Bonn to Bern by bicycle
Leo Ringel cycled 600 kilometres to start his exchange semester at the University of Bern. He was studying for a Bachelor of Education at the University of Bonn, specialising in Geography and Physics. In this interview, he talks about what motivated him along the way and what surprised him about Switzerland.
Why did you come to Bern by bicycle?
Cycling from Bonn to Bern started as a crazy idea that I was joking about with friends. I love bike riding, but 600 kilometres seemed a bit far. The idea became more serious when I realised that I had friends along the route, in Mainz and Freiburg im Breisgau.
It was still very early when I set off, accompanied by five of my friends. They rode with me for the first 100 kilometres and let me ride in their slipstream to let me save my strength. In sport and in life, so much is about positive energy – their send-off meant a lot to me.
What kept you motivated during your trip?
It was my friends’ support that kept me going, and I was determined to reach my goal of cycling all the way to Bern. On the second day I cycled 300 kilometres from Mainz to Freiburg im Breisgau in 16 hours. My friend there greeted me like a hero.
The next day, I climbed 1500 metres through the Jura mountain range and arrived in Bern in the evening. I set eyes on the city for the first time as the sun was setting, and I was cycling over the Kornhaus bridge. I had reached my goal. It was a magical feeling.
Did you bring all your belongings with you on your bike?
No, I had sent most of my luggage ahead to a shared apartment that I had found on the internet. During my journey to Bern, I hoped that I would see my belongings again and that the apartment I had seen online would not turn out to be a scam. Luckily, this was not the case. In Bern, I stayed in a shared flat with two Swiss guys. We studied, cooked and talked about politics. They taught me a lot about Switzerland.
In my free time, I learnt to ski with UniSport, played Ultimate Frisbee and tried a meditation course. My friends and I often bought an SBB group ticket and travelled around Switzerland. I also took part in the 50-kilometre Bern gravel race, which combines on-road and off-road cycling.
What surprised you most about Switzerland?
The language divide was bigger than I expected. There were some Swiss German expressions that I struggled to understand. I also did not understand texts in Swiss German — there is no app that translates those for you (laughs). I was also surprised that some older people I met were more comfortable switching to English rather than speaking standard German.
How has your exchange semester changed you?
I grew up living next to the River Rhine. The Aare flows into the Rhine. It was only during my exchange semester in Bern that I realised how important the Alps are to Europe’s water systems and landscapes. Switzerland really is the water tower of Europe.
I had such a great time in Bern that I decided to go on another exchange — this time to somewhere very far away. I am currently studying for a Master of Education at the University of Cologne, and I will spend a second semester abroad in Osaka, Japan. I will not be travelling there by bicycle, but I will find a way to bring mine and go on some cycling tours.
Green Travel Top-Up: Promoting environmentally friendly mobility
Students using public transport or a bicycle for their entire journey to and from their exchange destination (and not travelling by air), will receive an incentive of CHF 100.
Interview: Caspar Bienek
Images: Leo Ringel