Emsradweg by bike

The Ems between wooded banks, seen from the cycle route bridge north of Emsdetten

Photo: Jabalive, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Distance
about 385 km (240 miles)
Country
Germany
Difficulty
Easy
Type of trip
Cycling route

The Emsradweg follows the Ems through North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony, from its springs in the Senne between Hövelhof and Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock to Emden, where the river reaches the North Sea. It starts at the Ems information centre in Hövelhof and ends in Emden's outer harbour, opposite the Borkum ferry quay. On the way it passes Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Warendorf, Telgte, Greven, Rheine, Lingen, Meppen, Papenburg and Leer. It's signed in both directions, and most people ride downstream towards the sea. The official holiday packages for the whole route take six to ten days, at 40 to 60 km a day on the gentle one and 75 to 90 km on the sporty one. You sleep in hotels, guesthouses, campsites and youth hostels in the towns along the river, and the official site lists them town by town and offers luggage transfer. More than 25 railway stations sit along the route, so it's easy to start or stop almost anywhere.

The official site says it's mostly tarmac farm lanes. Where it runs through nature reserves the paths can't be tarmacked, so you get compacted gravel, and in woods there are ordinary forest tracks. A touring bike or e-bike is fine, but the site says a road bike isn't, because of the narrow tyres. There are no climbs worth the name. Don't expect to see the river all the time. Much of the bank is protected habitat, so the path sometimes runs a little away from the water, and it swaps banks often to bring you back to it. German Wikipedia says that around Papenburg and Leer the river is tidal and at times flows backwards. In 2008 the ADFC gave it four stars out of five.

Highlights along the way

  1. Moosheide and the Ems springs: The Ems rises in the Moosheide, the largest nature reserve in the Senne, with dunes, heath and small stream valleys. The route starts near the springs, at the Ems information centre in Hövelhof.
  2. Warendorf: An old town of restored half-timbered houses around a historic market square. It calls itself the town of the horse, as home to the North Rhine-Westphalia state stud and the German Olympic committee for equestrian sport.
  3. Münster: The official site puts it 11.6 km off the route, and it's worth the detour. In the Peace Hall of the old town hall the Peace of Westphalia was agreed in 1648.
  4. Papenburg: A town of canals and lift bridges, with the brig Friederike moored in front of the town hall. Huge cruise ships are built in the Meyer Werft docks. The town was founded in 1631 as Germany's oldest and longest fen colony.
  5. Emden and Borkum: The route ends in Emden's outer harbour. From the Borkum quay a ferry goes to the island, which has over 26 km of sandy beach and more than 130 km of cycle paths.

Distance

About 385 km (240 miles) in all, from Hövelhof to Emden, by the official count. The official route kilometres put Warendorf at 95, Rheine at 183, Papenburg at 327 and Emden at 384. A signed link from Paderborn station to the start adds about 20 km, and Münster is a detour of 11.6 km each way.

Best time to go

Neither the official site nor German Wikipedia names a best season. On 3 November 2026 the official site listed diversions for building work, two in Warendorf and one at the Gleesen lock near Emsbüren. The Friesenbrücke between Weener and Westoverledingen, out of use since a ship hit it in December 2015, is open to cyclists again. You can cross Monday to Saturday from 6:14 to 22:41 and on Sunday from 7:14 to 22:41, though you may wait while it opens for ships. Outside those hours there are signed alternatives on each bank. The Ditzum to Petkum ferry near Emden was running daily again on its 2026 summer timetable. Check emsradweg.de before you go.

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