# Chorin and Niederfinow A day trip from Berlin: the Gothic monastery of Chorin, beside a lake, and the boat lifts of Niederfinow, with a boat trip included. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/germany/brandenburg/chorin-and-niederfinow · Revisado: 2026-11-12 North-east of Berlin, an hour along the Baltic motorway, there are two visits that combine well in a day and that almost no Spanish traveller knows. The first is Chorin Abbey, a thirteenth-century Cistercian brick monastery, half in ruins, hidden in a forest beside a lake. The second, eight kilometres away, is the Niederfinow boat lifts: the canal linking the Oder with the Havel drops 36 metres here in one go, and boats rise and fall inside a trough of water hung from a steel structure. There are two, one from 1934 and one from 2022, and both work. It is a very different plan from Museum Island: countryside, water, engineering and brick Gothic, and it works just as well with children as without. ## What to see in a day Chorin Abbey. The west facade of the church, with its openwork gables, is one of the great images of brick Gothic in northern Germany. You walk it on your own in an hour and a half: the roofless church, the cloister, the outbuildings with exhibitions. Entry costs €7. From May to October there is a guided tour at weekends, with no booking. The new boat lift. Opened in 2022, it is visited with a guide; tours leave several times an hour and cannot be booked. The combined ticket includes the old boat lift, the one from 1934, which you explore on your own. The boat through the lift. From spring to early November, the passenger boat enters the trough and rises or descends the 36 metres with you inside. It leaves at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00. ## How do you get there from Berlin? By car, along the A11 towards Szczecin: it is about 60 km to Chorin, around an hour from the centre, and from there another eight kilometres to Niederfinow. It is the most convenient way to combine the two visits. By train, the RE3 regional leaves Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Potsdamer Platz and Gesundbrunnen and stops at Chorin, about a 25-minute walk from the monastery. Niederfinow has its own station, a good two kilometres from the lift. Without a car, do one of the two visits or check the timetables carefully. From BER airport, with a hire car it is around 100 km via the Berlin ring road. ## How much time do I need? One day: morning at Chorin, lunch at Niederfinow and afternoon at the lifts, with the 13:00 or 15:00 boat. If you want the monastery empty first thing or a summer concert, sleep at the Hotel Haus Chorin, beside the lake. ## Where to eat and sleep At the monastery, the Klosterkommode serves cakes and seasonal dishes; in winter it opens Friday to Sunday. Next to the lift, the Holzmich'l opens from the morning with inn cooking: cauldron goulash, pork knuckle, herring. To sleep, the Hotel Haus Chorin, on the shore of the Amtssee, or the simple Hotel Am Schiffshebewerk, 400 metres from the lift, with a restaurant in the evenings. ## When to go From April to October: the boat goes through the lift, the monastery's guided tours leave without booking and in summer there are Choriner Musiksommer concerts in the roofless church. In November and December both open on short hours, from 10:00 to 16:00, and the boat no longer sails. In January and February the lifts are closed to visitors. ## Dónde está - Cerca: Berlin (a 52.0 km), Rheinsberg (a 72.9 km), Neuruppin (a 74.3 km), Potsdam (a 77.6 km) ## Qué hacer - **Chorin Monastery, brick Gothic by a lake** (1 h 30 · All ages; children €5 · Desde 7 € per person; families €15): What it is Chorin Monastery was founded by Cistercian monks in the late 13th century in the middle of the forest, beside Lake Amtssee, an hour north-east of Berlin. It is one of the masterpieces of brick Gothic in northern Germany: the west façade of the church, with its openwork gables, can be seen from far off between the trees. Today it is partly in ruins, with exhibitions in the monastic buildings and summer concerts in the roofless church. Opening times and tickets On summer hours, from April until the clocks change in October, it is open every day from 9:00 to 18:00; in winter, from 10:00 to 16:00. It is closed on 24 and 31 December. Entry costs €7 (€5 concession and children) and €15 for a family. From May to October there are open guided tours, with no booking, on Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 and 13:00, and from July to September also on weekdays at 14:00: one hour, €10 for adults. Getting there By train, the RE3 regional service leaves Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Potsdamer Platz and Gesundbrunnen and stops at Chorin; from the station it is about a 25-minute walk along a signposted path. By car, take the A11, exit Chorin; the public car park, 200 metres away, costs at most €3 a day. - **Guided tour of the new Niederfinow boat lift** (1 h 30 · All ages; with a visitors' lift · Desde 13 € per person, combined with the old lift (2027 fare)): What it is At Niederfinow the Oder-Havel Canal drops 36 metres in one go: boats do not pass through locks but rise and descend inside a huge trough of water. Beside the old lift of 1934, a new one opened on 4 October 2022, the most modern in Europe, for larger boats. Both operate at the same time. How it works Guided tours of the new lift leave several times an hour, at least between 10:00 and 16:00, and cannot be booked for groups of fewer than 15: you go to the ticket office at the information centre and they give you the time and the meeting point, on the canal bridge, north of the lift. There is a visitors' lift. The combined ticket, with entry to the old lift, costs €13 (€9 concession, €40 family) according to the fare published for 2027. The special "into the heart of