Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike

The upper Rhine accompanies you on this bike tour through a landscape that is steeped in history. The locals on both sides of the river are connoisseurs of good food and drink. Mainz, Heidelberg and Strasbourg are impressive, while the small villages have a unique charm and are characterised by half-timbered houses. The tour "Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike" is suitable for less experienced cyclists. The tour starts in Mainz.
Here you can find details about your boat, the MS Switzerland.

Day 1 Arrival in Mainz
Embarkation starts at 4.00 pm, afterwards you can spend the evening in the historic city centre.

Day 2 Mainz - Nierstein, 17-26 km/10-16 mi, boat trip
Today you will cycle along the Rhine into the wine town of Nierstein with a beautiful medieval town centre. You will then continue your journey to the imperial city of Worms by bike (+40 km), or by boat.

Day 3 Worms - Mannheim, approx. 26 km/16 mi
Visit the Romanesque imperial cathedral before cycling across the Friesenheimer Island to Mannheim. The Technoseum offers a fascinating journey through the time of industrialization.

Day 4 Roundtrip to Heidelberg, approx. 52 km/32 mi
Today you’ll cycle through the Roman town of Ladenburg to the university town of Heidelberg. On the way back, linger in the "Garden of Reason" at Schwetzingen Castle.

Day 5 Mannheim - Speyer, approx. 27 km/17 mi
Your route will take you through nature reserves and hints at the natural wetland landscapes, which characterised this area before the straightening of the Rhine. In Speyer you will find another imperial cathedral.

Day 6 Speyer - Germersheim, 22 km/14 mi, boat trip
 Germersheim was and is an impressive fortress town. Your journey will continue leisurely by ship to the French Gambsheim with its impressive locks.

Day 7 Gambsheim - Strasbourg, approx. 18 km/11 mi
Cycle along the Rhine to Strasbourg, an old university town and modern European city. The Gerber district with its squat half-timbered houses right on the water is worth seeing.

Day 8 Departure
After breakfast your tour "Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike" comes to an end.

Here are the details on MS Switzerland.

Arrival "Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike":

• Arrival by car
  - car park at the main station, costs approx. 55 €/day, no prior reservation possible
  - car park at station Mainz-Kastel, costs approx. 25 €/day, no prior reservation possible

• Arrival by train:
  Mainz train station

• Arrival by plane:
  Airport Frankfurt, every half an hour, duration approx. 30 min, without train changes, normal fare approx. 15 €.

Return transfer:

• Under your own steam by train, every hour, duration approx. 3 h, 1-2 train changes, normal fare approx. 70 €.

Personal bikes:
In principle, you can bring your own bike along. However, please note that your bike will be loaded on and off the boat twice a day along with several others and therefore slight cosmetic damage to individual bikes cannot be ruled out, which is why we do not take responsibility or liability for such damage. We recommend reserving one the excellent rental bikes we offer.

Perfectly looked after:
During your tour, we are available between 8 am and 8 pm, 7 days a week. We are happy to help with any kind of problems you might be having. You will find this emergency number in your travel documents.

Please note:

• As is the case with all boat trips, changes in travel itineraries due to the weather, high or low water levels, technical issues or regulatory requirements can be undertaken at any time.