New European Cycle Route Will Link Balkan Capitals Along Sava River

There is some good news for cyclists living in or traveling to Europe. A new biking route will follow the Sava River, connecting Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, and linking three European capitals – Ljubljana, Zagreb and Belgrade.

The Sava Cycle Route will offer cyclists 1,136 kilometres (about 705 miles) of adventures through diverse landscapes – from the Alpine region to the Pannonian Plain – and will highlight a range of natural and cultural heritage sites, wetlands, riverside towns and rural communities.

The proposed route is a candidate to become EuroVelo 18. It is expected to be officially integrated into the EuroVelo network at the latest by 2029, provided it meets the cycling group’s criteria for new EuroVelo routes, according to the European Certification Standard.

If approved, it will make it the network’s 19th EuroVelo route and the first in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The news to expand the EuroVelo network was recently announced by the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), a Brussels-based nonprofit umbrella association with more than 70 member organizations in over 40 countries. The federation advocates cycling as a sustainable and healthy form of transport and leisure.

The EuroVelo cycle route, which is coordinated by the ECF, is a network of long-distance cycle routes that cross and connect Europe. It stretches across 38 countries with the goal of making everyday cycling more possible, by local people making daily journeys as well as tourists. When completed, it will be about 90,000 kilometers (about 55,900 miles).

“This project marks a significant step in expanding the EuroVelo network into Bosnia and Herzegovina, strengthens sustainable mobility and tourism across Southeast Europe, and will be well-integrated with other cycle route networks as a strategic corridor,” EuroVelo said in a statement. “The Sava Cycle Route will not only connect countries and cities, but also promote regional development, environmental awareness, active mobility and sustainable tourism.”

EuroVelo provided a few details of what cyclists will see and experience along the Sava Cycle Route:

The route begins in Slovenia at the source of the Sava and passes through Triglav National Park, Lake Bled, Ljubljana (which is crossed by EuroVelo 9 – Baltic-Adriatic), and continues into Croatia via Zagreb, Sisak, and Lonjsko Polje Nature Park, a Ramsar-listed wetland and home to Čigoć, (a community recognized for its significant stork population and its commitment to protect them). The route then reaches Slavonski Brod, enters Bosnia and Herzegovina, passes through Bijeljina, Brčko, and the Bardača wetlands, before continuing into Serbia. There cyclists will be able to explore two internationally important wetland areas, before arriving in Belgrade, where the route connects with EuroVelo 6 – Atlantic-Black Sea, EuroVelo 11 – East Europe Route and EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail.

The cycling groups said the proposed route is the result of a “strong cross-border partnerships” and coordination between national and regional bodies, including ministries, tourism boards and NGOs, and National EuroVelo Coordination Centres.

In Slovenia, the route is coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy in Slovenia; by the Ministry of Tourism and Sport in Croatia; by the Center for Environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and by the Danube Competence Center in Serbia.

“The project marks a major step in expanding sustainable mobility and cycling tourism in South-Eastern Europe,” the cyclists’ federation said.

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