New standards in cycle tourism "Sonnseitn Trails" project creates 60 kilometers of new bike trails

Around 60 kilometers of new bike trails will be created in Schladming-Dachstein from next autumn with the support of the province of Styria. The "Sonnseitn Trails" project is a highly ambitious project for cycling tourism infrastructure and will further strengthen Schladming-Dachstein's position as "bike country". We are investing a total of around 4.5 million euros by 2027, with the province of Styria contributing 750,000 euros in funding in 2025.

Whether mountain bikers, e-bikers, leisure bikers or sporty downhillers: Schladming-Dachstein has established itself as a top destination for bike vacationers and trail fans. In "Bikeland" Schladming-Dachstein, mountain and e-bikers can already look forward to 26 tours, two bike parks and a singletrack with a total of 67 trail kilometers. There is also an excellent tourist infrastructure with two summer mountain railroads including bike transport, 15 bike & hike tours, road bike and gravel bike tours as well as 21 hotels specializing in bike guests.

The aim is to further develop the Schladming-Dachstein region as a leading year-round destination and to provide new impetus for quality tourism and the promotion of physical activity.

Another focus is on clear visitor management in order to minimize conflicts between bikers, hikers, agriculture, forestry and hunting and to better protect sensitive areas. The tourism association wants to achieve sustainable regional development with less seasonality and more year-round jobs, as well as promote health and exercise even more, especially for children and young people.

"The Sonnseitn Trails project is the perfect vacation offer for the whole family in the Schladming-Dachstein region - with a mix of summer and winter tourism. If you want, you can go sun skiing in the morning and cycling in the afternoon. This is how we are meeting the trend towards year-round tourism. I would like to thank all the people involved in this project and our ambassador Hans Knauß. My special thanks go to the landowners. Without them, the Sonnseitn Trails would be impossible. However, we have succeeded in creating a tourism milestone for the Schladming-Dachstein region," says Governor and Tourism Minister Mario Kunasek.

"We want to actively shape the atmosphere of change with new bike offers, because noticeable social and climatic changes require new tourism offers. High-quality bike offers contribute to the necessary equalization of the main seasons and at the same time support the positioning of our region as a year-round destination. Biking extends the outdoor season - especially in times when snow is less certain. Cross-seasonal offers also ensure economic stability and make the region more attractive for employees through continuous employment. And last but not least, locals also benefit from the new, year-round offers to promote physical activity A big thank you to all the landowners concerned for their willingness to talk and cooperate."

"The Sonnseitn Trails project is setting new standards in terms of quality biking in Styria. Our aim is to strategically expand the Schladming-Dachstein region as a bike destination and create a large interconnected trail network. This is a strong investment for sustainable tourism development in the region. I see the Sonnseitn Trails as the missing piece of the puzzle in the coherent 'Bikeland Schladming-Dachstein'. We want to bundle the diverse bike offerings of the entire region under a strong brand image and thus strengthen the region's competitive position in the long term. This will position Schladming-Dachstein as a strong bike destination in the Alpine region and make it visible as a comprehensive adventure region that also appeals to multi-day guests in the touring and enduro sector."

"For me, one thing is clear: cycling is here to stay. The positive impact of Bikeland Schladming-Dachstein on promoting exercise, especially for children and young people, is particularly important to me. When 'cool bike offers' are created, they get children and young people out into nature, onto the trails - playfully, with fun and action. This not only promotes their health, but also creates new enthusiasm for the mountains and their homeland. I also think it's great that the bike offer brings added value for all of us - guests and locals. The new trails not only mean higher overnight stays, but also new exercise options, an increase in quality of life and pride in what the region has to offer."