European Greenways Association

21/10/2026

🚴🌿 Greenways: Investing in Health, Sustainability and Local Communities!

In a recent interview with the European Greenways Association, Àngel Planas, Manager of the Consorci de Vies Verdes de Girona in Catalonia Ecovies de Girona, Spain, highlights the remarkable benefits of greenways for people, local economies and the environment.

📊 The impact speaks for itself:

💶 Around €6 million in direct annual economic benefits.
💚 €200,000 in healthcare cost savings.
🌍 Approximately €60,000 in benefits associated with reduced CO₂ emissions.

With 325 km of cycling and walking routes, Girona demonstrates that greenways are much more than tourist attractions — they are essential infrastructure supporting everyday mobility, healthier lifestyles and sustainable communities.

Àngel Planas also stresses the importance of long-term funding, regular maintenance and cooperation between local, regional and national authorities to expand and connect greenway networks.

🌱 The message is clear: investing in greenways means investing in people, public health, local development and a greener future!

You may have opportunity to meet Angel Planas at the event in Madrid 22 of October, 2026 🚆 🚲 Train + Bicycle Dialogues: Active Mobility and Greenways / Venue: Vías Verdes - Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles, Palacio Fernán Núñez, C/ Santa Isabel, 44, Madrid.

Interview by: Dominika Zareba

🔗 Read the full interview:https://www.aevv-egwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/EGWA-Interviews-–-ES-–-Angel-Planas_www.pdf

More information about Spanish Train Week: www.semanadeltren.es

Ecovies de Girona, Vías Verdes - Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles

19/10/2026

🚂🚲 Train Week 2026 | Spanish Railways Foundation
📅 21–28 October 2026

From railway heritage to sustainability and innovation! 🌱

A week of activities celebrating railways, bringing together the railway sector and the general public to explore the past, present and future of sustainable mobility.

🚂 + 🚲 Train + Bicycle Dialogues: Active Mobility and Greenways

📅 Date: Thursday, 22 October 2026
📍 Venue: Palacio Fernán Núñez, C/ Santa Isabel, 44, Madrid

This meeting will highlight the role of Greenways in promoting active mobility, seamless connections between transport modes, and the ecological transition in rural areas. It will also reinforce the Spanish Railways Foundation’s commitment to sustainable mobility under its 2026–2030 Strategic Plan.

🌿 The event will explore how trains, bicycles and Greenways can work together to encourage everyday sustainable travel, showcase the progress of the programme, and open up discussions on adapting these infrastructures to the needs of active mobility in rural areas.

🚆🚴 Let’s celebrate railways and Greenways — connecting people, places and a more sustainable future!

🔗 More information: www.semanadeltren.es
Vías Verdes - Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles, Ecovies de Girona

📣 Tenemos un plan para ti 👉 Diálogos: “Tren + Bicicleta, Movilidad Activa y Vías Verdes”
¡Impulsamos la movilidad sostenible integrando , tren y bicicleta!

📅 22 de octubre
📍 Palacio Fernán Núñez (Madrid)
🖇️ https://viasverdes.com/noticias/noticia.asp?id=1618

Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible Eusko Jaurlaritza - Gobierno Vasco Caminos Naturales Renfe CEDER Merindades Asociación de Empresarios Vía Verde del Aceite Turismo Subbética Cordobesa Ecovies de Girona

12/10/2026

🚲Forum of Cycling Officers in the historic town of Pszczyna, 🇵🇱 Poland was focusing on the development of cycling infrastructure in the Silesian Voivodeship, the implementation of regional cycling routes, and the future of cycle tourism. 🚴‍♂️

During the meeting, Bogdan Kasperek, Director of the Office of the Association for Regional Development and Cooperation “Olza”/ Těšínské Slezsko - Śląsk Cieszyński and President of the Greenways Poland Association Stowarzyszenie Greenways Polska, presented activities aimed at restoring the Greenway Kraków–Moravia–Vienna route 🇵🇱 🇨🇿 🇦🇹, and liking it with the EuroVelo and the cross-border Iron Cycling Trail Żelazny szlak rowerowy/ Železná cyklotrasa, which received the 3rd European Greenways Award 2023 in Rome in the "exemplary initiative category" 🌿.

The Forum’s programme also included presentations on the progress of regional cycling routes, projects in the various subregions, the use of cycling traffic data, and the funding of infrastructure under the new EU funding framework. Another important topic was the future of the Silesian section of EuroVelo 4 and recommendations for its development. 🗺️ 🚲🤝

- with Śląskie. Pozytywna energia, Partnerství, obecně prospěšná společnost, EuroVelo Česká republika

08/10/2026

🚲🛤🚶‍♀National Geographic features Europe’s Greenways!

🍃"Across the continent, rail-trail conversions and other greenways offer travelers a way to slow down and immerse themselves in cobblestone squares, historic cathedrals, and other wonders". – writes Jeanine Barone.

The article mentions:
🇪🇸 Girona Greenways in Spain (The Carrilet I Greenway): Cycle past volcanoes and river valleys in Catalonia
🇫🇷 Southern Burgundy Greenway (voie verte), France: Along an old railway line through the vineyards of Burgundy
🇸🇪 Greenway following the old railway line of the Klarälven railway in Sweden: Cycle 90 kilometres through the Swedish forests
🇧🇪 RAVeL greenways network in Wallonia, Belgium: From the Three-Country Point to Liège along old railway lines
🇮🇹 Ciclovia Treviso–Ostiglia on the former military railway: Past villas, canals and historic squares in Italy
🇩🇪🇦🇹 Danube Cycle Path, Germany and Austria

- with Vías Verdes - Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles, Ecovies de Girona, AF3V - Pour les véloroutes et voies vertes, Chemins du Rail, Rete Ferroviaria Italiana SpA - Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, Associazione Italiana Greenways

🔗read the article in English: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/europes-best-bike-trails
🔗Dutch version of the article by Stéphanie Versteeg: https://www.nationalgeographic.nl/reizen/a73924844/europese-fietsroutes-over-oude-spoorlijnen

Many thanks to Kris Rockelé for sharing the article!

