Everything about the Bike Festival Austria Wels
The Bike Festival Austria is Austria's largest fair for bicycles and e-bikes. It takes place at the Wels Exhibition Centre. Hotel Ploberger is just a few minutes' walk away – with garage, breakfast and quiet rooms in the centre.
Hotel, tickets, parking and accommodation
What is the Bike Festival Austria?
The Bike Festival Austria is Austria's largest fair for bicycles and e-bikes –
and the industry event to kick off the new cycling season.
Under the roof of the Wels Exhibition Centre, manufacturers, importers and dealers present the latest trends around bicycles, mobility and cycling tours.
All bike segments are represented – from e-bikes, mountain bikes and gravel bikes through road bikes, city and trekking bikes to children's bikes and special models such as tandems and folding bikes.
The range extends from
bicycles and e-bikes through components, accessories, clothing and safety equipment to sports nutrition and cycling-tour offers.
This makes the Bike Festival Austria appealing to leisure cyclists, professionals and families alike.
What can I expect at the Bike Festival Austria?
A remarkable feature is the chance to test your dream bike right on site: on the large indoor test parcours in the exhibition hall, the latest models from numerous brands can be tried out and compared – regardless of weather and season.
The offer is complemented by expert advice, spectacular action shows and a strong family programme.
A special feature is the "3 fairs, 1 ticket" concept: the archery fair and the Fishing Festival take place at the same time, so visitors experience three outdoor fairs with one ticket. For many this is a reason to spend a weekend in Wels – programme during the day, a relaxed evening in the old town and a short, convenient trip to the exhibition grounds. Visitors from Bavaria, Germany, Lower Austria and Styria in particular like to combine the visit with a stay in the centre of Wels.
What's on at the Bike Festival Austria?
A key part of the experience is the extensive supporting programme of information, action and experience.
Exciting shows, workshops and expert talks provide variety and inspiration – complemented by an action-packed freestyle show area with jumps and tricks.
Added to this are topics such as e-bikes, family mobility, sport and health as well as inspiration around bike travel – a programme for visitors of all ages.
Opening hours of the Bike Festival Austria
The Bike Festival Austria takes place over several days at the Wels Exhibition Centre.
The exact dates and daily opening hours of the current edition are published by the organiser on the official website.
As the archery fair and the Fishing Festival are also present in the hall alongside the Bike Festival, allow plenty of time for a complete tour. Anyone travelling from further afield is best advised to plan a stay with an overnight and to stay centrally, so the journeys to the fair remain short.
Tickets and admission
Tickets for the Bike Festival Austria are usually available in advance online and at the box office.
With the "3 fairs, 1 ticket" concept, admission to the archery fair and the Fishing Festival is usually included.
The current admission prices and reduced categories are published by the organiser on the official website. To avoid the queues, use the advance sale and arrive early.
Getting to the Bike Festival Austria
By car
Wels lies directly on the A1 Western Motorway and is easy to reach from Vienna, Salzburg, Linz and Munich.
By train
Wels station is one of Austria's most important railway hubs.
From there, visitors reach the city centre and the event areas within a few minutes.
By plane
Linz Airport is around 20 minutes from Wels and offers good connections for international guests.
Parking at the Wels Exhibition Centre
Visitors benefit from numerous parking options in Wels.
Garage at Hotel Ploberger
Guests staying at Hotel Ploberger enjoy a particular advantage:
The public car park at Kaiser-Josef-Platz connects directly to the hotel.
The car can stay there while you travel to the fair comfortably on foot or by the public transport that runs from Kaiser-Josef-Platz towards the exhibition grounds.
Exhibition car parks
During the Bike Festival Austria, exhibition car parks are available around the grounds.
For an event of this scale, an early arrival or the use of public transport is recommended, as traffic volumes are high.
City-centre location
Thanks to the hotel's central location, many routes can be covered comfortably on foot.
The Bike Festival Austria with your dog
Some visitors would like to bring their dog.
At the Bike Festival Austria, dogs are permitted with a muzzle and lead.
As the event is well attended and bikes are in motion on the test parcours, particular care is required when handling your dog. The organiser's current rules on lead requirements and access should be checked briefly on the official website before your visit.
If you arrive with a dog, Hotel Ploberger is a good choice: dogs are warmly welcome on request.
This makes it easy to combine the visit with a stay in the centre of Wels – with short distances and green spaces nearby for the daily walks.
The Bike Festival Austria with children
The Bike Festival Austria is an experience for the whole family.
A strong family and children's programme, children's bikes to discover and spectacular shows ensure that the youngest visitors get their money's worth too.
The spacious grounds leave ample room for a relaxed tour with the whole family.
