m

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

2.03 km

Panschach Road

Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway

Quiet, small street. Asphalt quite good.

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Tip by

6.00 km

The starting point Umbach is not a village, but stands for an area with a few houses or farmsteads and cannot be found on all maps. To reach this point, we drive on the L103 through the town of Kettenreith (348 m). After 1.6 kilometers, the L5244 joins the Gartling settlement (385 m), which leads over here from the nearby Texingtal. After another 1.2 kilometers we come to an intersection where the L5232 leads straight ahead via the Wetterlucke to Rabenstein an der Pielach. Here, at an altitude of 424 meters, is the beginning of the ascent to the Luftberg.

The course of the road offers us two hairpin bends in open terrain right at the beginning. After that, a deciduous forest is our constant companion, but it always allows views. The surrounding, mostly wooded hills push themselves into our field of vision.

After 1.7 kilometers we pass the third bend and then the only section that is a bit steeper with an incline of approx. 8.5%. Speaking of gradient percentages: These remain in the single-digit range over the entire course of the road and usually range between six and eight percent. If you would like to have it in double digits, we recommend the mountain road via Plankenstein, which leads from the neighboring Texingtal into the Pielachtal.

After 300 meters, however, this short interlude is over again with 8.5% and we drive through the fourth and last hairpin bend. The remaining meters to the high point then fall back into the “pleasant to drive” category. The forest thins out and after a left turn we suddenly reach the highest point. A large parking lot spreads out in front of us, which suggests past and probably better times of the now closed air inn.

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10.1 km

Luftberg Pass

Highlight • Mountain Pass

The Luftberg is located in the Mostviertel region of the federal state of Lower Austria, about 30 kilometers by road south of the state capital of St. Pölten. Coming from the northern Danube region, the road connects the villages of Kettenreith and Kirchberg an der Pielach via the Luftberg.

Together with the neighboring crossings Plankenstein (670 m), Wetterlucke (543 m) and Kohlenberg (437 m), the Luftberg represents the first real hurdle in the (Melk) Alpine foothills. All of these mountain roads lead into the Pielachtal. From here, the 1,000-meter mark can already be overcome with the road via Wastl am Wald (1,110 m).

Above all, north of the Luftberg, the gently hilly Mostviertel stretches out to the Danube. The countless cider pear trees and the mighty square farms in many places are typical of this region. Cyclists who cross this area from the Luftberg can reach the city of Melk with the famous Melk Abbey in less than an hour. Together with the Danube Cycle Path, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Wachau and the neighboring Waldviertel, a varied and very interesting racing bike area opens up to cyclists from the Luftberg.

The Luftberg is particularly popular among local cyclists: First of all, it can be classified as rather easy in terms of the meters in altitude to be covered and the percentage of incline. Secondly, the road with its many curves on the Pielachtal side is very entertaining and interesting to drive - especially downhill: the downhill menu ranges from hairpin bends and curve combinations to a long high-speed curve. The best conditions to hone your cornering technique.

It should not go unmentioned at this point that until 2005 the Uniqa-Classic stage cycle race, which was no longer held, often passed the Luftberg. (From 1953 to 2000 the race was called Vienna-Rabenstein-Gresten-Vienna.) The Luftberg heralded a mostly selective stage final, in which one or the other short climb had to be mastered to the finish in Rabenstein an der Pielach.

Note: If you are looking for the Luftberg on the map, you will most likely not find it, since at the highest point of the road usually only "Wh. zur Luft” or something similar is entered on maps. The "Wh.", which stands for tavern, was closed a few years ago and does not refer to the street crossing.

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10.1 km

Luftberg South Ascent

Highlight (Segment) • Mountain Pass

Small, not too difficult but beautiful pass!

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30.7 km

Pielachtal Cycle Path

Highlight • Cycleway

39.9 km

Krumpe Cycle Path Near Bischofstetten

Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway

Very well developed cycle path. Only the chicanes at the junctions are quite annoying.

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42.9 km

Krumpe Cycle Path – Melk Alpine Foothills Cycle Route

Highlight • Cycleway

The cycle path is also very good for racing cyclists as an accompanying path to the main road, if it's not just about speed... just before Bischofstetten there is a drinks machine (coins only) directly on the cycle path and in Bischofstetten there is a snack bar (picture) directly on... no, next to the cycle path!

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48.0 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types