exploring Bremen & its surrounding areas
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Cycling in Bremen & surroundings
The Bremen Town Musicians join in
Bremen is one of the poorer states in Germany financially, with several reasons for this. However, this is likely not the main reason why so many people in the Hanseatic city choose to ride bicycles. Instead, cycling often gets you to your destination faster than driving a motorized vehicle - especially if you know the right routes.
Attractive: cycling along the Schlachte with views of the Weser
Bremen is one of Europe's most bicycle-friendly cities and has been a cycling stronghold since the invention of the high-wheeler in the second half of the 19th century. This is due, on the one hand, to the generally pleasant riding conditions in the North German Plain with no significant inclines or gradients. On the other hand, it is also thanks to the promotion of cycling by local politics, aimed at reducing inner-city car traffic and the associated partially cross-border air pollution from fine dust and nitrogen oxides. In recent years, numerous streets have been converted into bicycle streets, giving cyclists priority. The heavily used connection between the city center and the university has been upgraded to a cycle expressway through various measures. Many neighborhoods now have more 30 km/h zones, and many bike paths have been moved onto the road - also because maintaining dilapidated bike paths and subsequent upkeep would be too costly, even if responsible parties often present it differently. Additionally, cyclists are allowed to use many one-way streets in both directions.
Even if much is allowed, cyclists don’t have a free pass everywhere (Text: Sensible people don't ride bikes here... it's forbidden for everyone else.)
In 2017, the federal government decided to provide Bremen with €2.4 million from the Climate Protection Fund. From 2018 to July 2020, this funding was used in a pilot project to redesign the traffic area around the university in the Alte Neustadt district to favor cycling. This included work on road surfaces, the establishment of bicycle streets with priority for cyclists and a maximum speed of 30 km/h, improvements at transitions to neighboring main roads, and better connections to the planned premium cycle path along the Weser. Additionally, the number of bike parking spaces at the university - with its approximately 9,000 students, teachers, and guests - increased by more than 620, including charging stations for e-bikes and a bike repair café. The Senate argued that Bremen has the highest cycling share among cities with 500,000 inhabitants. A quarter of all trips are made by bike daily, totaling about 420,000 rides. They wanted to increase this number further. Even before the completion of "Germany's first bicycle district," the project by Bremen University of Applied Sciences, ADFC, and the Berlin Transport Authority was awarded the German Cycling Prize 2018 in one category. Impressive! After completion, a bicycle zone sign was erected for the first time nationwide on the area covering 12 streets and 2.5 kilometers.
Street sign in front of one of the university buildings
Not every measure taken in the city for cycling is universally popular; some drivers feel restricted, some implementations are insufficient due to lack of adequate signage, and sometimes the streets are simply too narrow. This requires all participants to be considerate and drive responsibly - unfortunately, not everyone does that. Nevertheless, the path to further promoting cycling is correct and is embraced by Bremen's residents. Incidentally, active cyclists seen around the city also include politicians and Werder Bremen professionals.
The Free Hanseatic City is connected to numerous neighboring towns via the Weser Cycle Path and the Unterweser Round Cycle Route. On both sides of the Weser, routes lead, for example, to Brake with the Harriersand Weser Island or Bremerhaven and further to Cuxhaven. In 2017, the Weser Cycle Path (Weser Radweg) was named an "ADFC Quality Cycle Path" at ITB by ADFC, earning four stars for what is, according to a travel analysis, the second most popular long-distance cycling route. Every two years, a free service booklet for the Weser Cycle Path is published, containing map excerpts, route descriptions, bike-friendly accommodations, gastronomy options, and tips for staying along the Weser Cycle Path. You can also get this booklet from BTZ, the Bremen Tourist Information Center.
More Cycling Inspiration Between Bremen and the Countryside: Osnabrück-Bremen Bridge Cycle Route, Geest-RADweg with 177 km between the Ems and Weser rivers, and the 250 km-long Wümme Cycle Path.
This way: signage for the Bremen City Route
In Bremen itself, the Bremen City Route is interesting for both tourists and locals. You can choose between an 8-kilometer short route and a significantly longer 30-kilometer one. The starting point and destination are always the central station. The route, part of an over 800-kilometer-wide cycle path network marked as "Paths of the Green Ring," passes by sights and through green spaces. You can download a PDF flyer about it at www.gruener-ring-region-bremen.de.
