Germany Ferry Network, Baltic Sea Highways & Rhine River Ferries
Germany’s maritime geography encompasses major Baltic Sea ferry terminals in Kiel and Rostock connecting to Scandinavia, North Sea catamarans to duty-free Heligoland and the Frisian Islands, and historic river and subalpine lake car ferries spanning the Middle Rhine Gorge and Lake Constance (Bodensee).
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Germany Ferry Routes Map
Interactive sea routes, island lifelines, and river/lake car ferries across Germany.
Major International Sea Passages
Cross-border high-capacity passenger, vehicle, and freight highways
Kiel → Gothenburg
Kiel Schwedenkai to Gothenburg Stena Line Terminal
The premier cruise-ferry corridor connecting Germany directly to Sweden. Massive cruise liners feature comfortable cabins, Nordic dining, duty-free shopping, and expansive vehicle decks.
Puttgarden → Rødby
Puttgarden Ferry Terminal (Fehmarn) to Rødby Færgehavn
The “bird flight line” between Hamburg and Copenhagen, taking cars and lorries across the Fehmarn Belt in 45 minutes. It remains the main road link until the Fehmarn Belt tunnel opens.
Rostock → Gedser
Rostock Überseehafen Ferry Terminal to Gedser Færgehavn
The most direct ferry for drivers between Berlin and Copenhagen, crossing the Baltic from Rostock to Gedser on the Danish island of Falster.
Kiel → Oslo
Kiel Norwegenkai to Oslo Color Line Terminal (Hjortneskaia)
The cruise-ferry from northern Germany to the Norwegian capital. Leave Kiel in the afternoon and wake up sailing up the Oslofjord. Many travellers treat it as a mini-cruise; drivers use it to skip the long road route through Denmark and Sweden.
Rostock → Trelleborg
Rostock Überseehafen Ferry Terminal to Port of Trelleborg
Rostock–Trelleborg is the main road link between eastern Germany and southern Sweden, avoiding the drive through Denmark. Stena Line and TT-Line both run day and overnight sailings, with Stena’s train-ferry Skåne among the ships on the route.
Travemünde → Trelleborg
Skandinavienkai, Travemünde to Port of Trelleborg
TT-Line’s Travemünde–Trelleborg route is the western of its two Germany–Sweden lines, starting from Lübeck’s Skandinavienkai and suited to drivers coming from Hamburg. The 230-metre “green ships” Nils Holgersson and Peter Pan are the largest in the TT-Line fleet.
Travemünde → Liepāja
Skandinavienkai, Travemünde to Liepāja Stena Line Ferry Terminal
Stena Line’s Travemünde–Liepāja line is the longest regular ferry crossing in the southern Baltic, a day-long voyage from Lübeck to Latvia’s Kurzeme coast. It is mainly used by drivers and freight heading to Latvia and Lithuania without crossing Poland by road.
Kiel → Klaipėda
Kiel Ostuferhafen to Klaipėda Central Terminal
DFDS’s Kiel–Klaipėda ferry is the only direct passenger ferry between Germany and Lithuania, running since 1993 from Kiel’s Ostuferhafen. Most travellers are drivers heading to or from the Baltic states who prefer a night at sea to the long road through Poland.
Island & Coastal Lifeline Crossings
Offshore archipelago connections and scenic coastal routes
Cuxhaven → Heligoland
Cuxhaven Fährhafen to Helgoland Südhafen
The dramatic voyage to Germany’s only high-seas island, known for its sheer red sandstone cliffs, nesting gannets, and duty-free shopping outside the EU customs union.
Sassnitz (Rügen) → Rønne (Bornholm)
Fährhafen Sassnitz (Mukran) to Rønne Havn
Bornholmslinjen’s Sassnitz–Rønne line, running since 1978, is the direct route to Bornholm from Germany, sailing from the Mukran ferry port on the island of Rügen. The combined freight and passenger ferry Hammershus takes up to 720 passengers.
Schaprode (Rügen) → Hiddensee (Vitte)
Schaprode Harbour to Vitte Harbour
Hiddensee, a long, car-free island off Rügen’s west coast, is reached year-round by Reederei Hiddensee ferries from Schaprode, calling at Neuendorf, Vitte and Kloster. Bicycles and dogs travel too, but cars stay behind on Rügen.
Norddeich → Norderney
Norddeich Mole to Norderney harbour
Frisia’s island ferry from Norddeich to Norderney, the busiest East Frisian resort island. The fully electric Inselexpress catamaran Frisia E-I cuts the crossing to 30 minutes on selected departures.
Norddeich → Juist
Norddeich Mole to Juist harbour
The Inselfähre to Juist, the long, narrow East Frisian island, runs to a tide-driven timetable: departure times shift every day. Frisia’s Inselexpress fast boat covers other times.
Emden → Borkum
Emden Borkumkai to Borkum Reede
AG Ems sails from Emden’s Borkumkai to Borkum, the largest East Frisian island, by conventional car ferry in about 130 minutes or by express catamaran in about an hour. Through tickets include the island railway into town.
Dagebüll → Föhr
Dagebüll Mole to Wyk auf Föhr harbour
W.D.R.’s main ferry from Dagebüll to Wyk, the little resort town on Föhr, the “green island” of North Frisia with thatched villages and 15 km of sandy beach.
Dagebüll → Amrum
Dagebüll Mole to Wittdün harbour
W.D.R. sails from Dagebüll to Wittdün on Amrum, the dune island with the vast Kniepsand beach and the tallest lighthouse on Germany’s North Sea coast. Some sailings run direct, others call at Föhr.
Bensersiel → Langeoog
Bensersiel ferry pier to Langeoog harbour (island railway)
The municipal ferry from Bensersiel to car-free Langeoog, with a connecting island railway from the harbour into the village. The whole trip takes about an hour and the train fare is included.
Harlesiel → Wangerooge
Harlesiel ferry terminal to Wangerooge Westanleger (island railway)
Deutsche Bahn’s ferry-and-train link to Wangerooge, the easternmost East Frisian island. Ships run on a tide-driven timetable and connect with the island railway to the village.
Hamburg → Heligoland
St. Pauli Landungsbrücken to Helgoland harbour
The Halunder Jet catamaran runs from Hamburg’s Landungsbrücken down the Elbe, calling at Brunsbüttel and Cuxhaven, to Germany’s only offshore island. It is a full day trip from the city with about four hours ashore.
Rivers, Estuaries & Lakes
Essential vehicular shortcuts, cable ferries, and scenic inland water passages
Konstanz → Meersburg
Fährhafen Konstanz-Staad to Fährhafen Meersburg
The renowned year-round subalpine car ferry gliding across Lake Constance (Bodensee), linking Konstanz and Meersburg on the German shore. Saves a 70km drive around the lake with alpine panorama views.
More Germany ferries on 12Go
Our booking partner 12Go sells these crossings too. We haven't written route guides for them yet, so check current times and tickets on 12Go.
- Hamburg → Cuxhaven · times & tickets on 12Go
Planning a journey through Germany?
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