Bavarian Forest: from Passau to Regensburg
Germany’s oldest national park, glassmaking towns, a dark glacial lake and the Walhalla temple above the Danube.
- Distance
- 190 km (118 mi)
- Driving
- 2 h 37 min
- Suggested days
- 4
- Stops
- 7
- Countries
- Germany
- Updated
- August 1, 2026
At a glance: 4-day road trip of about 190 km (118 mi) with 7 stops, from Passau to Regensburg. About 2 h 37 min of driving in total.
Route description
Passau, where the Inn and the Ilz meet the Danube, has a Baroque cathedral with one of the largest church organs in the world. Head north into the hills to the Bavarian Forest National Park, founded in 1970 as Germany’s first.
At Neuschönau, the Tree Top Walk climbs through the canopy to a lookout tower, and the animal enclosure nearby shows lynx, wolves and bears. Continue to Zwiesel, a glassmaking town with glassworks and shops, and Bodenmais, a mining village turned walking resort.
The road then climbs to the Großer Arbersee, a dark lake below the Großer Arber, the highest peak of the range; a gondola lift climbs most of the way to the summit. The forest is at its best in autumn, and the area is also a snowy winter destination.
Drive west through the hills to Donaustauf and the Walhalla, a Greek-style temple with a view over the Danube, before finishing in Regensburg, a UNESCO old town with a medieval stone bridge. Roads in the forest are quiet and winding, with plenty of campsites.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Passau
Germany - 243 km
Bavarian Forest Tree Top Walk
NatureNeuschönau, GermanyA timber walkway through the canopy ending in an egg-shaped tower above the national park. The gentle ramps suit wheelchairs and pushchairs, and the Lusen animal enclosure is next door.
- 329 km
Zwiesel
Germany - 414 km
Bodenmais
Germany - 57 km
Großer Arbersee
NatureBayerisch Eisenstein, GermanyA dark glacial lake with floating bog islands below the Großer Arber, the highest peak of the Bavarian Forest. An easy path circles the shore in under an hour.
- 685 km
Walhalla
HistoryDonaustauf, GermanyA marble temple in Greek style high above the Danube, housing busts of famous Germans. It is a short walk from the upper car park; the steps down to the river are long.
- 711 km
Regensburg
Germany
