Discover Weitersfeld an der Mur

Weitersfeld an der Mur at a glance

Anyone choosing Weitersfeld an der Mur as a destination can plan their stay around several clearly distinct themes: the Mur ferry, cycling and hiking trails, the Mur floodplains, or the listed village chapel. The ferry makes crossing the Mur a tangible part of planning your trip; the trails place the town on named routes. When choosing a hotel, it helps to first decide what your stay will focus on: will cycling, a hiking stage, or the town’s cultural and historical heritage take centre stage? The places and routes below offer different points of reference.

The Mur ferry: history and trip planning

The Weitersfeld Mur ferry is considered the last intact cable ferry on the Mur. Suspended from a steel cable, it carries passengers across the river to the opposite bank. Historically, the ferry was designed to carry 30 people, seven head of livestock, or a loaded farm wagon. These details link today’s tourist crossing with the range of uses it was originally intended for: alongside passenger transport, livestock and agricultural goods were also taken into account.

The Mur ferry is free for pedestrians and cyclists. Water conditions can affect its operation, and the cross-border connection may be subject to seasonal changes. Before setting out, check the latest information on ferry operations, the route and fares.

Cycling routes and the cross-border connection

For cyclists, the route information describes two distinct connections to the Mur Cycle Route R2. The Murfelder Tour RA 22 follows the R2 from Mureck, past the Weitersfeld Mur ferry, to Straß. In addition, near Weitersfeld, one of Austria’s last cable ferries carries visitors along the Mur Cycle Route R2 from Austria to Slovenia and from Slovenia to Austria. The RA 22 thus describes a route between Mureck and Straß, while the other information focuses on the cross-border crossing. When planning your tour, you can consider these two route perspectives separately.

Hiking trails, the bridge and the Mur floodplains

Stage 5, “Blickwechsel,” of the “Warte am Platschberg” trail also connects with the Mur ferry: it leads to the ferry, very close to Weitersfeld. The stage gives two options for crossing the Mur: the newly built Mur Bridge or a ride on the traditional Mur ferry. Unlike the Murfelder Tour, which passes the ferry, “Blickwechsel” focuses on the choice of crossing. When planning this stage, you can therefore decide whether to cross the river by bridge or ferry.

The Graz Way of St James passes through Weitersfeld and into the Mur floodplains, which are designated as a Natura 2000 European protected area. This offers different route options: the Graz Way of St James leads from the town into the floodplains, while the “Blickwechsel” stage leads to the Mur ferry near Weitersfeld and lists the crossing options there. The hiking routes can thus be distinguished by their respective destinations.

Village chapel and heritage protection

The Weitersfeld an der Mur village chapel is protected under the Austrian Monument Protection Act pursuant to Section 2a. The relevant decision is dated 16 May 2002. Alongside the Mur ferry, the chapel is another cultural and historical point of interest: here, the focus is on the protected status of a building, while the ferry is a cable ferry with historical significance for passenger and agricultural transport.

A named stop along the cycling route

The family-run Buschenschank Schmankerlhof is located in Weitersfeld an der Mur, directly on the cycling route. For cyclists, this specifically named location complements the route information for the town and the Mur ferry.

Discover more destinations: Weinburg am Saßbach, Reiting, Wetzelsdorf, Wittmannsdorf, Burgfeld, Waasen am Berg, Nägelsdorf, Grabersdorf

Go to the regional travel overview: Southeast Styria.