Ulm to Neuburg an der Donau

117 km road cycling route172 m climbing8 h 22 minGPX

Ulm, Germany · Road

A flat 117 km road cycling route from Ulm to Neuburg an der Donau through Neu-Ulm, Leibi and Günzburg, with 172 m of climbing.

Retraced from the map Ridden by Marcus on Saturday 12th September 2015; the recording was lost, so the line is the road between the day's towns, drawn from OpenStreetMap (the rider logged 132 km that day).

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At a glance

Best for: Flat, steady riding for fit, experienced riders
Distance: 117.2 km; Point to point
Elevation gain: 172 m; 1 m per km
Riding time: 8 h 22 min; moving time, estimated
Difficulty: Hard
Bike: Road bike; from the mapped surface
Surface: Mostly paved; 92% paved · 7% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic: Mostly minor roads; 10.1 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 8.3 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 10.2 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water: Regular; 533 cafés and restaurants · 88 shops · 15 water points · 27 petrol stations · 26 public toilets · 25 bike shops
Best months: Jun to Sep; Ulm climate, 10 years
Navigation: GPX download; free, no sign-in
Start → finish: Ulm → Neuburg an der Donau

On the road: Ulm to Neuburg an der Donau, Ulm

Elevation profile

Total ascent: 172 m
Distance: 117 km

What it was like to ride

Marcus’s notes

So, we covered 132km today with around 11 hours on the road. That distance should have been enough to get us to our intended target of Ingolstadt but we were to fall short by about 21km. That was likely due to a route anomaly. That is not the same as getting lost, as technically, we didn’t really get lost… at least not much. The planned route was something like this;

It went pretty well to plan for the first part of the day. Neither of us really wanted to get on the bike this morning so it was a later than planned 11.30 departure from Ulm. The pace was good early on and we ate up the kms until we reached about 60km. It was a hot one today so at around 2.30pm we parked at the side of the path to take on some nutrients. This is otherwise known as having lunch. This is where things took a turn for the worse. As Donny lay snoozing in the hot sun I decided to rinse my dusty water bottle by leaning over the river bank. A slight lapse in concentration caused the bottle to slip from my hand. I watched despondently as it started it’s slow journey to Budapest without me.

I wedged a bottle of coke into the bottle cage as a replacement and we pedaled on. One of the joys of travelling slowly by bicycle across one country after another is the amazing variety of sights, sounds and smells to be experienced. We’ve seen all manner of crops growing along the way. Strawberries, pears, apples [borrowed a few of those], cabbages, onions, and so it goes on. Today we descended along a path by the roadside and found a tractor blocking the way. The path was covered in what looked like freshly cut grass. The aroma told another story. It turned out to be freshly cut parsley. I do like parsley so a small taste was in order before continuing onwards into the unknown.

In the late afternoon we rode past a deer farm. Most moved away from the fence but one was keen to talk.

We had agreed that it would be a good idea to take on board some more food before the evening so we stopped about 24km short of Neuburg for what should have been a quick dinner. By the time we left, we realised we were rapidly losing the light of day, so it was back into the panniers to find the “emergency” lights. An older American couple were dining in the same place and had cycled the other direction, so had already been to the place we were headed. “Do be careful” they said. “It’s dark and there are some steep hills with gravel trails”. By the time we left if was proper dark and a strange feeling of deja-vu descended, as did the temperature. We set off assuming we would find the friendly green cycle route signs. Nope. We were soon on the main road, and quickly decided we had missed a turn and should go back. Go back we did but we could not find a sign. Google Maps was reset and it seemed to be advising us to venture down someone’s driveway. We ignored it and rode up a hill, which turned into another main road. We turned around once again, seeking the right turn that Maps said was there. With lights shining ahead we noticed a narrow pedestrian walkway leading to a steep uphill slope. Up we went. Fast forward about 10 minutes of hill climbing and we found ourselves deep in a forest on a track that was really only fit for squirrels and rabbits. With Maps telling us we had 22km to go to our hotel [booked 30 minutes earlier] we decided that it was foolhardy to be trying to navigate thick forest in the black of the night. We decided to plot a new course using roads rather than Maps cycle “routes”. That led to 20km of careful nightime riding winding through a few villages and dealing with some nasty climbs. At 10.40pm we arrived at the now “closed for the night” hotel. Fortunately an envelope had been left with a code for the door and some instructions. It’s 197km from here to Passau. We won’t be covering that tomorrow but that’s the new heading.

Route description

Ulm
Neu-Ulmkm 1
Leibikm 11
Günzburgkm 26
Faimingenkm 42
Steinheimkm 53
Erlingshofenkm 70
Genderkingenkm 86
Mooskm 100
Neuburg an der Donaukm 117

This 117 km point-to-point route starts in Ulm, passing through Neu-Ulm, Leipheim, Günzburg, and Dillingen an der Donau before finishing at Neuburg an der Donau. The profile is mostly flat, with a maximum elevation of 492 m reached at 17.2 km and a low point of 383 m near the end. The first half contains 40% of the climbing, but overall gradients exceed 5% for only 0.1 km.

The surface is 92% paved, with 7% gravel or unpaved and 1% unmapped sections. It includes a mix of paths (39% or 44.6 km), quiet streets (21%), minor roads (12%), tracks (8%), main roads (8%), cycle paths (5%), and roads with cycle lanes (4%). Main roads without cycle lanes total 10.1 km, and 8.3 km are on roads with speed limits of 80 km/h or more. The longest named road section is on the B 16, ridden for 5.6 km.

Food and drink stops are available at various points including bakeries, cafés and supermarkets especially near towns such as Günzburg (km 43.8), Dillingen (km 48.9), and near the finish in Neuburg an der Donau (km 112.5). The longest stretch without café, shop or water is 10.3 km from km 26.8 to 37.1. Several bail-out points with stations occur at Nersingen (11.4 km), Gundelfingen an der Donau (39 km), Dillingen an der Donau (48.1 km), and others.

