With Cycling Destination, we are here to help you. For example, with finding your ideal cycling holiday destination. What's in a name. But we also look further. The increasing demand for sustainable alternatives to travel is a trend. It is no longer obvious that we just take the plane to sunny or other places. This is quite apart from all the vicissitudes of baggage and staffing problems at airports. But how do I get to my destination if I want to take a means of transport other than car or plane? Or maybe the plane is the only option. That, of course, is also possible. We list the possibilities with this cycling holiday travel guide.
Text: Sander Kolsloot
Car - where can I go?
The car was introduced in the early 20th century and has been the symbol of freedom ever since. You can get almost anywhere by car, although the summit of Mont Blanc remains a challenge. Now comes the question: what is travelable by car? Personally, I always follow a maxim: if Google Maps says something takes 10 to 12 hours, then for me that is the absolute max in a car. Even if you are driving with several people, 12 hours in a small space with luggage, on the road, with traffic jams is a big challenge. So if you want to spend a maximum of one day travelling then I always draw a radius of 12 car hours and that is the maximum achievable. I find the Dolomites (especially the journey towards Alta Badia) really on the edge.
Which destinations to do then?
- Netherlands, not to be underestimated
- Germany
- Belgium
- Luxembourg
- France (to the foot of the Pyrenees)
- Switzerland
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- Poland
- Denmark
- Liechtenstein
- Northern Italy: Dolomites, the Three Lakes, Piedmont.
- Monaco (not to be underestimated)
- Western Slovakia
- Great Britain: here you will have to choose either the tunnel or a night on the boat
- Norway: again, taking the boat from Eemshaven is an option
- South Sweden
Electric driving
Would you like to travel in an electric vehicle? Then the range gets a bit smaller. We already went in the direction of Switzerland with an electric van. Granted, our van had a small range and moderate loading capacity. But a trip of normally nine-and-a-half hours turned into one of 15 (!). We had no luck on the way back either. Then it's a long sit. You also depend on the charging network. This is well established in Germany, Switzerland and France, for example. Other popular cycling countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic still have challenges. Belgium is getting better, but in the Ardennes it's a search. Pay attention to that if you are in North Groningen leaves and wants to drive on to Luxembourg or north-east France (the Vosges). So prepare well for your trip and use your charging stations apps for proper planning.
Train
The train is making a nice comeback. If you keep an eye on travel news, you must have heard about the (re)introduction of some night trains. Hooray! I myself have tried a number of night trains and I must say that I find it a very pleasant way to travel. Then again, I live in Utrecht and from there you can get on the NightJet towards Germany and/or Austria. In addition, several (night) trains leave for Switzerland. I myself tried the night train towards Zurich and it literally ran 'like a train'. Currently, there are also night trains towards France and a number of routes are being redeveloped. For instance, European Sleeper now an overnight train on the Brussels-Amsterdam-Berlin-Prague route.
Yet travelling by train is not without its obstacles. For instance, you cannot take your bike on every train. Connecting to an onward journey can also be tricky. I will leave the price of a train journey aside for now, because a few handy tricks and facts will get you a long way.
Useful sites for train travel
- Locomocheap: this handy comparison site gives a quick insight into which trains are available in Europe and at what cost. You can then also book straight away 'at the source'. NS International's site is in fact hopelessly complicated and often not up to date.
- Ouigo.com: This site of the French SNCF offers almost ridiculously cheap tickets where you can ALSO travel with a bike. Prices for taking a (packed) bike are the same as on Dutch trains. But now you travel from Lille to Aix-en-Provence in four hours. There is also a variant for Spain!
- The Trainline: another handy site. Here you also have the option of travelling by BlaBlaBus or Flixbus. For the real bagpackers feeling.
- Omio also offers many options for good train connections.
- If you like going to the UK: There's a night train from London to Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Inverness and Penzance (in Cornwall).
Tips & Tricks
- The trains have different classes and modes of transport. You can book a seat on the night train, a sofa bed in a compartment of six or a real bed a private compartment or shared with two others. There is a price difference in this, of course.
- Please note that the beds not be taller than 1.90m. With my height of 1.93, this is tricky, but it works out exactly. In a hotel, not everything is fantastic either, not to mention the space in a plane.
