The adventure cycle path "Erzbahntrasse" connects Bochum with Gelsenkirchen and crosses the green corridor D from south to north. The heart of the trail is the old ore railway, which was built in several sections between 1912 and 1929 to connect the companies to the Rhine-Herne Canal. The southernmost and thus youngest connection was the Stahlwerk Bochumer Verein on the site of today's Westpark and the Bochum Centennial Hall. The decline of the ore railway took place in the 1960s when the mines were closed. From 2002 to 2008, the railway line was expanded into a cycle path. It offers the opportunity to cycle, jog or hike almost without crossings from the Bochum Centennial Hall to the Hoheward Landscape Park or at least to the Rhine-Herne Canal. This is achieved in particular through the restoration, renovation or new construction of former bridges.

The western starting point forms the southern starting point around the Bochum Centennial Hall. Here at kilometer 0.0 is the so-called Erzbahnschwinge, which is to be understood as the entrance gate to the route, the first of three particularly spectacular bridge constructions. In a very special S-shape, the cycle path runs over the railway and road at the same time and is held in place by only two slanting pylons and steel cables. In 2003 the 130 m long bridge, which had been planned by the architect Prof. Schlaich, was opened. After crossing the A40 motorway for the first kilometer, the next section initially runs in a less than idyllic way between high fences through industrial areas in Bochum.
ruhrgebiet-industriekultur.de/erzbahntrasse.html

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DiDo Schropa

October 13, 2017

Photos show the south end of the path in Bochum West Park with the Jahrunderthalle, formerly Hüttenwerk Bochumer Verein.

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Bennet

June 9, 2025

Perfect for heating up with the gravel bike.

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Details

Informations

Distance 5.53 km

Uphill 50 m

Downhill 30 m

Weather

Monday 8 December

15°C

11°C

0 %

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Max wind speed: 16.0 km/h

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Location: Ruhr Region, Münster District, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

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