The small fishing village of Grense Jakobselv on the Barrents Sea marks the start of the Iron Curtain Trail. The nearest big settlement is Kirkenes, a town with a population of 3,500 the majority of which are of Norwegian decent but also include Sami, Finnish and Russian minorities. The Norway-Russia border was one of only two land borders between the Soviet Union and NATO territories during the Cold War and, as a result, it was heavily guarded by both sides.

Download here the full GPS tracks of EuroVelo 13 - Iron Curtain Trail in Norway and start planning your next cycling holidays!

EuroVelo 13 - Iron Curtain Trail is a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe since 2019.
EuroVelo 13 - Iron Curtain Trail is a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe since 2019.

Countries

Legend

Development status
  • Certified Section of at least 300 km that has successfully undergone the certification process in line with ECF’s European Certification Standard. It is the highest quality level on the EuroVelo network
  • Developed with EuroVelo signs Developed route (see category below) with continuous signing along the route, incorporating EuroVelo route information panels.
  • Developed Route developed for cyclists and signed in line with the respective national standard (i.e. it is part of a local, regional or national cycle network). There must also be a website providing information to users. Developed route can be heterogeneous in terms of infrastructure: type of cycling infrastructure, surface, width, gradients, etc
  • Under development Route containing sections that require further development (e.g. stretches on public highways with high levels of traffic). Cyclists are advised to use public transportation to skip these non-developed stretches.
  • Planning Undeveloped route with no detailed information publicly available on the Internet. The itinerary communicated is a proposal for the best possible option currently available. It may also contain dangerous sections. Cyclists are advised to use public transportation to skip these non-developed stretches.
  • Public transport link

Markers

  • Natural Heritage
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Cultural Heritage
  • Culinary Delights
  • Maritime Heritage / The Rhine / The Meuse
  • Other Point of Interest
  • Bus station
  • Train station
  • Mobility info center

National & Regional Information

Norwegian Public Roads Administration

National EuroVelo Coordination Centre

The Norwegian National Cycle Network are 10 national cycle routes connecting most of the country. Many of the routes are already signposted and some of them are part of EuroVelo, the European cycle route network.

Cycle Norway

Website in English - Find information on cycling routes in Norway and many tips to plan your trip: public transport, accommodation, weather, gear, tunnels...

Visit Norway

Website in English - All you need to know to cycle in Norway: mountain biking, road cycling, scenic routes and tips to plan your cycling trip.