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The Rhine Cycle Route

Cycle touring EuroVelo 15 through six countries

Guidebook to cycling the River Rhine from source to sea, through Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands. The 1368km route from the summit of Oberalppass to the Hook of Holland is split into 27 stages, mostly following well-surfaced cycle tracks. Includes information on facilities, useful contacts and a language glossary.

Seasons

Except for the first stage in the Swiss Alps, where snow lingers until May, the route is best ridden between April and October

Centres

Chur, Vaduz, Bregenz, Konstanz, Schaffhausen, Waldshut, Basel, Strasbourg, Karlsruhe, Speyer, Mannheim, Worms, Mainz, Koblenz, Bonn, Köln, Düsseldorf, Duisberg, Arnhem, Rotterdam

Difficulty

The route follows a river from source to sea with a prevailing downhill gradient. There are a few gentle ascents, all within the abilities of leisure cyclists. Stamina is the key requirement as the route takes two to three weeks to complete. The ride is best undertaken on trail, touring or hybrid bikes.

Must See

Swiss Alps, Lake Constance, Rhein falls, Basel, Strasbourg, Rheingau wine region, Rüdesheim, Rhine gorge, Loreley rock, Bonn, Cologne, Kinderdijk windmills, Rotterdam
ISBN
9781786311092
Availability
Published
Published
4 Jan 2022
Reprinted
9 May 2023
Edition
Fourth
Pages
312
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.75cm
Weight
360g
Overview

Guidebook to cycling-touring the river Rhine from its source high in the Swiss Alps, through Germany and the Netherlands to the North Sea. This mostly downhill 850-mile (1368km) trail follows EuroVelo route 15, and is ideal for cyclists with limited experience of touring, as well as seasoned long-distance cyclists.

  • With 27 stages of 20–42 miles (33–67km) in length, the route makes use of waymarked national cycle trails, most of which are well-surfaced dedicated cycle tracks and minor roads
  • Plentiful accommodation allows stages to be combined into an itinerary that suits your time, budget and the places you want to visit, ranging from a fast 14-day ride to a more leisurely month-long trip
  • Highlights include Lake Constance, Rheinfall, Basel, Strasbourg, Rheingau wine region, Rüdesheim, Rhine gorge, Loreley rock, Bonn, Cologne, Kinderdijk windmills and Rotterdam
  • Contains clear route descriptions with 1:100,000 maps, detailed city maps and elevation profiles for stages with significant ascent and descent
  • Passes through Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands, with short sections in Liechtenstein and Austria, via centres including Basel, Strasbourg, Mainz, Köln, Düsseldorf, Arnhem and Rotterdam
  • Includes facilities listings, local history, travel to and from the start and finish, and advice on preparing your kit, bike and self for the adventure
  • GPX files available for download

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Mike Wells Cicerone author WELLS

By Mike Wells

Mike Wells has been a keen long-distance walker and cyclist for over 25 years. He has walked all the major British trails, the GR5 through the Alps from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean and has explored the Italian Dolomites’ Alta Via routes. He has also walked in Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Norway and Chilean Patagonia.

Mike has cycled the C2C route across northern England and Lon Las Cymru in Wales, as well as the Camino and Ruta de la Plata to Santiago de la Compostela. He has completed an end to end traverse of Cuba, a circumnavigation of Iceland and a trip across Lapland to the North Cape.

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