- Check in advance Whether you can bring your bike. If not, arrange a rental bike on location. Sometimes you can take your bike on local trains. In Switzerland and Austria, this is possible on many routes, but with a reservation. You can also take your bike with you in a bike box.
- Think globally, rather than locally. We often reason from Amsterdam, Utrecht or another station within our national borders. While, for example Duisburg is a major ICE hub and from there the world is at your feet. Also BRUSSELS SOUTH is an important hub towards France. There you get on OUIGO trains, for example, and bypass Paris-Nord and the difficult transfer there. Extra tip: from Brussels-Midi you can be in Barcelona in 6 (!) hours!
- Be flexible. Trains can break down. Whereas with the car we often accept traffic jams or delays, with the train it is still sometimes a challenge. Make it a real trip and remember that it is a lot more relaxing travelling on the train instead of in the car. Plus: you'll get to places you wouldn't otherwise see!
Bike
In all the enthusiasm about modes of transport, we would almost forget the bicycle. After all, as explorer Nynke proved in her Article on Bikepacking adventure is at your doorstep. If you don't want to cycle directly from Breda to Rome, there are great alternatives. A bikepacking alternative is something to do in, say, a week. You can then join The Ride (gravel). Then you don't have to think about anything and travel there by bus and back by bike. You can also arrange this yourself by booking a train out somewhere and riding back by bike.
Another alternative is to ride a 'lap'. This can be done in several ways but the most convenient is to start at home and then finish back home in seven (or six with a rest day, or five with two rest days) stages. That could be, for example, a round Utrecht-Breda-Flanders-Walloon-Eifel-Arnhem-Utrecht. Or have a look at Ride Around for 'the real round of'.
Boat
The boat is an interesting option, especially towards England, Scotland, but also Scandinavia is a very nice alternative. The different options at a glance
- DFDS Seaways operates the famous sailing route from IJmuiden to Newcastle. From here, the 'Cold Dark North lies at your feet and you can continue your journey towards Scotland. This is always a night boat, with thus the choice of your own type of suite.
- Stena Line offers the opportunity to travel from Hook of Holland towards England. Either by day or night boat. A great solution for those who don't like tunnels or flying
- UPDATE: The Eemshaven-Norway ferry service is Bankrupt. But even with this one, it's 'think global'. Because just across the border you can still go up. Eemshaven-Norway. Scandinavia is at your feet if you want to go to Norway from Eemshaven. Holland-Norway lines offers relief with multiple crossings.
- There are other useful sites, such as 'the boat': FerryGoGo
- The bike cruise might sound corny to the younger generation, but it's obviously a great option for a relaxed way to get a lot further into Europe. Among others. Dreamlines, BoatBikeTours and TUI offer these options.
Aeroplane
We deliberately chose the plane as the last option in this list. I must say that after losing my bag twice, I have developed some reservations about flying. Apart from sustainability/CO2 emissions and other possible objections.
Still, in cycling country, there are destinations that are fantastic but can only be reached by plane, unless you go one day cycling and two three-day trips. Mallorca by boat and train is still a huge challenge. So here are some destinations that can and or should be reached by plane from the Netherlands:
- Canary Islands: Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria. Although you could always think of an alternative, it is practically almost impractical to go here by any means of transport other than the plane.
- Islands off the Mediterranean: Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sicily and Sardinia. Again, the plane is almost the only option. There is a good ferry service from Toulon, but then it already becomes a two-day leg.
- Greece, Central Europe (Hungary, Slovenia), Turkey and the Balkans. Also Cyprus is a challenge, to get over Romania and Bulgaria not to mention.
- Southern Spain and Portugal. Awkward by train and a really long drive by car. For a longer cycling holiday, you can do it with a stopover, but for a week or less it's not an option. Read the experiences of Ruth in Roquetas de Mar or our trips to Andalusia.
- All countries outside Europe. The US by cruise ship is possible, as is North Africa. But soon you are at the limits of what is practically possible. Asia could be done by very long night train. But then count on a week's travel. Taiwan, beautiful, but not doable.
Final thoughts
We have tried to make this article as careful as possible. Personal experiences may vary, like for example that one time you did 25h on a night train ride or that one time you drove from Utrecht to Croatia in exactly 12 hours. All possible, but we try to focus on times and estimates that are more 'average'. Do you have your own tips that fit these? Then put them in our comments. For now, have fun reading and travelling!
