Waytypes
All routes – from the motorway to the via ferrata – can be classified differently due to their nature (e.g. width, surface, traffic situation). In order to give you a simple overview of all paths used for leisure activities, we collect this information and translate it into a meaningful waytype.
Classification of waytypes
A precisely planned and well signposted trail network forms the basis for practising many sports. Every path is part of an extensive infrastructural network and must also be seen as part of it.
Which path is suitable for which sport depends on a number of factors, including width and surface quality. To give you as good an overview as possible of the suitability, we divide all trails into different categories.
All information concerning the trail is translated into a waytype. In addition to the graphical representation of a trail, this also influences the preferred selection of individual path segments when planning a route in the route planner as well as the colour coding in the interactive elevation profile.
Different waytypes
- Road: heavily trafficked route for motor vehicles (e.g. federal road, state road, country road, district road, busy local road)
- Asphalt: a traffic route with a closed asphalt surface that does not fall into the category of “road“ (e.g. asphalt cycle or hiking path, low-traffic local road, secondary road)
- Dirt road: at least 2 m wide, trafficable by cars, with paved or gravel surface
- Nature trail: not continuously paved traffic route, but at least 1 m wide and passable by off-road vehicles (e.g. mountain, forest or meadow trails)
- Path: unpaved trail only accessible on foot or by bicycle
- Well-secured trail: rope-insured section that can be climbed without alpine equipment
- Traces: unpaved trail, not necessarily marked, but generally recognisable as such (alpine equipment may be necessary)
- Via ferrata: rope-insured route for which appropriate via ferrata equipment is required
- Trackless: path that is not part of the route network and is not marked on the map (e.g. water, mudflats, snow)
- Ferry: ferry/boat connection
- Lift: mountain railway, lift
- Unknown: route type not defined (default setting for GPX import and freely routed sections)