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Stage 5 of 15 · Munich to Venice via Brenner, Lake Garda and Bologna← Stage 4Stage 6 →

Matrei am Brenner to Bressanone

77 km road cycling route562 m climbing3½–5 hoursGPX

Schöfens, Tyrol, Austria · Road

An amazing ride. Glorious descending after the top of the Brenner Pass. Stunning scenery if you get a good day.

Route contributed by Marcus · Created from a ride on Tuesday 22nd September 2026

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At a glance

Best for
Rolling day rides
Distance
76.5 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
562 m
7 m per km
Riding time
3½–5 hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Moderate
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Mostly paved
95% paved · 4% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic
Some main roads
19.2 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 5.3 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 23.7 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Regular
237 cafés and restaurants · 51 shops · 66 water points · 17 petrol stations · 30 public toilets · 15 bike shops
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Matrei am Brenner → Bressanone

Map and elevation profile

On the road: Matrei am Brenner to Bressanone, Schöfens

Elevation profile

Total ascent
562 m
Distance
77 km
05001,0001,500m0 km20406076 km1,390 m · highest, at 18.0 kmStartFinish

What it was like to ride

Sleeping and eating on this stage

Where Marcus actually stayed and ate on the day, and what it was like.

Where we slept

Route description

  1. Matrei am Brenner
  2. Mühlensiedlungkm 2
  3. Wolfkm 8
  4. Brennerseekm 15
  5. Ast - Astakm 29
  6. Unterried - Novale di sottokm 35
  7. Freienfeld - Campo di Trenskm 44
  8. Mittewald - Mezzaselvakm 55
  9. Neustift - Novacellakm 70
  10. Bressanonekm 77

Starting at Schöfens near Matrei am Brenner, the route passes many small settlements including Mühlbachl, Steinach am Brenner, and St. Jodok am Brenner within the first 10 km. The first climb begins at 8 km, lasting 3 km with an average gradient of 2.9%, reaching 1175 m at the top. A longer climb starts at 11.5 km, extending 5.6 km with an average gradient of 3.8% and a maximum of 7.8%, reaching 1379 m. The route follows the Brennerstraße for 13.8 km. After reaching the highest point near Kerschbaumerberg at 16 km, the ride descends. There is a 3.9 km longest descent from 18.1 km dropping 80 m.

The ride uses a mix of road types: 32% cycle paths, 25% main roads (13.8 km on Brennerstraße), 13% quiet streets, and smaller shares of tracks, minor roads, and paths. About 95% of the surface is paved, with 4% gravel. Cyclists are on main roads without a cycle lane for 19.2 km and on roads with speed limits over 80 km/h for 5.3 km. Cafés, shops, water, bike shops and toilets are frequent especially near towns. There's a longest stretch of 7.3 km without café, shop or water from km 25.1 to 32.4. Several railway stations and bailout points lie along the way, including Matrei am Brenner at 0.9 km and Brixen at 73.5 km.

The second half of the ride includes further smaller climbs at 43.4 km (1.5 km long) and 63.1 km (1.9 km long) with average gradients of 3.3%. The route continues past many small settlements and ends near Brixen - Bressanone at 73 km. There are bakery cafés and bike shops at start and finish.

Why ride this route?

  • Tops out at 1,389 m, 17.6 km in.
  • Crosses a border: Austria and Italy.

Highlights

  • Climb from km 8, 3 km at 2.9%
  • Longer climb from km 11.5, 5.6 km at 3.8%
  • Highest point near Kerschbaumerberg at 16 km
  • Cycle path for 32% of route

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed· crosses into Italy

  1. Statz 2.1 km
  2. Puig 2.6 km
  3. Salfaun 4 km
  4. Mauern 4.7 km
  5. Steinach am Brenner 5.2 km
  6. Siegreith 6.7 km
  7. Wolf 8 km
  8. St. Jodok am Brenner 8.8 km
  9. Stafflach 8.9 km
  10. Planken 9.4 km
  11. Ritten 11.1 km
  12. Gries am Brenner 12 km
  13. Lueg 13.2 km
  14. Brennersee 15.4 km
  15. Brenner 16.6 km
  16. Brenner - Brennero 17 km
  17. Brennerbad - Terme di Brennero 20.1 km
  18. Pontigl - Ponticolo 23.9 km
  19. Außergiggelberg - Moncucco di fuori 24.3 km
  20. Innergiggelberg - Moncucco di dentro 24.9 km
  21. Ast - Asta 28.7 km
  22. Kieserengern - Rene 29.1 km
  23. Vallming - Valminga 29.9 km
  24. Außerpflersch - Fleres di Fuori 29.9 km
  25. Gattern 31.1 km
  26. Gossensaß - Colle Isarco 32.4 km
  27. Oberried - Novale di Sopra 34.5 km
  28. Unterried - Novale di sotto 35.1 km
  29. Lurx - Lurches 35.7 km
  30. Tschöfs - Ceves 36.6 km
  31. Maibad - Bagni di Maggio 37.3 km
  32. Sterzing - Vipiteno 38 km
  33. Elzenbaum - Pruno 40.8 km
  34. Trens 43.5 km
  35. Freienfeld - Campo di Trens 43.5 km
  36. Stilfes - Stilves 44 km
  37. Niederried - Novale Basso 46.7 km
  38. Pfulters - Fuldres 47.1 km
  39. Genauenhöfe - Masi d'Ora 49.7 km
  40. Grasstein - Le Cave 51.7 km
  41. Sachsenklemme - Sacco all'Isarco 52.9 km
  42. Mittewald - Mezzaselva 55.2 km
  43. Oberau - Pra di Sopra 57.9 km
  44. Franzensfeste - Fortezza 59.6 km
  45. Aicha - Aica 62.5 km
  46. Raut 64.7 km
  47. Schabs - Sciaves 65.9 km
  48. Raas - Rasa 67.9 km
  49. Neustift - Novacella 69.5 km
  50. Roßlauf 71.9 km
  51. Kranebitt - Costa d'Elvas 72.1 km
  52. Burgfrieden - Castelliere 72.3 km
  53. Stufels - Stufles 72.9 km
  54. Brixen - Bressanone 73 km
  55. Milland - Millan 73.8 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideTop on this ride
Unnamed climb8 km3 km · 89 m · 2.9 % · max 5 %1175 m
Unnamed climb11.5 km5.6 km · 214 m · 3.8 % · max 7.8 %1379 m
Unnamed climb43.4 km1.5 km · 48 m · 3.3 % · max 5.5 %980 m
Unnamed climb63.1 km1.9 km · 61 m · 3.3 % · max 5.3 %779 m

