WikiProject Luxembourg/Cycle Route Network

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The Cycle Route Network of Luxembourg

Bicycle Route Network (status: 03/Jan/2011)

In Luxembourg, there are three main cycle route networks: the National Cycle Network (Pistes Cyclables, for more information see here); regional cycle routes (you'll find some here; and a local cycle network in Luxembourg City("Itineraires Cyclables de Ville de Luxembourg", some information on which is given here).

We have a lot of minor roads in the countryside used for agricultural purposes and (in theory ;-)) forbidden to car traffic, which make very convenient cycle routes (and we tag them highway=cycleway, details below). In some regions we have hills and inclines cycleways - we should tag these inclines (incline=*) as well.

To map cycle routes we have first

  • to map all roads, paths and cycleways and tag them correctly (lanes, surface)

and then we have

  • to connect the segments of a cycle route to a relation and give the relation the right tags (type=route, route=bicycle).

National Cycle Route Network (Pistes Cyclables)

The official National Cycle Route Network of Luxembourg is described on the web page of Administration des Ponts et Chaussees. Unfortunately, the maps of the routes are only available as PDF files and not very detailed. Sometimes, the routes are marked with the planned ways, but not with the real ones. (Riding the Piste Cyclable PC11 the map took me with my bike to a dead end way in a wood...).

Up to now all routes are created as relations in their real course. The network is still developing (the Administration is adding new route segments from time to time) so we have to add these segments in OSM as well. The profile picture of the route was created with the Garmin software MapSource using the GPS-tracks.



National Cycle Route Network (Pistes Cyclables)
No. Name OSM Profile State
PC 1 Piste Cyclable du Centre relation Browse
PC1 Prof.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 2 Piste Cyclable d'Echternach relation Browse
PC2 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 3 Piste Cyclable des Trois Rivières relation Browse Bike (4/4)
PC 4 Piste Cyclable de la Syre relation Browse
PC4 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 5 Piste Cyclable de l´Ernz Blanche relation Browse Bike (4/4)
PC 6 Piste Cyclable des Trois Cantons relation Browse
PC6 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 7 Piste Cyclable Jangeli relation Browse)
PC7 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 8 Piste Cyclable Terre Rouge relation Browse
PC8 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 9 Piste Cyclable Faubourg Minier relation Browse
PC9 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 10 Piste Cyclable François Faber relation Browse
PC10 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 11 Piste Cyclable Charly Gaul relation Browse
PC11 Profile.png
Bike (3/4)
The route is broken here!
PC 12 Piste Cyclable de l'Attert relation Browse
PC12 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 13 Piste Cyclable Nicolas Frantz relation Browse
PC13 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 14 Piste Cyclable Eisch-Mamer relation Browse
PC14 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 15 Piste Cyclable de l'Alzette relation Browse
PC15 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 16 Piste Cyclable de la Sûre Moyenne relation Browse
PC16 Profile.png
Bike (4/4)
PC 17 Piste Cyclable de l´Ouest relation Browse Bike (3/4)
PC 18 Piste Cyclable des Ardoisières relation Browse Bike (3/4)
PC 19 Piste Cyclable Lac de la Haute-Sûre relation Browse Bike (3/4)
PC 20 Piste Cyclable de la Wiltz relation Browse Bike (3/4)
PC 21 Piste Cyclable du Nord relation Browse Bike (3/4)
PC 22 Piste Cyclable des Ardennes relation Browse Bike (3/4)
PC 23 Piste Cyclable Benny Bike (X/4)

Regional Cycle Routes

The regional cycle routes in luxembourg are defined and maintained by the communes. Therefore we don#t have a complete index of theses routes. There are a lot of regional maps available - we have to buy them, make the tour and let the GPS work! - Then we can create the relations (and the underlying ways, if necessary) in OSM and add the routes with their profiles here.

