On 21 November 1997, EuroVelo, the European cycle route network, was launched in Logroño, Spain. Back then the EuroVelo initiative was a mere vision of a dream to connect Europe by bike. But fast forward to the present, 25 years later, it now consists of 17 long-distance cycle routes crisscrossing and uniting the entire European continent, with over 90,000 km of cycle routes of which 64% are ready to use. Who could have guessed that the EuroVelo dream would become so successful?

Launch Conference of the EuroVelo network in 1997

One of the original aims of developing a European cycle route network back in the 1990s was to lay the foundations for developing cycling tourism in Europe, and generate positive impacts for economies, society and the environment.

EuroVelo is a living project. Every year the overall quality of the network improves and new sections are realised thanks to a coordinated effort between the network of National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators (NECC/Cs), developing and communicating the routes at the national level, and ECF’s EuroVelo Management Team working at the transnational level. Every three years, partners can also apply for new extensions to be added to the network.

EuroVelo is the backbone for cycling tourism across Europe, allowing countries to use the routes as a reference to develop adjacent national, regional and local cycle networks, fostering cycling tourism to boost local economies and transforming the tourism sector to one that is greener, healthier and more inclusive.

The GPX tracks download button

Given that EuroVelo is a living project, not all sections of the network are fully developed so far. This is one of the reasons why GPX tracks of the routes were not previously available for download on www.EuroVelo.com. A lot of coordination, led by Florence Gregoire of the EuroVelo Management Team, has therefore been needed to find the best way to share the tracks of a 90,000 km cycle network still in development and subject to change over time.

But now, the GPX tracks download button is finally available on EuroVelo route pages and stage pages, with the ability to download GPX tracks either for developed sections only, or for the full EuroVelo route or stage (only the developed sections can be downloaded for the routes crossing France, Portugal and/or Spain). Downloaded tracks are made up of shorter sections (the suggested “daily sections”) of about 50 km. For each of them, the “route development status” is indicated in the track segment’s name: route sections can be certified, marked with EuroVelo signs, developed according to national standards, under development or at the planning stage. When downloading EuroVelo GPX tracks it is required to read the disclaimer, which includes a description of the development statuses as well.

Checking tracks on EuroVelo 1 - Atlantic Coast Route in Donegal County, Ireland - © Jimmy O'Brien

If you are planning a shorter trip or if you wish to combine EuroVelo and other cycle routes in your exploration of a region, you can also find downloadable GPX tracks on many national cycling platforms. Browse the "country per route" pages on www.EuroVelo.com to find relevant websites. When GPX tracks corresponding to the national section of a EuroVelo route are available for download, the link is included in the introductory text.

To read in more detail about where the GPX data has been sourced from and current disclaimers as to its use please read the full EuroVelo announcement article here.

EuroVelo 25th Anniversary and ECF’s ongoing TEN-T Campaign for #MoreCycling

After all these years of coordinated efforts, the vision of a European cycle route network has become a European success story and we will be celebrating the 25 years of EuroVelo with an online event on 25 November 2022. Stay tuned for further updates by signing up to EuroVelo.com’s newsletter.

The EuroVelo long-distance cycle route network turns 25 this year!

Revision of the TEN-T guidelines

Meanwhile, ECF’s campaign to ensure cycling earns its rightful place within the European Union’s flagship transportation network policy, TEN-T, continues. Including cycling in the network would improve the connectivity, efficiency and sustainability of TEN-T across the continent. It would also unlock access to new funding for cycling projects. As things stand, not only is cycling being overlooked but is being actively hindered, as cycle routes are often obstructed by TEN-T projects. This is damaging to our collective efforts to encourage a modal shift away from carbon-intensive transport to sustainable alternatives, such as cycling.

Following a detailed analysis, ECF has identified 7,861 locations across Europe where the EuroVelo routes run along or across roads, railways or inland waterways constituting the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The total length of sections where a EuroVelo route overlaps with a TEN-T route adds up to nearly 10,000 km, showing the enormous potential of integrating cycling into the TEN-T.

Thankfully, the recent acknowledgement of the need for more cycling by high-level European officials has been a welcome step in the right direction that has the potential to accelerate the further development of cycling across Europe. Nevertheless, more concrete action is required and we look forward to working with the European Commission and Parliament to ensure the stated ambitions are realised.