Rundfahrt

Rundfahrt is a German term that translates roughly as "round trip" or "circuit tour." It denotes a journey that begins at a point, visits a sequence of places, and ends by returning to the starting point, forming a loop. In everyday usage, Rundfahrt describes guided or self-guided sightseeing trips by bus, boat, train, or other transport, typically lasting a few hours to a day and featuring several stops or highlights.

In professional cycling, Rundfahrt refers to a multi-stage road race that unfolds over several days and traverses a circuit or regional route. Such races are also called Etappenfahrten, with each stage having its own start and finish and contributing to an overall time-based classification. The rider with the lowest aggregate time leads the general classification; other classifications include points (sprint finishes), mountains, and sometimes youth and team rankings. Races commonly include a mix of flat, hilly, and mountain stages and may incorporate a time trial.

Notable examples include the Schweizer Rundfahrt, the Tour of Switzerland, and the Deutschland Tour, a German multi-stage race. Outside cycling, the term remains in use for sightseeing tours around a city or region, emphasizing the circuit nature of the itinerary rather than the sport.