Germany by bike - Deutschland per Rad

Germany is beautiful, cycle it. Several hundred long-distance cycle paths and regional routes await you. As a federal state, it is made up of 16 countries, each of which has its own particular path. The 10,700 km long D network connects many of these regions with one another - from the sea to the Alps, from the Rhine to the Oder - but is still being set up in many places.

Left Rhine cycle path on the Rhine terrace in the vineyards between Nierstein and Nackenheim.
Here in the mild Upper Rhine Plain Spring arrives earlier than in other parts of Germany.
In the Milseburg tunnel. The structure most attractive Milseburgradweg in the Rhön is Germany's second with 1187 mlongest bicycle tunnel

Overview: long-distance cycle routes and regional routes by federal state

D routes

Standard-compliant main signpost on the Fulda cycle path (R1) with logo insert for D-Route 9

The length of the national Bike network for Germany is almost 11,000 km. They are spread over twelve routes.

  • D 3: European cycle route R1 - German part of EuroVelo 2: Dutch border, Münsterland, Weserbergland, Harz, Wittenberg, Berlin, Oder, Polish border.
  • D 4: Mittelland route - In large parts new route through the center: Aachen - Bonn - Siegen - Biedenkopf - Bad Hersfeld - Eisenach - Erfurt - Jena - Chemnitz - Zittau.
  • D 5: Saar-Mosel-Main - Essentially a summary of existing river cycle routes from Saar - Mosel - Middle Rhine and Main. The route ends in Upper Franconia on the border with the Czech Republic.
  • D 6: Danube route - Basel - Southern Black Forest - German Danube to Passau. German part of EuroVelo 6
  • D 7: pilgrimage route - Aachen - Bonn - Lower Rhine - Ruhr area - Münster - Osnabrück -Bremen - Hamburg - Flensburg. German part of EuroVelo 3
  • D 8: Rhine route - identical to the Rhine Cycle Route from Lake Constance to the Dutch border.
  • D 9: Weser - Romantic Road - Essentially a summary of existing river cycle routes: Cuxhaven - Weser cycle path - Fulda cycle path - Hess. Long-distance cycle route R2 - lower Sinntal - Maintal - Würzburg - lovely Taubertal - romantic street - feet.
  • D 11: Baltic Sea - Upper Bavaria - New summary of existing cycle routes: Rostock - Berlin-Copenhagen cycle path - Berlin - European cycle path R1 - Saale cycle path - Bayreuth - Main cycle path - Bamberg - Nuremberg - Kelheim - Landshut -Isar cycle path - Munich - Rosenheim - Salzburg.

River routes

This section summarizes the most important river routes across Germany - sorted by river systems.

Uferweg on the Rhine in front Eltville in the Rheingau, free for cyclists. The official one Rhine cycle route and R3 run along the main street without a view of the Rhine.
The bicycle cable ferry on the Fulda

· · · Cycle path name - mouth location - (countries)

Other long-distance cycle routes

Railway cycle paths

A special feature are cycle paths that were laid out on the routes of former railway lines. These routes were laid out in the 19th and early 20th centuries with a very favorable elevation profile, as the steam locomotives lacked the necessary power to cope with steeper gradients (even today, railroad lines with a gradient of more than 4% are very rare). Dams, viaducts and tunnels were built to level the mountain and valley. Cyclists can now benefit from this, as the routes can be used for flat and comfortable paths. These paths are called Railway cycle paths designated.

Bicycle museums in Germany

Here museums are listed that deal specifically with the subject of "bicycles" or that have at least a noteworthy bicycle department or collection. Further information (admission, opening times) is stored in the local articles (if available). Please do not put any museums here that only show individual exhibits on the subject of bicycles. That is beyond the scope of this list.

