An important stop along the EuroVelo 15 Rhine Route and a hotspot along the famous “Bodenseeradweg”, Constance is a magnet for bike tourers from all around the globe. In this video, we look at how to access the city by bike, what to expect and watch out for, and how Constance is becoming Germany’s little Amsterdam.
Description
#cycling #cyclingfans #cyclinglife #cyclingvlog #cyclingaroundtheworld #cyclinginsider #bike #biketrip #bikelife #bikes #bikeinformation #bicycleinfrastructure #constance #konstanz #eurovelo15 #bodenseeradweg #bodensee #kreuzlingen #germany #switzerland #bikepacking #lakeconstance #cyclinggermany
Links:
Bicycle Map Constance:
https://www.konstanz.de/leben+in+konstanz/mobilitaet/radstadt-konstanz/fahrradstadtplan
Radstadt Konstanz – Bicycle City Constance:
https://www.konstanz.de/leben+in+konstanz/mobilitaet/radstadt-konstanz
EuroVelo 15 Rhine-Route:
https://en.eurovelo.com/ev15
Bodenseeradweg – Cycling Lake Constance
https://www.cycling-lake-constance.com/facts-lake-constance-cycle-path
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction – An Unexpected Beginning
00:50 Meet the Hosts
01:10 Why Constance Matters for Bike Travellers
02:04 Entering the City – Routes and Challenges
04:04 Swiss Side vs German Side – A Tale of Two Systems
05:31 The Problematic Border Crossing at Kreuzlingen
09:37 Exploring the City
10:35 The Multi-Storey Car Park – From Cars to Bikes
12:16 Cycling Infrastructure Highlights
14:39 Missing Links – The EuroVelo 15 Gap
15:19 Conclusion – How Welcoming Is Constance?
16:35 Outro – What’s Next?
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Hello, fellow cyclists and bike travelers. I’m very sorry. I know this isn’t what you were expecting. Why on earth would a video about cycling start in a multi-story car park? But I’ll gladly explain that a little later on. This is just one of many examples of how Constants, a small city on Germany’s southern border, is freeing itself from car dominance and paving the way to become Germany’s little Amsterdam, which is exactly what it feels like here at the bicycle bridge crossing the Ryan River right through the heart of the town. This is probably one of the busiest bike routes in the entire world. I mean, just ask yourself, do you see this volume of traffic anywhere near where you live? Well, if you do, all the better. But that’s not the main reason we’re making this video. Hi, I’m Vera. And I’m Sretti Spaghetti. On this channel, we like to take a closer look at what matters to bike travelers, share experiences, and spread the word on good ideas. And Constance isn’t just full of good ideas. It’s also an important hub for bike travelers from all over. Nestled between the Bordon Sea and the Uni along a short section of the Rine, this small city of over 80,000 residents doesn’t just border Switzerland, it blends into it. It’s also a favorite stop along the Euro 15 leading up to Rotterdam and a hot spot on the Ben Zardig, the 270 kilome loop around the lake, a classic for enthusiasts and beginners alike. So, in this video, we wanted to check out how well bike travelers are catered for, what you should watch out for, and whether there are any improvements that could make the experience more enjoyable when stopping here on two wheels. And there are quite a few things you should know even before you start planning your trip, especially if it involves the Euro 15. If you’re interested in this kind of content, hit the subscribe button. We’ve got a lot more in store for you. But back to the story. Before you get to this lovely spot we’re standing in now, you have to enter the city. Unless of course you’ve just arrived by train. We’ll come back to that later. The thing is there are several entry points depending on where you’re coming from. The main ones for bike travelers are from the northeast along the lake from the southeast if you’re coming from Switzerland after circling the lake clockwise or following the Euro 15 ride route from the west if you’re coming from the opposite direction or from the northwest both along the Euro 15 which splits into two routes around the Uni Wsu Switzerland and Wu Germany before meeting again At number between the two Swiss entry points, there are multiple border crossings in the neighboring town of Kitlingan, which is directly adjacent to Constance. These crossings are used by bike tours either to reach a specific destination or simply because they missed the ones they had wanted to use. And that confusion is a real problem mainly because the Swiss don’t signpost anything that leads off the main Eurova 15, which doubles the Swiss national route number two. So, you’re left either glued to your phone or asking around. While asking around at least gets you talking to locals, we’re not big fans of navigating unfamiliar urban surroundings by constantly checking a screen. Distances are tricky to estimate, signs are easily missed, and intersections can be dangerous, requiring your full attention. Navigation apps don’t always pick the quietest or safest routes, either. That’s why signs pointing to important destinations like city centers and train stations should be clear, visible, and guide you through safe streets so you can keep your eyes on the road. After all, there’s always plenty of new things to see when entering a new city, and it’s easy to get distracted by all the sights and sounds. While the Swiss are traditionally very restrained when it comes to bike signage, this is where the Germans excel. And nowhere is this conscious clearer than here along the border. The German wayfinding system is perhaps the best in the world. You can really tell that Germans have a long tradition of bike touring and this is one of the places where that