Impressions

I’ve now been traveling through Denmark, Sweden, and Germany for 21 days. Of those, I spent about 2 days on the train, took a day off in Sweden, and spent a day with friends in Cologne.

Unfortunately, southern Sweden didn’t really win me over on this solo trip. The Kattegattleden West Coast Bike Trail ran mostly through tourist areas, industrial zones, or along major roads. While this wasn’t entirely unexpected, it unfortunately turned out to be true. It’s easy to escape the hustle and bustle inland. Just a few kilometers from the coast, you’re cycling alone through the forest, far away from people, supermarkets, and campsites. However, as a solo traveler, I didn’t get to experience that for more than a few days. That’s why I decided to take the last ferry before Oslo, back to Denmark.

For me, Denmark is the perfect blend of civilization and wilderness in this regard. You pass through towns or tourist areas at regular intervals, but you’re out of them just as quickly. This makes it easy to stock up on groceries while still spending plenty of time in beautiful nature. As a solo traveler, I also find the concept of designated shelter sites much more pleasant than Sweden’s “everyman’s right.” This makes it easier to strike up conversations with other travelers, rather than pitching your tent in the middle of nowhere. So Denmark was once again a dream come true. Not only because the country is so beautiful, but also because the people are always super open and friendly.

Wrapping things up with Jan on the Rhine Cycle Route felt like a real return to civilization. The section we rode is also really beautiful, but it doesn’t really have much to do with nature. Maybe it was because I wasn’t alone anymore, but the day trips also felt more like day trips. I wasn’t a traveler anymore, but simply out on a nice day trip, just like any other time.

Pictures

Highlight auf dem Strand zu fahren
Highlight auf dem Strand zu fahren
Mein Gepäck
Mein Gepäck
Viele Zimtschnecken
Viele Zimtschnecken
Strand
Strand
Am See in Schweden zelten
Am See in Schweden zelten
Fähre nach Schweden
Fähre nach Schweden
Gute Laune bei bestem Wetter
Gute Laune bei bestem Wetter
Typischer Shelterplatz
Typischer Shelterplatz

Costs

Transportation

Transportation costs consist of train fares for the trip there and back, as well as a total of 7 ferry trips.

Round-trip ICE train fare with bicycle: 91 euros + 68 euros = 159 euros

Ferry trips: 107 euros

Transportation: 266 euros

Food

My food expenses were a mix of restaurant meals and groceries, including beverages.

Food: 634 euros

That comes to an average of 30.20 euros per day.

Accommodations

Accommodations broke down as follows:

  • 1 x paid bike parking spot: 5 euros
  • 2 x campgrounds: 61 euros
  • 3 x lodging (Sweden + Denmark): 195 euros
  • 2 x lodging (Germany): 81 euros

Accommodations: 342 euros

Total Costs

All costs combined total 1,242 euros. That’s an average of 60 euros per day.

Trip Details

In total, I cycled from Flensburg to Gothenburg via Copenhagen, and then back to Flensburg along Denmark’s west coast, all within 15 days. During 14 days of cycling, I covered 1,390 km. Including one rest day, that works out to a daily average of about 93 km.

If you add the last 3 days on the Rhine Cycle Route, the total is 1,723 km over 17 days of cycling. With a total of 3 rest days, that averages out to 86 km per day.