Rheinsteig: GPX, map & 13 stages
314 km in Germany · 13 stages · 9,120 m ascent · 2/13 stages with public transport · best Mar–Oct
Plan Rheinsteig with the full GPX download, 13 stage GPX files, map, elevation profile, and 2/13 stages with public transport. Choose a stage, open it in Planner, or download GPX before you go.
An automatic guide. TrailSplits built it from OpenStreetMap and cut it into 13 stages at roughly even distances, 1 of the 12 breaks at a public-transport stop. They are not the official stages or checked overnight stops, and TrailSplits has not checked the stays, water or closures. Check them with the trail's operator before you go.
Quick answer: Rheinsteig is a 314 km long-distance route from Bonn to Wiesbaden. TrailSplits built this guide automatically from OpenStreetMap and cut it into 13 stages at roughly even distances, 1 of the 12 breaks at a public-transport stop; they are not the official stages or checked overnight stops. It has the map, elevation profile, full GPX download and 2/13 stages with public transport.
314km
Total Distance
13
Stages
9,120m
Total Ascent
270
Transit Stops
Plan Rheinsteig
Rheinsteig covers 314 km from Bonn to Wiesbaden with 9,120 m of ascent. Use the mapped GPX, stage GPX files, elevation profile, and public transport stops to choose a hiking, trail running, or fastpacking schedule.
- Best season
- March to October· from climate averages
- GPX coverage
- Full route plus 13 stage GPX files
- Transit access
- 2 of 13 stages start or finish by public transport
- Stage options
- 16 days hiking / 8 days trail running / 10 days fastpacking
- Route coverage
- Complete mapped route
- Field use
- Route tools available
Weather this week
Loading the forecast for low point (44 m) and high point (380 m)…
Month by month
Typical weather on this trail: at the lowest point (44 m) and the highest point (380 m). Select a month to see why it is rated as it is.
| Month | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather | Mixed | Mixed | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Mixed | Mixed |
| Stages rated good on typical weather | 0/13 | 0/13 | 13/13 | 13/13 | 13/13 | 13/13 | 11/13 | 13/13 | 13/13 | 13/13 | 4/13 | 0/13 |
| High point, day / night | 4°/-1° | 5°/-1° | 9°/1° | 14°/4° | 18°/8° | 21°/11° | 23°/13° | 22°/12° | 18°/9° | 13°/6° | 8°/3° | 5°/0° |
| Low point, day / night | 7°/1° | 8°/1° | 12°/3° | 17°/6° | 21°/9° | 24°/13° | 26°/14° | 25°/14° | 21°/11° | 16°/7° | 11°/4° | 7°/2° |
| Rain, mm | 77 | 65 | 67 | 48 | 66 | 71 | 89 | 77 | 67 | 74 | 73 | 88 |
| Snow at high point | Possible | Possible | Frost | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Possible |
| Daylight | 8 h 26 | 10 h 01 | 11 h 47 | 13 h 45 | 15 h 27 | 16 h 27 | 16 h 05 | 14 h 37 | 12 h 43 | 10 h 49 | 9 h 01 | 8 h |
Source: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages. Averages for the area at each point’s elevation (4 km grid, corrected for height). Not a forecast or a report of current trail conditions. Snow at the high point is estimated with a simple snowpack model from these temperatures and precipitation, not observed; steep islands and high summits can hold more snow than it shows. Daylight is for the 15th of each month. Hut, transport and park seasons are separate: check them for your dates.
How the stages are cut
We split Rheinsteig into 13 stages. 2 of them start or end at a transit stop — look for the 🚌 icon in the stage directory below.
Take Rheinsteig offline — free
Most trail guides are just a page to read. TrailSplits is a free app you install straight from your browser — download the whole Rheinsteig map to your phone and follow the route with no signal, in multi-day battery mode. No app store, no account, no subscription.
