Saale Cycle Path — 9 stages from the source of the Saale to the Elbe
Saale Cycle Path — 9 stages from the source of the Saale to the Elbe
© Saaleradweg e.V. | V.Grätsch.jpg
Saale Cycle Path — 9 stages from the source of the Saale to the Elbe
Cycling Collection by Saaleradweg
9
days
1-3 h
/ day
418 km
2,770 m
3,430 m
The Saale Cycle Path takes you from Bavaria to Saxony-Anhalt on over 400 kilometers (250 miles) of breathtakingly beautiful bikeways. Starting in the Fichtel Mountains in Upper Franconia, it winds you alongside the Saale river to the cities of Jena and Naumburg—leading you to the point where it joins the Elbe near Barby.
Along the cycle path, you'll find countless accommodation options, such as hotels, guesthouses and campsites. As the regions is fairly popular amongst cyclists, these places are also specially prepared for the specific needs of bikepackers/long-distance tourers. You will also find many restaurants, cafés, beer gardens and wineries as well as beautiful resting places in the middle of nature where you can enjoy a quick rest stop or picnic while you ride. Allowing you to cut the ride short should you suddenly need to head home, you'll also pass numerous train stations which will allow for a quick getaway from any of the individual ride stages.
To get to the start of the ride, you can take the train to Münchberg, which is about nine kilometers (six miles) from the source of the Saale. If you don't want to cycle this section, you can also start the first stage at Seulbitz, where there is a train station, and skip the first 15 kilometers (9 miles). At the end of the Saale cycle path, you can simply continue down the road a little further until you get to Schönebeck. From here, you can take the train to wherever you're headed—whether that be back home or off to your next adventure.
If, after all this biking, you're not quite done yet, you can also combine the Saale cycle path with other long-distance bike routes, such as the Unstrut Cycle Path and the Elbe Cycle Path. You can find our Collections detailing these potential add-ons here:
komoot.com/collection/547/unstrut-cycle-path-4-days-through-thuringia-and-saxony-anhalt
komoot.com/collection/380/elbe-cycle-path-part-i-cross-border-cycling-pleasure
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Activities
- Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
02:22
36.6km
15.5km/h
220m
460m
IntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The Saale Cycle Path begins at the source of the Saale in the Fichtelgebirge, and you can cycle it in nine stages. The first stage takes you 34 kilometers from the source of the Saale to Hof.
The tour starts with a beautiful descent through the forest, which brings you to the edge of the Fichtelgebirge
Translated by Google •
by Saaleradweg
- Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
02:07
30.0km
14.2km/h
360m
410m
IntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.Today's stage takes you from Hof to Blankenstein and, at 29 kilometers, is shorter than the previous stage, but also a bit hilly.
In Hof it starts out flat. You cycle along the Saale out of the city, where a beautiful field and meadow landscape welcomes you. The Jean-Paul-Weg takes you through an idyllic
Translated by Google •
by Saaleradweg
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- Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
03:15
45.7km
14.0km/h
530m
670m
ExpertExpert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.On the 44-kilometer stage from Blankenstein to Ziegenrück it is hilly again today, but the landscape is all the more spectacular.
From Blankenstein you cycle to the mouth of the Lemnitz in the Saale. From there you follow the increasingly wider Saale, which is dammed a few kilometers further down. Over
Translated by Google •
by Saaleradweg
- Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
02:52
43.1km
15.0km/h
670m
740m
Ferry
ExpertExpert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The route includes a crossing by ferry.Today it is 42 kilometers that will take you from Ziegenrück to Saalfeld. The route has a similar characteristic to the previous stage: some hills, a beautiful reservoir and breathtaking scenery.
From Ziegenrück you drive around a loop of the Saale over a small hill. The path leads you mainly through
Translated by Google •
by Saaleradweg
- Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
03:24
58.6km
17.3km/h
220m
290m
IntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.The 57 kilometers from Saalfeld to Jena are mostly downhill today, with only a few short climbs that will make you sweat.
The cycle path from Saalfeld meanders along the Saale via Volkstedt and Rudolstadt until it continues through wide fields and meadows parallel to the river. Meeting the Saale again
Translated by Google •
by Saaleradweg
- Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
02:58
51.2km
17.3km/h
220m
230m
IntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.Today you cycle 49 kilometers from Jena to Naumburg. You pass through the Saale-Unstrut wine-growing region. This stage is all about leisurely cycling, because you have the opportunity to try the delicious wines along the way.
After you leave Jena, you find yourself in a beautiful landscape characterized
Translated by Google •
by Saaleradweg
- Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
03:46
62.6km
16.7km/h
280m
310m
IntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.Today it's 60 kilometers from Naumburg to Halle an der Saale. The route leads you through beautiful nature, but also through many urban sections when you pass cities such as Weißenfels, Merseburg and the foothills of Halle.
After Naumburg, you can first cycle comfortably along the banks of the Saale and
Translated by Google •
by Saaleradweg
- Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
03:25
58.8km
17.2km/h
230m
240m
Ferry
IntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The route includes a crossing by ferry.You cycle 58 kilometers on the penultimate stage of the Saale Cycle Path from Halle to Bernburg. The cycle path leads through the unique landscape of the "Lower Saale Valley" nature park.
Behind the gates of the city you have a beautiful view of the Brachwitz Alps nature reserve, which impresses with
Translated by Google •
by Saaleradweg
- Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
01:50
31.8km
17.3km/h
60m
80m
Ferry
EasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The route includes a crossing by ferry.Today is the last stage on the Saale Cycle Path, which will take you from Bernburg to the mouth of the Saale on the Elbe. At 31 kilometers, it is one of the shorter and also one of the flattest stages of the bike tour. A really nice end to enjoy.
From Bernburg you roll along the banks of the Saale in
Translated by Google •
by Saaleradweg
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Collection Stats
- Activities9
- Distance418 km
- Duration25:59 h
- Elevation2,770 m3,430 m
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