For the stay in Wels, the central location of Hotel Ploberger is an advantage: short distances, no long drives and a quiet retreat after an eventful day at the fair.
Where to stay during the Bike Festival Austria?
For a fair weekend in particular, the choice of accommodation makes the difference.
A central location in the Wels old town brings several advantages:
- short distances between hotel,
- fair and city centre,
- restaurants and cafés within walking distance for the evening,
- no daily search for parking at the grounds and
- a relaxed wind-down after a long fair day.
Anyone who doesn't want to drive back from an industrial estate in the evening, but is right in the city instead, gains noticeably in rest –
and arrives refreshed on the next fair day. After an intensive day at the Bike Festival Austria, the breakfast at Hotel Ploberger is a relaxed start the next morning before heading back to the fair.
Hotel Ploberger – 8 minutes' walk to the Bike Festival Austria
Hotel Ploberger is only around 650 metres from the event areas.
Most areas of the Wels Exhibition Centre can be reached in about 8 minutes on foot.
If you prefer public transport, there is a connection running directly from Kaiser-Josef-Platz towards the fair.
As a family-run house in its fourth generation, the hotel is a place where bike fans, families and trade visitors recover after an intensive day at the fair. The quiet, air-conditioned rooms sit in the middle of the city yet sheltered from the bustle. The sauna and fitness area invites you to recharge after a long day, and the generous breakfast buffet with regional products can be enjoyed in the garden on request. Wels is also an ideal starting point for cycling tours through Upper Austria.
Your advantages at a glance:- quiet, air-conditioned rooms in the heart of Wels
- generous breakfast buffet with regional products – in the garden on request
- sauna and fitness area for recovery
- public car park with direct lift access to the hotel
- 24-hour access to the hotel
- free Wi-Fi throughout the house
- restaurants, cafés and the Wels old town right outside the door
After a day among bikes, the test parcours and shows, guests enjoy the calm of the house while still reaching everything important on foot.
For business travellers who visit Wels regularly, Hotel Ploberger – for example as a seminar hotel in Wels – is a familiar address too.
What are FAQs about the Bike Festival Austria in Wels?
What is the Bike Festival Austria?
The Bike Festival Austria is Austria's largest fair for bicycles and e-bikes. It takes place at the Wels Exhibition Centre and shows all bike segments as well as an indoor test parcours.
When does the Bike Festival Austria take place?
The fair is held annually at the start of the season in winter over several days. The current dates are published by the organiser on the official website.
Where does the Bike Festival Austria take place?
At the Wels Exhibition Centre in Upper Austria.
What does "3 fairs, 1 ticket" mean?
The archery fair and the Fishing Festival take place at the same time as the Bike Festival Austria. One ticket usually lets you experience all three outdoor fairs.
How much is admission?
The current admission prices and reduced categories are published by the organiser on the official website. Tickets are available in advance and at the box office.
Can I test bikes on site?
Yes. On the large indoor test parcours in the exhibition hall, the latest models from numerous brands can be tried out and compared.
Which bike segments are represented?
E-bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes, road bikes, city and trekking bikes, children's bikes as well as special models such as tandems and folding bikes.
How far is Hotel Ploberger from the exhibition centre?
Just a few minutes' walk. Alternatively, public transport runs from Kaiser-Josef-Platz towards the exhibition grounds.
Is parking available?
Yes. The public car park at Kaiser-Josef-Platz, with lift access to the hotel, is right by the hotel. The exhibition car parks are also available at the grounds.
Can I arrive by train?
Yes. Wels station is an important hub; during the fair there are direct public connections to the exhibition grounds.
Which hotels are near the Wels Exhibition Centre?
Hotel Ploberger is centrally located in the Wels old town, just a few minutes' walk from the exhibition grounds, which makes it particularly well placed for fair visitors.
Which restaurants are nearby?
Hotel Ploberger is in the middle of the Wels old town – restaurants, cafés and bars are within a few minutes' walk.
Can I bring my dog?
At the Bike Festival Austria, dogs are permitted with a muzzle and lead; the organiser's rules apply. At Hotel Ploberger, dogs are welcome on request.
Is the Bike Festival Austria suitable for children?
Yes. With a strong family and children's programme as well as shows, the Bike Festival Austria is an experience for the whole family.
Is the Bike Festival Austria accessible?
The grounds of the Wels Exhibition Centre are designed with accessibility in mind. Current information is published by the organiser on the official website.
Is it suitable for a multi-day visit?
Yes. With the "3 fairs, 1 ticket" concept and the extensive supporting programme, several days leave enough time to experience all areas at a relaxed pace.
Are there charging points for electric cars?
Charging options are available at Hotel Ploberger. It is best to ask the hotel directly for details.