Eurovelo 15 Along the Rhine to Rotterdam

[catpat]

I'm interested in cycling at least part way along the Rhine but am keen not to hire a bike, nor join a tour, but to take may own. I'm keen to get the ferry across to Hook of Holland and then get a train to a suitable start point and cycle back to Holland. Apart from taking a fold up bike, which I'm not keen on either, has anyone got suggestions of where to get a train to and how best to do it? Man in Seat 61 site says bikes can go on trains from Amsterdam to several German cities but they are many miles away from the route. That site does suggest phoning the German railway company to book train tickets with bikes. Anyone done this or can offer tips? Many thanks, Catherine

[Cyril Haearn]

The db website is good, choose IC (not ICE) trains, IC trains take bikes, trains go from Amsterdam to Berlin, with one change you can get another IC to Mainz or Karlsruhe
Lots of ICs go up the Rhein, it is a great train ride, you can recce the route before riding it

[yutkoxpo]

It's easily done. Originating in NL I caught the train to Arnhem, switched in Dusseldorf for a train to Bern. However, due to poor weather I got off in Basle and did a lap of the Bodensee / Lake Konstanz rather than go to the source.

I organised my tickets through the international arm of the Dutch railway service (NS International). Amazing service, although the bike had to be booked by speaking to an operator - I think online chat will work for outside the country.

There was one hiccup when a couple got on well after me with bike reservations, one of which was for my space - sorted out by the conductor, but that was compensated for by being allowed to bring my bike on Dutch trains during the (normally prohibited) rush hour due to me having an international ticket.

On a side note, not all areas along the Rhine are as pleasant for cycling as others. There have been previous threads about that.

Good luck!

[Andrew-l]

I'd been looking at doing this, but without starting in Netherlands.

Eurostar to Paris, then TGV to Basle, then local trains.

Seems doable, with the slight annoyance of needing to bag your bike for the Paris-Basle leg (I did this in reverse last year and it was OK in a slightly crazy way!)

[Aquila]

I have a flight booked at the end of August to Dusseldorf, then i hope to train down to Mainz and cycle Eurovelo 15 back to Ijmuiden, ferry home.

I have checked German trains (https://www.bahn.de/en/view/index.shtml ) and it appears straight forward to book a bicycle even on ICE trains, The Dutch national train website has this https://www.ns.nl/producten/en/onbeperk ... skaart-dal

[Richard Fairhurst]

I'd been looking at doing this, but without starting in Netherlands.

Eurostar to Paris, then TGV to Basle, then local trains.

Seems doable, with the slight annoyance of needing to bag your bike for the Paris-Basle leg (I did this in reverse last year and it was OK in a slightly crazy way!)

You can take a TER from Paris Est to Mulhouse, which is a few miles from Basel, without bagging your bike or even booking. I'm thinking of doing this (I've done the source to Basel already) when lockdown is over. And stopping-train France has a certain appeal of its own.

[mjr]

I'm keen to get the ferry across to Hook of Holland and then get a train to a suitable start point and cycle back to Holland. Apart from taking a fold up bike, which I'm not keen on either, has anyone got suggestions of where to get a train to and how best to do it?

Utrecht! Before the crisis, there were many EuroCity and ICE trains operated by Deutsche Bahn and Swiss Bundes Bahnen all the way up the Cologne-Koblenz-Basel route, many carrying bikes. I've not tried booking that one but have booked other tickets from the websites of NS Intl and DB.

I'd either make your first day riding a nice 50ish miles to Utrecht or ride 13ish miles up the famous Duinweg to The Hague Central for a direct train (unreservable, bike needs a ticket, only 6 per half-hourly train). If you can spare a few minutes, riding through the middle of their parliament palace is a cobbled giggle.

[ossie]

I'm interested in cycling at least part way along the Rhine but am keen not to hire a bike, nor join a tour, but to take may own. I'm keen to get the ferry across to Hook of Holland and then get a train to a suitable start point and cycle back to Holland. Apart from taking a fold up bike, which I'm not keen on either, has anyone got suggestions of where to get a train to and how best to do it? Man in Seat 61 site says bikes can go on trains from Amsterdam to several German cities but they are many miles away from the route. That site does suggest phoning the German railway company to book train tickets with bikes. Anyone done this or can offer tips? Many thanks, Catherine

I've done EV15 from Hook to the Swiss border so might be able to suggest a suitable starting point for your return to the Hook.

Working north on your proposed return route the truely 'scenic' part is roughly from Bingen to Konigswinter / Bonn and this is unmissable (but its actually quite a short stretch).The area south of Bingen gets a bit samey and Industrial and dare I say boring. I'm not sure of your daily mileage or time allowance but if you took the train to Mainz as a start point and cycled back to the Netherlands / Hook you would have a trip of 300 miles along the EV15. This would encapsulate the lovely scenic part, then up to Bonn / Koln a bit of industry up around Dusseldorf / Duisburg (but safe riding and quite fascinating) then the glorious section up to Rotterdam via Nijmegan and Dortrecht.

Best of luck.

[catpat]

Thanks for all your comments, you're all helpful!
Looking to go next summer with a bit of luck.
After I'd posted it I looked at Bahn.de site and found I could easily book with bikes from Rotterdam to Konstanz, although at least 3 changes I think. Reasonable to pretty cheap prices too.
I'd therefore now get the ferry across to Hook of Holland, which actually can work well for me, and then cycle not far to Rotterdam for the trains.
If I head back from Konstanz, would I be missing a great chunk of fab scenery? I get the impression I wouldn't be ans so Konstanz does seem a good place to start. Not too bothered about not starting at the pass near the Rhine source though.
Plodder of a cyclist, would take my time, and not camp.
Thanks everyone

[Jdsk]

If I head back from Konstanz, would I be missing a great chunk of fab scenery? I get the impression I wouldn't be ans so Konstanz does seem a good place to start. Not too bothered about not starting at the pass near the Rhine source though.

Yes, you'll miss being high in the Alps.

We started at the source. And if I had to truncate one end it would be the north rather than the south.

Jonathan

[mjr]

then cycle not far to Rotterdam for the trains.

The route to Rotterdam station is 8km longer, more urban and more traffic lighty than the one to The Hague's, plus I think The Hague Central is normally easier to find (but last year three roadworks diversions slowed us): from Hook, take LF1 northbound (I think it's 1a but check) to junction 37 then LF4 to the station.