Across the continent, rail-trail conversions and other greenways offer travelers a way to slow down and immerse themselves in cobblestone squares, historic cathedrals, and other wonders.

05/10/2026

🚴‍♀️ A major boost for the National Cycle Network! 🇬🇧
Great news from the UK: Walk Wheel Cycle Trust has secured £104 million in multi-year funding from Active Travel England to improve and maintain the National Cycle Network across England.

The new four-year investment is particularly important because it provides the stability needed for long-term planning rather than relying mainly on annual funding. It will support improvements to routes, accessibility, safety and the overall quality of the network — helping more people walk, wheel and cycle with confidence.

🌿 Better routes
🚲 More opportunities for active travel
♿ Improved accessibility
🛣️ Safer, more connected networks
📅 Long-term investment and planning

The National Cycle Network is an important part of the UK's active travel infrastructure, connecting communities with places, nature and each other.

A great example of how stable, multi-year funding can help create better conditions for walking and cycling, also along greenways. 👏

Walk Wheel Cycle Trust welcomes the announcement of £104 million from Active Travel England to improve and maintain walking, wheeling and cycling routes in England.

01/10/2026

🚴🏻‍♀️🚴🏻We are at the National Cycling Tourism Conference in the 🇨🇿Czech Republic taking place at the castle in Central Bohemian spa town Poděbrady, organized by Partnerství, obecně prospěšná společnost, an 🌿European Greenways Association Member.

The Conference”s main themes are cycling and active tourism products, sustainability and marketing. Elbe cycling trail - Labská stezka in 🇨🇿Czechia and Elberadweg in 🇩🇪Germany is presented as a best practice example of cycling tourism product and successful cross-border collaboration.

🚲Participants also took part in the study tour at the Elbe cycling trail between beautiful historical towns of Nymburk and Poděbrady, a greenway section lined with old trees and offering charming views of the Elbe river and its landscapes.

Photos: EGWA, Partnerství, obecně prospěšná společnost, Central Bohemia Tourist Board / Středočeská centrála cestovního ruchu

28/09/2026

🚲 Greenways are built by communities — not just engineers.

🗞A fascinating interview with John Grimshaw, a civil engineer and pioneer of cycling routes in the UK, explores how walking and cycling infrastructure can bring together engineering, environmental stewardship and local communities.

🚴‍♀️🚶For 40 years, John has helped create cycling routes, and through Greenways and Cycleroutes, he works with communities to turn long-held ambitions into reality. A key part of this approach is volunteer workcamps, where local people gain the skills and confidence to help build bridges, paths and other elements of greenways — and, importantly, develop a sense of ownership that encourages them to maintain and care for the routes.

Since 2016, the initiative has delivered 19 routes, supported by 11 volunteer workcamps. One recent example in Shepton Mallet brought together 88 people over nine days, including volunteers who helped build an 18-metre bridge.

🌳🛤The interview also highlights the challenges of developing routes on privately owned former railway lines, and John’s vision of greenways becoming a properly funded part of national transport strategies — supporting healthier communities, sustainable travel and access to the countryside.

🌿 A great reminder that successful greenways are not only about infrastructure. They are about people, participation and creating places that communities feel are truly their own.

Read the full interview by Dominika Zareba:https://www.aevv-egwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/EGWA-Interviews-–-UK-–-John-Grimshaw-print-version_web.pdf

22/09/2026

🌳🛤🚲Today, we celebrate the Car-free Day at the Greenways Conference in 🇫🇷Toulouse, France, organized by AF3V - Pour les véloroutes et voies vertes.

The European Greenways Association and Vías Verdes - Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles are represented by Arantxa Hernández Colorado, 🇪🇸Spanish Greenways Programme Manager and Secretary General of EGWA.

👏💚Warmest greetings and congratulations to our French friends and partners!

22/09/2026

🚶‍♀️🚲🛴🌱 🛤🌳Happy Car-Free Day!
🗞We invite you to read our special Greenways Newsletter:
https://mailchi.mp/4531e535e9a4/egwa-newsletter-9-2026

21/09/2026

🚲 Great success of the Greenways & Cycleroutes Workcamp 2026, 🇬🇧UK

From 5–12 September, 97 volunteers contributed an incredible 341 volunteer days, with projects being carried out across Shepton Mallet and the surrounding area.

🌿 Vegetation was cleared and railway fencing was repaired
🧱 Historic stonework and bridges were restored
♿ A new ramp, steps and handrail were created to improve access
🪑 Benches were installed at some wonderful viewpoints
🚧 Paths were cleared and routes were prepared for future improvements
🌳 Working with the Strawberry Line team, an astonishing 450m of fencing was constructed in just one week.

There was also plenty of teamwork, food, friendship and laughter along the way, with 54 guests and day volunteers joining the camp.

A huge thank you to everyone who volunteered, supported the work, provided food and supplies, and helped make the 2026 workcamp possible!💚🚲

🗒️read the report by the Greenways and Cycleroutes, a member of the European Greenways Association:https://www.aevv-egwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/GREENWAYS-WORKCAMP-2026-the-one-that-was-never-going-to-happen.pdf

about Greenways and Cycleroutes: https://greenwaysandcycleroutes.org