Rail trails are former railway lines that have been converted to paths designed for pedestrian, bicycle, skating, equestrian, and/or light motorized traffic. Most are multiuse trails offering at least pedestrians and cyclists recreational access and right-of-way to the routes.
Rail trails around the world longer than 0.1 miles (160 metres) include the following.
Asia
Israel
- The Jerusalem Railway Park
Japan
- KÃ
Âchi Aki Bicycle Path é«ÂçÂ¥å®Âè¸èª転è»Âé on the former "Tosa Electric Railway Aki Line".
- Maple Yaba Cycling Road ã¡ã¤ãÂÂã«è¶馬ãµã¤ã¯ãªã³ã°ãÂÂã¼ã from Nakatsu to the Morizane Hot Springs in Yamakuni.
South Korea
Taiwan
Europe
Austria
A more complete reference can be found at www.bahntrassenradeln.de.
Lower Austria
- Dampfross und Drahtesel on the former
- on the former
Upper Austria
- on former
- Part of follows the former
Salzburg
- Salzkammergut-Lokalbahn-Radweg on the former between Strobl and St. Gilgen
- on the former and from Salzburg to Bad Ischl
Styria
- The first 18 kilometers of the between and on a dismantled part of the
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
France has rail trails with a total length of (as at November 2025). More projects are being planned or under construction. These are some of rail trails in France :
- Avenue Verte between St-Aubin-le-Cauf (near Dieppe) and Forges-les-Eaux
- The promenade plantée ("walk with trees") (4.5 km) in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, France; built on the former railway line between Bastille area and the eastern suburbs of Paris (1859 - 1969)
- Coulée verte ("green belt") (29 km), on the former (43 km), opened for the traffic between 1874 and 1972 or 1990
- Coulée verte ("green belt") (1 km), on the former transversal railway line (closed in 1979) between the station of Colombes and the station of "Les Vallées" la Garenne-Colombes
- The voie verte ("green way") is a former railway line transformed in bicycle trail in the Vosges; it links Remiremont to Bussang and Remiremont to Cornimont
- Voie verte from Givry to Mâcon
- Voie verte from Mios to Bazas, a former railway line transformed into a bicycle trail (76 km) in the Aquitaine
- The Roger Lapébie bike path runs for 57 km from Bordeaux, through Créon and onto Sauveterre-de-Guyenne.
Germany
Germany has 613 rail trails with a total length of (as at September 2013). 80 more projects are being planned or under construction. These are some of the longest rail trails in Germany:
Hungary
Ireland
In planning/under construction
Isle of Man
Italy
- Syracuse - Ragusa Railway, part in Val dell' Anapo converted to bike track
- Trieste - Kozina (Slovenia) Railway, passing through Val Rosandra, now converted to a cycle and footpath
Luxembourg
- Prince Henri railway in Clemency, converted into a cycle track
Norway
Poland
- Ã
ÂcieÃ
¼ka rowerowa na trasie linii kolejowej Swarzewo â Krokowa
Portugal
- Ecopista do Rio Minho
- Ecovia do Rio Lima
- Ecopista do Tâmega
- Ecopista do Dão
Slovenia
- Jesenice to Tarvisio (Italy): (35 km approx.)
- Kozina - Trieste (Italy) Railway, passing through Val Rosandra, now converted to a cycle and footpath
Spain
- Senda del oso, Asturias
- VÃÂa Verde de la Sierra (mountain's rail track), Cádiz and Seville
- VÃÂa Verde de la Sierra de la Demanda, Burgos
- VÃÂa Verde de Ojos Negros, Valencia and Teruel
- GIRONA - NARROW-GAUGE RAILWAY ROUTE I - This 57-km route crosses three regions and twelve towns, following the valleys of the FluviÃÂ , Brugent and Ter rivers. The Narrow-Gauge Railway Route descends smoothly from Olot (440 m) to Girona (70 m).
