Rail-trails as a special form of green ways have become very popular during the last decades. In several European countries ambitious rail-trail programs have been established (in Spain, the francophone region of Belgium or as a part of the National Cycle Network in the United Kingdom for instance). All in all some thousand kilometers of converted railway lines are used as valuable cycle routes today.
Several regional, national and European authorities and organizations promote the development of green ways.
Railway cycle-paths in Europe
(Click on the flags for further information.)
| country | number of trails (open) |
planned trails | last update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 15 | 1 | 06.01.2008 |
| Belgium | 52 | 14 | 24.08.2008 |
| Czech Republic | 2 | — | 03.08.2007 |
| Denmark | 16 | 1 | 31.08.2008 |
| France | 90 | — | 09.08.2008 |
| Germany | 454 | 58 | 31.08.2008 |
| Ireland | 2 | — | 12.07.2008 |
| Italy | 19 | 5 | 25.04.2008 |
| Luxembourg | 8 | — | 05.11.2006 |
| Netherlands | 60 | — | 16.03.2007 |
| Norway | w | — | 09.08.2008 |
| Poland | 3 | — | 20.01.2007 |
| Portugal | 6 | 9 | 31.08.2008 |
| Slovenia | 2 | — | 24.11.2007 |
| Spain | 78 | 2 | 01.03.2008 |
| Sweden | 11 | — | 28.06.2007 |
| Switzerland | 8 | 2 | 06.01.2008 |
| United Kingdom | 85 | — | 26.08.2007 |
| other countries: world-wide | |||
Usefull links:
Top trails in Germany
List of tunnels and viaducts
Every trail in this directory is characterized using the following scheme (maximum set of items):
Country code and running number Name of the cycle path: Location
 |
Short characterization, usually with information about the importance of the trail (local, regional, national); only trails I have visited are rated with up to four bikes |
| Synonyme: | Other names used for the cycle path, different spelling |
| Streckenlänge (einfach): | Length of the trail (one way), sometimes with the length of sections using the former embankment |
| Höhenprofil: | Altitude at the start, end and distinctive points of the trail |
| Oberfläche: | Surface (asph. = tarmac, wg. = non tarmac) |
| Status / Beschilderung: | Access restrictions (traffic signs: road closed for motorized vehicles, cycle path, foot path), sign posts (local or as a part of a long distance cycle route) |
| Kunstbauten: | Former railway tunnels, bridges or viaducts now open for cycling |
| Eisenbahnstrecke: | Number of the railway line / course; length of the railway (gauge in mm) |
| Eröffnung der Bahnstrecke: | Opening of the railway |
| Stilllegung der Bahnstrecke: | Closure of the railway: last passenger [Pv] / freight [Gv] train, official date of abandonment (”Stilllegung”), dismantling of the rails |
| Eröffnung des Radwegs: | Opening as a cycle path |
| Planungen: | Sections that will be established as cycle paths in the future |
| Überbauung: | Sections with buildings on the embankment or gaps in the former infrastructure |
| Veranstaltungen: | Public cycling events |
| Radbus: | Special busses for bike transport parallel to the rail-trail |
| Am Rande: | Sights along the trail (art, remarkable information sites) |
| Route: | Detailed course of the trail |
| Warnung: | Dangerous parts or crossings |
| Details: | Links (this website) concerning the same cycle path: route information, photos or overlays for the “Top 50″ CD-ROM (maps) |
| Verweis: | Links (this website): route information when the rail-trail is part of a long distance cycle route |
| Externe Links: | Links (other websites) about the rail-trail or the former railway |