Why ride this route?

Tops out at 492 m, 17.2 km in.

Highlights

Passing through Ulm and Neu-Ulm
Riding along the B 16 for 5.6 km
Viewpoint at Dillingen an der Donau (km 48.9)
Finishing at Neuburg an der Donau

Along the route

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

Places passed

Offenhausen 2.5 km
Pfuhl 4.3 km
Burlafingen 6.3 km
Leibi 11.1 km
Nersingen 11.5 km
Oberfahlheim 13.3 km
Unterfahlheim 14.7 km
Leipheim 19.4 km
Günzburg 25.7 km
Untere Riedwirtschaft 27.5 km
Birkenried 30.9 km
Gundelfingen an der Donau 39.2 km
Echenbrunn 40 km
Faimingen 41.7 km
Lauingen (Donau) 43.8 km
Hausen 46.8 km
Dillingen an der Donau 48.9 km
Schretzheim 51.2 km
Steinheim 52.9 km
Höchstädt an der Donau 55.6 km
Schwenningen 63.5 km
Tapfheim 67.1 km
Donaumünster 69 km
Erlingshofen 69.5 km
Spindelhof 72.9 km
Riedlingen 74.1 km
Donauwörth 76.9 km
Nordheim 79.3 km
Genderkingen 85.6 km
Rain 89.3 km
Mittelstetten 92.2 km
Staudheim 94.8 km
Burgheim 97.2 km
Moos 100.2 km
Unterhausen 105.3 km
Oberhausen 106.7 km
Kreut 109.4 km
Neuburg an der Donau 112.5 km
Hessellohe 113.5 km
Ried 113.6 km

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 10.1 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.

Roads: 39% path · 21% quiet street · 12% minor road · 8% track · 20% other roads and tracks
Main roads: 10.1 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads: 8.3 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths: 10.2 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used: B 16 (6 km)
Surface: Predominantly paved: 92% is mapped as paved, 7% as unpaved or gravel.
Gradient: 3% climbing · 4% descending · 93% flat
Longest descent: 2.7 km from 113.2 km, dropping 65 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: 533 cafés and restaurants, 88 shops, 15 water points, 27 petrol stations, 26 public toilets and 25 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

0 kmDrinking water · on the route
0.1 kmPedaleur · bike shop · 50 m off route
2.1 kmSchubert-Apotheke · pharmacy · 70 m off route
6.3 kmMartin Moser Bikeshop · bike shop · 290 m off route
19 kmBäckerei Staib · bakery · 70 m off route
26.8 kmIhr Landbäcker · bakery · 40 m off route
43.8 kmWC/Toilet · toilets · 70 m off route
43.9 kmDer Fahrradspezialist · bike shop · 50 m off route
48.9 kmWilhelm-Bauer-Brunnen · drinking water · 100 m off route
49 kmToilets · 90 m off route
49.1 kmMaier's Backhaus · bakery · on the route
68.3 kmCafe Bruno · café · 100 m off route
76.5 kmTop-Bike Brachem · bike shop · 190 m off route
77.2 kmMaximilium · toilets · 40 m off route
85.9 kmDrinking water · 150 m off route
94.9 kmDrinking water · 80 m off route
112.3 kmMarien-Apotheke · pharmacy · 110 m off route
112.8 kmDrinking water · 90 m off route

Need to bail out?

1.4 km — Barfüßer (ferry), 60 m off route
11.4 km — Nersingen (station), 270 m off route
39 km — Gundelfingen (Bayern) (station), 150 m off route
48.1 km — Dillingen an der Donau (station), 290 m off route
56.3 km — Höchstädt (Donau) (station), 90 m off route
68.3 km — Tapfheim (station), 90 m off route
75.7 km — Donauwörth (station), 130 m off route
90.5 km — Rain (station), 70 m off route

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

Worth a stop

0 km — Glockenspiel (attraction)
19.4 km — Schloss Leipheim (castle)
43.3 km — Schloss Lauingen (castle)
48.9 km — Dillingen (viewpoint)
52.9 km — Biker's Oasis - Footbath (viewpoint)
69.5 km — Schloss Donaumünster (castle)

Stay after this ride

Hotel Garni Die Spindel · hotel · 810 m from the finish
Campingplatz Donau-Ruderclub Neuburg · campsite · 680 m from the finish
Am Schrannenhaus · hotel · 1.1 km from the finish
Bortenmacherhaus · apartment · 1.3 km from the finish
Hotel Bergbauer · hotel · 1.6 km from the finish

Start and access

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

At the start

Food and coffee: Cafe Extrablatt (10 m), Katrins Konditorei (20 m), Staib (40 m)
Shops: REWE City (80 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee: Aroma Brot trifft Bohne Café Bäckerei und Konditorei (290 m), Arco-Schlösschen (240 m), Steakhouse Neuburg (710 m)
Shops: Edeka (300 m)
Pharmacy and medical: Elisen Apotheke (550 m)

Know before you go

Longest stretch without café, shop or water is 10.3 km from km 26.8 to 37.1
10.1 km on main roads without a cycle lane
8.3 km on roads with speed limits of 80 km/h or more
7% gravel or unpaved surface

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

3 photographs from the road

Stage of

Rotterdam to Budapest

About this route

Ridden by: Marcus
Date ridden: Saturday 12th September 2015
Route line: Retraced from OpenStreetMap between the day’s towns - the GPS recording was lost.
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.
Best months: Ten years of ERA5 weather for Ulm (Open-Meteo).
GPX: Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added: Sunday 30th August 2026
Page last updated: Friday 4th September 2026

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