International Tandem Rally 2007
Wallenhorst-Hollage, Osnabrücker Land, Germany
How to come to Osnabrück without a car

First of all you must cross the Northern Sea. I found several ferry lines from GB to the Netherlands and Belgium. Here are the best choices (IMHO), sorted by the ferry ports on continental Europe:

All ferries, without Harwich - Hoek van Holland, are overnight ferries. So you can drink a beer/wine, sleep well by crossing the Northern Sea, have a breakfast and start with full energy in the morning. Harwich - Hoek van Holland is also available as an overnight turn.

O.K., welcome to continental Europe. Now you must find a way to Osnabrück. There are three totally different options that you have.

  1. Cycle the whole way or cycle to Bad Bentheim and then take a regional train to Osnabrück. It's really easy, you don't have to expect any complications.

  2. Only use Dutch IC trains and German regional trains, then you don't have to book a place for your tandem.

  3. If you want to take a German IC train, you must reserve a place for your tandem before.

Here are some proposals for rides from the three ferry ports to Osnabrück.

Ijmuiden

  1. Take a route over Enkhuizen - ferry across the Ijsselmeer (Urk or Stavoren) - Zwartsluis - Ommen - Oldenzaal - Bad Bentheim. It will take 2.5 days (approx. 260 km). In Bad Bentheim you can take a regional train to Osnabrück (49 min., a train departs every hour) or you can cycle another 70 km. We have done this route in summer 2006.

  2. Take an IC train from Haarlem (15 km away from Ijmuiden) to Duivendrecht or Utrecht and then an IC train to Enschede (2 hrs, 52 min. in total). From Enschede cycle to Bad Bentheim (25 km) and take a regional train to Osnabrück (49 min., a train every hour)

  3. Take a train from Haarlem (15 km away from Ijmuiden) to Amsterdam and then a German IC train to Osnabrück (3 hrs, 19 min.). You must book a place for your tandem in these trains and you need two international bicycle tickets for your tandem.

Hoek van Holland

  1. I think a good choice is a route over Gouda - Veenendaal - Enschede - Bad Bentheim. It will take 2.5 days (approx. 260 km). Take a regional train from Bad Bentheim to Osnabrück (49 min., departin every hour) or cycle another 70 km. This route has not been tested by us so far.

  2. Take a regional train to Rotterdam and then an IC train to Schiphol or Utrecht, afterwards an IC train to Enschede (3 hrs, 59 min. on Saturdays and Sundays). On weekdays there is a direct IC train from Rotterdam to Enschede (3 hrs, 29 min.). From Enschede cycle to Bad Bentheim (25 km) and take a regional train to Osnabrück (49 min., departing every hour).

  3. Take a regional train to Rotterdam and then an IC train to Amsterdam, subsequently a German IC train to Osnabrück (5 hrs, 5 min.). You must reserve a place for your tandem in these trains and you need two international bicycle tickets for your tandem.

Zeebrugge

  1. Take a route over Breskens - ferry to Vlissingen - Bergen op Zoom - Gorinchem - Arnhem - Enschede - Bad Bentheim. It will take 3 days (approx. 320 km). In Bad Bentheim take a regional train to Osnabrück (49 min., a train departs every hour) or cycle another 70 km. Again a route that we haven't ridden up to today.

  2. Cycle to Breskens and take the ferry to Vlissingen, then take an IC train to Schiphol and change to an IC train to Enschede (4 hrs, 39 min., only the trip by train). From Enschede cycle to Bad Bentheim (25 km) and take a regional train to Osnabrück (49 min., departing every hour).

  3. Cycle to Breskens and take the ferry to Vlissingen, then take an IC train to Amsterdam and subsequently a German IC train to Osnabrück (5 hrs, 45 min., only by train). You must book a place for your tandem in these trains and you need two international bicycle tickets for your tandem.

Last but not least, there is only one ferry line from Britain to Germany. It is a fright ferry from Immingham to Cuxhaven (DFDS Torline / www.dfdstorline.com), and yes, they carry cyclists. From Cuxhaven you can take a regional train to Bremerhaven-Lehe and then a regional train to Osnabrück (2 hrs, 41 min.). If you have some time, cycle to Bremen (1.5 days) and from there take a regional train to Osnabrück (1 hrs, 14 min., departing every hour). It's about 90 km from Bremen to the ITR site.

I think you will agree that, at least for some of you, there is no necessity to come to Osnabrück by car. In the Netherlands there are lots of camping sites and good cycle paths, so if you have the time, I would strongly recommend you to ride with your tandem from the ferry ports to Bad Bentheim. For the return journey you can easily book and buy your train tickets at the Osnabrück station.

For information on bookings, tickets etc. in the U.K., contact "Deutsche Bahn" at:

United Kingdom
DB Vertrieb GmbH
U.K. Booking Centre
P.O. Box 687A
Surbiton KT6 6UB
Phone: 0870 243 53 63
Fax: 0870 066 29 65
E-mail: sales@bahn.co.uk
www.bahn.co.uk


If you have any question about "how to come to Osnabrück without a car", please feel free to contact me at any time by e-mail: j.buchholz@adfc-osnabrueck.de.

Tandem in German IC
Tandem in German IC		 Tandem in a regional train
Tandem in German regional train

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