Rail to trail - 14 great railway cycle routes in Europe [2026]

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These are the best bike routes in Europe that were once railway lines, but today they welcome cyclists. Sometimes, you can still spot old train stations or railway bridges, beautifully repurposed as part of the cycling infrastructure. Most of these routes can be found in Italy, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland, where former railway corridors have often been transformed into high-quality cycling routes.

The most beatiful railway cycle routes we've explored:

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All photos by Simon Thread, Cycling Thread.

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Alpe-Adria Bicycle Route (Alpe-Adria Radweg) - Austria, Italy

The Alpe-Adria Bicycle Route uses around 60 kilometres of the former Pontebbana railway between Tarvisio and the northern outskirts of Udine. The old railway alignment provides gentle gradients and long traffic-free sections through the valleys below the Julian Alps, making this one of the route's most comfortable stages. Much of the former trackbed has been converted into a smooth asphalt cycle path, with impressive railway bridges and numerous tunnels preserved along the way. Former stations have also survived, with several buildings reused as cafés, restaurants or convenient stops for cyclists.

More: Alpe-Adria Bicycle Route in Italy

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Hessen Railway Cycle Route (Bahnradweg Hessen) - Hesse, Germany

The Hessen Railway Cycle Route crosses eastern Hesse on a network of former railway lines, linking almost 300 kilometres of cycling between the Vogelsberg, Rhön and neighbouring regions. It combines six routes, including the Vulkanradweg, Vogelsberger Südbahnradweg, Milseburg-Radweg, Ulsterradweg, Kegelspielradweg and Solztalradweg. Long traffic-free sections, gentle railway gradients and good surfaces make much of the route comfortable despite the hilly landscapes around it. The 1,172-metre Milseburg Tunnel, old stations, bridges and railway cuttings accompany a journey through forests, volcanic landscapes and quiet countryside.

More: Hessen Railway Cycle Route in Germany

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Brenner-Bolzano Cycle Route - South Tyrol, Italy

The Brenner-Bolzano Cycle Route crosses South Tyrol from the Austrian border at Brenner towards Bolzano, descending for almost 100 kilometres through the Alpine valleys. Long sections use the alignment of the former Brenner Railway, which was partly replaced during modernisation of the railway corridor in the 1990s. The old trackbed gives cyclists gentle gradients and several comfortable traffic-free stretches, while other parts follow local roads and cycle paths through towns and valleys. Railway tunnels, bridges, sweeping curves and the almost continuous descent towards Bolzano makes the route particularly accessible for cyclists wanting to experience an Alpine crossing without major climbs.

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Calavon Cycle Route (Véloroute du Calavon) - Provence, France

Véloroute du Calavon follows a former railway corridor across the Luberon in Provence, with its main section running between Cavaillon and Saint-Martin-de-Castillon. The largely traffic-free greenway passes vineyards, orchards and lavender fields, while nearby hilltop villages add many possibilities for sightseeing detours. Former stations and railway bridges recall the original function of the corridor, and the route also crosses the impressive Roman Pont Julien. Mostly gentle gradients and good surfaces make it one of the easiest ways to cycle through this otherwise hilly part of Provence. The route forms part of EuroVelo 8, connecting its railway heritage with a much longer Mediterranean cycling journey.

More: Calavon Cycle Route in France

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Cycling Route around the Tatras (Szlak rowerowy wokół Tatr) - Poland, Slovakia

The first major section of the Cycling Route around the Tatras runs from Nowy Targ towards Trstená in Slovakia, using more than 40 kilometres of a railway line closed in 1989. The former trackbed provides gentle gradients and a largely traffic-free ride through the foothills, with broad views towards the Tatra Mountains. Two restored steel railway bridges over the Wielki Rogoźnik and Czarny Dunajec are among the most distinctive reminders of the old railway. Former stations and railway structures are accompanied by cyclist rest areas with shelters, benches, racks, maps and information boards. 

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Burgundy South Greenway (Voie Verte de Bourgogne du Sud) - Burgundy, France

The Burgundy South Greenway connects Chalon-sur-Saône and Mâcon through the wine landscapes of southern Burgundy, using substantial sections of former railway infrastructure. Much of the route is a classic French voie verte, separated from motor traffic and designed for comfortable recreational cycling. Gentle railway gradients lead between vineyards, small villages and historic towns, with frequent opportunities to explore the region's wine and architectural heritage. The combination of quiet cycling infrastructure and the rolling scenery of Burgundy allows riders to cross a hilly region without facing the climbs found on many surrounding roads.

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Val di Fiemme Bicycle Route - Trentino, Italy

The Val di Fiemme Bicycle Route uses sections of the former railway that once connected Ora in the Adige Valley with Predazzo and Cavalese, before closing in 1963. One of its most characteristic stretches climbs from Ora towards San Lugano, where the old railway alignment keeps gradients relatively gentle despite the surrounding mountains. Gravel surfaces, broad curves and a sequence of switchbacks reveal how the railway gradually gained height above the valley. Several former railway tunnels remain on the route and are equipped with automatic lighting, while openings between them provide wide views across South Tyrol and Trentino.

