The Elbe Cycle Route has been a cult favourite for decades. Now it’s set to be made fit for the future. That’s why the ambitious ‘Elbe Cycle Route Goes Future’ project is being launched, which aims to fundamentally develop the legendary D-Route 10 over the next few years. And the best bit is: cyclists can play an active part in shaping the future of their favourite route.
Anyone who has ever cycled along the Elbe knows that there’s something special about this route. It stretches for around 1,300 kilometres from its source in the Czech Krkonoše Mountains to its mouth on the North Sea, passing sandstone cliffs, vineyards, medieval towns and vast floodplain landscapes. No wonder that, according to the latest ADFC cycle tourism analysis, the Elbe Cycle Route remains Germany’s busiest and most popular long-distance cycle route – and has been for more than 30 years.
Have your say: The big Elbe Cycle Route survey
The project kicks off with an extensive user survey. Two teams are out and about until the start of September, speaking directly to cyclists along the entire route. Anyone who would prefer to take part from the comfort of their sofa can do so until 31 October 2026 do online – at umfrage.elberadweg.de.
The questions the project team is exploring are refreshingly direct: What draws you to the Elbe Cycle Route? How do you plan your trip? What annoys you, and what do you love? And what needs to change to make the route even better?
“If you stop improving, you’ve stopped being good,” says Heike Grunow, who is leading the project. The experienced tourism manager knows that the world keeps turning, even for a cycling classic: user expectations are changing, digital information and booking processes are becoming more important, competition amongst long-distance cycle routes is growing – and at the same time, local authority budgets are becoming tighter. All of this makes it necessary to take an honest stock of the situation.
What happens next – the roadmap up to 2029
The survey is only the first step in a process spanning several years. In parallel, the project team is analysing the infrastructure along the route and assessing the economic impact of the cycle path on the neighbouring municipalities – an important basis for future investment decisions.
From 2027, the findings will be incorporated into a revised brand strategy and the relaunch of the website www.elberadweg.de . Finally, a large-scale online marketing campaign is planned for 2028, aimed at raising awareness of the Elbe Cycle Route amongst an even wider audience.
There is a substantial budget behind the project: A total of 581,300 euros is being made available as part of the federal funding programme ‘Development and Expansion of the German Cycle Network’ – 75 per cent of which is provided by the federal government, with the remainder covered by the three regional project partners from Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein. The project will run until the end of 2029.
For everyone who loves the Elbe Cycle Route
Whether you’re a casual cyclist, a weekend cyclist or a bikepacking enthusiast looking for your next big adventure: the survey is open to anyone who knows and uses the Elbe Cycle Route – whether as a daily commute, a leisurely ride or a trip lasting several days.
“It really is a great opportunity,” says Heike Grunow. “We warmly invite cyclists from all over Germany to take advantage of this opportunity and help shape the future of their Elbe Cycle Route.”
About the survey: umfrage.elberadweg.de (until 31 October 2026)