High point 1389 m at 17.6 km; low point 559 m. Passes beneath Kerschbaumerberg.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Expect stretches on main roads without a cycle lane (19.2 km in all) between quieter sections.

Roads
32% cycle path · 25% main road · 13% quiet street · 13% track · 17% other roads and tracks
Main roads
19.2 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
5.3 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths
23.7 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
Brennerstraße (14 km), GS/SC16.5 (4 km)
Surface
Predominantly paved: 95% is mapped as paved, 4% as unpaved or gravel.
Gradient
20% climbing · 33% descending · 47% flat
Steep sections
2.1 km over 5%
Longest descent
3.9 km from 18.1 km, dropping 80 m

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 237 cafés and restaurants, 51 shops, 66 water points, 17 petrol stations, 30 public toilets and 15 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0.3 kmAste Brot · café · 50 m off route
  2. 0.4 kmNepomukbrunnen · drinking water · 50 m off route
  3. 5.2 kmBäckerei Pardeller · bakery · on the route
  4. 11.2 kmGT · petrol station · 50 m off route
  5. 11.8 kmSpar · supermarket · 60 m off route
  6. 16.9 kmToilets · 40 m off route
  7. 17.1 kmDrinking water · 40 m off route
  8. 20.6 kmSt. Zacharias - San Zaccaria · spring · 50 m off route
  9. 24.5 kmToilets · on the route
  10. 32.4 kmCafe Schuster · café · 60 m off route
  11. 37.7 kmStadtbrunnen · drinking water · 60 m off route
  12. 38 kmRad Sport Freund · bike shop · 50 m off route
  13. 38.9 kmEurospar · supermarket · 80 m off route
  14. 59 kmMarket Conad · supermarket · 110 m off route
  15. 62.4 kmBar al Tiiglio · café · 40 m off route
  16. 65.9 kmToilets · 100 m off route
  17. 72.6 kmDrinking water · on the route
  18. 73 kmToilets · 30 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 0.9 km — Matrei am Brenner (station), 60 m off route
  • 8.8 km — St. Jodok am Brenner (halt), 850 m off route
  • 17.1 km — Brenner - Brennero (station), 150 m off route
  • 32.3 km — Gossensaß - Colle Isarco (station), 150 m off route
  • 38.4 km — Sterzing-Pfitsch - Vipiteno-Val di Vizze (station), 230 m off route
  • 59 km — Franzensfeste - Fortezza (station), 40 m off route
  • 73.5 km — Brixen - Bressanone (station), 500 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 25.6 km — Ibsenplatz (viewpoint)
  • 33.9 km — Straßberg - Castello della Strada (castle)
  • 37.7 km — Zwölferturm - Torre delle dodici (monument)
  • 53.9 km — Schaukraftwerk Sachsenklemme - Centrale elettrica di Sacco all'Isarco (monument)
  • 69.2 km — Stiftsgarten - Giardino storico (attraction)
  • 73.1 km — Pius VII. (monument)

Stay after this ride

  • Hotel Garni Traube · hotel · 100 m from the finish
  • fink Restaurant & Suites · hotel · 520 m from the finish
  • NICE LIVING · apartment · 530 m from the finish
  • Jugendhaus Kassianeum · hostel · 340 m from the finish
  • Goldenes Kreuz · hotel · 550 m from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Schöfens. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Food and coffee
Aste Brot (60 m), Konditorei Wagner (140 m), Jump In (100 m)

At the finish

Bikes and repair
Nardello (400 m), Soracase (540 m)
Food and coffee
Gasser (460 m), Millenium (380 m), Stampfl (450 m)

Know before you go

  • 19.2 km on main roads without cycle lane
  • 5.3 km on roads with speed limits 80 km/h or more
  • Gravel or unpaved surface on 4% of route
  • Longest no café/shop/water stretch 7.3 km from 25.1 to 32.4 km

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

13 photographs from the road

Stage of

About this route

Ridden by
Marcus
Date ridden
Route line
Built from a GPS recording of the ride.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

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