Regional Cycle Routes in Luxembourg
Name Desrciption OSM Map Profile Additional Information
Vëlost’OUR “Jardins à suivre” Troisvierges - Clervaux relation Browse Map
JardinsASuivre.png
Description on tours.lu
Vëlost’OUR “Panorama” Troisvierges-Hautbellain-Huldange-
Binsfeld-Troisvierges
relation Browse Map
Panorama.png
Description on tours.lu
"Wëntger Gënzentour” Troisvierges-Hoffelt-Allerborn-
Niederwampach-Selscheid-Doennange-Sassel-Troisvierges
relation Browse Map Printable Map (PDF)]
Auf den Spuren des « Charly » (114km)
Biekerech (51km)
Der Westen des Öslings (82km)
An den Ufern der Mosel (113km)
An der Attert entlang (88km)
Das Our-Tal (50km)
Der « Buurgplaaz » und das Dreiländereck (79km)
Die Kleine Luxemburger Schweiz (66km)
Die Luxemburgischen Canyons (67km)
Die Kleine Luxemburger Schweiz (66km)
Die Wälder der Hauptstadt (43km)
Iechternach (51km)
Im Heren des Gutlandes (58km)
Rouspert (49km)
Rund um den Staussee (131km)
Wisen West Tour (38km) Redange-Rambrouch-Arsdorf-Heispelt-Rindschleiden-Wahl-Buschrodt-Preizerdaul-Ospern-Redange relation Browse
Dällchen West Tour (25km) relation Browse

Cycle Routes in Luxembourg-City

Marker for VdL-Routes 8 and 9

The City of Luxembourg published a concept of new cycling routes and other infrastructural enhancements for cycling in the capital of Luxembourg in 2007. It is planned to designate 14 main and 15 additional cycling routes. Furthermore there will be constructed bicycle parkings in the area of Luxembourg City.

The introduction of the new bicycle rental system "vel´oH" (Official Website) enforced the importance of a suitable cycle route network.

The table below lists the currently fully marked cycle routes in Luxembourg-City.

Cycle Route Network of Luxembourg-City (VdL - Ville de Luxembourg)
No. Description OSM vel´oH - Rental station at start/end
(link to velomap.lu)
VdL 2 Centre-Ville (Hamilius) - Glacis and back relation Browse start/end at Vel´oH station 12
VdL 5 Centre-Ville (Gelle Fra) - Bonnevoie - Howald relation Browse start at Vel´oH station 13
VdL 6 Centre-Ville (Gelle Fra) - Gare - Gasperich relation Browse start at Vel´oH station 13
VdL 8 Centre-Ville (Gelle Fra) - Hollerich - Gasperich relation Browse start at Vel´oH station 13
VdL 9 Centre-Ville (Gelle Fra) - Belair - Merl relation Browse start at Vel´oH station 13
VdL 10 Centre-Ville (Hamilius) - Belair relation Browse start at Vel´oH station 12, end at Vel´oH station 44
VdL 11 Centre-Ville - Rollingergrund - Eich relation Browse start at Vel´oH station 28
VdL 12 Centre-Ville (Place du Theatre) - Limpertsberg relation Browse start: Vel´oH station 15, end at Vel´oH station 18
VdL 13 Gare - Belair relation Browse start at Vel´oH station 2, end at Vel´oH station 35
VdL 14 Centre-Ville (Place W. Churchill) - Belair relation Browse start at Vel´oH station 11
VdL E9 P+R Bouillon - Grund relation Browse

Tagging of roads and paths in OSM suitable for cycling

The correct tagging of roads and paths for cycling purposes is very important for map generation and for automatic bicycle routing purposes. Generally speaking, you can define any tag, but that does not make sense. We have to agree on a well defined set of tags which can be used by rendering and routing software. We have to define tags depending on the kind of bicycle path (road with lane, cycleway) and on the surface (asphalt, gravel, sand...).

Many areas in Luxembourg are already tagged for cycling, but the tags are not standardized. Therefore we should revise the tags, especially along the defined cycle network routes. For this purpose the basic tagging rules are defined here, with example photos and screenshots from a GPS device to get an impression what each tag refers to. In the neighbouring countries, there are projects on cycle route networks and we can adopt most things. The general tagging rules are defined here and the bicycle tagging rules here.

