Start: Maastricht

Your Itinerary


Vennbahn Self-Guided Cycling Holiday
Self-Guided | Individual | 8 days | 7 nights | From £729 per person
Full holiday prices by date are shown on the ‘Book Now’ tab.

Book the Vennbahn tour here >>

Tour Highlights

• Cycle along the River Meuse and the whole international route
• A real Tour of Europe taking in 5 countries!
• Ride along the excellent Vennbahn
• Explore World War II history
• Ride into Luxembourg
• Visit typical Ardennes villages and the Walloon region

About the Tour

What’s a Rail Trail? It’s when an old abandoned railway that has fallen into disrepair is transformed into a path for cyclists and pedestrians. The Vennbahn rail trail, one of the prettiest and longest in Europe, was officially opened to cyclists in the summer of 2013. One hundred and twenty-five kilometers long, it is the result of successful collaboration between Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the EU. It is seen as a milestone in the history of cross-border tourism. From 1885 to 1989 the Vennbahn railway connected the German town of Aachen to the town of Ulfingen (now Troisvierges) in Luxembourg.

Since 2013 tourists and locals alike have been zooming enthusiastically up and down the former railway through the hilly Eifel and Ardennes landscapes. Happily the maximum average incline is only 2% because trains couldn’t handle anything steeper. In 2014, at the Amsterdam Cycling and Hiking Fair, the Vennbahn was nominated Best Cycling Route of the Year 2014.

The approximate difficulty level for this tour

Difficulty Scale

Day-by-Day Cycling Holiday Itinerary


Day 1: Arrival in Maastricht (NL) or ´s Gravenvoeren (B)

Check-in in your hotel. By way of a welcome we have arranged for coffee/tea and Limburg pie for you. Take some time today to enjoy the oldest town in the Netherlands.

Day 2: Maastricht (NL) / ´s Gravenvoeren (B) – Eupen (B) / 59 km or 45 km

Soon after departure from Maastricht you are cycling in Belgium. Past ‘s-Gravenvoeren,and Hombourg you cycle to Raeren, where in a Castle a pottery museum is located. Continue your route to Eupen , the capital of the East Cantons. Enjoy the last 7 kilometres of today’s route ‘downhill’ direction Lake Eupen!

Day 3: Eupen (B) – Sankt Vith (B) / 60 km

Remarkably, nearly all of today’s route is closed to motorized vehicles. Climb gradually to a height of 660m above N.A.P. level, enjoying the natural beauty of the High Fens. From Kalterherberg on, the route follows the ‘Vennbahn’ cycling path. It’s an easy ride past Sourbrodt marshalling yard to Waimes; and then past Montenau artisanal ham smokery to Sankt Vith.

Day 4: Sankt Vith (B) – Clervaux (L) / 32 or 50 km

On the way to Luxembourg, still on the ‘Vennbahn’ cycling path, don’t miss the castle ruins of Burg Reuland. Shortly after, cross the border into Luxembourg to reach Troisvierges. At this point,choose either to catch a slow train to Clervaux or to cycle a splendid route with some stiff climbs and delightful descents!

Day 5: Clervaux (L) – Bütgenbach (B) / 65 km

Set off for the tri-point where Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany meet, near the village of Ouren. From there, cycle a lovely route through the Our Valley northwards past Schönberg. Leaving the River Our behind, climb to a height of 500m to enjoy wonderful views during the last stretch of the route to Bütgenbach.

Day 6: Bütgenbach (B) – Monschau (D) / 38 km

Take it easy today! Cross the dam at scenic Robertville Reservoir to reach the lively town of Robertville. The route then runs back into the High Fens and back to Kalterherberg. Revel in
breathtaking landscapes before arriving in the famous town of Monschau.

Day 7: Monschau (D) to Maastricht (NL) – ´s Gravenvoeren (B) / approx. 60 km or 75 km (bike) and 35 km (train)

On your final cycling day, head back from the centre of Monschau to the Vennbahn rail trail. A visit to the monumental town of Kornelimünster is a must. After a long descent you will reach the town of Aachen, once the centre of Charlemagne’s empire. From Aachen, it’s only a few kilometres to the border with the Netherlands and the Dutch town of Kerkrade. That is where you get on a train to Maastricht; and relax and enjoy while the hills of scenic southern Limburg glide by like a protracted panorama.

Day 8:

After a hotel breakfast, your holiday has come to an end. It’s time to make your own way home.

Map & Route Information

Leaving the Meuse Route behind, you will continue on a connecting route to the Vennbahn which starts in the Walloon region in the south of Belgium. The connecting route follows country roads past rolling cropfields and pastures on a high plateau. Imposing farmhouses dot this prosperous agricultural region.

Characteristic Ardennes villages and unforgettable panoramas will hold you spellbound. Bouillon, a historical gem, and the town of Bastogne, known for the Ardennes counteroffensive near the end of WWII, are just two of the many historical highlights on this journey; and therefore interesting places to stay the night.

From Bastogne to the border with Luxembourg you will follow rail trail RAVeL 163. One of the prettiest cycle paths on the Walloon cycle route network, it will take you all the way to the Vennbahn.

The Vennbahn rail trail is a cycle path on a former railway. It crosses three countries and is 125 km long. The maximum average incline is 2%. It leads from Troisvièrges in the north of Luxembourg along the scenic River Our to Belgian-German High Fens-Eifel nature park. Sankt-Vith and Monschau are the towns where you will stay the night in Germany. The Vennbahn finishes in Aachen, a town of historical significance, as the cathedral and gothic Town Hall testify.

Tour Information

Holiday Information

The tour includes:

Overnight-stays in 3-star and 4-star hotels
Breakfast (buffet)
Coffee and pie in Maastricht on day 1
Train ticket (incl. bike) from Kerkrade to Maastricht
Route description
Tourist information for on the road
Daily luggage transfer

The hotel list below is subject to change and should be used as a guide.


We will confirm the exact hotels prior to arrival.

Vennbahn Sample Hotel List
Maastricht NH Hotel Maastricht
Eupen Hotel Ambassador Bosten Eupen
St Vith Hotel Pip Margraff
Clervaux Hotel Koener (Clervaux)
Butgenbach Hotel Butgenbacher Hof (Butgenbach)
Monschau Michel & Friends Hotel Monschau (Monschau)
 GV Maastricht NH Hotel Maastricht
Star Star Star

Your Prices

Vennbahn Cycling Holiday 8 days, 7 nights
All prices are per person and include bike hire.

Cycling Holiday Prices:

Prices are based on seasonal date bands
Season 1: May – June | August – September
Season 2: July– July

Category A: Prices per person including bike hire
Season 1: From £729 | Book online here >>
Season 2: From £749 | Book online here >>
Single Room Supplement: From £269
Half Board Upgrade: From £209
Electric Bike Upgrade: From £69

Extra Nights (You will stay in the same hotel as per the cycle tour)
Location | Prices from (DBL/BB)
Maastricht: From £69

Calculate the cost of your cycling holiday







Hotel Category Descriptions
Category A: 3* and 4* hotels

Extra nights are available to book on this tour!
Prices are per person per night and based on two sharing. Single supplements apply.

For extra nights, you will stay in the same hotel. Please let us know if you wish to book extra nights at the start or at the end of the tour when completing your ‘Booking Request’.

Any local tourist taxes are not included in the holiday price and are payable at the hotel.

For help and queries regarding this tour…
Contact us |

Holiday Price: From £729
Single Supplement: From £269

Click here to book now
Call: 01706 618155

Wheel2Wheel Holidays is part of KE Adventure Travel Ltd.

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