Discovering forgotten railways: By bike and stress-free

It comes as no surprise that former local railway lines are being turned into popular cycle paths: neither bikes nor trains are fond of steep climbs and descents. When the railways were built, the aim was always to logically connect villages, valleys, factories, stations and the countryside, which means that these routes can often be used not only for practical journeys but also for lovely outings. These routes also have many other advantages: they often run away from road traffic and are easily manageable even for leisurely cyclists, skaters or families with children. Join Kudy z nudy on a journey to places where the sound of train whistles once echoed and where today bikes, skates and occasionally even pushchairs whizz by.

A ride along the Loket Pacific route

A unique cycle route runs along the former railway line between Loket and Horní Slavkov in the Sokolov region, passing over several stone viaducts and through four tunnels. Work on this 8.2-kilometre section took place from May to August 2025, and on Tuesday 2 September, the cycle path – designed for both cyclists and pedestrians – was officially opened. You can get a sense of what life was like on the former Loket Pacific Line thanks to a number of railway artefacts. For example, the platforms, kilometre markers and signals have been preserved. The railway began operating in 1901 and for more than ninety years served not only passengers but also industry – porcelain, timber and coal were transported here. Operations ceased in 1997 and the line has fallen into disrepair ever since. Now, however, the line is coming back to life and in future it should connect the cycle route in Horní Slavkov and Kounice, whilst on the opposite side it will link up with the recently closed line from Loket to the Loket předměstí stop.

From Chrást near Plzeň to Bukovec and Doubravka in Plzeň

For a leisurely trip by bike, on skates or simply an afternoon stroll, the cycle path created on the site of the disused railway line between Chrást and Plzeň–Doubravka is ideal. Trains stopped running here following the modernisation of the Prague–Plzeň railway line and the opening of the Ejpovice Tunnel. After the tracks were removed, an eight-kilometre-long asphalt section was created. It runs through the Berounka Nature Park, a rural landscape full of meadows and forests, and its gentle gradient is easily manageable even for families with children.

You should start at the railway station in Chrást, which is just a short walk from the start of the cycle path. Roughly halfway along the route, it’s worth stopping at the Kozí bouda viewpoint, where you can enjoy a romantic view of the Berounka valley. In Bukovec, I recommend visiting the Chlum Lookout Tower, which stands at a height of 416 metres and offers magnificent panoramic views as well as a spot for a picnic. The section between Bukovec and Doubravka is 1.2 kilometres long and runs the entire width of a former railway embankment, where there is even a separate path for pedestrians. There are plenty of benches and places to rest, and the final section also runs alongside the Berounka Valley Nature Trail with several stops. The trail is suitable for cyclists, inline skaters, walkers and families with children who want to combine activity with peaceful nature within easy reach of Plzeň.

The Koleje Cycle Path near Nový Jičín

When a flash flood destroyed the old railway line from Nový Jičín to Hostašovice, five towns and villages – Nový Jičín, Životice u Nového Jičína, Mořkov, Hodslavice and Hostašovice – decided to build a cycle path called Koleje instead of carrying out costly repairs. This trail opened in September 2014 and is almost 10 kilometres long, allowing you to avoid cycling along the busy A-road between Nový Jičín and Valašské Meziříčí. A new branch from Bludovice to Straník has recently been built on the cycle path, extending the route by 600 metres. The cycle path was converted from a former military siding that served as a link between the railway line and a repair workshop. The new section of the cycle route is two-way, two and a half metres wide and has an asphalt surface.

Mutěnka: from Kyjov to Mutěnice in the footsteps of a defunct railway line

In 2009, the last train passed through Mutěnka, the single-track line between Kyjov and Mutěnice. The tracks were replaced with asphalt, creating the 13-kilometre Mutěnka cycle path, which quickly became a popular destination for day trips in South Moravia. The route runs mainly through the woods and open countryside of the Kyjov region, and thanks to the gentle gradient of the former railway line, it is ideal for families with children.

Along the way, you can discover two well-known wine-growing regions, the Pod dubňanskú horú and Mutěnické búdy wine cellars, and extend your trip to the ponds near Mutěnice, the Vyšicko lookout tower or Milotice Castle. It is precisely this combination of flat terrain, wine-growing countryside and other places to stop that makes the Mutěnka route ideal for a relaxing ride, where the destination is just as attractive as the journey itself. The cycle path has an elevation gain of just 17 metres and can easily be incorporated into a longer loop via Dubňany and Milotice.

Ždánka Cycle Path: along the former railway line from Uhřice to Ždánice

The Ždánka cycle path, a leisurely nine-kilometre route with a smooth asphalt surface, runs along the route of the former Čejč–Ždánice railway line. It connects Uhřice and Ždánice and also passes through the surroundings of Násedlovice, Želetice and Dražůvky. It starts at the site of the former railway station in Uhřice and leads through the beautiful countryside of the Kyjov region along the former railway line, past the Trkmanka stream, Lovčický brook and several ecological corridors and other significant natural features.

The original railway line was built between 1906 and 1908 and was used, for example, to transport sugar beet to the Ždánice sugar factory. Passenger trains ran here until 1998, exactly ninety years after operations began, and freight transport ceased five years later. The section between Uhřice and Ždánice was then officially closed, the tracks removed and the station buildings demolished. Since 2016, cyclists, skaters and walkers have been using the route instead of trains. Thanks to its gentle gradient and high-quality surface, Ždánka is a pleasant choice for a relaxing trip through the South Moravian countryside, where the railway’s past meets peaceful country lanes, streams and views of the surrounding area

Along the old Tišnovka line and from Kuřim to Veverská Bítýška

You can also find an interesting railway route north of Brno. The cycle route, which follows sections of the former Old Tišnovka line, passes through Mokrá Hora, Jehnice, Česká and Lelekovice on its way to Kuřim. From there, it connects to a leisurely trail that follows the route of the former railway line from Kuřim to Veverská Bítýška, which ran through Moravské Knínice and Chudčice. The terrain here still reveals embankments, cuttings, bridges and a memorial to the disused line.

The cycle path between Kuřim and Veverská Bítýška is approximately eight kilometres long, mostly off the main roads, and is suitable for both bicycles and inline skates. It starts in Kuřim on Křížkovského Street and continues towards Moravské Knínice through wooded areas and past other historical landmarks. You will also see two bridges from the unfinished motorway dating from the Protectorate era, which add another unexpected technical point of interest to the trip. At Veverská Bítýška, the trail connects to other cycle routes, so you can continue on to the Brno Dam, for example. This is the perfect tip for those who want to combine Brno, the forests around Babí Lom, the Ponávka Valley, a trip to the water, and a bit of forgotten railway history.

From Ostrov to Jáchymov: through a tunnel on the former uranium railway line

The cycle path along the former railway line between Ostrov and Jáchymov is short but very interesting. It was created on the site of a disused railway line, which was closed in the 1950s following the end of uranium ore mining. Although it is less than three kilometres long, it mostly runs directly along the bed of the former railway line, including a stone tunnel, which lends the trip a special technical charm. The route is two and a half metres wide and is intended for both cyclists and walkers, but bear in mind that it is not exactly an easy route: the elevation gain is approximately 110 metres and the original railway is said to have had one of the steepest gradients in the Czech Republic. Your reward will be a short trip steeped in the atmosphere of the Ore Mountains, memories of the mining past and a touch of railway nostalgia.

Via Varhany to the Proud Princess

A small Czech first took place in 2002, when the 4.5 km-long Vlčí Důl cycle route was created. This route leads from the former Česká Lípa town station south-east to the hamlet of Vlčí Důl. What’s more, once you’ve cycled through Česká Lípa, you can extend your trip by following another disused railway line that used to lead to Kamenický Šenov. Today it is used by cyclists, inline skaters and hikers, and in winter by cross-country skiers too. And why is it called Varhany? Because the route leads all the way to Panská skála in Kamenický Šenov, known as Varhany, and anyone who has seen the fairy-tale film *The Proud Princess* will know exactly what we’re talking about.

Through the former no-man’s-land along the Wallenstein Cycle Route

A challenging and interesting cycle route, which in the past may well have taken people to places only border guards could reach, is about 75 km long and is called the Wallenstein Cycle Route. It connects Cheb with the German towns of Waldsassen, Mitterteich and Marktredwitz. Trains stopped running here not because passenger numbers were falling, but because an iron curtain had descended impenetrably across the tracks. Following the construction of the cycle route, two new border crossings for pedestrians and cyclists were established: Slapany-Egerteich, where you can see a section of the historic tracks, a bench at the border crossing and a few other artefacts, and Pomezí-Schirnding. The Valdštejn Cycle Path is, of course, part of the cycle path along the Ohře, a route running alongside the river from Slapany to the confluence of the Ohře and the Labe in Litoměřice. By bike, you can also reach a place that, after the fall of the Iron Curtain, was remembered only by those who had lived through it: the restored pilgrimage site of Maria Loreto in Hrozňatov.

Cycling through the Vysočina and Zábřeh regions

Among the most interesting cycle routes that follow the embankments of former railway lines is the 9 km-long cycle path from Přibyslav to Sázava. But be careful not to think we are talking about Sázava in the Central Bohemian Region, but rather the village of the same name near Žďár nad Sázavou, in the Vysočina region. The route winds through the romantic valley of the River Sázava and mostly runs through woodland, providing pleasant shade on hot summer days. Originally, a railway line ran through the Vysočina region, carrying trains from Havlíčkův Brod to Žďár from 1898. Operations ceased here in 1953, when it was replaced by a new main line from Brno to Havlíčkův Brod. The section between Přibyslav and Sázava was later used as a siding, and in the summer, heritage trains ran along it. Operations ceased in 2006, and five years later the cycle path was created.

A year earlier, a cycle path had been opened on the disused line between the villages of Lupené and Hněvkov near Zábřeh. Although it is only 2.5 km long, it is interesting thanks to a small railway museum. Its main attraction is a CS 500 series steam locomotive from 1950, which came here from a memorial in Lysá nad Labem, two old mechanical semaphores, a signal box and two sets of mechanical barriers. Incidentally, trains haven’t disappeared from the picturesque Moravská Sázava valley; they still run here, but this section of the railway has been handed over to cyclists, as the line to Prague needed to be straightened and made faster.

A leisurely ride from Benátky to Zdětín by bike or on inline skates

The cycle path and inline skating route leading from Benátky nad Jizerou to Zdětín was created on the site of a disused railway siding dating from 1878. It begins in Benátky near the football stadium on Letní stadion Street and ends at the Zdětín u Chotětova railway station. This cycle path also forms part of the Rudolf II Landscape Nature Trail, which continues on to Brandýs nad Labem and Lysá nad Labem. There are two rest areas along the way where you can take a break and enjoy sitting under a shelter, with bike racks, an information board and a bin. The cycle path has moderate traffic and is wide enough for cyclists to pass each other comfortably. The route is 5.4 km long; the first half runs through fields, whilst the second half follows a less busy road.

Prague routes through Hloubětín and Žižkov

You’ll come across cycle paths built on the sites of disused railway lines even where you wouldn’t expect them. For example, the Rokytka cycle path runs through the Prague districts of Vysočany and Hloubětín, partly built on the embankment of the former ČKD Lokomotivka railway siding. This cycle path also runs through the old tunnel beneath Vítkov; it begins near the U Bulhara junction, crosses a genuine railway bridge and the busy Husitská Street, and continues along the southern slope of Vítkov, passes through the old Vítkov Tunnel and ends in the area known as Na Krejcárku.

Where else did trains used to run?

• • Trains last ran on the railway line from Nezamyslice to Morkovice, which is part of the municipality of Morkovice-Slížany in eastern Moravia, in 1998. Since spring 2012, cyclists have been riding here without any problems.

• • Sections of disused mining sidings and tram tracks are also used for cycle routes in the Ostrava region.

• • A cycle path has been created on the former Vlkavský sugar factory siding between Čachovice and Loučení; it is approximately five kilometres long and will delight anyone who enjoys short, comfortable routes in the Polabí region.An interesting cross-border route is also offered by the route between Slavonice and Dobersberg in Austria, which is connected to the Austrian Thayarunde network, where a large part of the route also runs along former railway lines.