{"id":7860,"date":"2026-10-23T07:15:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T05:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/eurovelo-cycle-routes-europe"},"modified":"2026-10-23T07:15:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T05:15:09","slug":"eurovelo-cycle-routes-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/en\/eurovelo-cycle-routes-europe","title":{"rendered":"EuroVelo: the 17 cycle routes that cross Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.sayna-article .quick,.sayna-article .tip{background:#f4f7fb;border-left:4px solid #467AFF;border-radius:8px;padding:14px 18px;margin:20px 0}.sayna-article .tip{background:#fff7ef;border-left-color:#ff7900}.sayna-article .h{font-weight:700;font-size:1.05em;margin-bottom:6px;color:#0a0a0b}.sayna-article table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;margin:18px 0}.sayna-article th{background:#eef1f7;text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;font-weight:700;border-bottom:2px solid #dfe3ec}.sayna-article td{padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #eef1f7}.sayna-article .faq details{border-bottom:1px solid #e5e8ee;padding:4px 0}.sayna-article .faq summary{font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;padding:9px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box{background:#fff5ec;border:1px solid #ffd8b0;border-radius:12px;padding:22px;text-align:center;margin:26px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box a{display:inline-block;background:#ff7900;color:#fff;padding:12px 26px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:700;margin-top:8px}<\/style>\n<div class=\"sayna-article\">\n<div class=\"quick\">\n<div class=\"h\">\u26a1 In brief<\/div>\n<p>The <strong>EuroVelo<\/strong> network has <strong>17 cycle routes<\/strong> and more than <strong>90,000 km<\/strong> across Europe, with over 55,000 km already fully developed and signposted. Most are <strong>cross-border<\/strong>: a single route often strings together 3 to 10 countries. The routes that follow a river, such as EuroVelo 15 (the Rhine), are the flattest place to start. Over several weeks and several borders, one eSIM keeps you connected without swapping cards.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\"><span class=\"h\">Stay connected on arrival<\/span> Set up your <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/europe\">eSIM for Europe<\/a> before you go: 100% online activation, no physical SIM to swap.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<nav aria-label=\"Contents\" class=\"toc\">\n<div class=\"h\">Contents<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#network\">The EuroVelo network at a glance<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#table\">The 17 routes in one table<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#easy\">Where to start: the most accessible routes<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#long\">The big crossings for seasoned riders<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#borders\">Crossing borders: what changes<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#connected\">Staying connected for weeks on end<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<p>Riding from the North Sea to the Mediterranean on a waymarked route, without ever spending more than a few seconds working out where to turn: that is what EuroVelo promises. Behind the name sits the largest cycle network in the world, built to link countries together rather than loop around a single city.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the 17 routes reviewed, the ones to begin with, the ones that need a real plan, and the thing most riders forget while packing the panniers: how to stay reachable and well oriented when you change country every two or three days.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"network\">The EuroVelo network at a glance<\/h2>\n<p>EuroVelo has been coordinated by the European Cyclists&#8217; Federation since 1995. The founding idea fits in one line: standardise the signposting and the quality of routes that already exist at national level, so a rider can string borders together without rebuilding everything each time.<\/p>\n<p>The network is aiming for more than <strong>90,000 km<\/strong> once finished, close to 92,500 km across the 17 routes. More than 55,000 km are already fully developed, and over 42,000 km carry EuroVelo signs in 26 countries. In plain terms, most of the network is ready, and the rest moves forward every year.<\/p>\n<p>One detail catches people out: there are <strong>17 routes, but the numbering runs up to EuroVelo 19<\/strong>. Numbers 16 and 18 do not exist. Odd numbers tend to run north to south, even numbers east to west, and a few form loops around a sea.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"table\">The 17 routes in one table<\/h2>\n<p>Here is the full network, with the start point, the end point and a landmark to place each route.