Cycling routes in Switzerland

Cycling routes in Switzerland are organised under SchweizMobil, the national network of nine signposted national routes and dozens of regional ones. Every route carries a colour-coded number that appears on every signpost from start to finish, and the full map is published free on the SchweizMobil website and app. Bikes travel on nearly every train in the country, which makes one-way trips, weather changes, and tired-legs days easy to handle.

The riding spans extremes. You can climb the Gotthard, Furka, or Grimsel and string the great alpine passes together on the Alpine Panorama Route. You can roll along the Rhine for days on flat, quiet paths. You can ride between lakes through wine country, or stitch a weekend out of regional routes most travellers never see. For a small country in Europe, the variety is unusual.

The Swiss national cycling network

What sets the Swiss network apart is the consistency of the signposting. Each route carries a number, and that number appears on every signpost from start to finish. Regional routes use the same system, which means stringing together a custom itinerary feels like part of one network rather than several. Most cyclists never need to pull out a phone to check directions — the route number is usually enough to get you through a junction.

Switzerland cycle routes map

VeloPlanner shows an interactive map of all main cycling routes in Switzerland, with surface breakdown, elevation profiles, distances, train stations.

The routes themselves are run by SchweizMobil, the national network, which also publishes the official route map at schweizmobil.ch. Both show the same numbered national and regional routes.

Bikes on Swiss trains

Train access is the second reason Switzerland works so well for cyclists. Nearly every line carries bikes, including the mountain lines that climb towards the major passes. One-way routes become trivial to plan, a weather forecast doesn't lock you into a section you'd rather skip, and a tough day in the Alps rarely leaves you far from the next station. For longer tours, this flexibility takes much of the stress out of the planning.