  • German Bicycle Museum in the Bavarian Rhön in Bad Bruckenau - Complete bike collection with more than 230 bikes.
  • Bicycle collection in the traffic center of the Deutsches Museum in Munich - The "bicycle curtain" can be found in Hall III.
  • Bicycle collection of the German Museum of Technology in Berlin. - Is currently inaccessible. The with 300 exhibits very extensive bicycle collection can be seen again as part of a museum expansion. · Museum side
  • Wheel Curiosities Museeum by Tourteufel Didi Senft in Storkow southeast of Berlin. Museum side.
  • Bicycle museum "Pedalwelt" in Heimbuchenthal in the Spessart. - The small private museum shows recumbents and other special bikes. The museum is currently closed. For news see Museum side.
  • Rheinhessisches Fahrradmuseum in Gau-Algesheim in Rheinhessen. The small museum at Ardeck Castle shows 3 exhibitions on the subject of "bicycles": The bicycle in everyday life, the bicycle in art, the bicycle as a piece of sports equipment. · Museum side
  • Bicycle collection in the Dresden Transport Museum - Info on the website of the Transport Museum Dresden under "Road Traffic". There are around 30 bikes on display.
  • German two-wheeled and NSU museum Neckarsulm - The museum with a focus on motorcycle also has a bicycle room Museum info see article Neckarsulm.
  • Two-wheeler and technology museum Werder west of Berlin - In addition to various motorcycles, 40 bicycles are also on display. · Museum side.
  • Dresden Bicycle Museum - Bicycle collection of the Bicycle Veterans Friends Dresden 1990 e.V. in the environmental center Dresden. Opening times unclear. Club side of the Bicycle veterans friends Dresden.

Draisine routes

Kanonenbahn in Thuringia Eichsfeld: With the bicycle trolley over the Lengenfeld viaduct to Großbartloff, with 4 tunnels and a large viaduct.

Travel time

The classic German cycling season starts in May and ends in October. The transition months of May and September are particularly favorable due to the milder temperatures. In every season there are good weather phases that are suitable for longer bike tours. Especially in mild regions such as am Upper Rhine March and April are often beautiful months for cycling trips. The river routes in the German low mountain range are generally somewhat milder and more sheltered from the wind. The generally changeable weather can always cause surprises ;-)

Bike transport

By train

Local transport

A class 628 railcar from the Kurhessenbahn was converted into a bicycle cart and offers space for up to 65 bicycles.

Almost all local trains in Germany (IRE, RE, RB, S-Bahn) take bicycles with them, if space is available. At the end of the train or at the beginning of the train, the doors are marked with bicycle symbols, where you can easily get on. It is not necessary to reserve bicycle parking spaces in local transport. If the bike compartment is full, you have to wait for the next train. During the peak cycle tourism season, special trains run on many popular cycle routes, offering greatly expanded bicycle transport options. There is a Germany-wide valid for taking a bicycle with you DB bicycle day pass for local transport, (Price: € 5.50), this applies on a selected day from midnight to 3 a.m. the following day, however, there are partial restrictions on taking bicycles with you at peak times. In Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt, however, you can take your bike with you free of charge from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. In Hesse, you can take it with you on all days, but only with a transport association card or a Hessenticket. The DB bicycle day ticket for local transport is a supplement to single tickets of the DB tariff as well as to the country tickets, as well as the cross-through-country ticket, but the bicycle owner travels with one ticket Association tariffs, the bike card must be purchased, which is the local one Transport network because the bike card must correspond to the tariff of the bike owner's ticket. As a rule, the rules for taking bicycles with you apply identically to private railways in Germany if they are a member of the Tariff Association TBNE are.

  • Bicycle groups in local transport: Groups of 6 or more traveling together must also register for local transport in accordance with the DB's conditions of carriage. Registration must be made at least six days before departure (see also Bike groups at the railway. Attention: The registration is no legally binding reservation, but still an obligation. In practice, various smaller bike groups (between 6 and 10 people) use DB's local transport even without prior registration. This is not surprising either, since registration does not result in a legally binding reservation with the right to a bicycle parking space. A reservation for long-distance trains for bicycles is of course legally binding. Here you get your personal bicycle parking space. Registration for local transport, which is available at it certainly makes sense for larger groups, is possible via DB sales outlets or via the DB information desk: 01806/996633 (Costs 20 cents per call from the German landline network, 60 cents per call from the German cell phone network)

Long-distance transport

Bicycle parking spaces with associated reservation displays in an Intercity

In intercity trains (IC / EC), the EuroNight (EN) as well as the Nightjet (NJ) it is possible to take bicycles with you. The pitches are reservation required. This means that you are committed to the corresponding train and have your own personal bicycle parking space. Price of the long-distance cycle card: € 9 per trip; with Bahncard: € 6 for a single journey. In international traffic: € 10. (Data status 07/2017). in the ICE It is not possible to take bicycles with you, with the exception of the new ICE 4 and some converted ICE-T. Folding bicycles are considered hand luggage and can be taken when folded. in the Railjet (RJ) it is possible to take bicycles with you, but a reservation is also required. However, the railway has announced that the successor to today's ICE 1 and ICE 2 will offer a way of transporting bicycles.

