Lahnwanderweg 01-19 upstream (entire tour, tour with stages)

The daily stages start at the banks of the river Lahn and most of them lead up into the heights as well as into the side valleys. Because of this, cyclists and hikers do not get into each other’s way. The Lahn hiking trail takes you past numerous castles and palaces. Interesting rock formations and vantage points add up to the hiking experience. Hikers can even enjoy an exciting route which includes a number of great views. The Kammweg (small via ferrata) before the Goethepunkt near Obernhof will be a good choice for the brave ones but you can also find a leisurely variant. Underground experiences such as the Kubacher Kristallhöhle or the exciting Ruppertsklamm gorge provide cooling on hot summer days.

The Lahnwanderweg connects numerous towns such as Lahnstein, Bad Ems, Nassau, Diez, Limburg, Weilburg, Braunfels, Wetzlar, Gießen, Marburg, Biedenkopf and Bad Laasphe. At the end of the stage you can often cool your feet in the Lahn or in a Kneipp pool or even swim a few lengths in the public open-air swimming pool.

If you want to walk the Lahnwanderweg in one go, you will need about three weeks’ time. But since there are excellent rail connections at the starting points and the destinations, the trail can also be walked in 19 daily stages. Walking the entire trail in walking direction to the source, you will start at the mouth of the Lahn in Lahnstein (rheinland-pfälzisch). After the first beautiful kilometres through Rheinland-Pfalz, the Lahnwanderweg leads through Hessen and ends in the nordrhein-westfälischen Rothaargebirge at the Lahn source at 628 m above sea level after a total of more than 290 hiking kilometres.

It might be hard to decide since the Lahnwanderweg’s markings are excellent in both directions. Here you can find the Lahnwanderweg in walking direction to the mouth.

Marking and signposting

In order for you to know that you are on the right track anytime, the Lahnwanderweg is marked with the red LW on a white background continuously. This applies for both directions, no matter whether you will walk towards the source of the Lahn or Lahnstein. On straight sections, you will find the red LW at regular intervals, as well as at all crossings and junctions. When the path turns, this will also be indicated by arrows. The access routes between the Lahnwanderweg and many railway stations, sights and locations of the stages are marked with the red LW on a yellow background.

Signposts at junctions and crossroads indicate the direction and distance to towns and places of interest. The blue peak marks the main path while a yellow peak shows access paths. In addition to the information about distances, pictograms indicate services that hikers can find at the respective destination such as overnight accommodation or local transport stops.

The location sign, which you will find on every signpost, is meant to help with the orientation. In addition to the name of the location and information on the altitude, you will also see the corresponding GPS coordinates. We also provide the telephone number of the regional route management that you can use to report any defects, for example.

For information on diversions and relocations, please see our "Current Information".

Information on restrictions in the rail network can be found here.

Ordinary hiking equipment for uplands (sturdy shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, drinks and, if necessary, food)

• Lahnstein - Balduinstein (3 stages)
• Balduinstein - Weilburg (4 stages)
• Weilburg - Gießen (3 stages)
• Gießen - Marburg (3 stages)
• Marburg - Biedenkopf (3 stages)
• Biedenkopf - Lahnquelle (3 stages)

A3 or A61 plus A48 and B 42 to the mouth of the Lahn in Niederlahnstein

Approach to further stages on the Lahnwanderweg (a selection)

A5 and B3 to Marburg, Gießen, Wetzlar

A5 or A3 plus B 49 to Weilburg

A3 to LimburgA3 (AS Montabaur) plus B49 to Bad Ems

A45 (AS -Siegen or AS-Olpe) to source of river Lahn or to Feudingen

The public transport connection is excellent. 18 of the 20 townships where stages start or end can be reached directly by train and one additional by bus.

You only need a taxi-transport from the Feudingen railway station, if you want to start or end at the source of the Lahn.

Railway station at the mouth of the Lahn: Niederlahnstein Nearest railway station to the source of the Lahn: Feudingen

Long-distance train stations with ICE connections: Marburg, Gießen, Limburg-Süd, Koblenz

www.bahn.com

- Hikeline Lahnwanderweg, 14,90 €, 1. Auflage 2014 ISBN: 978-3-85000-535-7

- Rother Wanderführer Lahnwanderweg, 14,90 €, 1. Auflage 2016 ISBN: 978-3-7633-4492-5

- Rheinland-Pfalz-App free download. 

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Collecting memories with the hiking pass

The free pocket guide "Lahnwanderweg" and further information are available at www.daslahntal.de and from

Lahntal Tourismus Verband e. V.

Brückenstraße 2, 35576 Wetzlar

Tel. 06441-30998-0

info@lahnwanderweg.de

www.daslahntal.de

info@daslahntal.de

Lahnstein-Niederlahnstein (access route from Niederlahnstein, railway station, Bahnhofstraße 1, 56112 Lahnstein)

Source of river Lahn near Netphen (Forsthaus Lahnquelle, Lahnhof 1, 57250 Netphen)