Way of St. James Mostviertel: 4th stage: from Mauthausen to Linz

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 31,06 km
Duration: 8:15 h
Ascent: 569 m elevation gain
Descent: 295 m elevation gain

On the fourth stage of the Way of St. James, we face quite a "trek" of almost 30 kilometers, as the Upper Austrians would say. Nevertheless, the route, which largely follows the Danube Cycle Path, is also especially beautiful.

Starting point of the tour: Mauthausen, town center
Tour destination: Linz, Pöstlingberg

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 31,06 km
Duration: 8:15 h
Ascent: 569 m elevation gain
Descent: 295 m elevation gain

Fitness level required:
3/6
Overall experience:
4/6
Scenery:
5/6

Lowest point243 m
Highest point518 m

Stage tour
With refreshment stops

Downloads

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(GPX)

Description

We start our fourth stage in the town center of Mauthausen and hike northwest to the Mauthausen Memorial. With a heavy heart, we descend the so-called "Death Staircase" (currently closed) at the former concentration camp down to the quarry and continue to St. Georgen an der Gusen (access to the quarry is unrestricted via the access road “Wiener Graben”). At Abwinden we reach the Danube Cycle Path, which we follow down to the Danube bank via a bridge. From now on, we stay on the Danube Cycle Path for the rest of the route or, for those especially fit, can make a detour to the medieval town of Steyregg. The castle Steyregg, perched on a distinctive rock here, was probably built as early as 1150, and the town or Seiler Gate also dates from the Middle Ages. The baroque parish church of St. Stephen lies west of the medieval town center. Continuing along the Danube, you pass the Pleschinger Lake and can even already see the destination of the fourth stage – the pilgrimage church on Pöstlingberg.

Route description From the Mauthausen Memorial we take the “Death Staircase” to the quarry and from there meet the memorial path. We follow it left, first southwards, then westwards to a wayside shrine where the memorial path turns left, but we continue straight ahead. Passing some farms we reach the hamlet of Kirchberg, from where we go straight to St. Georgen. Then we continue along the Gusen Valley cycle path southwards to Abwinden, where we cross the Danube arm and reach the Danube Cycle Path. We hike upstream along the Danube Cycle Path to Steyregg. Here, we can either follow the Danube Cycle Path on to Linz or turn right into the Steyregg floodplains towards Steyregg. In the town center we find signs to the Danube circular hiking path, which we follow westwards past Obernbergen and Pfenningberg to the Pleschinger bathing lake. From Pfenningberg we also see the markings of the Danube Trail. Behind the bathing lake we meet the Danube Cycle Path again and follow it to the Nibelungen Bridge in Linz.
Parking There is a large parking lot directly at the entrance to Mauthausen (in front of Pragstein Castle).
Getting there Coming from Salzburg, take the West Motorway to the Asten/St. Florian exit (160). Then drive on Mauthausener Str. (B1) to Ennsdorf and take the third exit in the roundabout onto B123. Cross the Danube bridge and turn left towards Mauthausen.
Public transport From Linz main train station, there is a direct bus connection (bus no. 361) to Mauthausen.

Recommended period

Current weather on site

5° to 8°

Today, 11.02.2026

Light rain shower

Wind speed2,9 km/h

3° to 8°

Tomorrow, 12.02.2026

Light rain shower

Wind speed2,6 km/h

Mostviertel Tourismus GmbH
Töpperschloss Neubruck, Neubruck 2/10, 3283 Scheibbs
T +43/7482/20 444
info@mostviertel.at , www.mostviertel.at

Upper Austria Tourism Information
Freistädter Straße 119, 4041 Linz
info@oberoesterreich.at
www.wandern.at

Useful maps:
ÖK 4322 Pöchlarn, ÖK 4327 Amstetten, ÖK 4328 Scheibbs,
ÖK 4203 Waidhofen, ÖK 4204 Lunz
All at scale 1:50,000 (also available enlarged 1:25,000)
F&B hiking maps 052 Mostviertel (1:50,000),
Kompass hiking guide 1085 Way of St. James

Important phone numbers:
Alpine emergency: 140, International emergency: 112

Recommended literature:
Hiking guide Way of St. James Austria, www.kompass.at
On the Way of St. James through Austria, www.tyrolia-verlag.at
Pilgrimage routes, www.kral-verlag.at
Pilgrimage routes to Mariazell – West + South volume, www.styriabooks.at