Night trains

As a rule, bicycles can be taken along Night trains, which operate in Germany (EuroNight and ÖBB-Nightjet) possible, but a reservation is required. Reservations can be made at DB ticket machines, online, in DB travel centers, in travel agencies with a DB license and by telephone on 01806/996633. With the night train journey, you not only gain a day's vacation, but also arrive at your destination relaxed. Who z. B. comes from southern Germany and would like to cycle to the North or Baltic Sea, a night train is ideal. Of course, this also applies in the opposite direction. Further information: www.nachtzugreise.de (official website of the DB).

Folding and folding bikes

Since January 1st, 2012 folded bicyclesthat can be accommodated on the trains like hand luggage are excluded from the transport and reservation fee. This means that folded bicycles can be taken along free of charge and on ICE trains. The previous packaging obligation is no longer there.

Old rule:
If a bicycle is packed in a bag that can be carried by one person, the bicycle is deemed to be Piece of luggage and can be taken on all trains free of charge, provided that it does not hinder other travelers. The size does not matter.

Additional information

  • Information can also be obtained from the DB telephone number: 01805 - 996633 (14 cents / minute from landlines, cell phone prices are provider-dependent)
No stopping! Unloading the bicycles is only possible via the hood of the Audi

Neighboring countries

By bus

With city and regional buses

City and regional buses in Germany mostly have a multi-purpose compartment, which is set up for the transport of wheelchairs, strollers, bicycles and luggage. Please note, however, that according to the conditions of carriage, wheelchairs and prams have priority over bicycles and luggage. City and regional buses usually do not have their own tariffs, but are integrated into the transport associations and tariff associations, in some transport associations taking bicycles with you is free, other transport associations provide for the compulsory purchase of a bicycle card. There are time restrictions on the buses during peak hours from Monday to Friday between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and in some cases between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., bicycle trailers, tandems and bicycles with motorized equipment that require registration are also excluded outside of peak hours.

With long-distance buses

The Long-distance buses in Germany partially have the option of taking bicycles with you. The companies Flixbus, Eurolines and IC-Bus have rear-mounted bicycle racks or bicycle trailers on some of the buses; bicycles can be taken along here, but subject to a charge and only after prior reservation. The reservation can be made online on the website of the long-distance bus company, by app, in the customer centers, by telephone on the service hotline and at the bus company's contractual partners. Not every bus, but only a few buses have the option of taking bicycles with them, so you have to get sufficient information in advance.

Bike rental

Call a Bike from Deutsche Bahn

Deutsche Bahn offers a bike rental system at major train stations, which has become considerably more expensive since 2011. When registering, € 12 will be debited, of which € 2.50 will be made available as a credit for the use of the bike. It is billed to the minute, but it adds up to € 4.80 per hour. The maximum fee for 24 hours is € 15, for Bahncard holders: € 9.

with flexible storage locations

The rental bikes can be deregistered at every intersection within the spacious inner city area.

Call a Bike flex is currently offered in the inner city areas of the following cities:

  • Frankfurt am Main · Winter break from December to mid-March!
  • Munich · Lending and storage area · Winter break from December to mid-March!
  • Cologne · Winter break from December to mid-March!
  • Karlsruhe · Winter break from December to mid-March!

with distributed rental and storage locations

  • Stuttgart · 60 locations · The first 30 minutes are free, then 8 cents / min, daily fee: € 15 / € 9. ·
  • Hamburg · Deutsche Bahn operates the system with the City of Hamburg City bike. There are 250 rental and parking stations with terminals in Hamburg's urban area, where payments can also be made with an EC card instead of a mobile phone registration. About 3100 bicycles are in circulation. Further loan stations are to be set up. · Special rule: The first 30 minutes are free of charge, the following minutes cost 10 or 8 cents per minute, daily fee: € 15.

