Vennbahn - Monschau - Heerlen

Crossing European borders with ease, tasting the special flair of the border country amid unique landscapes on the trail of days gone by - that is what the Vennbahn stands for. It runs 125 km long from Aachen through the High Fens - Eifel nature park and eastern Belgium to Troisvierges, making it the longest cross-border cycle path on a former railway route in Europe. And with an average gradient of 2 percent, with a few short stretches of 3 to 10 percent, the route is comfortable to cycle.

Enchanting natureFrom a landscape perspective, the Vennbahn offers a unique variation: from the urban-green Aachener Land you have a seamless transition to the beautifully shaped hilly landscape of the Eifel and the hedgerow landscape around Monschau, through the wonderfully original moor landscape of the High Fens to the idyllic valley of the Our. Huge forest areas, interspersed with vast meadows, countless rivers and streams that meander through the small valleys and fill entire reservoirs. A special highlight is without a doubt the High Fens - Eifel nature park. It forms a gigantic water reservoir and is the origin of countless springs and streams. The characteristic moor landscape with grass, shrubs and heath, soft birches and wild daffodils has its own fascination. With the rich stock of natural and cultural-historical peculiarities, coupled with culinary delights on this and that side of the border and in combination with the excellent infrastructure, all the beacons are green for boundless cycling fun.

The route, completed in 1889, to what was then Ulflingen (now Troisvierges) marked the beginning of a glorious but also eventful history in the border area between Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg.