Cycling from Darmstadt: e-bike to Heidelberg, road cycling in the Odenwald, MTB routes and the Main cycle path

E-bike day trip to Heidelberg: route, distance and getting back by train

Kilometre zero is Luisenplatz in the centre of Darmstadt. From there, the Bergstraße cycle path heads south – according to Wikipedia, around 85 per cent asphalted, with 441 metres of climbing, rated "easy" and signposted with distances in both directions. The Geo-Naturpark Bergstraße-Odenwald gives 84.5 kilometres and five to six hours of riding time – ideal for an e-bike day trip for two.

The route is defined by its stops along the way. After 36 kilometres you reach Lorsch and Lorsch Abbey (Kloster Lorsch), a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. You can view the Königshalle (Carolingian gatehall) from the outside for free, and the abbey grounds are open daily until dusk at no charge. The museum centre is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00; guided tours of the Königshalle run from March to October, Tuesday to Sunday at 13:00 and 15:00, and from November to February at weekends only (as of Oct. 2026). After 49 kilometres you cross into Baden-Württemberg; from Weinheim the route runs through the vineyards to Schriesheim and, via Ladenburg, briefly along the Neckar. The finish is the Alte Brücke (Old Bridge) in Heidelberg.

Darmstadt–Heidelberg cycle path: back on the RB 68

From Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof (main station), the RB 68 runs direct to Darmstadt Süd and Darmstadt Hauptbahnhof, taking about an hour according to the RMV timetable. For guests staying by the Orangerie, Darmstadt Süd is the better stop to get off. Within the RMV network, bikes travel free, but a space isn't guaranteed. In the VRN network, which covers Heidelberg, you only need a bike ticket Monday to Friday between 06:00 and 09:00.

• Out and back by bike: around 168 kilometres (the route counted twice). That's only for well-trained riders, and on an e-bike you'll need battery reserve or a charging stop.
• Short version: to Lorsch and back, around 72 kilometres (2 × 36 km).
• Watch out: according to Wikipedia, between Eberstadt and Malchen the route runs directly on the busy B 3 main road. If you're riding with children, check this section on the map beforehand. Since 2014 there has also been a nature-oriented variant that mostly runs away from the villages (83.2 km according to Darmstadt Tourismus).

Road cycling from Darmstadt: which Odenwald climbs are worth it?

On a road bike, the Odenwald starts right on Darmstadt's doorstep. The classic is Burg Frankenstein: according to quäldich, the northern ascent starts in Eberstadt on the B 426 and climbs 2.8 kilometres with 201 metres of elevation gain at an average of 7.2 per cent, topping out at 370 metres. The descent runs down the south side to Seeheim (6.9 km, avg. 3.9%). That makes a punchy after-work loop – even for business travellers with a bike in the boot.

The queen stage is the Neunkircher Höhe: at 605 metres it's the highest point in the Hessian Odenwald, and it's asphalted all the way to the summit. The steepest approach is the western ascent from Gadernheim, 3.5 kilometres at 6.8 per cent; a gentler option is via Brandau (5.2 km, avg. 4.9%). At the top stands the 34-metre Kaiserturm (Emperor's Tower) from 1906, which according to the tourism portal can only be climbed at weekends, free of charge, with a café-restaurant for walkers (as of Oct. 2026).

A third summit worth tackling is the Felsberg (514 m): from Bensheim-Auerbach, 9.7 kilometres with 399 metres of climbing at an average of 4.1 per cent. quäldich currently lists the Ohlyturm tower at the summit as closed to visitors; please check the current status before you go. If you want to link the Bergstraße, Felsberg and Neunkircher Höhe into one loop, it's best to plan the total distance with a route planner.

Odenwald MTB: legal routes in the Geo-Naturpark and what's allowed in the forest

If you want to go mountain biking in the Odenwald, you should know the Hessian rules. Under Section 15 of the Hessian Forest Act (Hessisches Waldgesetz), cycling in the forest is permitted on paved or naturally firm paths that were built by the forest owner or with their consent and are wide enough for two users to pass each other safely. Building trails without the forest owner's consent is prohibited, cycling on skid trails (Rückegassen) is expressly forbidden, and pedestrians generally have right of way. That's why we don't recommend unofficial trails.

Instead, there are legal alternatives: together, the Geo-Naturpark Bergstraße-Odenwald and the Naturpark Neckartal-Odenwald have signposted 39 mountain-bike tours. These four are close to Darmstadt, and the portal rates all of them "very difficult":

• OR1 Ober-Ramstadt: 36.8 km, 915 m of climbing, about 5 hours. Expect short, repeated climbs. Starts at the swimming pool; get there by train from Darmstadt Hauptbahnhof.
• Mo1 Modautal: 26.3 km, 834 m of climbing, technically fairly easy on forest tracks. Starts at the nature park car park in Lützelbach; bus K 57 from Reinheim station.
• Be1 Bensheim: 22.8 km with 1,082 m of climbing, sweeping views and castles along the way. Starts at the Kronepark in Bensheim-Auerbach; take the train to Bensheim-Auerbach.
• NdB1 Nördliche Bergstraße: 31.5 km, around 1,490 m of climbing via Schloss Heiligenberg, the Kuralpe and the Melibokus. Take the train to Hähnlein-Alsbach.