the lift" tour costs €24 and is booked online. - **The old boat lift of 1934** (45 min · All ages; there are slopes and stairs · Desde 7 € per person; families €22; under-7s free): What it is The old Niederfinow lift, opened in 1934, is the oldest boat lift in Germany that is still working: a huge riveted-steel structure, with the boats' trough hanging from counterweights. You visit it on your own around the site, with views of the canal, the new lift and the old staircase of locks on the Finow Canal, more than 400 years old. Opening times and tickets From 1 November to 3 January, every day from 10:00 to 16:00; from April to October, until 18:00. It is closed from 24 to 26 December and in January and February, and on icy days. Entry costs €7 (€5 concession), a family ticket for two adults and three children costs €22, and children under 7 go free. - **By boat through the Niederfinow lift** (1 h 30 · All ages · Desde 18 € per person (2027 fare)): What it is The best way to understand the lift is to pass through it. The Niederfinow passenger boat enters the trough, the gates close and you rise or descend 36 metres with the boat inside, looking at the Oder valley from above. Which lift is used, the old one or the new one, is decided that day by the navigation authority. How it works In season, from spring to early November, boats leave at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00 from the landing stage near the lower harbour of the old lift; not every opening day has a boat, so check the departures on the website beforehand. The trip lasts between 45 and 90 minutes. The fare published for 2027 is €18 (€10 concession), €22 with entry to the site and €28 with the guided tour. - **Guided tour of Chorin Monastery** (1 h · Adults and teenagers · Desde 10 € per person; concession and children €8): What it is An hour with a guide through the monastery's 750 years: the Cistercian foundation, the monks' life, the church and the monastic buildings, and what happened after the Reformation. How it works From May to the end of October, on Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 and 13:00, with no booking: you buy your ticket at the ticket office at the main entrance. From July to September there are also departures from Monday to Friday at 14:00. It costs €10 (€8 concession and children). The rest of the year, on weekdays, the basic tour can be booked, and in autumn and winter there are lantern-lit evening tours on set dates. ## Dónde comer - **Klosterkommode, the Chorin Monastery café** (Café, Chorin, €). Qué pedir: a cake with coffee, or the seasonal hot dish - **Gasthof Zum Barnimer Holzmich'l** (Restaurant, Niederfinow, €). Qué pedir: the Hungarian cauldron goulash or a pork knuckle if you come hungry - **Hotel Am Schiffshebewerk restaurant** (Restaurant, Niederfinow, €€). Qué pedir: dinner after the last boat, if you are staying in Niederfinow ## By car: Chorin and Niederfinow by car It works better by car: the monastery and the boat lifts are about 8 km apart, and both are an hour from Berlin on the A11. The monastery in the morning, lunch in Niederfinow at midday and the lift and the boat in the afternoon. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–140 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hotel Haus Chorin** (Hotel, desde 80 € / night): On the shore of the Amtssee The Haus Chorin is beside Lake Amtssee, in the forest of the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve, a few minutes' walk from the monastery. It has a main house and a guest house, a restaurant and breakfast room, and two apartments. The rooms Single and double rooms with breakfast included: according to the official listing, a single costs €50 to €67 and a double €80 to €105. Access to the building has no steps, and two doubles and the breakfast room are served by a lift. Note: payment is by card only. Getting there By car, take the A11, exit Chorin. Without a car, the RE3 regional train from Berlin stops at Chorin; from the station it is a walk of about 25 minutes to the monastery and the lake. - **Hotel Am Schiffshebewerk** (Small hotel, desde 65 € / night): Next to the lift The Hotel Am Schiffshebewerk is on the boat lift's street, 400 metres away, on the edge of the Oder valley. It is a simple hotel with its own restaurant, which opens in the evenings. The rooms It has 34 beds in eight doubles, eight twins and two singles, with dark wood furniture, television, minibar and a bathroom with shower, plus two apartments. According to the official listing, a double costs €65 to €75 and a single €47.50, without breakfast; breakfast is €7.50 per person. Getting there By car, take the A11 and then minor roads towards Niederfinow; next to the lift there is a large pay car park. By train, Niederfinow station is about 2 km away through the village. ## Car-free: Chorin without a car Without a car, Chorin Monastery is easy: the RE3 from Berlin and a 25-minute walk. Niederfinow has its own station, 2 km from the lift through the village or along the canal embankment. Combining the two on the same day without a car calls for a careful look at the timetables. Presupuesto orientativo: 60–130 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir without a car - **Hotel Haus Chorin** (Hotel, desde 80 € / night): On the shore of the Amtssee The Haus Chorin is beside Lake Amtssee, in the forest of the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve, a few minutes' walk from the monastery. It has a main house and a guest house, a restaurant and breakfast room, and two apartments. The rooms Single and double rooms with breakfast included: according to the official listing, a single costs €50 to €67 and a double €80 to €105. Access to the building has no steps, and two doubles and the breakfast room are served by a lift. Note: payment is by card only. Getting there By car, take the A11, exit