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Route<\/th>\n<th>Itinerary<\/th>\n<th>Good to know<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV1<\/strong> \u00b7 Atlantic Coast<\/td>\n<td>North Cape (Norway) \u2192 southern Portugal<\/td>\n<td>The ocean edge, cliffs and beaches<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV2<\/strong> \u00b7 Capitals<\/td>\n<td>Galway (Ireland) \u2192 Moscow<\/td>\n<td>Links several capital cities<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV3<\/strong> \u00b7 Pilgrims<\/td>\n<td>Trondheim (Norway) \u2192 Santiago de Compostela<\/td>\n<td>Joins the Compostela network<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV4<\/strong> \u00b7 Central Europe<\/td>\n<td>Roscoff (France) \u2192 Kyiv<\/td>\n<td>Crosses the continent west to east<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV5<\/strong> \u00b7 Via Romea (Francigena)<\/td>\n<td>London \u2192 Rome, then Brindisi<\/td>\n<td>Follows the medieval pilgrim way<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV6<\/strong> \u00b7 Rivers<\/td>\n<td>French Atlantic coast \u2192 Constan\u021ba (Romania)<\/td>\n<td>Loire, Rhine, Danube: 10 countries, about 3,650 km<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV7<\/strong> \u00b7 Sun<\/td>\n<td>North Cape \u2192 Malta<\/td>\n<td>One of the longest, about 7,400 km<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV8<\/strong> \u00b7 Mediterranean<\/td>\n<td>C\u00e1diz (Spain) \u2192 Athens, Izmir, Cyprus<\/td>\n<td>The busiest route in the network<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV9<\/strong> \u00b7 Baltic-Adriatic<\/td>\n<td>Gda\u0144sk (Poland) \u2192 Pula (Croatia)<\/td>\n<td>From the north to the Adriatic Sea<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV10<\/strong> \u00b7 Baltic Sea Cycle<\/td>\n<td>Loop around the Baltic Sea<\/td>\n<td>A circuit through 9 countries<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV11<\/strong> \u00b7 East Europe<\/td>\n<td>North Cape \u2192 Athens<\/td>\n<td>Finland, the Baltic states, the Balkans<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV12<\/strong> \u00b7 North Sea Cycle<\/td>\n<td>Loop around the North Sea<\/td>\n<td>United Kingdom, Scandinavia, mainland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV13<\/strong> \u00b7 Iron Curtain Trail<\/td>\n<td>Barents Sea \u2192 Black Sea<\/td>\n<td>Follows the old East-West divide<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV14<\/strong> \u00b7 Central Europe Waters<\/td>\n<td>Austria and Hungary<\/td>\n<td>Lakes and thermal rivers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV15<\/strong> \u00b7 Rhine Cycle Route<\/td>\n<td>Andermatt (Switzerland) \u2192 Hoek van Holland (Netherlands)<\/td>\n<td>1,450 km, ideal for beginners and families<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV17<\/strong> \u00b7 Rh\u00f4ne (ViaRh\u00f4na)<\/td>\n<td>Andermatt (Switzerland) \u2192 Mediterranean<\/td>\n<td>815 km in France, from Lake Geneva to the sea<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>EV19<\/strong> \u00b7 Meuse Cycle Route<\/td>\n<td>Langres (France) \u2192 North Sea<\/td>\n<td>Follows the Meuse through Belgium and the Netherlands<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 id=\"easy\">Where to start: the most accessible routes<\/h2>\n<p>If this is your first long tour, pick a route that follows a river. The terrain is gentle and resupply is easy, because towns grew up along the water.<\/p>\n<p>My first choice is still <strong>EuroVelo 15, along the Rhine<\/strong>. Over long stretches the gradient stays at 1 to 2 percent, villages come every few kilometres, and the signposting is among the most complete in Europe. You can ride just a week of it, say between Strasbourg and the Romantic Rhine valley, and lose nothing.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>EuroVelo 6<\/strong> (along the Loire then the Danube) and <strong>EuroVelo 17, the ViaRh\u00f4na<\/strong>, sit in the same category: flat, well equipped, made for a family cycling holiday. The ViaRh\u00f4na has the bonus of heading towards the sun, from Lake Geneva down to the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"long\">The big crossings for seasoned riders<\/h2>\n<p>Other routes need a real project, sometimes several summers. <strong>EuroVelo 8<\/strong>, the Mediterranean, hugs the coast from C\u00e1diz to Greece and beyond: it is the busiest route in the network, superb out of season, punishing in high summer heat.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>EuroVelo 7<\/strong>, the Sun Route, links North Cape to Malta over close to 7,400 km through wildly varied terrain. The <strong>EuroVelo 13<\/strong>, the Iron Curtain Trail, traces the old border between East and West from the Barents Sea to the Black Sea, as much a history lesson as a physical challenge.<\/p>\n<p>Few riders tackle these in one go. Most swallow a section, head home, then pick up the following year where they stopped. The network is designed for exactly that.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"borders\">Crossing borders: what changes<\/h2>\n<p>This is the real signature of EuroVelo: you almost never stay in a single country. EuroVelo 6 passes through ten. And not every border feels the same once you check your phone.