Cycling on the Rhine
Along the Rhine there is a signposted Rhine cycle path, in many areas even on both banks.
Velo Europe has divided the Rhine into several stages, which are a suggestion for possible overnight stays.
These points have been chosen according to the following criteria.
- The confluence of a tributary and the possibility of a change of direction
- Cities with a certain size and infra-structure, railway station, accomodation and other offer.
The Velo Europe stages in Switzerland
The stages in Switzerland start at the Hinterrhein from CH- Andermatt to Disentis, about 32 km and from Disentis to Chur, about 66 km.
The stages on the Vorderrhein from CH-Splügen via Thusis to Chur.
Then follow the stages on the Alpine Rhine from Chur to Sargans, approx. 32 km and from Sargans to A-Bregenz approx. 67 km.
In the next section the Rhine flows through Lake Constance - see under Options on - to - from Lake Constance
The stages on the Hochrhein from CH-Stein am Rhein to Schaffhausen (Rhine Falls) approx. 20 km and on from CH-Schaffhausen to CH- Koblenz approx. 51 km
At Koblenz the largest tributary of the Rhine, the Aare and the following stage is the last within Switzerland up to the VEP Basel approx. 70 km.
The Velo Europe stages in Germany
From Basel follows the section of the Upper Rhine with the stages from CH- Basel to D-Neuenburg am Rhein, approx. 45 km, Neuchâtel to Breisach and on to Kehl / Offenburg, together approx. 110 km.
At Offenburg/ Kehl the Kinzig flows from the east into the Black Forest and here lies the next VEP, the capital of Alsace, Strasbourg.
The next stages are from Strasbourg to Lauterbourg, about 70 km, from Lauterbourg to Speyer and on to Mannheim.
In Mannheim the Neckar flows from the east into the Rhine.
Afterwards from Mannheim to Mainz (via Speyer/Worms): about 92 km - here the Main flows from the east and the section of the Middle Rhine begins.
The stages at the Middle Rhine begin with Mainz to Koblenz (via Bingen/Lahnstein) : approx. 103 km, at Lahnstein the Lahn flows from the east and at Koblenz the Mosel from the west.
The last stages now on the Middle Rhine from Koblenz to Bonn as well as from Bonn to Cologne (VEP)
The stage follows from the largest city on the Rhine from D-Cologne to the North Rhine-Westphalian capital Düsseldorf ( VEP ) with approx. 54 km.
From Düsseldorf the Niederrhein follows with the stages from Düsseldorf to Duisburg.
In Duisburg the Ruhr flows from the east and from Duisburg it continues to Xanten. After Xanten we cross the border to the Netherlands on the stage from Xanten to NL-Arnheim with about 69 km.
The Velo Europe stages in the Netherlands
On the Dutch side along the Nederrijn from NL-Arnheim to Utrecht : approx. 79 km
From Utrecht then the option along the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal and Vecht - Amstel to Amsterdam ( VEP ) : approx 45 km
or from Utrecht to Rotterdam.
Alternatively from Xanten alternatively at the Waal with the following stages from D-Xanten to NL-Nijmegen approx. 59 km, NL-Nijmegen to Zaltbommel approx. 53 km and NL-Zaltbommel to Rotterdam: approx. 71 km
The last part up to the mouth into the North Sea then from Rotterdam to Hook van Holland, approx. 31 km