Fixed rental stations at the train station

DB bikes with 7-speed gears are available for rental via cell phone at 55 train stations. These rental bikes must be returned to the borrowed Call a Bike station. The high rental prices of € 4.80 per hour without service make borrowing less interesting. The daily price is € 15, for Bahncard holders: € 9, the weekly price is: € 60 / € 45. · Loan stations

Rental bikes next bike

While at Call a Bike rental can cost up to € 4.80 per hour, at nextbike you only pay in 35 German locations 1,- € per half hour or € 9 for 24 hours. · The bicycles are more simply equipped and often only have a 3-speed gearshift. · next bike - that's how it works · Wikipedia article

City-owned loan systems

accommodation

  • Bed and bike: Directory of bicycle-friendly accommodation providers that meet the criteria of the ADFC (throughout Germany).
  • ADFC roof donor - Germany-wide host directory for touring cyclists. You can register here for reimbursement of material costs (book printing). The list is open to all cyclists (not only ADFC-Members).
  • Heuhotel.de - Germany-wide directory of some hay hotels. If you don't have an allergy problem, you can spend the night in your own sleeping bag cheaply. Breakfast is usually included in the price.

Orientation with GPS

References to commercial GPS data on Wikivoyage
Offers such as B. the ADFC tour portal on Wikivoyage please don't list. The offer of this partly chargeable portal is certainly interesting for GPS users, but not absolutely necessary. Wikivoyage is a free, non-commercial site. References to free map portals such as B. the cycle route planner of Hessen, the bicycle variant of Openstreetmap and also the GPS data of the Radreise-Wikis can be accessed on Wikivoyage of course like to be set. With the Bicycle travel wiki Wikivoyage also cooperates.

As an alternative to chargeable, often very expensive digital maps, maps from the OpenStreetMap project (OSM) can be used. Free maps are available on the Internet for various providers of GPS devices. Garmin GPS is very well supported and many maps can be downloaded free of charge. There is an overview in the OSM Wiki.

To "bike mode" in car navigation devices: In the case of navigation devices for motor vehicles, it is sometimes advertised that these devices have a bicycle mode. In some cases, however, this only consists in the fact that roads forbidden for cyclists (motorways and motorways) are not included in the route. As a rule, these devices are not known to designated cycle paths and cycle traffic networks in cities. Another problem is that the devices are usually not designed for the requirements of the bicycle (for example with regard to vibration sensitivity and water resistance). If car navigation systems are also advertised with the argument "cycling and hiking", these offers should be checked very carefully. Another disadvantage is the limited battery life, which you can either extend with external batteries, or you operate the device on a power supply that is operated by the hub dynamo.

A GPS-enabled smartphone or tablet can also be used for navigation and is currently the method of choice. There are many navigation software available, e.g. Osmand, Lotus, Runtastic or Oruxmaps. There are many other programs for Android and Iphone, see OSM Wiki [1]. Anyone who has an Android device can use Openandromaps drop by. The maps are constantly updated and are available in detail for many routes. Due to the poor mobile phone reception in Germany's holiday regions, it is an advantage if the cards are available off-line.

cards

Here are the most important Germany-wide map series for touring cyclists. Anyone who is new to cycling should simply go to a well-stocked bookstore and pick up the various map series. This is how you notice what suits you best.

  • ADFC regional maps 1: 50,000 or 1: 75,000 - With more than 80 titles, a very extensive map series that covers many holiday regions and metropolitan areas in Germany.
The maps have a very detailed legend with regard to the surface conditions and traffic load on the routes. For example, dangerous roads that should be avoided are specially marked on the maps. The maps also contain day trip suggestions and bike-specific information on the region (e.g. on the subject of bikes and trains). Meanwhile, the sheet coverage of many regions is so good that you can put together longer tours for your cycling holiday from different map sheets. From 2012 the cards will be printed on weatherproof and tearproof paper. In addition, there are gpx tracks and elevation profiles of the themed routes and long-distance cycle paths for download.
Unfortunately, the disadvantage of the ADFC regional cards is the very unwieldy triple fold, which makes it very difficult to use the card on tours. see more Bielefelder Verlag
  • Cycling maps of the Esterbauer publishing house - This publisher not only gives the well-known blue ones Bikeline Guide to various bike routes, but also has some bike maps on offer.
  • Cycling maps of the Publicpress publishing house - In addition to cycle touring maps as well as cycle and hiking maps, the publisher also publishes leporellos for various long-distance cycle paths (including many river routes).
  • ADAC RadTourenKarten 1: 75,000: ADAC Verlag, which belongs to the well-known automobile club, publishes a large series of maps with around 50 sheets. The map series is not completely available for Germany, but it does cover many regions. The maps have a very detailed representation of the traffic load and are therefore well suited for road cyclists.
  • ADFC bike tour maps Germany 1: 150,000 - Nationwide map series of the bicycle club, which covers the whole of Germany with 27 sheets. Rather only suitable as a planning map for a longer cycling holiday, as the route information is unfortunately not very detailed. So it is z. E.g. in the maps it is very difficult to distinguish quiet, traffic-free agricultural and forestry paths from secondary roads or main roads with cycle paths. Info: www.Radtourenkarte.de

In addition to the card series mentioned above, the official, topographical leisure maps The maps on a scale of 1: 50,000 contain cycle routes mostly as a green line (traffic-free route) and as a dashed line (route on the road). Although the route information is not very detailed, the maps are popular with some touring cyclists because they have a very precise map base. For example, you can orientate yourself quite well on forest paths even away from signposted cycle routes (provided you have a good command of map reading). Due to the scale of 1: 50,000, the maps are not suitable for the complete planning of a longer cycling holiday, otherwise you have to take a whole stack of maps with you.

literature

Germany-wide information

  • Book "RadFernWege Germany" - The overview volume from Esterbauer publishing house presents 74 of the best-known and most popular cycling routes in Germany. The individual routes are shown with a brief profile. A more detailed route description presents the landscape and sights. Attention: The volume cannot replace a detailed bike tour guide (Bikeline series), as published by Esterbauer. The book is updated every few years. Here are the dates of the 9th expanded edition from 2009:ISBN 3-85000-098-2 ; Price: € 12.90; Format: 22 x 12 cm; 400 pages; inserted overview map of Germany; Paperback binding.
  • Germany's most beautiful long-distance cycle paths. - 25,000 kilometers and 50 cycle paths between the coast and the Alps. 3rd edition, Verlag Bruckmann, Munich 2014, ISBN 978-3-7654-5046-4 , € 29.95, Thorsten Brönner. In the 288-page book, each route is described on richly illustrated pages: brief information, altitude profile, route, highlights and tips. Extra: - With GPS tracks for every tour to cycle afterwards - With a modular system: long-distance cycle paths can be combined as desired.
  • Germany's most beautiful river bike paths. - 15,000 fantastic river kilometers from the edge of the Alps to the North Sea beach. 2nd edition, Verlag Bruckmann, Munich 2014, ISBN 978-3-7654-5107-2 , € 29.95, Thorsten Brönner. Each of the 50 routes is described on richly illustrated pages: brief information, altitude profile, route, highlights and tips. Extra: - With GPS tracks for every tour to cycle afterwards - With a modular system: long-distance cycle paths can be combined as desired.
  • The big book of long-distance cycle routes. - The most beautiful bike trails in Germany between the coast and the Alps. 1st edition, Verlag Bruckmann, Munich 2014, ISBN 978-3-7654-6547-5 , € 32.99, Thorsten Brönner.
  • Brochure "Discover Germany by bike" - The A4 format booklet appears every two years and is published by Deutschland Tourismus in cooperation with the ADFC. The brochure is available free of charge in the ADFC branches and from many bicycle dealers, but can also be ordered from the ADFC for a flat shipping fee of five euros (by transfer form after receipt). All routes can also be found on the ADFC website at www.adfc.de/reisenplus.
  • ADFC guide "Long-distance cycle routes in Germany", by Thomas Froitzheim and Frank Hofmann, Bielefelder Verlag GmbH & Co.KG (BVA), - Brief description of the routes, schematic detail maps, separate overview map of Germany. Data of the 10th edition from September 2007: ISBN 978-3870734299 ; Price: € 15.95; Format: 18.6 x 12.8 cm; 288 pages

Radwanderliteratur Germany-wide - publisher overview

This article lists some publishers that publish cycling literature (cycling maps, guides, etc.) for Germany. The overview does not claim to be complete.

Web links

Germany-wide associations

Other worth reading, Germany-wide bike pages

(please do not insert any pages from bike tour operators or brokers here)

Usable articleThis is a useful article. There are still some places where information is missing. If you have something to add be brave and complete them.