Cycle Touring from Zurich, Switzerland to Amsterdam, Netherlands

Travel Journal of Greg Walker

2012 Zurich to Amsterdam

23 August - 13 October 2012

Introduction

After the rather difficult cycle tour of Eastern Europe (Vienna, Austria to Istanbul, Turkey) last year (2011), I was keen to return to the more scenic and civilised Western Europe.  As I’ve enjoyed previous rides along parts of the Rhine, I decided to complete the whole thing from Zurich, Switzerland to Rotterdam, Netherlands.  This was a ride my cycle mate from the UK, Graham Watson was talking about doing so he agreed to join me for the ride from Mulhouse, France to Rotterdam.   As Wendy was planning to attend an International Pharmacy Conference in Amsterdam early Oct 12, I decided to finish my ride there so I could spend some time with her.  With side trips my cycle distance would be about 2,000km, just about the right distance for a tour of about this long.   

This is my roughly planned itinerary:

GREG’S ITINERARY EUROPEAN CYCLE TOUR 23rd AUGUST TO 14th OCTOBER 2012

Thurs 23 Aug - Depart Hervey Bay to Brisbane Qantas Flt 2375 - ETD 0920h ETA 1010h.
Thurs - Depart Brisbane Int Terminal to Singapore QF51 - ETD 1340 ETA 1930h Thurs - Depart Singapore Term 1 to London ETD 2359h ETA 0635h Fri 24 Aug.
SWITZERLAND
Fri 24 Aug - Depart London T5 to Zurich, Switzerland ETD 0955h ETA
1235h.   Zurich Fri 24 To Mon 27 Aug, Hotel Senator Zurich.
Day bike rides & train trips to Bern (Capital) & Lucerne. 
LIECHTENSTEIN
Tues 28 Aug Zurich to Balzers, Liechtenstein 104km.
AUSTRIA
Wed 29 Aug Balzers to Lustenau, Austria 60km.
SWITZERLAND
Thurs 30 Aug Lustenau to Arbon, Switzerland 40km, meet up with Fred & Heather.
GERMANY
Fri 31 Aug Arbon to Constance, Germany 60km Hotel Petershof, Fri 31 Aug
- Mon 3 Sep.  Visit EuroBike Exhibition Sat 1 Sep. 
SWITZERLAND
Mon 3 Sep Constance to , Schaffhausen, Switzerland 60km.
GERMANY
Tues 4 Sep Schaffhausen to Waldshut, Germany 60km.
SWITZERLAND
Wed 5 Sep Waldshut to Basel, Switzerland 60km.
FRANCE
Thurs 6 Sep Basel to Mulhouse, France 40 km.
Fri 7 Sep Rest Day - Graham Watson arrives by train ETA 2000h.
Sat 8 Sep Mulhouse to Colmar 66km.
Sun 9 Sep Colmar to Strasbourg 80km.
GERMANY
Mon 10 Sep Strasbourg to Rastatt, Germany 60km.
Tues 11 Sep Rastatt to Speyer 80km.
Wed 12 Sep Speyer to Mainz 90km.
Thurs 13 Sep Rest Day, cycle to Frankfurt, 40km each way. 
Fri 14 Sep Mainz to Niederberg 60km.
Sat 15 Sep Niederberg to Andernach 60km.
Sun 16 Sep Andernach to Bonn 43km.
Mon 17 Sep Bonn to Cologne 50km.
Tues 18 Sep Rest Day Cologne. 
Wed 19 Sep Cologne to Dusseldorf 43km.
Thurs 20 Sep Dusseldorf to Rheinburg 47km.
Fri 21 Sep Rheinburg to Emmerich 47km.
NETHERLANDS. 
Sat 22 Sep Emmerich to Tiel, Holland 68km.
Sun 23 Sep Tiel to Rotterdam 78km.
Mon 24 & Tues 25 Sep Rotterdam - local sightseeing & rides.
Wed 26 Sep Rotterdam to The Hague 25km.
Thurs 27 Sep The Hague - local rides. 
Fri 28 Sep The Hague to Haarlem 44km. 
Sat 29 Sep Haarlem - local rides. 
Sun 30 Sep to Fri 12 Oct Haarlem to Amsterdam 20km Hampshire Hotel – Lancaster – Wendy arrives from China, Pharmacy Conference, local rides and sightseeing.   
FLY HOME. 
Amsterdam to London Qantas QF3370 (BA) - 1910h Fri 12 Oct London to Singapore Qantas QF10 terminal 3 - 2230h.
Singapore to Brisbane QF52 term 1 - 2125h Sat 13 Oct.  Brisbane to Hervey Bay 1425h - 1510 - 14 Oct.