Erzbahntrasse (mine railway track), “Rheinischer Esel” (“Rhine Donkey”), etc.

They are the backbone of radrevier.ruhr: the railway lines which have been transformed into cycling routes! Freight trains used to transport commodities to the large factories, and heavy goods rolled off the production line and into the wider world along this route. Today, relaxed groups of cyclists make their way along the former railway lines, away from the traffic, from one industrial monument to another, with hardly any gradients.

Connection paths between industrial monuments

From the HOAG Trail, Erzbahntrasse, Rheinischer Esel or one of the other former railway lines, each line offers an insight into the history of the region. It directly passes impressive industrial monuments, and offers cycling fun at its best. The former railway line is not always identifiable, but sometimes old signal boxes, large signalling systems or traces of the track itself provide insights into the original use of the route. The old, industrial Ruhr region depended on the railway network. The new Ruhr Metropolis uses this extraordinary heritage to enable new forms of mobility. The structural changes in the Ruhr region make it completely accessible for all in an impressive way.