Passau stays in view only briefly, with the Inn, Ilz and Danube meeting at the edge of the old town, then the river sets the line. The route follows the Danube east, passing steep wooded slopes, small riverside villages and the Jochenstein power station area. Beyond Engelhartszell, with Engelszell Abbey close to the water, the valley becomes narrower and quieter. The clearest landscape moment is the Schlögener Schlinge, where the Danube bends tightly around a forested ridge before the route continues towards Aschach. After that, the Eferding Basin opens the day out with fields, orchards and a wider valley floor. Via Ottensheim and the Wilhering area, the route reaches Linz, where industry, riverfront and old town sit close together.