shines through. In the small city of Constance alone, there are 270 signposts pointing to you to every corner of the town and all the major attractions which makes navigation really simple. The only thing we can criticize is that there are no signs to the train station directing you arrivals. So there you’re left to figure it out yourself. Attached to the signs are square metal plates with the logos of the recreational routes. In this case, the German national route number eight, the border radik, the newly inaugurated holvik and a pilgrim’s route. So if two routes lead to the same place, one direct but along a busy road and the other a scenic detour, you can immediately tell which is which. There are also additional symbols, for example, a tree for forest trails or a ferry symbol. If you ask me, that’s pretty ingenious. Why, they’ve even included directions to the train station in Kitslingan, the Swiss neighbor town. Good luck finding it, though, once you’ve crossed the border. The poor signage isn’t the only problem on the Swiss side. Apart from a fairly dangerous stretch along the harbor in Kitslingan, the town has almost no dedicated cycling infrastructure and looks like it stopped developing in 1980. That lack of progress also holds back development on the German side. Although the two towns are closely linked, the only real visible connection is the green bike carpet rolled out where cars once ruled. But it’s down at the lakeside where crossing the border and entering continents becomes a real headache. And because this is the most direct way to the port and the famous German beer gardens, it’s the preferred first stop after a long ride. Just the place to unwind. And unwind you’ll want to because you’ll have to survive an obstacle course first. Let’s show you what the problem is and how to avoid the hassle when approaching constants from this direction. The first difficulties appear still in Switzerland, right after leaving the bike path that ironically ends at the point where it’s needed most. The narrow road is often blocked by traffic, forcing cyclists into the dangerous gap between moving and parked cars. Opening doors and cars pulling out are often overlooked hazards. Further along, the road dead ends if you want to follow the lakeside, so motorists perform U-turns and other unpredictable maneuvers. Take the left following the Swiss Neurovella route and you’ll hit a railway crossing. The barriers are closed more often than open, so long cues form. The signs are discreet and out of view, and the surface markings are hidden behind parked cars, leaving many people confused about how to proceed. Those who do figure it out and head to the port find the obstacle course continues, while others end up at different border crossings, still wondering how to reach the city center. In short, it’s just a mess. Continue along to the port into Germany, and you’ll finally find surface markings guiding you to your destination or into the city center. But now, you’ll have to negotiate the coach parking and all sorts of other dangers. Situations like this always put me straight into fight or flight mode. I can get terribly confrontational if you push the right buttons. So, I try to stay clear of anything that could even potentially move as to not cross paths. Also, I’m extremely distrustful of anyone in a car. So, I’m really cautious and avoid all risks. The last thing I want is to end up in a blind spot or in front of a distracted driver. Whilst this approach does slow me down considerably, it also keeps me out of trouble and above all safe. Finally, you reach a car-free zone, but it’s also pedestrian only, so you’ll need to get off and push your bike. Unfortunately, the sign forbidding cycling isn’t very obvious and mostly goes unnoticed. But ferboton is a big word in Germany. So, if the self-appointed traffic wardens don’t correct your behavior, the official ones certainly will. And even when you think you’ve made it to safety, you never know if an ambulance comes rushing by, potentially causing further incidents. So, if you’re looking for an adrenaline kick, this is the route for you. But if you prefer a calmer entry, the best way is to cross the railway on the Swiss side, take a right along the marked route, and continue straight across the border where Constance greets you with a bike friendly city billboard. Clearly, the border situation desperately needs improvement, and both Swiss and German authorities should coordinate better. With a bit of goodwill, especially from the Swiss, this shouldn’t be too hard to fix. On the German side though, entering the city is as easy as, pun intended, riding a bike, as this Canadian cyclist who we met gladly declared. To get into the city, we use Google Maps from our camping spot, but like once we got onto the bike route, it was pretty easy to follow the signs itself. Who’s this? I mean, in constants, it was super easy. Yeah. After that beer, you want to explore the city, which is beautiful, historic, and wellkept. While you can cycle through much of the old town’s pedestrian zone, it isn’t much fun. There are cobblestones and plenty of people, it’s better to explore on foot, which also gives you more flexibilities to step into shops and restaurants. Unfortunately, there’s nowhere to safely lock up bikes and pen. There’s no bike service station with secure parking. Lure any bike lockers like you’d find in France. A simple locker system could be set up quickly and the full service station is in the pipeline, but for now it’s a bit of a nuisance. Let’s hope the authorities and constants are watching this video and taking note and that the planned bike station at the train station also includes parking suitable for bike