<\/p>\n<p>Inside the European Union, your plan works the way it does at home. But several major routes run through countries that sit <strong>outside the EU roaming area<\/strong>: Switzerland on EuroVelo 15 and 17, Serbia on EuroVelo 6, the Western Balkans on EuroVelo 8, the United Kingdom on EuroVelo 2 and 12. There, a standard plan can trigger high charges with no warning.<\/p>\n<p>The trap is sharper on a bike because you move slowly. You can cross a border in open countryside, with no customs post and no sign, and only notice when the bill lands. Checking the status of each country you pass through before you leave saves the nasty surprise.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"connected\">Staying connected for weeks on end, across several countries<\/h2>\n<p>On a EuroVelo tour the phone works all day: following the track, finding the evening stop, checking the weather before a climb, telling family you arrived safely. When the trip lasts weeks and keeps changing country, the connection becomes a real question.<\/p>\n<p>Downloading the track and offline maps in advance sorts out basic navigation. For the rest, booking a full night&#8217;s stay, checking today&#8217;s forecast, staying reachable, you need data that follows the bike from one country to the next.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than hunting for a SIM card at every border, activate an <a class=\"cta-inline\" href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/europe\">eSIM for Europe<\/a> before you set off. One eSIM covers the continent and switches automatically to the right network when you change country, including on sections outside the European Union.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"h\">\ud83d\udca1 Worth remembering: planning a EuroVelo tour<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>To start out, choose a river route (EuroVelo 15, 6 or 17): flat and well served for food and lodging.<\/li>\n<li>Download the GPX track and offline maps before you leave.<\/li>\n<li>List the countries you cross and flag those outside the EU roaming area (Switzerland, Serbia, the Balkans, the UK).<\/li>\n<li>Carry one eSIM that covers the whole continent, so you never swap cards at a border.<\/li>\n<li>Keep a power bank: GPS navigation drains a phone in a day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>With Orange, the service from a provider with <strong>over 300 million customers<\/strong>, you ride with peace of mind: <strong>200+ destinations<\/strong> covered, human support <strong>24\/7<\/strong>, and <strong>100% refunded<\/strong> if you never use your eSIM.<\/p>\n<div class=\"cta-box\">\n<p>Ready to cross Europe by bike without swapping cards at every country?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/europe\">Discover the Orange Travel Europe eSIM<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<section aria-label=\"Frequently asked questions\" class=\"faq\">\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>How many EuroVelo routes are there?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">The network has 17 routes, numbered up to EuroVelo 19 (there is no EV16 or EV18). Together they add up to more than 90,000 km once complete, with over 55,000 km already fully developed and ridable.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Which EuroVelo route is the easiest?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">The routes that follow a river are the flattest. EuroVelo 15, along the Rhine, keeps gradients of 1 to 2 percent over long stretches and is the best choice for a first tour or for riding with children.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Do EuroVelo routes cross several countries?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Yes. Most routes are cross-border. EuroVelo 6 passes through 10 countries between the Atlantic and the Black Sea, and some sections leave the European Union, such as Switzerland and Serbia.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Do you need a different eSIM in each EuroVelo country?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">No. One Orange Travel Europe eSIM covers the continent and switches automatically between networks when you change country, including on sections outside the European Union. You keep the same data access for the whole route.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Can you follow a EuroVelo route offline?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Yes, by downloading the track and maps in advance in a cycling navigation app. A data connection is still useful for the weather, booking each night&#8217;s stop and staying reachable over several weeks.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":7859,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"EuroVelo: the 17 cycle routes that cross Europe | Orange Travel","_seopress_titles_desc":"EuroVelo: 17 cycle routes and over 90,000 km across Europe. 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