You can find more information on country specific cycle projects:


Cycling on roads

The road network of Luxembourg is tagged using the following scheme (motorways are not considered as bicycles are not allowed to ride there):

Road type Numbering OSM Tags
National Roads (Routes Nationales) "N" + number highway=primary, ref=road number
Main Roads (Chemins Repris) "CR" + number highway=secondary, ref=road number
Minor Roads highway=tertiary / highway=unclassified
Roads within residential areas name of the road highway=residential, name=road name

There are three kinds of roads where a bicycle can be used (see also here):

  • Usage of the roads together with the cars without road marking.
  • A cycle lane is marked on the road, but the lane is not constructional separated.
  • The cycle way is constructional separated from the road.

The tagging should follow these rules:

Tagging of roads
Type Example Tagging OpenFietsMap velomap.org
Marked cycle lane on
both sides of a
bidirectional road or
on a footpath
or a bidirectional cycleway
on one side

Cycle lanes left right.svg
Cycle lanes both right.svg
Lane.jpg
Lane var1.jpg
Highway=x cycleway=lane 2.jpg
Lane var2.jpg
highway=*
cycleway=lane
GPS cycleway=lane.png GPS Cycleway=lane vm.png
Marked cycle lane on
one side of a
bidirectional road

Cycle lanes right only.svg
highway=*
cycleway:right=track
(the direction of the way itself
has to be considered)
GPS cycleway=track.png GPS Cycleway=track vm.png
Constructional separated
cycle lanes

Cycle tracks left right.svg
Cycleway=track.jpg
highway=*
cycleway=track
GPS cycleway=track.png GPS Cycleway=track vm.png
No Lane.jpg

The tag cycleway=lane should only be used if there is a real marking on the road. (We have currently too many lane tags in the OSM database!). The example photo shows a typical marking along the National Cycle Network (Pistes Cyclables) - this is not a lane!

Cycling on tracks

Tracks are tagged with highway=track, the surface is defined with tracktype=* and the values with grade1..grade5. Tracks are broad enough for cars, footways (highway=footway) and paths (highway=path) are not, for details look here.

The track type is important for cycle routing, it should be tagged very carefully.

In the table are listed the different track types with examples in the real world and on the GPS device display (map by OpenFietsMap):

Tagging of tracks
Type Example Tagging OpenFietsMap velomap.org
Paved track (asphalt, concrete)
Track grade1.jpg
highway=track
tracktype=grade1
GPS track grade1.png GPS track grade1 vm.png
Unpaved track (gravel)
Track grade2.jpg
highway=track
tracktype=grade2
GPS track grade2.png GPS track grade2 vm.png
Unpaved track (sand) - highway=track
tracktype=grade3
GPS track grade3.png GPS track grade3 vm.png
Unpaved track (grass in the middle)
Track grade4.jpg
highway=track
tracktype=grade4
GPS track grade4.png GPS track grade4 vm.png

Cycling on paths

Paths are small ways not suitable for cars (tag: highway=path) and mostly outside of residential areas, footways are mainly for pedestrians (tag: highway=footway), if cyclists are allowed, the paths have to be tagged with bicycle=yes. If path is designated for cyclists, use bicycle=designated

Footway designated for cyclists, tagged with bicycle=designated


Footways and paths
Type Example Tagging OpenFietsMap velomap.org
Path
Winding path (14354572446).jpg
highway=path GPS track grade4.png GPS track grade4 vm.png
Path (MTB) highway=path
bicycle=yes
GPS path mtb.png GPS path mtb vm.png
Footway, designated for cyclists
Footway bicycle=designated.jpg
highway=footway
bicycle=designated
segregated=yes
see [1]

Cycle ways

Cycleway forbidden for cars

Dedicated cycle ways are tagged with highway=cycleway. In Luxembourg, we have a lot of paved tracks, where cars are prohibited (photo). In addition there are some former railway lines, which are superbly prepared for cycling (you can find more information here in German).

Cycle ways are rendered as red lines in OpenFietsMap.

