The railway of the Dolomites, later become Dolomites cycle path, was opened in 1921 to connect Calalzo di Cadore, Dobbiaco and Cortina d'Ampezzo. With the passing years and the development of motorization and technologies it was gradually abandoned.
It had its time of glory during the year 1956 on occasion of the Cortina Winter Olympics, but then its decline was inevitable especially when, in 1960, there was a serious accident in which two persons died. 65 kilometers long, the railway was dismantled in 1964. Today, as mentioned before, the railway has become the cycleway of the Dolomites and connects Calalzo di Cadore in the Veneto region to Dobbiaco in the Alto Adige region.
During winter time the railway was often interrupted due to the intense snowfall and it was necessary to intervene to clean up the railway line. The steam train of 1921 was replaced in 1929 by electric trains that showed themselves to passengers with wagons tinged with white and blue.The Dolomites cycleway
The railway of the Dolomites, or we’d better call it the Dolomites cycleway, is an cycling tour itinerary inaugurated in 2003 that follows almost constantly the route of the old tracks of the Calalzo di Cadore – Dobbiaco line, detaching from the dismantled railway only to let cycling tourists avoid crossing the state road a couple of times. Travelling along this route from Dobbiaco to Cortina and then to Calalzo, the overall uphill difference in height almost touches 300 meters, while downhill almost 850 meters. The cycle route of the Dolomites, also known as Lunga Via delle Dolomiti (Long Way of the Dolomites), is indicated throughout its length by clear, explicative signage tables and in Dobbiaco inserts in the cycle path of the Puster Valley to the east and in the Dobbiaco-Lienz cycle path to the west along the Drava.
From Dobbiaco to Cortina d'Ampezzo you face the longest and most demanding stretch since between the two places there is the station of Cimabanche at a height of 1,529 meters. With a constant uphill, mild and then around 3,5%, you reach Cimabanche cycling on gravel.
Just after Cimabanche you pass by Ospitale, once a shelter for pilgrims, and you cross the iron bridge on the gorge of Austrian construction and two evocative galleries before arriving in Cortina. Going along the old track of the railway of the Dolomites by bike from Dobbiaco you skirt the Natural Park of the Three Peaks of Lavaredo and those of Fanes, Sennes and Braies in the Alto Adige territory too.
From Cortina d'Ampezzo to Calalzo the Dolomites cycle path is all a slight downhill and the bottom is almost entirely asphalted and in good conditions. You go down passing through the Boite Valley till the old customs and San Vito di Cadore. From Borca the Antelao and Pelmo, two massifs of the Belluno Dolomites, show themselves. You cross many galleries all however rather illuminated and, following the signposts, you get to your destination.
When to go and why
Spring and autumn (or the end of summer) are, as usual, the best time for facing this cycle path: temperatures are mild (I mean end of spring and beginning of autumn!), roads are little crowded, lodging prices low, the colors of the autumn forest or blooming fantastic... the cycle path is accessible until the first snowfalls and starting when the snow melts! If you want to travel along the cycle path of the Dolomites in an alternative way you can take on facing the stretch from Dobbiaco to Cortina in winter with cross country skis!
Our Dolomites cycleway
The cycle path of the Dolomites isn’t totally flat. Along the route there are often signs indicating which way to go. You go beyond some stone galleries, short and not claustrophobic at all, for a while you flank the state road and manage to see the Lake di Centro Cadore on the right. The cycle path ends at the station of Calalzo where we had a short stop and then continued towards Domegge, Lorenzago di Cadore and the Mauria Pass leading to the Friuli region. The Dolomites cycleway is quite an easy route (also depending on the direction you are travelling!!!), the only difficulty is length but you can remedy this trap dividing the trip in more days. On occasion of our two days in the Dolomites of Fanes, Sennes and Braies by mountain bike we traveled another stretch of the cycle path of the Dolomites going up from Alto Adige towards Cimabanche.
If you want to find out other cycle routes along the old dismantled railways, you can have a look at our article. The Dolomites cycleway is a part of the longer Friendship Cycle Trail, from Munich to Venice.