- ✓ Offline map for the full route
- ✓ Turn-by-turn navigation
- ✓ Download before losing signal; carry backup power
Long route — you can download it stage by stage to save space.
Download for offline — pick your stages
Save the sections you'll walk, or download the whole route. Each selection saves its map and GPX in My Hikes. Stages are not necessarily overnight stops. Before leaving signal, reopen and test your downloads on this device.
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Full Trail Map
Route briefing
What comes next
Climbs, descents and access in route order. Not listed does not mean absent: it may not be mapped.
Start
0 m
Bonn
Start
Route geometry · source 2026-08-30
About 0 min in
313.6 km remaining
+9120 m remaining
Climb
13.8 km
200 m climb
2.5 km at 7.9% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-08-30
About 3h 45m in
299.8 km remaining
+8831 m remaining
Climb
25.1 km
261 m climb
3.8 km at 6.9% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-08-30
About 6h 50m in
288.5 km remaining
+8390 m remaining
Descent
28.8 km
222 m descent
2.5 km at 8.8% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-08-30
About 7h 52m in
284.7 km remaining
+8114 m remaining
Climb
36.4 km
192 m climb
3.1 km at 6.2% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-08-30
About 9h 55m in
277.2 km remaining
+7903 m remaining
Climb
251.5 km
246 m climb
2.5 km at 9.7% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-08-30
About 68h 34m in
62.1 km remaining
+1411 m remaining
Finish
313.6 km
Wiesbaden
Finish
Route geometry · source 2026-08-30
About 85h 30m in
0 m remaining
Stage Directory
Browse the stages — swipe to compare
Bonn → Königswinter
Königswinter → Rheinbreitbach
Rheinbreitbach → Bad Hönningen
Bad Hönningen → Neuwied
Neuwied → Heimbach-Weis
Heimbach-Weis → Ehrenbreitstein
Ehrenbreitstein → Braubach
Braubach → Dahlheim
Dahlheim → Bornich
Bornich → Rheindiebach
Rheindiebach → Eibingen
Eibingen → Kiedrich
Kiedrich → Wiesbaden
| # | Stage | Distance | Ascent | Time | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bonn → Königswinter | 22.3 km | +643m | 5h 52m | 🚌 |
| 2 | Königswinter → Rheinbreitbach | 22.5 km | +843m | 6h 31m | 🚌 |
| 3 | Rheinbreitbach → Bad Hönningen | 20.6 km | +675m | 5h 45m | — |
| 4 | Bad Hönningen → Neuwied | 22.6 km | +801m | 6h 20m | — |
| 5 | Neuwied → Heimbach-Weis | 25.9 km | +650m | 6h 42m | — |
| 6 | Heimbach-Weis → Ehrenbreitstein | 25.4 km | +696m | 6h 43m | — |
| 7 | Ehrenbreitstein → Braubach | 23.2 km | +928m | 6h 47m | — |
| 8 | Braubach → Dahlheim | 23.3 km | +824m | 6h 30m | — |
| 9 | Dahlheim → Bornich | 24.8 km | +897m | 7h 09m | — |
| 10 | Bornich → Rheindiebach | 24.4 km | +833m | 6h 48m | — |
| 11 | Rheindiebach → Eibingen | 25.3 km | +759m | 6h 53m | — |
| 12 | Eibingen → Kiedrich | 26.3 km | +630m | 6h 47m | — |
| 13 | Kiedrich → Wiesbaden | 27 km | +498m | 6h 39m | — |
| Total | 313.6 km | +9,120m | 85h 29m |
Draft day-by-day itinerary
Rheinsteig grouped at mapped section boundaries. Overnight accommodation and access are not verified. Review each day's effort and book suitable stops before using this as a hiking plan.
9 days in this draft — about 34.8 km/day, 313.6 km and 9,677 m of ascent total.