travelers passing through as well. funnily enough, this wouldn’t be a first for constants, which brings us back to our opening scene at the newly built multi-story car park on the city’s western edge. This is part of an effort to reduce the number of cars entering the city center. Constance has been promoting cycling for decades, but in recent years, thanks to an ambitious cycling officer in the city administration, it has made another leap forward. Now it boasts an incredible 37% cycling share. If you compare car trips to bike trips, you get a ratio of 6, far better than famous cycling cities like Amsterdam or Copenhagen, which both have 1.4 car trips per bike trip. Walking is also great here. The city feels calm and relaxed and the public transport system with regular buses and five train stations helps reduce car use even further. Interestingly, much of the car traffic that does exist comes from Swiss shopping tourists, making the Swiss at least partly responsible not just for the border chaos, but also for congestion, noise, and pollution in the city. The unique thing about this new car park is that it doubles as a mobility hub, including a bike station with rentals, secure lockers, and a repair service. Car commuters can store their bikes overnight and complete the last mile on two wheels. The Flex Bus station is also nearby, so bus travelers can leave their bikes there, too. Similar setups do exist elsewhere, but they’re rare, so this is worth pointing out and praising. The city is also making continuous efforts to improve cycling conditions leading to excellent infrastructure and priority connections. Best examples are the so-called faren bike priority streets. They marked in blue and easy to recognize. The most important one crosses the Rine connecting the north and south of the city and creating a backbone route making access to many parts of town easy and straightforward. There’s also a short one in the residential area and a fairly new one on chassis leading out to the thermal paths and forming part of the lake circuit. So bike travelers especially benefit. Further recent efforts have been made by installing a bike sharing system including cargo bikes, an additional thousand bike racks, secure residential bike lockers, a bike counter to make cycling more visible, and promotional events like a monthly repair service in Herosa Park. There are also 20 selfservice pump and repair station spread around town, plus a cyclist footrest at a traffic light, an idea imported straight from Copenhagen. We’re sure we’ve forgotten a couple of other things, but this already gives you a good idea of where the city is heading. What’s crucial to understand is that all these new projects are built on top of a vibrant and long-standing cycling culture. Constants didn’t just wake up one day and decide to become bike friendly. It’s been part of everyday life here for decades. That’s why you’ll also find plenty of older infrastructure around town. much of it still heavily used. And if you thought the reason so many cyclists crowd onto the bicycle bridge is simply because it’s the only option across the Rine, think again. The other two bridges crossing the river both come with protected bike paths of their own, and they’re just as popular. In other words, cycling here isn’t limited to a single showcase project. It’s deeply woven into the entire fabric of the city. There’s a detailed cycle map you can buy for €3 at the citizen service center or download a free PDF. And there’s also an online map, though it’s not as detailed. Speaking of maps, a closer look at how the Eurova 15 passes through constants reveals something odd. A section is missing. Whatever the reason, it’s irritating because it could easily be connected using existing infrastructure. This might be down to stubborn Swiss authorities, but it creates confusion that affects cyclists internationally. Hopefully, the European Cycling Federation takes notice and fixes this. In the meantime, if you want to cut through town to rejoin the Eurovella 15, just head over the bicycle bridge and head straight on at the roundabout following the signs for the Bordon Sier Artig until you cross the Swiss border. So, how welcoming is Constance for bike travelers? On the plus side, wayfinding from Germany and within the city is excellent with the exception of the train station, which is currently under renovation, so that may change. The infrastructure is fantastic, and the sheer number of cyclists makes you feel instantly at home or like somewhere in the Netherlands if you ignore the hills. The absence of cars in many areas creates a wonderfully relaxed vibe. On the downside, there’s a lack of secure parking for travelers, bikes, and luggage, and the border crossings from Switzerland are a mess. But things are moving in the right direction. There’s a planned cycle service center at the train station, and there are even rumors of a future cycle by numbers node network like those in Belgium, the Netherlands, and parts of France. If you want to know more about how that system works, we’ve included a link at the end of this video. And if you’d like to see what the Ural 15 and Bordon Radig look like after leaving Constance on the Swiss side of the lake, check out our hourong video. It’s full of facts and images you won’t see anywhere else because we recorded it in winter when the path was completely empty. You’ll find the thumbnail at the end of this video, too. Before you go, give this video a like if you found it helpful or inspiring. and drop us a comment if we’ve forgotten anything or if you’d like to share your experiences. We look forward to reading them and to seeing you in the next one. Thanks for watching and keep on cycling.