Rhine and Main River day-trip pleasure cruise boat excursions are possible during the Christmas market advent period from Rüdesheim, Mainz, and Frankfurt with Rhein boat cruises possible in the Loreley Valley on many 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.
→ 2025: KD’s winter program operates from 21 October 2024 to 4 April 2025. 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 excursion 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 times nearly three hours. The cruise boats call en route at Kaub 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 excursion often becomes bookable online by individuals too. These boats may sail daily but it is worth having alternative dates available if not.
→ 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 trips cruises operates from late October to a few days before Christmas and again from early January to early April. From a few days before Christmas until early January, no Rhine River boat excursions are possible except for the special New Year’s Eve party boats in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Rüdesheim, Frankfurt am Main, Mainz, and Koblenz (see below).
It is easy to reach Rüdesheim on regional trains from (Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof or Frankfurt Airport), Mainz, and Wiesbaden for a simple train station to Rhine boat transfer.
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 day of the week that Christmas Day falls on determines the exact dates for the given year.) 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 2025, the Rüdesheimer Weihnachtsmarkt de Nationen is from 21 November to 23 December 2025. The market is open daily from 11:00 to 20:00 (21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays).
During the Christmas markets season, Bingen-Rüdesheimer cruises depart daily in the afternoons from Bingen / Rüdesheim and Assmansshausen to cruise 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 Main River Cruises from Frankfurt in Germany
Frankfurt am Main annually hosts the biggest Christmas market in Germany with the tallest Christmas tree in Germany. (Both claims are disputed by other cities but the Weihnachtsmarkt is jolly good and big anyway.)
During the Christmas market period, it is possible to take one-hour and two-hour sightseeing cruises on the Main most Friday and weekend afternoons. Food and drinks are available but not compulsory. Both KD and Primus Linie boats depart from Frankfurt am Main.
On Friday and Saturday nights during Advent, a three-hour all-inclusive dinner cruise may be booked for around €90.
Similar cruises are usually 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 €210 for the all-inclusive cruises and €100 for boats with disco and limited drinks.
Early bookings are advisable — New Year’s Cruises from Rüdesheim often sell 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.
