KD scheduled boat from Bingen to St. Goar past the Loreley

What it is

The KD scheduled boat between Bingen and St. Goar is the stretch of the Rhine that everyone wants to see: the valley narrows, the vineyard slopes rise steeply and a castle appears behind every bend. From the water you see both banks at once, which is impossible from the train or the road. Downriver you pass Assmannshausen, Lorch, Bacharach, Kaub, with its customs castle on an island, and Oberwesel, and just before St. Goar, the Loreley rock, where the river makes its tightest bend.

It is not a closed cruise: it is the regular service, with stops at the villages. You can get off at any of them, stroll and continue on the next boat.

Times

On the 2026 timetable, the first boat downriver leaves Rüdesheim at 9:00 and Bingen at 9:15, stops at Bacharach at 10:00 and at Oberwesel at 10:20 and reaches St. Goar at 10:55. There are other departures from Bingen at 11:15, 14:30 and 16:30. Upriver it takes longer, because the boat goes against the current: the 11:20 from St. Goar reaches Bacharach at 12:05 and Bingen at 13:35. The service sails from 4 April to 18 October 2026, with more departures in high season, from 25 April to 4 October. The 2027 timetable is published in spring.

How much it costs

KD charges by zone. From Bingen to St. Goar, €28 one way and €31 return; from Bingen to Bacharach, €22 and €25; from Oberwesel to St. Goar, €17 and €20. Children aged 6 to 13 pay €10, under-6s do not pay and students and over-65s get a discount. On board you can pay by card only. If you buy at the landing stage, arrive a quarter of an hour early.

Getting there

Bingen has a station on the left bank, with trains from Mainz and Frankfurt; the landing stage is on the river promenade. To return from St. Goar, take the train along the same bank or the boat upriver. To cross to St. Goarshausen and the Loreley, the ferry leaves every 20 or 25 minutes.

With children

It is the easiest plan in the valley with children: an hour and a half sitting down, with a bar on board and castles to tell stories about. Under-6s travel free.