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Iron Cycling Trail Greenway
Countries: Poland, Czechia
EUROPEAN GREENWAYS AWARD 2023
The Żelazny Szlak Rowerowy (Iron Cycling Trail) is a cross-border cycling route in southern Poland and the Czech Republic created on a former railway network that once connected towns in the Jastrzębie-Zdrój region.
The route forms a loop of around 50–53 km (with a main and alternative variant) and passes through five municipalities: Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Godów, Zebrzydowice (Poland) and Karviná, Petrovice u Karviné (Czech Republic). It is designed as a safe, traffic-free greenway, largely separated from road traffic and ideal for families, cyclists, and recreational users.
A defining feature of the trail is its strong railway heritage identity: it follows disused railway corridors and preserves the memory of the historic rail connections that once shaped the region’s industrial and social development.
The route passes through a varied landscape of forests, green corridors, and rural areas, offering shade, quiet surroundings, and a comfortable riding experience. Along the way, visitors encounter numerous heritage and cultural attractions, including palaces, churches, parks, recreational areas, and former railway-related sites.
Rest areas with benches, shelters, and cycling infrastructure are distributed along the route, making it a well-equipped recreational corridor. The greenway also connects to local attractions such as museums, parks, and cultural sites in both Poland and the Czech Republic.
Overall, the Żelazny Szlak Rowerowy is presented as a family-friendly, cross-border greenway that transforms former railway infrastructure into a modern recreational and tourism corridor combining nature, culture, and heritage.
More information:
Photos: @Stowarzyszenie Rozwoju i Współpracy Regionalnej OLZA
