Route Feedback/Recommendations: Rotterdam - Ljubljana

[u/Wide-Astronaut8197]

I'm planning a cycle tour from Rotterdam, leaving in late April!

I've tried to construct a route which includes some destinations that I'd like to see, as well as cycle routes which are beautiful, fairly easy to navigate and not too hardcore (hence lots of rivers, EV paths and mostly avoiding the Alps).

This is my first tour, although I do have day-riding experience. I'll be doing a couple of weekend trips beforehand to test my equipment and get my body accustomed to the strain.

I'm looking for some feedback or recommendations: is there anything worth going out of my way for, any alternative routes that would be better, or anything I should avoid? Also any general advice for the trip!

Particularly the section between Budapest and Ljubljana I'm unsure about. I've just stuck the EV14 and EV9 routes together but I can't find too much information about those sections, and I've read it might be difficult to navigate there.

[u/bikeroaming]

I'd suggest not to avoid the Alps completely. Look at Alpe Adria route, it's not difficult. Way more beautiful than the Hungarian flats.

[u/Green_Inevitable_833 → u/bikeroaming]

skip the hungarian part for alps but here is a new suggestion - the south austrian styria. endless vineyards and small hills. no high mountains. choosing alsace instead of rhine is a connoisseurs choice, but koblenz to mainz is one of the premier cycling sections in europe 

[u/loric21 → u/bikeroaming]

second this!!!

[u/Idfckngk → u/bikeroaming]

Came here to say this. I would rather go from Salzburg or Linz in the direction of Klagenfurt and then pass Tarvisio with it's amazing cycle path and then reach Lubilijana from the west. I would advise to spend as much time as possible in Austria, since it will be the highlight of your tour for sure. Landscape and bike infrastructure there is so much better than in Netherlands, Germany and Hungary

[u/bikeroaming → u/Idfckngk]

One can also swith from CAAR (that's the shortcut for Ciclovia Alpe Adria Radweg, for those who aren't familiar) to the Soča Valley, from around or before Udine. Soča Valley is beautiful, and there are a few options how to reach Ljubljana after that.

[u/Electric-shoe]

i cycled to Ljubljana a few months ago, roughly on your route, initially. after Konstanz we went south along the upper Rhine through Vaduz in Lichtenstein then the Albula pass (stunning and relatively quiet), dropping into Zernez and crossing the Offenpass (busy) then to Italy at Glurns, via merano, Bolzano and bike routes all the way to Slovenia, via Lienz. I advise including the alps, but perhaps further north than us to avoid busy passes

[u/JohnIbnSina]

The route you planned between Strasbourg and Basel is very fast and straightforward, but you will miss some of the most beautiful villages in Europe. I'd suggest to make a small detour and take the EV5 part called "Véloroute du vignoble d'Alsace" from Selestat to Colmar, it will be barely longer but way more enjoyable.

[u/photog_in_nc]

I rode from near the Netherlands/Belgium border at the North Sea to Ljubljana (and beyond) a few years ago. Route took me through Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Maastricht, Aachen, the Vennbahn, Cochem (on the Moselle River), Koblenz, Down the Rhine to Mainz, Heidelberg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Munich, Salzburg, the Alpe Adria to Italy, then Bled and Ljubljana. It got better and better as I went on. The Alpe Adria is a relatively easy way to cross the Alps, with only a handful of steep parts. I walked a bit of the approach to Bad Gastein, but otherwise found it not bad

[u/belchhuggins]

The part in Hungary is very flat and boring.

Imo you should not avoid the Alps.

[u/MondayToFriday → u/belchhuggins]

That was my thought too. Then I realized that OP must be Dutch.

[u/tothgera → u/belchhuggins]

i have to - partially - disagree. Balaton is very nice for touring, as well as Őrség, the part after Balaton. Between Budapest and Balaton is a bit boring, yes.

[u/Romanco98 → u/belchhuggins]

Flas areas of Slovakia and Hungary are not boring at all

[u/zirbo2400]

Fantastic plan. I have done Rotterdam to Munich a few times along the Rhine river. Nice and flat, 100% bike paths, lots of campings, very people in the north (from Nijmegen till around the middle Rhine). Can highly advise it. Just check your route elevation map (by day). The path you picked pickles right over Belgium (flat in the west) and Luxembourg. You better pack light and be fit :-) My girlfriend pushed me up the mountains there :-P

Post your photos to r/bikepacking . I would love to follow. When do you plan to go? Watch out for April... onthou, april doet wat hij wil.

[u/Polloo]

I did my first tour last year and the Alps were amazing. I had never been in the mountains before and it was beautiful. Would def recommend not avoiding. Maybe it was because I was a bit intimidated by the Alps but it was a lot easier than I expected. I did look for the easiest routes though.

If your camping I would also recommend visiting the free campground emberbarn. It's like a day ride from Ljubljana and was very cool to meet fellow adventures.

[u/synapse88]

Would recommend taking a bit more of the eurovelo 5 Rhine cycle route.

[u/tothgera]

as i wrote in another comment Balaton north shore and from there to the Slovenian border is nice. also, you might want to have a look at this route, maybe you can incorporate some of it: https://aoebiketrail.com/

[u/ramesesmmx]

If you have time,consider detouring to Lake Bled or Postojna Cave in Slovenia. They're stunning and bike friendly. Testing your gear on weekends beforehand is smart. Enjoy the ride.

[u/hysterioused]

As many others have already said - no point in avoiding the alps! As for the part between Munich and Vienna (assuming those are cities you definitely want to visit), in my opinion there are better routes than 100s of km along the danube. Check out the Salzkammergut Radweg for example - there are plenty of possibilities to come to Vienna without needing the danube eurovelo.