Down the Romantic Rhine, a short bike trip

A collection of sights, experiences, and tips from three days by bike

Welcome! Here I am journaling a little bike tour I went on two weeks ago 2 months ago, following the Rhine river downstream along a section of Eurovelo 15. Yes, this article was chilling in my drafts folder for quite some time.

Background

First, a short recap since my last entry. Winter was gray and windy, school was busy, and my foot was injured. That probably sounds like a list of excuses.

Anyway, new year's resolutions were made and I was itching to take my "new" bike out for a little trip. School took off a week for Carnaval, so it was the perfect chance to go out and see something new. Well, maybe not quite perfect; as it was, the weather was still a bit too chilly, and the scenery still looked too brown. But we make do with what we're given, I suppose.

Train Booking Tips

If you are a human like me who doesn't enjoy completely disassembling your bike and putting it in a box, one of the best options to travel is by train. But it is by no means easy to navigate the maze of rules across different rail agencies and train types in Europe. For example, in Germany you should buy not just a bicycle ticket valid for the whole day, but also a bicycle reservation on each InterCity leg. In the Netherlands you only need a bike ticket, but you're not allowed on during peak hours. And they mean any time during peak hours, unlike ticket prices which only count the moment you check in. Unless it's summer, then you can ride whenever you want.

It is helpful to read resources such as Seat61 to find something that works. The German Railways (Deutsche Bahn) has an advanced search that will let you specifically find trains that take bikes, and you can book bike tickets through the app as well. Note that in theory you should print out reservations and put them on your bike when it is mounted in the car. In practice I'm not sure anyone will check.

Click "further options" on bahn.com

Another option is to take the FlixBus. Some buses have a bicycle rack mounted on the back (but also only in the summer).

Travel to the start

The EuroCity 9 train runs once a day, following the Rhine from Essen to Zürich, Switzerland. I had read the account on Seat61 and its amazing panoramic view, available bike racks, and service by the legendary Swiss railways made it seem perfect.

Inside the Eurocity 9 panorama car crossing a bridge

But I hadn't accounted for the cloudless skies and the direction of travel. Going south meant the sun baked the entire carriage like an oven, and the size of the windows left no room to escape the glare. Hadn't thought of that!

Mannheim 🚴🏻 Mainz

Day 1 of the route was fairly well-marked, though leaving the industrial city of Mannheim can be a bit disorienting. You may want to download route files from this guidebook's web site to avoid getting lost.

The first half of the day's route loosely followed the river, but often there was a dike blocking the view of the water. The terrain was flat and Worms is famous for its diet, so it's a good spot to stop for lunch (haha...). After Worms, the roads quiet down and the ride becomes more enjoyable, with separate trails all the way to Mainz.

Turned on my camera to catch this baby deer! It was the last one of a small herd

Mainz 🚴 Koblenz

I didn't particularly enjoy navigating out of the big city the day before, so this time I gave myself a little headstart by taking the train a few stops to Bingen. This section of the route, from Bingen to Koblenz, is known as the Romantic Rhine, and the little villages along the way definitely remind you of that with their signage.

Back in the day, the people detested these castles for taxing river traffic and hoarding wealth. Recorded here is the Mouse Tower, which hides a gruesome past.

Legend has it this rock, called Lorelei, bewitches sailors and causes them to crash. Or is it a case of male ego preservation?

Of course, the scenery is worthy of the name, especially the portions where you can see the twists and bends of the Rhine as it carves out a valley with hills on both sides.

Once again, the path is entirely separated, though some parts are near a highway so it gets a little bit loud (unless you're used to American traffic, then it's negligible).

Halfway there, I stopped at a cozy little cafe in Boppard, where the owner very enthusiastically explained the history of his shop (Cafe Baldeau) and served a delectable slice of carrot cake. A tasty treat, a warm coffee, and a relaxing view of the riverside; isn't that what bike touring's all about?

Koblenz 🚴 Bonn

My third day's ride went through a slightly more populated region than the last one, and the steep hillsides gradually gave way to flatter terrain.

A hungry American has come to town, on the hunt for some breakfast!

Beware! A bridge on the west bank near Sinzig was washed out. Thus I had to make quite a detour, but luckily another pair of riders ran into the same issue and I followed them around.

Map of the location and detour

After that section, I spotted a ferry and decided to take it to see if the grass really is greener on the other side. It cost 1 euro to bring myself and my bike on the very short crossing. Turns out it's not too different overall other than the shade coming from a different angle. This east side of the river took me to Königswinter, where the attractive Drachenburg Castle looms over the town.

From there, Bonn quickly comes into view, and with it the end of my day.

To be continued?

I had planned to continue further, but unfortunately woke up sick with a fever (I wonder what it was...) and returned home the next day. Well, I did try to tough it out and rode over 30 kilometers until I was shivering nonstop and feeling awful. Until next time then!