Balkan Route Opladen–Burscheid – Bergisches Land Rail Trail loop from Leverkusen-Manfort
Balkan Route Opladen–Burscheid – Bergisches Land Rail Trail loop from Leverkusen-Manfort
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Balkan Route Opladen–Burscheid – Bergisches Land Rail Trail loop from Leverkusen-Manfort
02:29
55.3km
490m
Road cycling
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.
Last updated: June 10, 2026
Tips
Your route passes through protected areas
Please check local regulations for:
Waypoints
Start point
Train Station
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6.33 km
Trailhead of the Balkantrasse in Opladen
Highlight • Cycleway
Translated by Google •
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6.44 km
Balkan Route Opladen–Burscheid
Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway
Translated by Google •
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18.3 km
Bergisches Land Rail Trail
Highlight • Cycleway
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20.1 km
Balkantrasse
Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway
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28.6 km
Restaurant Neuemühle
Highlight • Restaurant
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30.1 km
Ascent to Emminghausen
Highlight (Segment) • Climb
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43.5 km
Romberg Tunnel
Highlight • Structure
However, Romberg would then be cut off from the outside world for weeks, if not months. Considerations to temporarily use a few dirt roads during this time failed because the fire brigade and ambulance always have to rush to an emergency via the shortest possible route.
And that wouldn't have been fun for the garbage disposal or the Rombergers themselves either. So the city, which had “inherited” the bridge from Deutsche Bahn decades ago, decided to fill in the natural stone arches with soil.
The neighboring town of Burscheid had already done the same with the Jahnstraße bridge, although at that time there was no talk of a cycle path. In the Romberg case, the development association spoke up in good time before a decision was made and pointed out that the route users had to have a way of overcoming the obstacle. Preferably without ramps, because they are difficult to manage.
The solution can be seen in Romberg and consists of a sheet steel tube that was screwed together from many individual segments. The tunnel was fixed with gravel poured in at the side, on the ground and at the very end thin concrete. The whole thing was then planted, and only the upper ends of the brick arches can be seen of the bridge itself.
The costs were around 210,000 euros, while the bypass to Romberg alone would have cost around 300,000 euros while the bridge was being repaired. The “emergency solution” is also economical.
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48.3 km
Opladen Station — Entrance to the Balkan Trasse
Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway
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55.3 km
End point
Train Station
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
39.1 km
11.9 km
3.43 km
511 m
157 m
126 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
50.6 km
4.39 km
182 m
< 100 m
< 100 m
< 100 m
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Elevation
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Weather
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Friday 10 July
31°C
15°C
0 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 15.0 km/h
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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.
Comments
A recommendation to everyone who likes to travel the Balkan route is to leave the route in between to look at the villages to the left and right.
On the way back from Wermelskirchen I had some rapid descents, such as …
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