Cycle ways
Type Examples Tagging OpenFietsMap velomap.org
Cycle way
Cycleway.jpg
highway=cycleway GPS highway=cycleway PC6.png GPS highway=cycleway PC6 vm.png
Cycle way also used
by pedestrians
CCycleway foot=yes.jpg
highway=cycleway
foot=yes
GPS highway=cycleway PC1.png GPS highway=cycleway PC1 vm.png

Cycling on oneway roads

In Luxembourg-City, cycle lanes have been added on many roads during the last 2, 3 years. A lot of these roads are oneway roads, but permit cyclists to go in the opposite direction (sometimes sharing the bus lanes). This leads to quite complex tagging. I propose the main tagging techniques in the table below:


Cycleways on oneway roads
Type Example Tagging OpenFietsMap velomap.org
Oneway road with
cycleway lane
in same direction

Oneway cycle lane right only.svg
Oneway=yes cycleway=lane.jpg
highway=*
oneway=yes
cycleway=lane
Oneway road with
cycleway lane
in opposite

Oneway cycle opposite lane left.svg
Opposite bicycle=no.JPG
highway=*
oneway=yes
cycleway=opposite_lane
Oneway road with
bus and cycleway lane
in opposite direction

Bus und Radspur Gegenrichtung.jpg
highway=*
oneway=yes
oneway:bicycle=no
oneway:bus=no
cycleway=lane
Oneway road with
common bus and cycleway lane
in same direction

Busspur und Haltestelle in Mannheim 100 9128.jpg
highway=*
oneway=yes
cycleway=share_busway

Some advice to help you decide between : highway=cycleway or highway=track/tertiary/unclassified?

A cycle way should only be tagged as highway=cycleway when it is explicitly closed to cars, or it is too narrow for them. Moreover, a minor road or track with a sealed surface (asphalt, concrete) should be tagged as highway=track with tracktype=grade1 and surface=*. In the case of a road or track which is open to cars but is not part of the official road network (N/CR), this should be tagged highway=tertiary or highway=unclassified

Tagging the cycle routes with relations

The tagging of cycle routes is done in OSM by means of relations. They contaoin all ways in the right order. The relations get certain tags to define them as bicyle routes and to give them a name and a reference number. The ways should not contain the bicycle related data, except they are designated for cycling.

The relations forming bicycle routes are tagged as follows:

Bicycle routes
Tag Description
type=route relation is a route
route=bicycle route is a bicycle route
network=icn
network=ncn
network=rcn
network=lcn
type of the bicycle route
(international, national, regional, local)
ref=* official number (abbreviation) of the route
name=* official name of the route

In Luxembourg we have all four types of bicycle routes.

National Cycle Route Network (network=ncn)

The official names of the routes of the Luxemburgish National Cycle Route Network are explained in detail on the website of the Administration des Ponts et Chaussees.

The tagging scheme of this national cycle network should be as follows:

Bicycle routes
Tag Description
type=route relation is a route
route=bicycle route is a bicycle route
network=ncn type of the bicycle route (national)
ref=* official abbreviation of the route
ncn_ref=* numeric (!) reference of the route
name=* official name of the route + "(PC xx)"

Bicycle rental system of Luxembourg City ("vel'oH")

Station 47 (Léopold Goebel)

In 2008 was installed a new bicycle rental system consisting of 54 self service bicycle rental stations. At these stations you can rent and put back special bicycles 24h around-the-clock.

In OSM these stations are defined as nodes with special tags:

Bicycle rental stations "vel'oH"
Tag Description
amenity=bicycle_rental tag for bicycle rental
operator=veloh name of the company
name=* name of the station
ref=* number of the station
capacity=* number of places
website=[www.veloh.lu www.veloh.lu] website of the company

All stations form a relation (relation Browse)of nodes to define the "vel'oH" network of cycle route stations:

Relation of "vel'oH" bicycle rental station network
Tag Description
type=bicycle_rental relation is a bicycle rental station network
network=Vel'oH short name of the network
name=Vel'oH Luxembourg official name
website=[www.veloh.lu www.veloh.lu] website of the company

The website velomap.lu uses the OpenStreetMap data of the "vel'oH" network to show the stations and the bicycle routes on an interactive map (Mapnik and OpenCycleMap). Also available are photos of all stations and the current amount of available bicycles (updated online). New constructed stations should be added as nodes and in the relation in OSM to be shown as well on this interactive map.

In 2011 18 new stations have been constructed in Luxembourg-City and around. In sum there will be 72 "vel'oH" stations available. The station no. 37 "Gaulois" (former: "Piscine Bonnevoie") has been moved to Rue de Gaulois.