Düsseldorf to Königswinter

82 km road cycling route92 m climbing5 h 52 minGPX

Düsseldorf, Germany · Road

A flat 82 km road cycling route from Düsseldorf to Königswinter through Flingern Süd, Holthausen and Langel, with 92 m of climbing.

Retraced from the map Ridden by Marcus on Wednesday 2nd September 2015; the recording was lost, so the line is the road between the day's towns, drawn from OpenStreetMap (the rider logged 90.6 km that day).

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At a glance

Best for: Flat, steady riding
Distance: 82.1 km; Point to point
Elevation gain: 92 m; 1 m per km
Riding time: 5 h 52 min; moving time, estimated
Difficulty: Moderate
Bike: Road bike; from the mapped surface
Surface: Mostly paved; 96% paved · 3% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic: Mostly minor roads; 4.4 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 14.9 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water: Regular; 1366 cafés and restaurants · 319 shops · 15 water points · 23 petrol stations · 63 public toilets · 109 bike shops
Best months: May to Sep; Düsseldorf climate, 10 years
Navigation: GPX download; free, no sign-in
Start → finish: Düsseldorf → Königswinter

Denkmalgeschützter Putzbau (Teil des Rathauses; erbaut 1912), Drachenfelsstraße 3, Königswinter — Photo: Tohma (talk) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent: 92 m
Distance: 82 km

What it was like to ride

Marcus’s notes

That’s Dusseldorf, Cologne and Bonn

Distance covered – 90.6 Km. Total distance covered – 383km.

Not the early start we hoped for today. I had a puncture and my spare tube was not of the right size. Easy mistake to make when you pick up a new bike at the start point. Quick trip to Lucky Bike Dusseldorf had me with a new tube and Donny with a handlebar bag. Back to the hotel, I had the tube replaced in 30 mins. That’s when the OCD kicked in and I decided I had to clean the bike to remove the mid from previous days trails. That all added up to a later han planned 11.30-11.45 start.

We set a course for Cologne and quickly decided to follow Google Maps rather than the Rhine route. That was to shave about 4km off the distance of that leg. As with previous starts, it was taking a while to warm up and energy levels were low. A 30km stop for some Red Bull [my stimulant of choice] sorted me out and I flew in to the centre of Cologne. The cathedral is more than a little impressive and worth a visit. Odd site of the day award goes to the lady playing the flute accompanied by a small dog and large pig. It was only a double take that spotted the beast was not in fact a large dog. See below. Definately a pig.

We rolled closer to the river and stopped for our now-ritual 4pm “lunch”. Curried sausage for Don and tangy Penne Arabiata for me. Too much information perhaps. Data services were then switched back on to plot a course for Bonn. We picked up the river route [Eurovelo 15] and managed a good pace along a smooth section of path. The scenery was pretty in parts, and dull in others. If you’re a lover of huge industrial plants spewing out plumes of waste smoke then you’ll be right at home in this part of Germany. Here’s a few exciting factory shots. Factories here are almost as almost as plentiful as barges and bridges over the Rhine.

We arrived in Bonn and stopped to take in Beethoven’s house, or Haus, as they say in these parts. We then stopped at a hostelry for a local bier and some accommodation planning. Our target for the day was Konigwinter so we made a quick last minute booking and headed quickly out of Bonn and back on to the river cycleway. Arrived at 8.30 to find the hotel looking rather closed. Range the bell. No answer. Called the number on the door to be told that they were sorry but they don’t take bookings after 6pm and the hotel was fully booked. Fully booked my saddle! We rode around in the dark for a while before chancing on a hotel that also seemed rather devoid of live but had a sign saying “Zimmer Frei”. “You’re a bit late ” said the gent looking at his watch, but yes, we have a room. Job done. A schnitzel and a beer at the grill beside the hotel and then off to bed. We’re plotting a course for the cutely named Bacharat for Day 5. It’s 104 km up river [or is it down?] says our friend Google Maps. Stay tuned.

Today’s photo gallery;

Route description

Düsseldorf
Flingern Südkm 2
Holthausenkm 8
Langelkm 25
Niehlkm 34
Südstadtkm 42
Hochkirchenkm 47
Widdigkm 59
Beuelkm 70
Königswinterkm 82

The route starts in Düsseldorf and travels through numerous districts including Carlstadt, Altstadt, and Oberbilk within the first few kilometres. It continues on to Wersten, Holthausen, and Urdenbach by km 11.7, where a bakery and bike shop are accessible just off route. The first half of the ride includes 43% of the total 92 m elevation gain, with the lowest point at 34 m near km 24. From km 24 the route passes through Leverkusen, Niehl, Riehl, and Cologne before reaching Bonn at km 68.2, the highest point on the route at 66 m. This section features a mix of bike paths and quiet streets, with about 37 km on paths and 16 km on quiet streets altogether. Several cafés, bakeries and supermarkets are spaced along the way. Notable stops with food and drink options include cafés at 0.7 km, 23.7 km, 39.6 km, and 67.3 km. The final 15 km onward to Königswinter generally remain flat with short sections on minor roads and quiet streets. There is a railway station close to Niederdollendorf around km 77.6, suitable for a bail-out. At the finish, several cafés and a bakery are available. The surface is 96% paved with small gravel portions and 46% of the route on paths, including cycle paths and lanes.