- GIRONA - NARROW-GAUGE RAILWAY ROUTE II - The Narrow-Gauge Railway Route stretches out 39.7 km. With a smooth incline from Girona to Sant Feliu de GuÃÂxols (15 m), its highest point is at Cassàde la Selva (136 m). Following the old narrow-gauge railway line from Girona to Sant Feliu, you can get to know two of Girona's regions - the Gironès and the Baix Empordà- from the Ter River basin, crossing the Selva depression and ending in the Ridaura valley.
Sweden
- Banvallsleden (~ 150 km/93 miles)
- Sjuhäradsrundan BorÃÂ¥s to Ulricehamn(45 km/27 miles)
- ÃÂtradalsleden Falköping to Ambjörnarp (93 km/ 55 miles)
United Kingdom
England
- Addiscombe Railway Park: Addiscombe to Woodside, south London (0.6 miles)
- Alban Way: St Albans to Hatfield, Hertfordshire (7.5 miles)
- Angel Walk: Edmonton, north London (0.2 miles)
- Apethorne Junction to : Hyde, Greater Manchester (3 miles)
- Ashchurch to Tewkesbury: Gloucestershire (1 mile)
- Auckland Way: Spennymoor to Bishop Auckland, County Durham (4.3 miles)
- Ayot Greenway: Ayot St Peter to Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire (3 miles)
- Beckton Corridor: Beckton DLR station to Connaught Bridge, east London (0.5 miles)
- Bedford to Sandy: Bedfordshire
- Belmont Trail: Stanmore to Harrow, north-west London (2.2 miles)
- Bembridge to Brading: Isle of Wight
- Bermondsey-Stubbs Drive to Surrey Canal Road: south London (0.5 miles)
- Bingham Linear Walk: Nottinghamshire (2 miles)
- Blackwater Rail Trail: Witham to Maldon, Essex (8 miles)
- Bowes Railway Path: Jarrow to Tanfield Railway Museum, Tyne and Wear (11.5 miles)
- Bradley Fold Cycleway: Bolton to Bury, Greater Manchester
- Brampton Valley Way: Northampton to Market Harborough Railway, Northamptonshire (14 miles)
- Brandon to Bishop Auckland Railway Path: Broompark to Bishop Auckland, County Durham (9 miles)
- Bridport to West Bay: Dorset (1 mile)
- Bristol and Bath Railway Path, Somerset (13 miles)
- Bubwith Rail Trail: Bubwith to Market Weighton, Yorkshire (8 miles)
- Buckingham Railway Walk: Buckinghamshire (1 mile)
- Bungay: Suffolk (1 mile)
- Bure Valley Railway: Wroxham to Aylsham, Norfolk (9 miles)
- Camel Trail: Padstow to Wenford Bridge, Cornwall (17.3 miles)
- Castle Eden Walkway: Castle Eden to Thorpe Thewles, County Durham (9 miles)
- Castleman Trailway: Ringwood to Upton Country Park, Hampshire (16 miles)
- Centurion Way: Chichester to Singleton, West Sussex (7 miles)
- Chedworth Nature Reserve: Cheltenham to Cirencester line, Gloucestershire
- Chippenham to Calne Railway Path: Chippenham to Calne, Wiltshire (6 miles)
- Chiseldon to Marlborough Railway Path: Wiltshire (7.3 miles)
- Cinder Track: Scarborough to Whitby, North Yorkshire (21 miles)
- Cloud Trail: Worthington to Chellaston (part of National Cycle Route no. 6), Leicestershire/Derbyshire
- Cole Green Way: Welwyn Garden City to Hertford, Hertfordshire (6 miles)
- Consett and Sunderland Railway Path: County Durham (24 miles)
- Cotgrave Country Park: Nottinghamshire (2 miles)
- Cotmanhay Linear Park: Derbyshire (0.4 miles)
- Crab and Winkle Way: uses part of Canterbury and Whitstable Railway, Kent (8 miles)
- Cuckoo Trail: Hampden Park to Heathfield, East Sussex (14 miles)
- Deerness Valley Way: Broompark to Crook, Co.Durham
- Delph Donkey Trail: Delph to Moorgate, Greater Manchester
- Derwent Walk: Consett to Swalwell, County Durham (12 miles)
- Dousland to Princetown Railway Track: Devon (8 miles)
- Downs Link: Guildford to Christ's Hospital, Steyning and Shoreham-by-Sea, Surrey/West Sussex (36.7 miles)
- Drakes Trail: Plymouth to Tavistock, Devon (21 miles)
- Dyke Railway Trail: Hangleton to Brighton & Hove Golf Club, East Sussex (1.25 miles)
- Ebury Way: Rickmansworth to Watford, Hertfordshire (3.5 miles)
- Eling Way: Hermitage to Hampstead Norreys, Berkshire (2 miles)
- Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton: Devon (4 miles)
- Fallowfield Loop: Fairfield to Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Greater Manchester (7 miles)
- Five Pits Trail: Grassmoor to Tibshelf, Derbyshire (5.5 miles)
- Flitch Way: Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire to Braintree, Essex (18 miles)
- Forest Way: East Grinstead to Groombridge, East/West Sussex (10 miles)
- to : Isle of Wight
- Garstang and Knot-End Railway: The Fylde, Lancashire (1 mile)
- to , along the original Whitby and Pickering Railway alignment
- : Norfolk (0.5 miles approx.)
- Gosport to Stokes Bay: Hampshire (0.75 miles approx)
- Gosport to Fareham: Hampshire (2 miles approx)
- The Granite Way, Okehampton to Lydford, Devon (11 miles)
- Great Central Walk: Braunstone Gate to Glenhills, Leicestershire (4.5 miles)
- Great Central Walk: Rugby to Brownsover, Warwickshire (4.5 miles)
- Great Eastern Linear Park: Lowestoft, Suffolk (1.1 miles)
- The Great Northern Railway Trail Cullingworth to Queensbury in West Yorkshire
- Hadleigh Railway Walk: Hadleigh to Raydon Wood, Suffolk (2 miles)
- Hamble Rail Trail: Hamble to Southampton Water, Hampshire (4.5 miles)
- Harborne Walkway: Birmingham to Harborne, West Midlands (2.4 miles)
- Hart to Haswell Walkway: Monk Hesledon to Hart, County Durham
- Haverhill, Suffolk (1.5 miles)
- Hawthorn to Ryhope Way: Seaton to South Hetton, County Durham
- Hayling Billy Trail: Havant to South Hayling, Hampshire (5 miles)
- High Peak Trail: Hurdlow to Cromford, Derbyshire (17 miles)
- Hincaster Trailway: Hincaster to Arnside, Cumbria
- Holywell branch line: Holywell Junction to Holywell, Flintshire, Wales (1.5 miles); now the Greenfield Valley.
- Honeybourne Line Walk: Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire
- Hornsea Rail Trail: Hull to Hornsea, East Yorkshire (26 miles)
- Hudson Way: Market Weighton to Beverley, East Yorkshire (10 miles)
- Hull to Winestead Rail Trail: East Yorkshire (20 miles)
- to Station Town path: Hurworth Burn to Wingate, County Durham (1.8 miles)
- Isabel Trail: Stafford, Staffordshire (1.5 miles)
- Kelloe Way: Kelloe, County Durham (1.3 miles)
- Kenilworth Greenway Linear Park, Warwickshire (4 miles)
- Keswick to Threlkeld railway path: Cumbria (6 miles)
- Killamarsh to Renishaw, part of the Trans Pennine Trail: Derbyshire
- Kirklees Trail: Bury to Greenmount, Greater Manchester
- Lakenham Way: Norwich, Norfolk (1 mile)
- Lancaster to Caton: Lancashire (6 miles)
- Lancaster to Morecambe: Lancashire
- Lanchester Valley Railway path: Durham to Consett, County Durham (12 miles)
- Lavenham to Long Melford railway walk: Suffolk (4.5 miles)
- Ledbury Town Trail: Ledbury, Herefordshire (1.6 miles)
- Leicester to Ratby: Leicestershire
- Lines Way: Garforth to Allerton Bywater, Yorkshire (4 miles)
- Liss to Liss Forest Road: Hampshire (1 mile)
- Longdendale Trail: Hadfield to Woodhead, Derbyshire (6.5 miles)
- Lune Estuary Path: Lancaster to Glasson Dock, Lancashire
- Manifold Way: Hulme End to Waterhouses, Staffordshire (8 miles)
- Marriott's Way: Norwich to Aylsham, Norfolk (25 miles)
- Meon Valley Railway Line: West Meon to Knowle Junction, Hampshire (11 miles)
- Mercian Way: Ironbridge to near Bridgnorth, Shropshire
- Merton Park Green Walks: Merton Park to South Wimbledon, London (0.1 mile)
- Meltham Greenway: Meltham, Yorkshire (0.8 miles)
- Middlewood Way: Macclesfield, Cheshire to Marple, Greater Manchester (10 miles)
- Millennium Greenway: Mickle Trafford, Cheshire to Connahs Quay, Flintshire (10 miles)
- Milton Keynes redway system: former WolvertonâÂÂNewport Pagnell line, Buckinghamshire
- Mineral Tramway Trails: mid-west Cornwall
- Monsal Trail: Topley Pike to Bakewell, Derbyshire (8.5 miles);
- Nailsworth to Stonehouse: Gloucestershire (3 miles)
- Newark Northgate to Bottesford: Nottinghamshire (4.8 miles)
- Newham Trail: Highertown to Newham, Truro, Cornwall (1.6 miles)
- Newport to Wootton: Isle of Wight
- Nickey line: Harpenden to Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire (8.6 miles)
- Nidderdale Greenway: Harrogate to Ripley, North Yorkshire (4 miles):
- North Dorset Trailway: Spetisbury to Sturminster Newton (14 miles)
- North Liverpool Extension Line: Merseyside
- Offchurch Greenway: Leamington to Rugby, Warwickshire (1.5 miles)
- Onny Trail: Craven Arms to Horderley, Shropshire
- Outwood Trail: Prestwich to Radcliffe, Greater Manchester (2.6 miles)
- Padiham Greenway: Lancashire (2 miles)
- Parkend to Cinderford: Gloucestershire
- Parkland Walk: Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace, north London (3.1 miles)
- Pegasus Way: Okehampton to Halwill, Devon
- Pentewan Trail: St Austell to Pentewan, Cornwall (8 miles)
- Perry Way: part of the Stafford-Wellington line, Shropshire (3 miles)
- Phoenix Trail: Thame, Oxfordshire to Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire (7 miles)
- Pittington Way: Pittington to Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham (0.9 miles)
- Plym Valley Cycle Trail: Clearbrook to Marsh Mills, Devon (7 miles)
- Preston to Bamber Bridge: Lancashire
- Preston to Grimsagh: Lancashire
- Princetown Railway Walk: Princetown to Dousland, Devon
- Raisby Way: Trimdon to Coxhoe, County Durham (1.6 miles)
- Radstock to Frome: Somerset
- Rea Brook Way: Shrewsbury, Shropshire (1 mile)
- Red Squirrel Trail: Cowes to Sandown, Isle of Wight (14 miles)
- Red Squirrel Trail: Shanklin to Wroxall, Isle of Wight
- Ripley Greenway: Ripley, Derbyshire (2 miles)
- Rodwell Trail: Weymouth to Wyke Regis, Dorset (2 miles)
- Roe Green Loop: Roe Green to Monton, Lancashire
- Rowthorne Trail: Bolsover to Pleasley Colliery, Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire.
- Sandringham Railway Path: King's Lynn (Tennyson Avenue to A1078), Norfolk (1.7 miles)
- Scarborough & Whitby RailTrail: North Yorkshire
- Sett Valley Trail: Hayfield to New Mills, Derbyshire (2.5 miles)
- Parts of the Severn and Wye Railway: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
- Sewell Cutting Nature Reserve: Stanbridgeford to Dunstable, Bedfordshire (2.2 miles)
- Sherburn Way: Sherburn Hill, Co.Durham (1.4 miles)
- Silkin Way: Malins Lee to Coalport (Ironbridge), Shropshire
- Skegby Trail: Sutton-in-Ashfield to Pleasley Colliery, Nottinghamshire (5 miles)
- Southport and Cheshire Lines Extension Railway: Merseyside/Lancashire
- South Staffordshire Railway Walk: Castlecroft to Wall Heath, Staffordshire (5.5 miles)
- South Tyne Trail: Haltwhistle, Northumberland to Alston, Cumbria (13 miles)
- Southwell Trail: Southwell to Bilsthorpe: Nottinghamshire (7.5 miles)
- Spa Trail and Viking Way: Horncastle to Woodhall Spa (4.8 miles)
- Spen Valley Greenway: Oakenshaw to Dewsbury, West Yorkshire (7 miles)
- Stockley Trail: Bolsover, Derbyshire (2 miles)
- Stratford Greenway: Stratford-upon-Avon to Long Marston, Warwickshire (4.5 miles)
- Stroud to Dudbridge: Gloucestershire
- Strawberry Line Trail: Yatton to , Somerset
- Tarka Trail (parts): Braunton to Meeth, north Devon (31 miles)
- Sudbury to Long Melford: Suffolk (3 miles)
- Swindon to Rushey Platt: Wiltshire
- Tees Railway Path: Middleton-in-Teesdale to Cotherstone, County Durham (5.5 miles)
- Tenterden - The Old Railway Path: Tenterden to St. Michael's, Kent (1 mile)
- Testway: Stonymarsh to Stockbridge, Hampshire (5 miles)
- Tetbury Trail: Tetbury to Trouble House (2 miles), Gloucestershire
- Teversal Trail: Ashfield to Pleasley Colliery, Nottinghamshire.
- Thornhill Trail: Bamford, Derbyshire (2 miles)
- Tissington Trail: Parsley Hay to Ashbourne, Derbyshire (13 miles)
- Trans Pennine Trail: Hadfield, Derbyshire to Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire; Latchford to Broadheath, Cheshire
- Two Tunnels Greenway (3.5 miles & Colliers Way (2.5 miles): Bath to Wellow, Somerset
- Tyne Riverside Country Park: Newcastle to Wylam, Tyne and Wear (4 miles)
- Varsity Way: Bedford to Sandy, Bedfordshire
- Walker Riverside Park: St.Peters to Carville, Tyne and Wear
- Waskerley Way: Consett to Stanhope, County Durham (9.7 miles)
- Water Rail Way: Lincoln to Boston, Lincolnshire (33 miles)
- Weavers' Way: Bengate to Stalham, Norfolk (4.5 miles)
- Weavers' Way: North Walsham to Aylsham, Norfolk (4.5 miles)
- West Auckland to Ramshaw: County Durham
- West Bridgford Green Line: Nottinghamshire
- Wetherby to Thorp Arch: West Yorkshire
- Wetherby to Spofforth: West/North Yorkshire
- Whitegate Way: Winsford to Cuddington, Cheshire (6 miles)
- Whitehaven to Ennerdale cycle path: Cumbria (10 miles)
- Wirral Way: West Kirby, Merseyside to Hooton, Cheshire (13 miles)
- Worth Way: Three Bridges to East Grinstead, West Sussex (7 miles)
- Wray Valley Trail: Moretonhampstead to Bovey, Devon (7 miles)
- Wye Valley Greenway: Chepstow to Tintern, Gloucestershire (5 miles)
- Yeovil Country Park: Yeovil Pen Mill to Hendford, Somerset (1.5 miles)
- York to Osbaldwick: North Yorkshire
- York to Riccall Railway Path: North Yorkshire (14 miles).
Northern Ireland
Scotland
Wales
Jersey
In planning/under construction
North America
Bermuda
Canada
Mexico
- The abandoned Mexico City to Cuernavaca line (Linea C), transformed into a "ciclopista" or "ciclovÃÂa" (bicycle trail)
United States
Oceania
Australia
Rails trails of significant length in Australia include:
New Zealand
Pipeline trails
Trails similar to rail trails can follow other infrastructure, such as water pipelines.
Canal trails
External links
References