The Berliner Mauerweg, or Berlin Wall Trail, follows the former border around West Berlin through Berlin and Brandenburg. It brings together surviving traces of division, memorial sites and green spaces on a route that can be explored in shorter sections or as a longer cycling journey.
A route through a divided city's history
The roughly 160-kilometre trail traces the former border installations around West Berlin. Berlin.de describes 14 sections of different lengths, suitable for cycling or walking, with signs along the route and information about the Wall and life on either side.
This is a journey through places that have changed as well as places where the border remains visible. Information panels and memorials provide context, while sections of the former border strip now pass through neighbourhoods and green areas.
Central Berlin and its memorials
The central part of the trail connects several places associated with the division of the city. Berlin.de lists Checkpoint Charlie and the East Side Gallery on the section between Potsdamer Platz and Warschauer Straße; Mauerpark and Bösebrücke lie on the section between Wollankstraße and Nordbahnhof.
VisitBerlin also highlights the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Straße, where a documentation centre, historic border installations and the Chapel of Reconciliation offer a place to pause. Near Potsdamer Platz, the Topography of Terror site has a surviving length of the Wall. Allow time to stop and read the information at the sites that interest you.
Beyond the city centre
The character of the ride changes around the outer edge of the former border. VisitBerlin describes sections beside the Teltow Canal, through fields and woods, and near the Havel. The avenue of cherry trees between Teltow and Lichterfelde is a distinctive springtime stop.
On the western side, Berlin.de identifies Glienicke Bridge as a highlight between Griebnitzsee and Wannsee. Farther north, the section from Staaken to Hennigsdorf passes a border watchtower, while the stretch between Hennigsdorf and Hohen Neuendorf is particularly green. These sections give the route a different setting from its central-city memorials.
Planning the ride
Berlin's Senate cycling guide notes that the Mauerweg is not a purpose-built cycle path throughout. Surfaces vary between asphalt, woodland ground, paving and field tracks, and cyclists share the route with people on foot. Some damaged stretches require diversions or occasional dismounting.
Choose a section around the places you want to visit and leave room for breaks. Berlin.de's overview sets out the 14 sections, while visitBerlin notes that many can be combined with public transport. Check the relevant route information and local conditions before travelling, especially if you plan to join several sections together.