(image courtesy of http://www.peakcyclelinks.org.uk/)

The international cycle route along the River Elbe in the Czech Republic and Germany is one of the most famous and popular cycle routes in Europe.  One of its sections forms part of EuroVelo 7 – also known as the Sun Route. Cycling tourists who have already experienced it might already know that there is a train line following a similar path, linking the Czech capital of Prague to the German city of Hamburg, via Berlin. This is very convenient for tourists who want to get riding on the Sun Route with their own bikes.

Cyclists’ organisations therefore cautiously welcomed news last month that Czech Railways (ČD)[1] had come to an agreement with German railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) for the order of new trains for this route, which will all include space for complete bicycles.

Currently, there are only two Eurocity trains a day that have space for bicycle carriage along this important route.  As Daniel Mourek of the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation explains: “There are capacity problems for travellers with bikes. Cyclists going along the Elbe Cycle Route have to reserve a space for their bikes three months in advance because of the limited capacity and even then they may not be able to find spaces left on the day that they want”. This creates stress.   

Consequently, Mourek has had to suggest that people take alternative, indirect services to link Prague to Berlin: “I often have to recommend people to take regional trains instead because although they are slower and the journey requires two or three changes, they have much higher carrying capacity than the EuroCity trains. EuroCities might be luxurious, but they do not adequately provide for cyclists.” This is a widespread issue in European rail transport, where regional trains usually provide plentiful cycle carriage but international services often lag behind.

Rail companies are missing out on a significant number of customers.  Just on the southern section of the route, on either side of the Czech / German border, an estimated 160,000 cycle tourists pass through every year and around half a million daily cyclists use the route as well.  It has been estimated that they generate an average turnover of €90 million ever year.   When you consider that almost half of the cycle tourists along the Elbe trail use the train to get to or from this popular trail (which is consistently voted amongst the best in Germany) it is clear that it is in the interests of the rail companies to do more for people that want to combine bike and rail travel on their holidays.

From December 2015 things will be improved, as 6 pairs of EuroCity trains with space for bicycles will run between Prague and Hamburg.  Although Prague is not actually located on the Elbe, understandably many people decide to start or end their journey in the Czech capital, as it only requires a 60 km detour, along another important river, the Vltava (Moldau) trail.

Whilst ČD have confirmed that there will be space for bicycle carriage on their new trains, there are no details as yet about how many spaces will be available.  Mourek thinks that an industry standard should be developed and he is clear that due to the importance of this route and the sheer number of cycle tourists coming to the region, it would easily justify providing space for 15-20 bicycles per train. 

So, whilst ECF welcome this positive development for rail transport and cycle tourism in the region we shall have to wait and see exactly how supportive ČD intend to be.