Flat and easy: to Frankfurt, along the Main cycle path and to the Kühkopf

Not every holiday day needs climbing. The Darmstadt–Frankfurt cycle route starts on the FRM1 cycle superhighway: since the end of 2024, the southern section between Darmstadt-Nord and Langen has been rideable end to end for around 11 kilometres, and on peak days more than 2,000 cyclists use it, according to the project organisers. The ADFC Darmstadt-Dieburg (German cyclists' association) describes a 33-kilometre tour: along the cycle superhighway to Langen, then via Buchschlag and Neu-Isenburg through the woods of southern Frankfurt to Louisa, and on quiet roads to the River Main.

There, at the Eiserner Steg footbridge, begins the Frankfurt–Mainz stage of the Main cycle path (Main-Radweg): 40 kilometres along the river, car-free except through the villages, via Schwanheim, Flörsheim and Hochheim. At kilometre 38.5 the Main flows into the Rhine, and the finish is Mainz-Kastel S-Bahn station. Combine the two and you'll ride a good 70 kilometres (33 plus 40, not counting the link from the end of the ADFC tour to the Eiserner Steg). To get back, cross the Theodor-Heuss-Brücke to Mainz Hauptbahnhof and take line 75 of the Hessische Landesbahn (Rhein-Main-Bahn) to Darmstadt.

Kühkopf bike ride and "Rund um Darmstadt"

The Kühkopf bike ride heads into the countryside: the ADFC gives 42 kilometres with just 60 metres of climbing – the second stage of its Modau tour, a relaxed ride through the Ried lowlands to the Kühkopf and back to Darmstadt from the west. At 2,370 hectares, the Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue nature reserve is the largest in Hesse and a European reserve on the Rhine. If you'd like to ride a full loop around the city, try "Rund um Darmstadt" (Around Darmstadt): around 60 kilometres, few climbs, mostly car-free on country lanes and forest tracks. According to Darmstadt Tourismus, the loop can be combined with bus and train and is suitable for families.

No bike of your own? E-bike rental, Call a Bike and cargo bikes

If you want to rent an e-bike in Darmstadt, Rent a Fun Bike at Pupinweg 20 is one option. A day ticket (09:00 to 19:00) costs €39 for an e-bike and €15 for a city bike. Helmet, lock, front carrier, passenger seat and an audio guide via web app are included. Bikes are available by reservation, daily from 09:00 to 19:00 (as of Oct. 2026). The rental company quotes a range of 55 kilometres for its City Cruiser, depending on riding style and assistance level. That's enough for the Kühkopf tour, but not for Heidelberg without recharging.

For short trips, Darmstadt has DB Call a Bike. The bikes are parked at many stations in the city centre and are rented via app; according to OpenStreetMap, there's also a station on Bessunger Platz. On the Starter plan, according to bahnhof.de, a ride costs €1 per 15 minutes, up to a maximum of €9 per day (as of Oct. 2026). In Darmstadt you can also return the bike in a flex zone away from the stations for a fee.

A cargo bike for your weekly shop at the market? Heinerbike, a volunteer project run by the VCD Darmstadt-Dieburg (a sustainable transport association), lends out cargo bikes free of charge. You need to register, and each household gets a maximum of two days per month. This is more relevant for longer stays.

A cycling weekend in Darmstadt: stages, train rides back and a studio as your base

A cycling weekend in Darmstadt can be planned without a car. On the day you arrive, there's time for an evening loop up to Burg Frankenstein. On day two, ride the Bergstraße to Heidelberg and take the RB 68 back; on day three, roll out to the Kühkopf or the River Main. For touring cyclists on a multi-day route, Darmstadt is also on the Hessian long-distance cycle route R8, which runs for around 310 kilometres via Frankfurt-Höchst, Darmstadt and Zwingenberg, among others, to beyond Heppenheim.

In the evening, a studio pays off compared with a hotel room. In the kitchenette you cook pasta to refill your glycogen stores, the washing machine takes care of your jersey, and at the desk with Wi-Fi you load tomorrow's GPX track. Studio 6 has a rain shower, Studio 1 a bathtub for tired legs. Please arrange directly with us before arrival where your bike can stay overnight. Minimum stay is two nights. For more ideas for a few days in the city, see our page about a short break in Darmstadt; getting here by train is explained in our article Getting to Darmstadt. For a rest day out of the saddle, we recommend our tips on hiking around Darmstadt and day trips from Darmstadt.