- Day 1 Stages 1–244.8 km · +1,486 m · ~12h 24m
- 1. Bonn → Königswinter 22.3 km · +643 m
- 2. Königswinter → Rheinbreitbach 22.5 km · +843 m
- Day 2 Stages 3–443.2 km · +1,476 m · ~12h 06m
- 3. Rheinbreitbach → Bad Hönningen 20.6 km · +675 m
- 4. Bad Hönningen → Neuwied 22.6 km · +801 m
- Day 3 Stage 525.9 km · +650 m · ~6h 42m
- 5. Neuwied → Heimbach-Weis 25.9 km · +650 m
- Day 4 Stage 625.4 km · +696 m · ~6h 42m
- 6. Heimbach-Weis → Ehrenbreitstein 25.4 km · +696 m
- Day 5 Stages 7–846.5 km · +1,752 m · ~13h 18m
- 7. Ehrenbreitstein → Braubach 23.2 km · +928 m
- 8. Braubach → Dahlheim 23.3 km · +824 m
- Day 6 Stage 924.8 km · +897 m · ~7h 12m
- 9. Dahlheim → Bornich 24.8 km · +897 m
- Day 7 Stage 1024.4 km · +833 m · ~6h 48m
- 10. Bornich → Rheindiebach 24.4 km · +833 m
- Day 8 Stage 1125.3 km · +759 m · ~6h 54m
- 11. Rheindiebach → Eibingen 25.3 km · +759 m
- Day 9 Stages 12–1353.3 km · +1,128 m · ~13h 24m
- 12. Eibingen → Kiedrich 26.3 km · +630 m
- 13. Kiedrich → Wiesbaden 27 km · +498 m
Want a downloadable GPX for each day, or a different number of days? Open the Multi-Day Itinerary Builder →
How Long Does It Take?
Comfortable pace with time to enjoy the scenery. 16 days.
Elevation Profile
Transit Stops Along the Trail
Bus and train stops within 2 km of the trail, sorted by distance along the route. Tap a stop to see it on the trail map or get directions.
Rheinsteig is a 314 km long-distance hiking trail in Germany. This guide includes 13 suggested planning stages with route access, distance, elevation and a separate GPX for each day.
Rheinsteig — frequently asked questions
How long is Rheinsteig?
Rheinsteig is a 314 km long-distance route from Bonn to Wiesbaden, presented as 13 stages with map, full GPX download, elevation profile, Planner handoff, and 2/13 stages with public transport.
How many days do you need for Rheinsteig?
The distance-based examples cover 8-16 days for 314 km. They are not verified overnight itineraries. Choose days around your ability, ascent, accommodation and current conditions, not distance alone.
When is the best time to hike Rheinsteig?
Based on 1991–2020 climate averages, the weather on Rheinsteig is usually best from March to October. Hut, transport and park seasons are separate: check them and current conditions for your dates.
Can you reach Rheinsteig by public transport?
This page lists 2/13 stages with public transport in Germany as planning references. Nearby stops do not guarantee a walkable connection. Check access paths, operating dates and current timetables before relying on public transport.
Can I download GPX files for Rheinsteig?
Yes. TrailSplits has a full GPX and 13 stage GPX downloads for Rheinsteig — load them on a Garmin, Suunto, COROS, or your phone, or open any stage in the Planner.
How hard is Rheinsteig?
Rheinsteig is rated epic: 314 km with roughly 9,120 m of total ascent, with a high point near 382 m. The elevation profile, per-stage climb, and surface breakdown on this page help you judge each section.
Ready to hike Rheinsteig?
Pick your first stage below and download the GPX. Transit notes are marked on 2 of 13 stages.
More long-distance trails to explore
🗂️ Open data source: Rheinsteig on OpenStreetMap (relations 11173945, 11173946, 11173947, 11217022, 11217021, 11217020, 11217019, 11217018, 11217017, 10356255, 10356256, 10356257, 10356258, 10356259, 10356260, 10356261, 10356262, 10357781, 10357782, 10357783, 10357784). Transit stops from OSM.