Chorin. Without a car, the RE3 regional train from Berlin stops at Chorin; from the station it is a walk of about 25 minutes to the monastery and the lake. - **Hotel Am Schiffshebewerk** (Small hotel, desde 65 € / night): Next to the lift The Hotel Am Schiffshebewerk is on the boat lift's street, 400 metres away, on the edge of the Oder valley. It is a simple hotel with its own restaurant, which opens in the evenings. The rooms It has 34 beds in eight doubles, eight twins and two singles, with dark wood furniture, television, minibar and a bathroom with shower, plus two apartments. According to the official listing, a double costs €65 to €75 and a single €47.50, without breakfast; breakfast is €7.50 per person. Getting there By car, take the A11 and then minor roads towards Niederfinow; next to the lift there is a large pay car park. By train, Niederfinow station is about 2 km away through the village. ### Servicios - **Chorin station**: Stop on the RE3 regional line from Berlin, about a 25-minute walk from the monastery along a signposted path. ## By plane: Fly to Berlin and take the train or a car to Chorin For Chorin and Niederfinow, you fly to Berlin: BER airport has direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities. From Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the RE3 regional train reaches Chorin in about an hour; with a hire car from the airport, you can combine the monastery and the boat lifts in the same day. ### Dónde dormir if you're flying - **Hotel Haus Chorin** (Hotel, desde 80 € / night): On the shore of the Amtssee The Haus Chorin is beside Lake Amtssee, in the forest of the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve, a few minutes' walk from the monastery. It has a main house and a guest house, a restaurant and breakfast room, and two apartments. The rooms Single and double rooms with breakfast included: according to the official listing, a single costs €50 to €67 and a double €80 to €105. Access to the building has no steps, and two doubles and the breakfast room are served by a lift. Note: payment is by card only. Getting there By car, take the A11, exit Chorin. Without a car, the RE3 regional train from Berlin stops at Chorin; from the station it is a walk of about 25 minutes to the monastery and the lake. - **Hotel Am Schiffshebewerk** (Small hotel, desde 65 € / night): Next to the lift The Hotel Am Schiffshebewerk is on the boat lift's street, 400 metres away, on the edge of the Oder valley. It is a simple hotel with its own restaurant, which opens in the evenings. The rooms It has 34 beds in eight doubles, eight twins and two singles, with dark wood furniture, television, minibar and a bathroom with shower, plus two apartments. According to the official listing, a double costs €65 to €75 and a single €47.50, without breakfast; breakfast is €7.50 per person. Getting there By car, take the A11 and then minor roads towards Niederfinow; next to the lift there is a large pay car park. By train, Niederfinow station is about 2 km away through the village. ### Servicios - **Chorin station**: Stop on the RE3 regional line from Berlin, about a 25-minute walk from the monastery along a signposted path. ## As a family: Chorin and Niederfinow with children This is one of the best days out from Berlin with children: a ruined monastery in the forest and, a few kilometres away, giant lifts that raise boats. What they like most is being inside the boat as it rises. ### What works best The boat through the lift, 45 to 90 minutes The tour of the new lift, with its visitors' lift The old lift: under-7s free Chorin Monastery, with a €15 family ticket ### Where to stay Hotel Haus Chorin, by the lake ### Where to eat Klosterkommode, with cakes Holzmich'l, next to the lift ### Worth knowing The boat only runs from spring to early November In January and February the lifts cannot be visited The old lift's family ticket costs €22 ### Qué hacer as a family - Chorin Monastery, brick Gothic by a lake - Guided tour of the new Niederfinow boat lift - The old boat lift of 1934 - By boat through the Niederfinow lift ## With young children: Chorin and Niederfinow with young children For the youngest, the boats are the star. The lift site is spacious and there are slopes; the monastery is ruins and lawn. ### What works best The boat through the lift The old lift, free up to age 7 The wild horses in the pasture next to the car park, in summer ### Where to stay Hotel Haus Chorin, by the lake ### Where to eat Klosterkommode, with cakes and simple dishes ### Worth knowing A backpack is better than a pushchair at the old lift, which has stairs The boat can last up to an hour and a half ### Qué hacer with young children - Chorin Monastery, brick Gothic by a lake - The old boat lift of 1934 - By boat through the Niederfinow lift ## Consejos ### Start with the monastery It opens earlier and the lift tours run until mid-afternoon. ### Check the boat before you go It does not run every day the sites are open. ### Get the combined ticket Guided tour of the new lift and entry to the old one. ### Bring a coat The canal bridge and the Oder valley are windy. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How do I get from Berlin to Chorin? On the RE3 regional from Berlin Hauptbahnhof and a 25-minute walk, or by car along the A11 in about an hour. ### How far is it between Chorin and Niederfinow? About 8 km: ten minutes by car. ### Can you go through the lift by boat? Yes, from spring to early November, at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00. ### How much does the day cost? Monastery €7, lifts with a guided tour €13 and boat from €18, plus transport and food. ### Are they open in winter? The monastery, every day from 10:00 to 16:00. The lifts, until 3 January; in January and February they close. ### Can you go with a dog? On a lead, on the normal lift tours.