Zentralalpenweg, Weitwanderweg 2, Hainburg a.d. Donau – Feldkirch, 1270 km + variant 500 km

Large parts of this Zentralalpenweg should be considered as a high Alpine trail.

The trail starts at the border with Hungary in the town Hainburg a.d. Donau near Vienna. The first days we cross easy country, fields and hills. The Rax-Schneeberg Group marks the start of the Alps, followed by the Fischerbacher Alps and Gleinalpe.

After crossing the River Mur, the trail cuts right through the Niedere Tauern, including some hard parts. By then, we have walked some 585 km.

The path now splits into a northern variant of about 595 km. This route is the easiest of the two. The main route comprises 650 km and heads south, pulling us through the heart of the Hohe Tauern, including Glocknergruppe and Venedigergruppe, followed by the Zillertal, Stubai Alps and the Ötztal. This is high Alpine terrain, the 3000 meter limit is passed at several occasions, and glaciers need to be crossed too. At the river Inn, the two paths join again, and now it goes through Silvretta and Rätikon, a side trail through the Verwall, untill the trail finally ends in Feldkirch close to Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

Of the Austrian Weitwanderwege, this is one of the most, if not the most, demanding. But when done, you could say you crossed the country from east to west, and not exactly by the easiest way.