Some of the most exciting cycle paths in the Ruhr region run through Gelsenkirchen. These include old industrial railway lines on the one hand and river and canal banks on the other. Thanks to its central location, Gelsenkirchen is ideally suited for discovering the entire Ruhr region by bike in a variety of ways. And the good thing is that the routes don’t have any major ups and downs, because the heavy ore railway trains used to only be able to cope with very gentle gradients.
Ore railway: The route runs from the Rhine-Herne Canal southwards over many bridges to the Jahrhunderthalle in Bochum. On or in the immediate vicinity are the Zoom adventure world, the Bleck church and the Erzbahnbude, where you can take a break and enjoy a drink.
Two paths cross the Erzbahn route: Firstly, the Kray-Wanner railway, which runs in an east-west direction and which in turn meets the Zollverein/Nordsternbahn route at the end. Along the way, you can turn off onto Bochumer Straße to take a closer look at the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche church and stop for a bite to eat in one of the restaurants. You can also take the serpentine route up to the Rheinelbe spoil tip to marvel at the Himmelstreppe.
Secondly: Emscher Cycle Route: The route alternates between the banks of the Emscher and the Rhine-Herne Canal, with the contrast between the Emscher, which has now been remodelled in a natural way, and the still active and deactivated industry being particularly attractive. Highlights along the route include Graf Bismarck harbour, Nordsternpark, the Zoom adventure world, the locks in GE-Hessler and, somewhat hidden away on Emscher Island, the Monument for a Forgotten Future – Emscher Art Trail. In the west, the trail leads to Essen, Bottrop, Oberhausen and on to Duisburg, while in the east it crosses Herne and Castrop-Rauxel before ending in Henrichenburg.
The shortest of the railway routes in Gelsenkirchen runs from the Sutumer Brücken to the HUGO colliery or Rungenberg spoil tip. It is an exciting route because you are mainly travelling between fields and meadows. It also offers unusual views of the Veltins Arena and the slag heap Bike to the arena
From the main railway station to the Schalke Arena? No problem in Gelsenkirchen! Most of the route from the city centre to the stadium is largely car-free. The distance is around ten kilometres. The ride takes you along the ore railway line and the Emscher cycle path away from the main roads and through the heart of green Gelsenkirchen.
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