Highlights

Düsseldorf city centre start
Highest point in Bonn at 66 m
Cycle paths comprise 46% of route
Cafés and bakeries at regular intervals

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

Flingern Süd 2.1 km
Oberbilk 2.5 km
Wersten 5.5 km
Holthausen 7.5 km
Urdenbach 11.7 km
Baumberg 15.6 km
Hitdorf 23.4 km
Langel 24.7 km
Rheinkassel 26.1 km
Merkenich 28.7 km
Leverkusen 29 km
Niehl 33.7 km
Riehl 36.5 km
Cologne 39.6 km
Deutz 40.2 km
Südstadt 42 km
Bayenthal 43.3 km
Marienburg 44.3 km
Hochkirchen 47.4 km
Hahnwald 48.6 km
Godorf 51.2 km
Wesseling 54.4 km
Widdig 58.9 km
Uedorf 60.4 km
Hersel 61.9 km
Bonn 68.2 km
Beuel 69.8 km
Römlinghoven 75.8 km
Oberdollendorf 77.2 km
Niederdollendorf 77.6 km

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 4.4 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.

Roads: 46% path · 20% quiet street · 11% road with cycle lane · 8% cycle path · 15% other roads and tracks
Main roads: 4.4 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Cycle paths: 14.9 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used: L 300 (5 km)
Surface: Predominantly paved: 96% is mapped as paved, 3% as unpaved or gravel.
Gradient: 2% climbing · 1% descending · 97% flat

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 1366 cafés and restaurants, 319 shops, 15 water points, 23 petrol stations, 63 public toilets and 109 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

0.3 kmCenter Toiletten · toilets · 60 m off route
0.7 kmTenten coffee · café · on the route
4.5 kmDrinking water · 120 m off route
5.1 kmCity Toilet · toilets · on the route
7.5 kmAldi Süd · supermarket · on the route
10.3 kmCity Toilet · toilets · 60 m off route
15.3 kmDrinking water · 150 m off route
23.7 kmEiscafe zur Hitdorfer Fähre · café · on the route
33.7 kmToilets · on the route
39.4 kmRadstation · bike shop · 80 m off route
40.7 kmToilets · on the route
46.6 kmDrinking water · 130 m off route
54.4 kmDrinking water · on the route
66.9 kmAlbertus-Apotheke · pharmacy · on the route
67.4 kmDenns BioMarkt · supermarket · on the route
67.8 kmVelocity · bike shop · on the route
76 kmAral · petrol station · on the route
77.3 kmGilgen's · bakery · on the route

Need to bail out?

3.3 km — Düsseldorf-Oberbilk (halt), 40 m off route
9.7 km — Schöne Aussicht (halt), 60 m off route
18.2 km — Piwipper Böötchen (ferry), 1.4 km off route
24.3 km — Langel - Hitdorf (ferry), 90 m off route
39.4 km — Köln Hauptbahnhof (station), 110 m off route
54.7 km — Wesseling (ferry), 470 m off route
68.2 km — Bonn Hauptbahnhof (station), 490 m off route
77.4 km — Niederdollendorf (station), 70 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

10.6 km — Ittermündung (attraction)
59.2 km — Schweizer Aussicht (viewpoint)
65.2 km — Basis-Bonn 1847 (attraction)
68.5 km — Koblenzer Tor (attraction)
74.8 km — Landhaus zur Lippe (castle)
79.9 km — Historischer Anker (attraction)

Stay after this ride

Hotel Krone · hotel · 130 m from the finish
Hotel Bergischer Hof · hotel · 150 m from the finish
Haus Dr. Rizk · hotel · 360 m from the finish
Maritim Hotel Königswinter · hotel · 320 m from the finish
Rheinhotel Dreesen · hotel · 1.6 km from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Dusseldorf. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Food and coffee: Oehme (230 m), Palatini (250 m), World Coffee (150 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee: Stadtbrotbäcker Rott (50 m), Café Nice (120 m), Café Bonjour (150 m)
Shops: Netto City (80 m)
Pharmacy and medical: Adler Apotheke (40 m)

Know before you go

Longest stretch without café or shop is 3.2 km from km 18.9 to 22.1
4.4 km on main roads without cycle lanes

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

10 photographs from the road

Photo: Raimond Spekking · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Tohma (talk) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Solches · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: m66roepers from Nederland · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Velopilger · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Stage of

Rotterdam to Budapest

About this route

Ridden by: Marcus
Date ridden: Wednesday 2nd September 2015
Route line: Retraced from OpenStreetMap between the day’s towns - the GPS recording was lost.
Elevation: Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services: Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months: Ten years of ERA5 weather for Düsseldorf (Open-Meteo).
GPX: Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added: Sunday 30th August 2026
Page last updated: Sunday 13th September 2026

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