Via Alpina Red R55

The Via Alpina Red R55 is a roughly 20 km point-to-point trail stage in Vorarlberg, Austria, running from St. Gerold down to Feldkirch and gaining about 600 m of elevation across a single day. Rated moderate, it links the Großes Walsertal Biosphere Reserve with the medieval Rhine Valley city of Feldkirch through quiet meadows and forest.

About the Via Alpina Red R55

The Via Alpina is a network of five colour-coded long-distance hiking routes that thread through all eight Alpine countries: Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, France and Monaco. Established in 2000 by public and private organisations from across the Alps, the project received European Union funding between 2001 and 2008 and was originally coordinated by the Grande Traversée des Alpes association in Grenoble. Since January 2014 the international secretariat has been run by CIPRA in Liechtenstein.

The Red Trail is the longest of the five routes, with 161 numbered segments (R1 to R161) stretching from Muggia near Trieste in Italy all the way to the Palais du Prince in Monaco. It is the only Via Alpina route to cross all eight member countries. Stage R55 sits within the Austrian section in the western federal state of Vorarlberg, where the trail descends from the high Walser settlements toward the Rhine Valley.

According to the official itinerary, R55 connects St. Gerold, a small village in the Großes Walsertal, with Feldkirch, Vorarlberg's second-largest city. The stage is classified by the operator, via-alpina.org, as part of the International Walking Network (IWN) — one of the world's most significant long-distance hiking systems. As a transition stage between alpine valley and lowland city, R55 trades high passes for rolling pasture, mixed forest and a gradual loss of altitude, making it one of the more approachable days on this part of the Red Trail.

St. Gerold lies within the UNESCO-recognised Großes Walsertal Biosphere Reserve, an area settled in the 14th century by Walser migrants from the Valais in Switzerland. Their dialect, timber farmhouses and high-altitude grazing culture still shape the landscape you walk through, giving the stage a strong sense of place beyond the scenery alone.

For most international walkers, R55 is not hiked in isolation but as one day within a longer Via Alpina journey. The neighbouring stages, R54 arriving from the upper Großes Walsertal and R56 continuing across the Rhine into Liechtenstein, frame R55 as the moment the Red Trail leaves the high Austrian Alps and steps down toward the international border zone. That makes it a logistically useful stage: you finish in a fully serviced city with rail links in every direction, an ideal point to rest, resupply or break a thru-hike. If you are only sampling the Via Alpina rather than walking the whole 161-segment Red Trail, R55 delivers a representative mix of culture, forest and panorama in a single manageable day.

Route Overview & Stages

R55 is a single Via Alpina stage, but it breaks naturally into three sections as you descend from the Walser uplands into the Rhine basin. The figures below are approximate and based on the published St. Gerold–Feldkirch itinerary; always confirm current distances on the official stage page before you set out.

Total distance is roughly 20 km with cumulative ascent near 600 m and a much larger net descent, since St. Gerold sits around 840 m and Feldkirch lies near 460 m in the Rhine Valley. Most walkers complete the stage in five to seven hours at a steady pace.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Propstei St. Gerold — a former Benedictine monastery dating to the 10th century, now a cultural and retreat centre with gardens, a concert hall and a restaurant, making a fitting start point at around 840 m.
• Großes Walsertal Biosphere Reserve — a UNESCO biosphere park covering roughly 192 km², protecting traditional alpine farming and steep hay meadows across six Walser villages.
• Blons — a tiny terraced village remembered for the catastrophic January 1954 avalanches; today it is a quiet waypoint with sweeping views across the valley.
• Walgau viewpoints — open ridges where the trail reveals the broad Walgau valley and the Rhaetian Alps marking the Swiss and Liechtenstein borders.
• Schattenburg Castle — a 13th-century hilltop fortress above Feldkirch, one of the best-preserved medieval castles in central Europe, now housing a local-history museum.
• Feldkirch Old Town — arcaded streets, the Katzenturm tower and the Gothic St. Nikolaus cathedral give the finish a strong historic close at the Rhine Valley gateway.
• Walser timber architecture — weathered larch farmhouses scattered along the route show the building tradition the Walser people brought from the Valais in the 1300s.

Best Time to Hike the Via Alpina Red R55

The R55 stage is best walked between late May and early October. As a relatively low-elevation transition stage topping out below 1,000 m, it opens earlier and closes later than the high passes elsewhere on the Red Trail, but the upper meadows around St. Gerold can hold patches of snow into May after a heavy winter.

June brings long daylight, green pastures and blooming alpine flowers, while the meadows are at their most vivid before the first hay cut. July and August are the warmest and busiest months; daytime temperatures in the Walgau can reach 28–30 °C, and afternoon thunderstorms are common, so an early start is wise. September is widely considered the single best month: stable high-pressure weather, comfortable walking temperatures around 18–22 °C, fewer crowds and clear long-range views over the Rhine Valley. For 2026, plan a September departure if your schedule allows, with a flexible day in reserve for weather.

October can still offer crisp, golden walking days, with autumn colour spreading through the beech forest above the Walgau and the first dustings of snow on the higher Rhaetian peaks in the distance. By late October daylight shortens noticeably and many gasthof kitchens reduce hours, so confirm opening dates if you walk near the season's edge. As of 2026, no part of R55 requires technical winter equipment in summer, but spring and autumn shoulder dates can bring sudden cold fronts; always check the local mountain forecast for Vorarlberg before departing.

