Winter and Christmas market pleasure cruises on the Rhine and Main rivers depart from Rüdesheim, Bingen, Mainz, and Frankfurt, with cruises through the Loreley Valley possible on selected winter days.
Day-trip riverboat cruise excursions on the Rhine are far less common during winter than in summer. However, in winter, KD riverboats often cruise on the Rhine from Rüdesheim / Bingen to St Goar / St Goarshausen (and the Loreley Rock). During the Christmas market and Advent festive season, sightseeing pleasure cruises depart mostly on weekend afternoons from Rüdesheim, Bingen, Mainz, and Frankfurt am Main. Special New Year’s Eve cruises depart from Frankfurt to welcome the New Year on the Main River and from Rüdesheim, Koblenz, and Mainz on the Rhine. Rüdesheim is a quick train ride from Frankfurt for easy transfers to the Rhine boats for winter and Christmas market cruises.
→ 2026 / 2027: KD’s winter program operates from 19 October 2026 to 2 April 2027. Car and passenger ferries operate year-round on the Rhine.
Winter Rhine River Cruises in the Loreley Valley in Germany
Köln-Düsseldorfer (KD) operates pleasure boat day-trip cruises on the Rhine River throughout the year. Even during most of the winter, KD’s Rhine riverboats cruise along the Middle Rhine and the Loreley Valley – the most beautiful part of the Rhine River in Germany and a UNESCO World Heritage site. This popular day trip is the best short romantic Rhine cruise in any weather, although in the high season, few would regret cruising a bit further.
During much of the winter season, the only scheduled KD day cruises on the Rhein are the boat trip from Rüdesheim / Bingen to St Goar / St Goarshausen past the Loreley Rock.
The KD cruise boat departs from Rüdesheim at 10:00 and cruises down the beautiful Rhine River valley past the Loreley to reach St Goarshausen at 11:40. The boat returns at noon, with the upriver cruise taking nearly three hours. The cruise boats call at Kaub en route if requested.
During winter, cruise reservations are essential (tel 0221-2088-318) as boats only operate if there is sufficient demand. If a group booked a cruise, the remaining tickets often become bookable online by individuals too. Winter cruises operate only when sufficient passengers have booked, so check KD’s current operating dates before traveling.
→ See Winter Day-Trip Cruises on the Rhine River for more details on how to book winter cruises.
Sightseeing cruises also depart from Cologne during winter (mostly on weekends).
KD’s winter schedule for Rhine River day-trip cruises operates from late October to early April. Regular winter cruises are very limited over Christmas and New Year, apart from special New Year’s Eve cruises.
KD usually has special New Year’s Eve party boat cruises in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Rüdesheim, Frankfurt am Main, Mainz, and Koblenz (see New Year’s Eve cruises below).
It is easy to reach Rüdesheim on regional trains from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (or Frankfurt Airport), Mainz, and Wiesbaden. It is an easy walk from Rüdesheim (Rhein) train station to the Rhine boat landing.
Christmas Market Rhine River Cruises from Rüdesheim and Bingen
Rüdesheim annually hosts the International Christmas Market of the Nations (Weihnachtsmarkt der Nationen) from around November 20 to December 23. The market is hugely popular with day-trippers and bus parties, who are well catered for in Rüdesheim year-round. The best way to travel to Rüdesheim during the holiday season is by train or boat.
- In 2026, the Rüdesheimer Weihnachtsmarkt der Nationen is held from 19 November to 23 December 2026. The market is open daily from 11:00 to 20:00 (21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays).
During the Christmas market season, Bingen-Rüdesheimer offers afternoon winter cruises from Bingen / Rüdesheim and Assmannshausen downstream to around Lorch before returning to the above three towns without further stops. En route, boats cruise past the beautiful Rhine Valley with vineyards on steep slopes, the mouse tower (Mäuseturm), and several castles (or castle ruins) such as Ehrenfels, Burg Rheinstein, Burg Reichenstein, and Burg Sooneck. The total cruise is around 2:30.
On Christmas market weekends, cruises are also offered from Rüdesheim / Bingen to Castle Rheinstein, which is famous for its romantic Christmas decorations.
Bingen-Rüdesheimer operates the car ferry for crossing the Rhine year-round.
Christmas Market River Cruises from Frankfurt am Main and Mainz
Frankfurt am Main annually hosts one of the largest Christmas markets in Germany.
During the Christmas market period, it is possible to take one-hour and two-hour sightseeing cruises on the Main on most Fridays and weekend afternoons. Food and drinks are available but not compulsory. Both KD and Primus Linie boats depart from Frankfurt am Main. Primus Linie may even offer a few sightseeing cruises on the days between Christmas and New Year.
On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights during Advent, a three-hour all-inclusive dinner cruise may be booked for around €90 to €110 depending on the specific cruise.
Similar cruises are also available in Mainz.
The main attraction of a Main River boat cruise is to see Frankfurt’s skyline, as it remains the only German city with a concentration of truly tall buildings. If nature and romantic historic castles are of more interest, take the train to Rüdesheim and cruise the Loreley Valley instead. Tours from Frankfurt to the Rhine by bus with a cruise on the river are often available in winter too.
New Year’s Eve Cruises from Frankfurt, Koblenz, and Mainz
KD’s Silvesterparty (New Year’s Eve party) boats depart Frankfurt (also on Primus Linie), Koblenz, and Mainz around 8 pm on December 31 and return around 1 am on New Year’s Day. These all-inclusive party boat cruises include a buffet dinner, unlimited drinks, Sekt at midnight, and dancing to DJ-played music. Prices are around €200 to €240 depending on the services offered.
Early bookings are advisable — similar New Year’s Cruises from Rüdesheim by Bingen-Rüdesheimer often sell out by mid-October.
KD also has Rhine River New Year’s party boats cruising from Cologne (Köln) and Düsseldorf.
More on the Rhine River in Germany
Day-Trip Excursions and Pleasure Cruises on the Rhine River:
- Middle Rhine (Loreley Valley) — UNESCO World Cultural Heritage-listed Area and the best part of the Rhine River for short and all-day boat cruises:
- cruise from Rüdesheim (cruise lines), Koblenz (cruise lines), winter & Christmas
- from Frankfurt — fast trains to the Rhine, or slow boat to the Rhine
- from Mainz and Wiesbaden
- Savings Tips, Best Cruise Lines
- Lower Rhine — Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn to Linz
- Special events: Cruises to Rhine in Flames Fireworks, Christmas and New Year’s Cruises in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, and Rüdesheim
- Moselle River Cruises (Cochem, Bernkastel-Kues, Trier, Koblenz, Burg Eltz)
- Cruises on the Main River in Frankfurt (or better By Train from Frankfurt to the Best Rhine Cruises)
- Cruises from Worms, Mannheim, Heidelberg (on the Neckar River)
- Cruises from Speyer
- Rhinefalls (Rhine Waterfalls, Schaffhausen, Stein am Rhein, Kreuzlingen) in Switzerland
Tips and Savings on Day-Trip Rhine Cruises
- The best part of the Rhine for day-trip excursion cruises in the Middle Rhine between Rüdesheim / Bingen and Koblenz. See Savings Tips and the Best Cruise Lines cruising in the Loreley Valley.
- Check train times for Germany (and most of Europe) at German Railways.