Over the past year, I biked the Bodensee Radweg (SwissMobility), a 265 km long bike route that completely circles the Bodensee (Lake Constance). This is an international route that goes through Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.
Photo Stories for all Stages
| The Bodensee Radweg is a 265 km bike path that completely circles the Bodensee (Lake Constance). This is an international trail that takes you through Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. SwissMobility breaks this route into 8 sections and I am following along with that plan.Photo stories for each stage I’ve done are here: Stage 1 – Konstanz to Überlingen, Germany Stage 2 – Überlingen to Friedrichshafen, Germany Stage 3 – Friedrichshafen to Lindau, Germany Stage 4 – Lindau, Germany to Rorschach Stage 5 – Rorschach to Kreuzlingen Stage 6 – Kreuzlingen to Stein am Rhein Stage 7 – Stein am Rhein to Radolfzell, Germany Stage 8 – Radolfzell to Konstanz, Germany |
So, what were the logistics for the trip? And, which sections do I recommend? Read on to find out more about how I did this trip and which parts I thought were the best.
What was the route and how long did it take?
The route I did was the Bodensee Radweg (SwitzerlandMobility), a 265 km long bike route (SwissMobility) that completely circles the Bodensee (Lake Constance). The plan I followed for this route was broken into 8 stages ranging from 22 km to 52 km. I did all stages as day trips taking the train to and from the start. As some stages are short, I sometimes did two stages in one day. I spent a total of 6 days of biking spread out over a year (November 2025 to October 2026).
The route is a mix of paved and gravel bike paths, country roads, and, occasionally, busy streets. The route is marked with Bodensee Radweg Cycle path signs which consist of a black line drawn cyclist with a blue back wheel.
When in Switzerland, most of the Bodensee Radweg is the same as bike route 2 so you can follow those signs and they are very easy to spot (red and white with a blue number 2). I found this quote from Cycling Lake Constance to be 100 percent true: “In Germany, it is easy to miss a signpost in some places and go off the bike path. Due to the green-on-white optics, the readability is somewhat suboptimal.” So, yes, I did get lost a few times. But as long as I stayed near the lake, I eventually got where I needed to go.
What bike did I use?
I used my road bike, which was mostly fine. There were a few sections of packed dirt and gravel that would have been better with a different bike but most of it was asphalt and easy riding.
Although there are several bike rental places around the lake, I can’t speak to bike rental as I haven’t used any of them.
What about bike transport/parking?
I did all stages as a day trip taking the train to and from the start. As some stages are short, I sometimes did two stages in one day. To get my bike to the trail, I purchased a bike day pass from SBB and took my bike on the train with me. Bikes generally aren’t permitted on trains during rush hour so I never got an early start but that was okay as each section was not that far away for me. Some trains also require a bike reservation but as I was only taking local trains, I did not need to make a reservation. For more information, see the SBB page about taking bikes on the train and the DeutscheBahn page about taking bikes on the train.
I didn’t leave my bike overnight on this trip but did on bike route 5, see the Mittelland Bike Route summary for more info.
Did you have a favorite stage?
If I had to pick one stage as my favorite, I would pick Stage 3 Friedrichshafen to Lindau, Germany. With its pretty painted buildings, cobblestone streets and beautiful harbor, Lindau island is definitely worth spending some extra time in to walk around and to have a meal at one of the many sidewalk cafes (as I did!).
In a close second place was Stage 4 Lindau, Germany to Rorschach, which I did on the same day as Stage 3. This stage was all about the biking, and it really was just a great route to bike. Scenic and easy, so in my opinion, perfect. I really enjoyed the mountain and lake views on this stage.
My least favorite? Easily Stage 1 Konstanz to Überlingen, Germany. The first two thirds of this stage had me questioning why I was doing this – I got lost a number of times and I am still so bad at hills I needed to push my bike occasionally. And, because it doesn’t follow the lake shore, it isn’t that scenic. But the final third of the route was nice enough that I was motivated to keep going. But, I wouldn’t fault anyone for skipping this stage and starting with the much nicer Stage 2.
Any favorite stops?
Yes, on Stage 2, I enjoyed visiting the Pfahlbauten Museum which is a reconstruction of the prehistoric pile dwellings – houses built on wooden stilts over the lake. It was interesting to see what life here might have been like 3000 to 6000 years ago.
I also really enjoyed walking around the old town on Lindau island and having lunch at a sidewalk cafe at the harbor on Stage 3.
And although I have been several times before, I also really liked seeing the painted houses in Stein am Rhein on Stage 6.
I probably could have or should have done more stops along the way. Maybe on my next bike adventure.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed this bike route and I definitely recommend it. It is not difficult to bike, there are great views, and lots of places to stop along the way for a nice meal. Plus there are interesting museums to visit along the way.
When I reached the end of the trail at the harbor in Konstanz, an older gentlemen took my photo to help celebrate the end of the ride. I look a little bedraggled but I felt very accomplished to have done the entire route. This was a very fun biking adventure and I am glad I did it. And now to think about what route I should do next!
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