What to do · Moselle Valley
Boat from Cochem to Beilstein through the Fankel lock
Information
- Price
- The timetable does not publish the price; check the shop on its website
- Duration
- 1 h
- Season
- Spring to October; 2027 timetable not yet published
- Who it's for
- All ages
- With a dog
- They travel free
What it is
The boat line from Cochem to Beilstein is the relaxed way to see a stretch of the Moselle from the water. You leave from the Cochem landing stage, next to the old bridge, stop at the wine villages of Ernst and Bruttig, rise through the Fankel lock and reach Beilstein in an hour, a small village of half-timbered houses beneath the ruins of Metternich Castle. There you get off, stroll, eat and return on another boat.
It is operated by the Kolb family shipping company, which sells its departures as Moselrundfahrten.
Times
On the 2026 timetable, the boats leave Cochem at 10:30, 12:00, 13:30 and 15:00, pass Ernst a quarter of an hour later and Bruttig after 25 minutes, and reach Beilstein at 11:30, 13:00, 14:30 and 15:50. The return leaves Beilstein at 12:00, 13:30 and 15:00 and reaches Cochem at 12:50, 14:20 and 15:50: downriver it takes a little less. You can return on a different boat from the one you came on. The company has not yet published the 2027 timetable.
The company warns that in bad weather the times may change, that the locks sometimes delay the boat and that with high or low water it may not stop at some landing stages.
Price and tickets
The PDF timetable does not give prices. You see them in the shop on its website when you choose the departure, or at the ticket booths in Cochem, on the river promenade, and in Beilstein.
On board
All the boats have a bar and a kitchen. Dogs travel free and bikes are accepted, so you can go by boat and cycle back along the river path, which on this stretch is almost flat.
The lock
At Fankel the boat enters the lock and rises or descends a few metres with the water. Children usually like it more than the scenery.
What to do in Beilstein
The village takes an hour to see: the market square, the cobbled slopes, the pilgrimage church and the climb to the ruins of Metternich Castle. For lunch, the terrace of the Hotel Haus Lipmann, next to the square, is open to everyone from 11:00.
Tips
- Take the first boat That way you reach Beilstein before lunchtime and come back in the afternoon.
- Take your bike on board Return to Cochem along the Moselle path, always beside the river.
- Check the timetable the day before The locks and the river level change the times.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the boat from Cochem to Beilstein?
An hour upriver, with stops at Ernst and Bruttig.
Can you go with a dog?
Yes, dogs travel free.
Is there a boat to Beilstein in winter?
No: in winter the company keeps only a few short trips from Cochem.
With young childrenAs a familyWith teenagersWith a dog
Who runs it
- Personenschifffahrt Gebr. KolbCochem – Ernst – Bruttig – Beilstein line Visit their website