Those who want to travel further distances in the Hanseatic city without a car can take their bike on BSAG buses and trams. However, only folded folding bikes are exempt from requiring an additional ticket for bicycles. For trips into the surrounding Lower Saxony countryside, cyclists can also use regional trains operated by Deutsche Bahn and NordWestBahn.
The ADFC bike station with a bike parking garage next to the central station
A central contact point for cyclists is the ADFC bike station at Bahnhofplatz between the train station (exit toward the city center) and the Übersee-Museum. Here, interested parties can get maps and information material for cycling tours in Bremen and beyond. In case of breakdowns, a workshop provides assistance, and those who come without a bike can rent almost anything with two wheels here - whether a city bike, tandem, pedelec, or even buy a new one. Additionally, two bike parking garages offer secure parking spaces 24/7 for a fee.
A small tip to conclude: secure your bike with a good lock to something, ideally a bike rack.
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Further information
Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club
(General German Bicycle Club)
ADFC-State Association Bremen
Bahnhofsplatz 14 a
28195 Bremen
Email: info@adfc-bremen.de
www.adfc-bremen.de
Phone: +49 (0)421 51778820
Bremer Straßenbahn Aktiengesellschaft (BSAG)
Flughafendamm 12
28199 Bremen
Phone: +49 (0)421 5596-0
Email: info@bsag.de
www.bsag.de
Weser-Radweg Infozentrale c/o
Weserbergland Tourismus e.V.
Phone: + 49 (0)5151 930039
www.weserradweg-info.de
BTZ Bremen Tourism Center
Phone: +49 (0)421 3080010
www.bremen-tourismus.de
Marktplatz/Langenstraße
In the Kontorhaus building
Free Wi-Fi available.
Open: Monday - Friday 9.30 AM - 6.30 PM, Saturday 9.30 AM - 5 PM, Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM
Main Railway Station
Opposite the DB travel center.
Open: Monday - Friday 9 AM - 6.30 PM, Saturday - Sunday 9.30 AM - 5 PM
www.bettundbike.de
Round trip: from the city center to the Weser weir & back
Starting from Tiefer or Altenwall, the section of the Weser riverbank in front of Schnoor and diagonally opposite the DGzRS (German Maritime Search and Rescue Service), the Planetarium, and the Observatory on the other side of the river, a beautiful path for pedestrians and cyclists runs directly along the water upstream towards the Weser weir. After crossing the Weser weir, the return route takes you back via Stadtwerder.
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Through Woltmershausen to Lankenauer Höft
A truly maritime bike tour takes you from the Stephani Bridge through Hohentorshafen and Woltmershausen all the way to Lankenauer Höft, which is almost entirely surrounded by water. Behind the Höft, several ships, including the 1957-built tugboat Greif, are moored in an unrestricted section of Neustädter Harbor. This view of the harbor marks the end of this tour.
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By bike from central station to Vegesack
Starting at central station, the route takes you past Bürgerweide, with its distinctive Stadthalle (City Hall), Congress Center, and exhibition halls, before continuing through Findorff along the Torfkanal. This canal, which runs along the edge of Bürgerpark and Stadtwald, was constructed between 1817 and 1826 to transport peat from Teufelsmoor near Worpswede to Bremen using peat barges.
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Metalhenge
In 2021, an observation platform was opened on the first decommissioned and surface-renovated section of the landfill in Blockland. At a height of 40 meters, the barrier-free Planet Path leads visitors along. Planets? Yes, the Metalhenge structure, inspired by the famous Stonehenge, is positioned on the circular observation platform according to selected astronomical aspects. Information about this can be accessed via QR code on your smartphone. Even for those not particularly interested, the view stretches approximately 23 km across Bremen on one side and Blockland on the other.
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Cycling to Lilienthal
It's about 11 kilometers from Bremen's city center to Lilienthal in Lower Saxony, just beyond the city limits. While tram line 4 connects both places, a bike tour is much more fun. Along the Jan-Reiners-Weg, you can cycle through a green landscape without car traffic, and even within Lilienthal itself, the route follows small paths along the Wörpe River with light traffic, leading to the historic city center.
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Water-based activities in Bremen
Given that Bremen is a city on a major river with numerous lakes, it makes sense to extend sports or other personal water-related activities from land to water. The most family-friendly activity on the wet element is certainly taking a rowboat ride along the canals of Bürgerpark.
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