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Alpine Rhine Trail: Salez to Widnau

Alpine Rhine Trail: Salez to Widnau

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Alpine Rhine Trail: Salez to Widnau

Recommended by 53 cyclists out of 61

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Location: Altstätten, Wahlkreis Rheintal, St. Gallen, Eastern Switzerland, Switzerland

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Top cycling routes to Alpine Rhine Trail: Salez to Widnau

4.6

(37)

438

riders

1. Illspitz Bridge – Illspitz mouth of the Rhine loop from Altach

58.0km

03:17

100m

Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.6

(38)

382

riders

2. Wiesenrain Bridge – Alpine Rhine Trail loop from Schaan-Vaduz

66.4km

03:47

120m

Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.3

(27)

313

riders

3. Jenins Village and Church – Historic Old Town of Maienfeld loop from Heerbrugg

115km

06:39

390m

Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Expert

Tips

Paul

May 18, 2025

Rhine Route / Stage 4: Buchs – St. Margrethen
The St. Gallen Rhine Valley is a landscape often blessed by the warm foehn winds. Much of the land was reclaimed during the Alpine Rhine's river course corrections. This created Europe's largest freshwater delta with a rich birdlife.
After the bustling regional center of Buchs, the route heads toward Werdenberg, the "smallest town in Switzerland." It is said to have just under 60 inhabitants and is home to the oldest timber-framed settlement in the country. Surrounded by lush meadows and framed by the Alvier Range and the Kreuzberg Mountains, the route continues toward Schlosswald. With the exception of the floodplain forests, this is the only remaining forest area in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley. The population's deforestation frenzy was once great.
You feel grand and sublime at the top of the dam, overlooking the 1,320-kilometer-long Rhine. Sweating cyclists can hardly find a shady spot along the Alpine Rhine. Not so for the local wildlife: Over decades, a habitat network of nutrient-poor meadows, small bodies of water, and woodland has been created for them. Stepping stone biotopes between the Rhine landscape and fens in the valley floor, as well as the motorway bridge with screens, enable wildlife migrations across the river and the A13.
Perhaps the name Diepoldsau sounds familiar. Wasn't there something? In 1923, the course of the Rhine was shortened again with the so-called "Diepoldsauer Durchstich" (Diepoldsau Cut). This created the Old Rhine near Diepoldsau with its charming loop. Today, this can be divided into four sections: "Rheinspitz," "beim Zoll," "Matz," and "Rohrspitz." They are connected by small streams. Excess water drains through a shaft into the "Diepoldsauer Kanal" flowing below. As early as 1892, Austria and Switzerland established the International Rhine Regulation (IRR) with an interstate treaty. The primary objective of the agreement is to ensure flood protection along the approximately 30-kilometer stretch between the mouth of the Ill River near Rüthi (SG) and the extension into Lake Constance.
Text / Source: schweizmobil.ch
schweizmobil.ch/de/veloland/route-2/etappe-4

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Elevation 480 m

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Tuesday 4 November

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Max wind speed: 7.0 km/h

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Location: Altstätten, Wahlkreis Rheintal, St. Gallen, Eastern Switzerland, Switzerland

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Rhine River Near Ruggell

Alpine Rhine Trail: Salez to Widnau

1. Illspitz Bridge – Illspitz mouth of the Rhine loop from Altach

2. Wiesenrain Bridge – Alpine Rhine Trail loop from Schaan-Vaduz

3. Jenins Village and Church – Historic Old Town of Maienfeld loop from Heerbrugg

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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