EuroVelo 14 - Waters of Central Europe
EuroVelo 14, named "Lakes and Rivers of Central Europe", crosses Austria and Hungary from west to east, starting in Zell am See. Its documented endpoint is Velence in Hungary, though EuroVelo's own route description continues east beyond Velence through Budapest, Eger and Lake Tisza to Debrecen. The name is literal: much of the itinerary runs close to water, stringing together rivers, lakes and spa towns across Central Europe. In Austria the route links three established riverside cycle paths, the Tauernradweg, the Ennsradweg and the Murradweg, and it connects with EuroVelo 7, EuroVelo 9 and EuroVelo 13.
It works as a long-distance east–west link for tourers, and the whole corridor is very well served by trains, which makes it practical to ride in shorter sections too.
Where does EuroVelo 14 start and end?
The western terminus is Zell am See in Austria. The eastern endpoint depends on which version of the route you follow. Route documentation lists Velence, a lake town near Székesfehérvár, as the endpoint. EuroVelo's current description carries the route further east: from the Balaton area it continues via Budapest and Eger, along Lake Tisza and through Hortobágy National Park to Debrecen, Hungary's second-most populated city. Two parts of this eastern continuation are provisional. Between Budapest and Gödöllő no recommended cycle route currently exists, and between Tiszafüred and Debrecen the alignment is temporary. Details on both are in the navigation section below.
Route marking and navigation
Two sections in Hungary need attention when planning. Between Budapest and Gödöllő there is currently no recommended cycle route, and cycle tourists are advised to take the train for this stretch; connections leave from Keleti station in the city centre. Between Tiszafüred and Debrecen the route follows a temporary alignment on low-traffic public roads without EuroVelo signs; the final route and signposting are still under development, so check the current status before you set off.
The GPX track for EuroVelo 14 is available directly in VeloPlanner, which is the practical way to navigate the provisional sections and everything in between.
How the route runs through Austria
The Austrian half strings together named river cycle paths, and the route divides naturally along them. These are editorial waypoints, not official stages; you can split the ride however suits you.
Zell am See – Bischofshofen. From Zell am See the route follows the Tauern cycle path east through Taxenbach to St. Johann in Salzburg and on towards Bischofshofen, where EuroVelo 7 crosses. It then continues through the Fritz valley in the direction of the Enns.
Altenmarkt-Zauchensee – Selzthal. From Altenmarkt-Zauchensee you ride via Radstadt, with views of the Dachstein massif, and downstream to Schladming, where the route joins the Enns cycle path. A short detour leads to Admont and its monastery, next door to the small town of Selzthal.
Selzthal – Graz. The Rastland cycle path leads from Selzthal to St. Michael in Upper Styria, where the route switches to the Mur cycle path. This carries you downstream through villages and historic towns, including Leoben and Bruck an der Mur, towards Graz.
Graz – Szentgotthárd. From Graz the Mostwärts cycle path climbs over Laßnitzhöhe to Gleisdorf, where the Raabtal cycle path takes over. Culinary manufactories, vineyards and small towns such as Gleisdorf and Feldbach line this stretch. The route then crosses southern Burgenland past Jennersdorf, a few kilometres from the Hungarian border, and enters Hungary at Szentgotthárd.
How the route runs through Hungary
Szentgotthárd – Lake Balaton. Right after the border the route crosses Őrség National Park and a hilly region of Western Hungary, passing Őriszentpéter. Small villages, folklore, vineyards and spas mark the way to Lake Balaton, the largest freshwater lake in Central Europe. The lake is a major vacation area with plenty of cycling-friendly accommodation, bathing spots and restaurants ranging from street food to fine dining.
Lake Balaton – Budapest. The route follows a well-established cycle path along Balaton's northern shore, then continues via Székesfehérvár and Velence, the documented endpoint of the route. The section between Balaton and the capital is newly built and offers very good cycling conditions. Budapest itself is known for its thermal baths, restaurants and historical monuments.
Budapest – Debrecen. This is the eastern continuation described by EuroVelo. After the train transfer to Gödöllő, the route runs at the foot of Hungary's highest mountain ranges to Eger, with its historically important fortress. It then descends to flat country, follows the Lake Tisza cycle path with its cycling bridges, and crosses Hortobágy National Park before reaching Debrecen.
Key attractions along EuroVelo 14
The highlights cluster around water, towns and protected landscapes.
In Austria:
- Views of the Dachstein massif around Radstadt
- Admont monastery, a short detour from the Enns cycle path
- Graz old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the 10th-century hilltop castle at Schlossberg
- The Kunsthaus museum in Graz's design district; the city is also a UNESCO City of Design
- Vineyards and culinary manufactories along the Raab valley
In Hungary:
- Őrség National Park just beyond the border
- Lake Balaton, the largest freshwater lake in Central Europe, with bathing along the northern shore
- Budapest's thermal baths and historical monuments
- Eger and its fortress
- The Lake Tisza cycle path with its cycling bridges
- Hortobágy National Park before Debrecen
Getting there and back by train
Getting there
Zell am See has a high-frequency train station with very good connections to Salzburg, which makes the western start easy to reach.
Along the route and getting back
The route as a whole is very well served by train services, useful both for the return trip and for riding the route in sections. In Hungary, public transport can be planned with the MÁV (Hungarian State Railways) website and app; this also covers the recommended train transfer between Budapest Keleti station and Gödöllő.
Practical considerations
The main planning points are the two provisional sections in Hungary: the Budapest–Gödöllő train transfer and the temporary, unsigned Tiszafüred–Debrecen alignment. Build both into your plan rather than discovering them on the road. On the positive side, water is a constant companion: rivers in Austria, then Balaton, the spa towns of Western Hungary, Budapest's baths and Lake Tisza. Around Lake Balaton, accommodation is plentiful and much of it is cycling-friendly.
Final tips
EuroVelo 14 rewards flexibility. The dense rail network means you can ride the Austrian river paths one year and the Hungarian lakes another, or link the whole corridor in one trip. Open the full route in VeloPlanner to shorten it, add detours or split it into stages at your own pace; the waypoints above are suggestions, not a fixed structure. Whichever endpoint you ride to, Velence or Debrecen, the water theme holds up all the way.
