Bayerische Seenschifffahrt

The public shipping company of the Bavarian lakes. On the Königssee it runs a fleet of 19 electric boats from the Seelände landing stage, in Schönau, to St. Bartholomä.

Who they are

Bayerische Seenschifffahrt GmbH is the company that runs the passenger boats on several lakes in Bavaria. On the Königssee it is based at Seestraße 55 in Schönau am Königssee, at the Seelände landing stage, and has a fleet of its own that is rather special: 19 almost identical electric boats, about 20 metres long, which have run on electric motors since 1909. They are charged overnight and last a full day of service. They are built by the company's own employees at its shipyard on the lakeshore, and repaired there in winter. Each large boat takes about 93 people, although it usually runs with fewer to leave room for rucksacks and pushchairs; there is also a small electric boat, the Ramsau, with 25 seats.

What it offers

The classic service is the crossing of the Königssee to St. Bartholomä, the pilgrimage church with its old royal hunting lodge, which can only be reached by water; the journey takes about 35 minutes. Halfway, in front of the rock wall, the boatman plays a trumpet to set off the lake's famous echo. At St. Bartholomä there is the Berchtesgaden National Park information point, in the Jägerhaus. There is also a request stop at Kessel for mountain walkers heading up to the Gotzenalm, the Königsbachalm or the Kahlersberg.

Beware of Salet, the landing stage at the end of the lake from which you walk to the Obersee: in winter it has no service, and the website says so. According to the 2027 summer timetable, the boats stop at Salet again from 24 April to 10 October. Confirm it before you go, because it is the only way to reach the Obersee without a long walk.

Seasons and waiting times

The service runs all year round, with a winter timetable until 23 April 2027 and a summer one from 24 April; both are published as PDFs. The boats leave according to how many people are waiting: at least every 30 minutes in bad weather, and up to every 10 minutes in good weather on holidays. You can get off at St. Bartholomä and continue on any later boat. On public holidays and long weekends there are queues even in good weather: the company recommends arriving before 10:30 and coming back before 14:30. Fog, storms or high water can delay or cancel departures.

Dogs, accessibility and tickets

Dogs board with a compulsory muzzle, of any breed and size, except in a closed carrier or guide dogs; wet dogs are not allowed either, so it is best not to let them swim just before. The landing stages have no steps, but to board there are three narrow, steep steps; one or two manual wheelchairs fit on each boat, not electric ones, and the crew helps. Some manual wheelchairs are lent at the ticket office. The boats have no toilet: there are adapted toilets at Seelände and at St. Bartholomä, where the path beside the lake is flat and accessible.

Tickets are bought at the Seelände ticket office or in the company's online shop, which also sells gift vouchers. For enquiries, +49 8652 9636-0 or [email protected]. The website is in German and English; it does not say that the boatman gives commentary in other languages.