The Elbe Cycle Route

After 3 years since they ‘temporarily’ ceased carrying cycles because of covid, Eurostar have begun carrying them again, but with a very limited service and with conditions of carriage that are not attractive to touring cyclists. Before covid, all trains to Paris and Brussels carried up to six cycles, two fully assembled and four dismantled, in specially designed fibreglass bike cases. Eurostar provided the cases and tools to dismantle/reassemble bikes in an area dedicated to this procedure.

The reinstated service carries bikes only on trains to Paris (not Brussels) on selected departures from London between 07.55 and 15.31 or from Paris between 11.13 and 18.13. Fully assembled bikes are not being carried. Four dismantled bikes can be carried, but cyclists must deliver their bikes already boxed to the baggage counter in either London or Paris. Pre-booking is compulsory and riders must now travel on the same train as their bikes. After completing the journey, boxes must be collected directly from the train and cycles reassembled on the platform.

This is far from ideal, and until Eurostar fully reinstate their previous cycle carriage policy, cyclists are recommended to take their bikes by plane, ferry or Euroshuttle when heading to the European mainland. The situation could potentially change.

The Cycling UK website www.cyclinguk.org has a page dedicated to Eurostar cycle carriage policy, which is updated regularly to contain any new information.

The guide was researched and written in summer 2019. Printing and publication was planned for 2020, but this was delayed by the covid pandemic. The subsequent lock-down and restrictions on foreign travel may have affected the provision of services listed in the guide and you should always check locally.

A few short infrastructure changes have occurred since the book was written. All of these changes have been incorporated in the downloadable gpx folder.

Stage 7 (p102). A new cyclist bridge has replaced the Bukol–Lužec ferry.

Stage 8 (p112) A new section of riverside cycle track has been constructed between Záluží–Dobříň. At crossroads in Záluží, go straight ahead and follow road winding through village. Turn L beside house 1 on asphalt cycle track and follow this to reach Elbe. Turn L on riverside cycle track and continue past Kozlovice. Where track ends, turn L up boat ramp and follow road (Přívozu) to centre of Dobříň.

Stage 14 (p152) A sluice has been rebuilt between Losswig–Torgau causing the route to be diverted onto a new asphalt cycle track along the flood dyke above the sluice. After going ahead R at a crossing of tracks, follow track turning sharply R then L to reach flood dyke and continue ahead to Hafenbrücke bridge.

Stage 19 (p189) Reconstruction of the flood dyke at Schartau has been completed and the route follows this past the village. The map on p188 shows the new route, however local waymarking still directs cyclists onto the old route through Schartau.

Stage 29 (p249), excursion to Kugelbake. The route out of Cuxhaven to Grünstrand beach has been amended to follow a road rather than passing along the harbourside and through a series of carparks. From Am Alten Haven, do not fork R towards red-brick lighthouse; rather follow road (Cassen-Eils-Strasse) bearing L in front of modern apartment building. Pass entrance to Helgoland ferry terminal R, then just before road turns sharply L over flood dyke, fork R on cycle track towards harbourside to re-join original route and continue past Grünstrand beach