Bike & Hike From Kapfenberg to the Aflenzer Bürgeralm and Hike to Höchstein - Touren-Impression #1
Partially opened

From Kapfenberg to the Aflenzer Bürgeralm and Hike to Höchstein

Accessible by public transport
  • Train (within 15 minutes walking distance from starting point)

Characteristics

Skill
Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium
Route 59,9 km
Time 7:00 h
Uphill 1440 hm
Downhill 1440 hm

Starting in Kapfenberg, this bike & hike tour follows a former railway line into the valley towards the Hochschwab region. A scenic panoramic mountain road then climbs to Aflenzer Bürgeralm. Towering limestone cliffs, flower-filled alpine meadows and gentle hiking trails characterise the walk to the summit of Höchstein.

Supported by the Austrian Federal Government, the Province of Styria and the European Union (LEADER).

Starting in the historic industrial town of Kapfenberg, home to the well-known Burg Oberkapfenberg, this bike & hike tour follows the Seeberg Cycle Route (R13) along a former railway line into the valley towards the Hochschwab region. Passing through Thörl, with the ruins of Schachenstein Castle, the route continues to the climatic health resort of Aflenz, where Kassecker Square commemorates the renowned "Hochschwab painter".

From Aflenz, the scenic ascent along the Panorama Mountain Road leads to Aflenzer Bürgeralm, where the tour changes from cycling to hiking. Crossing open alpine meadows and typical limestone landscapes, the technically easy trail climbs to the small but scenic summit of Höchstein. The route across the plateau, with its dramatic rocky escarpments and magnificent views into the heart of the Hochschwab Massif, is a highlight in itself.

Conclusion: A varied bike & hike tour combining urban heritage, a spectacular panoramic mountain road and the peaceful alpine landscapes of the Hochschwab—ideal for slowing down, unwinding and reconnecting with nature.

Best season

January
February
March
April
November
December

More information

Take the S6 Semmering Expressway and exit at Kapfenberg.

If you are continuing by car to Aflenz, follow the road through the Thörlgraben Valley from Kapfenberg to Aflenz Kurort.

For detailed directions, please use the route planner.


If travelling by car to Kapfenberg, free parking is available at the Festplatz car park. If travelling to Aflenz Kurort, free parking is available in Bürgergraben, which is also an ideal starting point for the tour.

Travel by train to Kapfenberg Railway Station.

The BusBahnBim app from the Styrian Transport Association makes journey planning easier than ever. Simply enter a destination, address, stop or point of interest to access timetable information for bus, train and tram connections throughout Austria.

The app is available free of charge for Android and iOS devices via Google Play and the App Store.

Map & downloads

Gallery

What the weather will be like Kapfenberg (501m)

Today, 09.10.2026

Partly sunny in the morning, gradually becoming cloudy in the afternoon.
Morning
slightly cloudy
8°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 0%
sr.Windstärke 5 km/h
Noon
slightly cloudy
15°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 10%
sr.Windstärke 5 km/h
Night
weather.icon.04
11°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 5%
sr.Windstärke 0 km/h

Tomorrow, 10.10.2026

Dry with variable cloudiness and frequent sunny spells.
Morning
weather.icon.04
7°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 0%
sr.Windstärke 0 km/h
Noon
slightly cloudy
16°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 15%
sr.Windstärke 5 km/h
Night
cloudy
12°C
sr.Regenwahrscheinlichkeit 50%
sr.Windstärke 0 km/h

Forecast

11.10.2026
slightly cloudy
7°C 17°C
12.10.2026
cloudy
4°C 15°C
13.10.2026
very sunny
3°C 16°C
In love, Hochsteiermark

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