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Coal Line Route (Kolenspoor) - Flanders, Belgium

The Coal Line Route follows the industrial heritage of Belgian Limburg, where a railway once connected the region's seven coal-mining municipalities and their mine sites. The planned F75 corridor runs from Beringen towards Genk, As and Maasmechelen, gradually transforming the former railway into a modern cycle highway. A new 12-kilometre section between Genk and As opened in 2025, offering a wide, smooth and almost entirely traffic-free cycling path. Along the way, mining heritage is mixed with forests and former industrial landscapes, with places such as Thor Park and the old station at As close to the route. The project combines preserved railway traces with some of the newest cycling infrastructure in Flanders.

More: Flanders Route in Belgium (coming soon) 👇

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Krumme Pauline (Krumme Pauline) - Brandenburg, Germany

The Krumme Pauline was a narrow-gauge railway that once crossed the Havelland countryside between Rathenow and Nauen, winding between villages on its way across western Brandenburg. Today, parts of the former railway alignment are incorporated into the Havelland cycling network, with the clearest railway sections found towards Ribbeck and Nauen. Around 12 kilometres of a roughly 50-kilometre Rathenow-Nauen cycling connection run directly on recognisable sections of the former railway. Ribbeck, associated with Theodor Fontane and its famous pear-tree story, adds a well-known cultural stop to the railway-themed ride.

More: Historic Town Centres in Germany (coming soon) 👇

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Old Railway Route (Stary Kolejowy Szlak) - West Pomerania, Poland

The Old Railway Route crosses West Pomerania on a network of cycling sections created largely on dismantled railway lines between the Baltic coast and the region's inland towns. Its main corridors connect places including Kołobrzeg, Karlino, Połczyn-Zdrój, Złocieniec and Wałcz, with long traffic-free stretches through forests and open countryside. Old stations, bridges and other traces of railway infrastructure appear along the way, while small towns and spa landscapes provide additional sightseeing interest. With a total network of around 250 kilometres, the route is one of Poland's most extensive examples of railway infrastructure adapted for cycling.

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Ryszard Szurkowski Bike Path (Ścieżka rowerowa Ryszarda Szurkowskiego) - Lower Silesia, Poland

The Ryszard Szurkowski Bike Path is one of the best-known railway cycle routes in the Lower Silesian Cycling Land, running through the landscapes of the Barycz Valley. Its original section leads from Grabownica through Milicz to Sułów Milicki and Gruszeczka on the former Żmigrodzko-Milicka County Railway. Extensions use another disused railway corridor towards Żmigród and Prusice, creating around 43 kilometres of cycling completely separated from car traffic. Flat terrain, good surfaces and long forest sections make the route comfortable for both touring and recreational cycling. Railway heritage accompanies the ponds, forests and protected natural landscapes for which the Barycz Valley is particularly well known.

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Bregenz Forest Route (Bregenzerwald Radweg) - Vorarlberg, Austria

The Bregenz Forest Route in Vorarlberg includes a particularly attractive railway section between Egg and Doren, following the former Bregenzerwaldbahn for more than 20 kilometres. The old narrow-gauge railway corridor leads through the deeply cut valley of the Bregenzerach River, away from most road traffic and settlements. Much of this section has a gravel surface, while the gentle railway alignment makes riding through the mountainous landscape considerably easier than the surrounding terrain might suggest. Forests, rock faces, river views and surviving traces of railway infrastructure give the route a secluded character.

More: Bregenz Forest Route in Austria

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EuroVelo 10 - Pomorskie, Poland

A particularly attractive section of EuroVelo 10 in Pomorskie uses the former railway line between Swarzewo and Krokowa, close to Poland's Baltic coast. The traffic-free path follows gentle railway curves through the countryside, making the inland connection between Krokowa and the area around Puck comfortable and easy to ride. Along the way, cyclists pass several historic manor houses and estates, including those in Kłanino, Sławoszyno, Starzyński Dwór and Łebcz. The former railway corridor adds a quiet rural contrast to the busier seaside sections of the international route.

More: EuroVelo 10 in Poland

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Iron Bicycle Route (Żelazny Szlak Rowerowy) - Cieszyn Silesia, Poland

The Iron Bicycle Route crosses Cieszyn Silesia in southern Poland, using several sections of former railway infrastructure around Jastrzębie-Zdrój and neighbouring communities. Around 15 kilometres of the route run on disused railway corridors, interrupted mainly by a small number of crossings with public roads. The old trackbeds provide gentle gradients, wide curves and long stretches separated from motor traffic, creating comfortable conditions for recreational cycling. Railway bridges, cuttings and other surviving elements of the industrial landscape add character to a route that also connects green areas and towns near the Czech border.