The Best Bike Trails in Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia!

The Tri-city is, geographically-speaking, one of the flattest areas in the whole of Poland and, for that reason, it's incredibly Bike-friendly! From the dedicated red bike lanes on main roads to the gorgeous forest trails between each city, you can almost always get between two points without hopping off and pushing. For the most part, no hardcore conditioning and training at altitude is required to be able to cycle on these routes, which makes it ideal for all ages. 

Where can I get a bike?

If you rolled into town without a set of wheels, no problem! There are a bunch of bicycle rental businesses like Rent A Bike ,  Veloking  and Poland By Locals that that rent on a daily basis. If it's a short stretch that you don't feel like walking, the Tri-city has it's own scan-and-go bike and scooter system called Mevo , which you can find near most major landmarks. You can also find a handfull of self-service pump/tool stations around the three cities, a great idea though some are in need of repair. For this reason, make sure the compressor works before connecting your tire to the hose, otherwise you will risk deflating it for nothing!

Can I take my bike on public transport?

Remember that, at the start and end of a full-day's cycling, remember that your bike can travel for free on the SKM train network . You need to enter the front carriage of the train and place your bike on the rack inside.
 

Laws around cycling

There are currently no laws in Poland requiring cyclists to wear helmets . Regardless of this, we highly recommend you and your family wear head protection at all times whilst riding a bike. It is required, however, at night to have a light.

Much like the laws surrounding drink-driving in Poland, it is illegal to cycle with any alcohol in your system and this is enforced by both the Straż Miejska and the Police. Breath testing can be carried out on anyone suspected of being drunk and on a bike . If you blow over, at the very least your bike will be taken off you. If you are severly intoxicated, you can be detained for up to 24 hours. For this reason, take no risks: Leave the celebratory beers till the end of your cycling trip and then hop on the SKM to return home .

With all that said, let's talk about our favourite bike paths :

Best Bike Paths in Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia!

GDAŃSK OLD TOWN
historic | urban | city panorama
Cycling is already quite popular in the old centre and, if you threw in a few more canals in Gdańsk, you would have another Amsterdam! There's plenty of history to soak in and lots of streets to take, though where to start can often be a bit of a problem!  Poland By Locals  run a well-formulated guided tour for bike groups, starting in the Old Town and taking a route over to granary island, up the Gradowa Hill to see the sights and old fortifications before descending back down into the Shipyards.

Of course, you can try and navigate with your own map and set of wheels though try not to be distracted and collide with a tourist or car!

GDAŃSK TO SOPOT
sightseeing | urban | coastal
There's two ways to cyle between the Tri-city's two more-popular centres.
Heading out on Aleja Zwycięstwa, you can take a right at Opera Bałtycka and head up Aleja Józefa Hallera before turning left and following the coastal route north. While this is the quickest route, with a total of 14km over an hour period, and gives you and gives you an endless amount of beach and sea, you are missing out on other districts with pleasant sightseeing options.

If you consider yourself an Urban culturalist, you should definately go through Zaspa to see the colourful murals that have brought the otherwise-drab apartment buildings to life!

 
Oliwa  is a cruisy, leafy district with lots to offer. The character of this district is perfectly captured in the gardens and epic hedge formations of Oliwa Park . The area also has  lots of great places to eat  and, as an approximate halfway point in this cycle route, you should consider stopping here for lunch. Lastly, catching an