Inline Skating
in Switzerland & Austria

ABOVE: Inline skaters near Hagenwil, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland.

Ask a foreigner to list summer outdoor sports in Switzerland and Austria, and the answers are likely to include hiking, mountaineering, and bicycling. An adventure traveler might think to add paragliding or white-water rafting, but most tourists would fail to mention one of the region's fastest-growing sports: Inline skating.

Inline skating has exploded in popularity over the last few years. Today, Switzerland alone has an estimated 800,000 inline skaters. Cities like Zürich, Lucerne, and Vienna have weekly "group skates" that combine exercise with socializing, and a number of skate parks (including a few with indoor facilities) exist in the two countries. Racing is also growing in popularity, and one of the better-known marathons--the Swiss Inline Cup Engadine/St. Moritz in early July--draws more than 4,500 participants from 20 countries.

Still, you needn't be social or athletic to enjoy Rollerblading in Switzerland and Austria. If you'd rather enjoy the scenery than risk life and limb on an Alpine pass, you'll find plenty of flat or gently rolling paths where skating isn't synonymous with suicide. For more information, see the links on the page 2.

Equipment: Bring or rent?

Don't count on finding skate rentals in Switzerland or Austria. Although some shops may offer skate hire, there's no guarantee that you'll find equipment in the areas where you want to skate. It's better to play it safe by bringing your own skates, helmet, pads, etc. (You'll also save money that way, since prices tend to be high in Switzerland and Austria.)

Rules of the road

Next Page > Where you can skate > Page 1, 2, 3

Photo © Switzerland Tourism. All rights reserved.

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