My family (husband, two children and me) is planning a five week cycle tour to Europe next year. Due to its cycling infrastructure and historic interest, we've decided to spend most, if not all, of our time in Germany. However, we do need route suggestions. The problem is that we want to go to Berlin, but we need to fly back to Canada directly out of Frankfurt. We also want to stick, as much as possible, to flattish routes that are cycle-path only, or at least on very low traffic roads. Given that background, my questions are:
1. Can anyone suggest a route which meets our criteria and which goes from Berlin to Frankfurt? We estimate that 1500 km would be a reasonable distance for the entire trip.
2. The two routes that we can see that would meet our criteria at this point would be (a) Berlin to Prague, Prague to Vienna, and Vienna to Frankfurt or (b) west from Berlin along the Euroroute 1 to hook up to the Rhine somewhere, then down the Rhine to Frankfurt. Does anyone have an estimate of the distance of these two routes? Or recommendations about which of these routes is preferable (or recommendations for other routes)?
3. Another thought is that we could fly into Amsterdam, travel down the Rhine to some city in Germany on the northern Rhine, and then take a train to Berlin and back to whatever that city is (then continue down the Rhine towards Frankfurt again after our time in Berlin). I understand from my research that trains in Germany do have bicycle cars but we will be heavily laden (two adult bikes with an attached trailer on each, and two kids' bikes). Would a bike train-car be able to fit our bikes and trailers?
4. One final question -- we will either be travelling in May or September (next year). It would appear that they are both similar temperature-wise, but is there more rain in one month than the other.
Thanks so much for any and all advice you can provide.
1. Can anyone suggest a route which meets our criteria and which goes from Berlin to Frankfurt? We estimate that 1500 km would be a reasonable distance for the entire trip.
2. The two routes that we can see that would meet our criteria at this point would be (a) Berlin to Prague, Prague to Vienna, and Vienna to Frankfurt or (b) west from Berlin along the Euroroute 1 to hook up to the Rhine somewhere, then down the Rhine to Frankfurt. Does anyone have an estimate of the distance of these two routes? Or recommendations about which of these routes is preferable (or recommendations for other routes)?
3. Another thought is that we could fly into Amsterdam, travel down the Rhine to some city in Germany on the northern Rhine, and then take a train to Berlin and back to whatever that city is (then continue down the Rhine towards Frankfurt again after our time in Berlin). I understand from my research that trains in Germany do have bicycle cars but we will be heavily laden (two adult bikes with an attached trailer on each, and two kids' bikes). Would a bike train-car be able to fit our bikes and trailers?
4. One final question -- we will either be travelling in May or September (next year). It would appear that they are both similar temperature-wise, but is there more rain in one month than the other.
Thanks so much for any and all advice you can provide.