Practical Information

Accommodation

Because R55 starts and ends in inhabited valleys rather than the high mountains, you sleep in villages and town rather than alpine huts. In St. Gerold, the Propstei offers simple guesthouse rooms from around €55–75 per night with breakfast, and the surrounding biosphere villages of Blons, Raggal and Thüringerberg have small gasthof rooms in the €50–90 range. In Feldkirch, expect €90–150 for a mid-range hotel double, with the HI-affiliated youth hostel offering dorm beds from roughly €30–40 including breakfast.

Wild camping is restricted across Vorarlberg, so do not rely on pitching a tent along the route; there are managed campsites near Feldkirch charging around €10–15 per person per night. Booking ahead is strongly advised in July and August, when regional festivals fill rooms quickly. Half-board options are common in the biosphere villages and worth taking, since evening dining choices in the smaller hamlets are limited and the local Walser kitchens serve hearty mountain fare such as Riebel and alpine cheese that pairs well with a long descent.

Getting There & Back

Feldkirch is exceptionally well connected, which makes R55 easy to slot into a longer trip. Feldkirch railway station sits on the main line between Switzerland, Austria and Germany, with direct trains from Zurich (around 1 hour 20 minutes) and Innsbruck (around 1 hour 40 minutes). The nearest major airports are Friedrichshafen and Zurich, the latter roughly 1 hour 30 minutes away by train. From Feldkirch, regional buses run up the Großes Walsertal toward St. Gerold in around 45–60 minutes, letting you reach the start by public transport and walk back down to your finish. Check current timetables with the national rail and bus operator ÖBB before travelling.

Permits & Fees

No permit is required to hike the Via Alpina Red R55. The trail crosses public rights of way and biosphere land that are freely open to walkers, and there is no entry fee for the Großes Walsertal Biosphere Reserve. Your only costs are accommodation, food, local transport and optional museum entry, such as the small admission charge at Schattenburg Castle. Full stage details and signage notes are published by the route operator at the official Via Alpina stage page.

Gear & Packing List

R55 is a day-walk on well-marked paths, so you can travel light, but Vorarlberg weather shifts fast and the descent is long on the knees. Pack a waterproof shell, sun protection, at least 1.5 litres of water and trekking poles for the downhill into Feldkirch. A 30–40 litre pack is ample for a single stage; if you are stringing several Via Alpina days together, a comfortable 45–55 litre pack carries multi-day supplies without strain. The Abisko Hike 35 suits a fast day on R55, while the Atmos AG 50 or the ultralight Arc Blast 55L are better matched to a longer Red Trail itinerary. For help dialling in pack size, see our breakdown of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026.

Food planning matters even on a one-day stage with this much descent and warm-weather effort. Carry calorie-dense snacks and refill water in the valley villages. To estimate how much fuel you actually burn, read our guide on how many calories you need hiking a full day and log your meals before you go.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the Vorarlberg scenery of R55 appeals, Austria offers several outstanding multi-day routes that build on the same alpine character with bigger climbs and hut-to-hut logistics. For a longer Alpine traverse, compare R55 with these Austrian classics, or look further afield to our guide on how to hike the Theth to Valbona trail in Albania for a wilder Balkan alternative.

• Stubaier Höhenweg
• Berliner Höhenweg Zustieg Ahornbahn
• Adlerweg
• JK01 (Austria, 720 km)
• JK02 (Austria, 720 km)

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike the Via Alpina Red R55?
Late May to early October is the practical window for this low-altitude stage. June offers green meadows and wildflowers, while July and August bring warmth but afternoon storms. September is the single best month, with stable weather, temperatures around 18–22 °C, thinner crowds and clear views over the Rhine Valley toward Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

How difficult is the Via Alpina Red R55?
R55 is rated moderate. It involves roughly 600 m of cumulative ascent and a longer net descent from St. Gerold at about 840 m down to Feldkirch near 460 m over around 20 km. The paths are well marked and non-technical, but the sustained downhill into Feldkirch is hard on the knees, so trekking poles and steady pacing help considerably.

How long does the Via Alpina Red R55 take per day?
R55 is designed as a single Via Alpina stage covering roughly 20 km. Most walkers finish in five to seven hours including breaks, depending on fitness and how long they linger in St. Gerold and Feldkirch. There is no need to split it across two days, though slower hikers may prefer an early start to allow time for the historic old town at the finish.

Where can I stay along the Via Alpina Red R55?
Accommodation is village- and town-based rather than alpine huts. The Propstei guesthouse in St. Gerold charges around €55–75 with breakfast, and biosphere villages offer gasthof rooms from €50–90. In Feldkirch, mid-range hotels run €90–150 a double, with hostel dorm beds from roughly €30–40. Book ahead in July and August.

Do I need a permit to hike the Via Alpina Red R55?
No permit is required. The R55 stage follows public rights of way and crosses the freely accessible Großes Walsertal Biosphere Reserve, which charges no entry fee. Your only costs are accommodation, food, local buses or trains, and optional sights such as Schattenburg Castle. Wild camping is restricted in Vorarlberg, so plan to sleep in managed accommodation along the route.