AnhaltER1960

Indeed, the Viking season starts by the end of this week with the first sailings out of Wittenberg, resp. Decin. While indeed there might be snow in the hills, here in the lowlands the soil is just a bit too warm for the snow to persist. Anyway, temperatures are chilly with just about freezing in the night and a few degrees above during the day. Prepare for that!

Direct trains from Prague hl.n (central station) to Budapest run every 2 hrs at 07:24 /09:24.... and take roughly 7 hours. There are no luggage restrictions. You can take as much luggage as you can carry - just do not expect any help. More info, prices, booking on the website of Czech Railways see https://www.cd.cz/en

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ticket is indeed a cheap choice for getting from Hamburg to Rostock-(Warnemünde). But this gets you deeply into the labyrinth of German train tariffs. You may only use regional trains (no Intercity or ICE-trains), which easily adds one hour to your travel time (assume 4+ hrs one-way). And you may only use the RE 1 Train Hamburg-Rostock directly, as connections via Lübeck will require a Schleswig-Holstein-Ticket, which is a bit more expensive.

With Viking having completed their Christmas markets cruise season and Croisieurope not sailing any longer this year due to low bookings, the Elbe goes into a winter break until March 2023. The river says good bye with the highest water tables of the year, the recent patch of rain and warm weather melting all the snow in the area produced water tables well above the long term average. To wrap up the season, the Elbe behaved well this year with only a few cruises in June stopped by low water. The two month summer break Viking have introduced to avoid the low water was not necessary,, sailing would have been possible throughout summer. This was in surprising contrast to the other rivers, which suffered badly from low water in summer. Still, the bookings lacked, some sailings cancelled altogether, Viking had their ships only half filled for most of the season; it got better only in the last months. Let us hope for a peaceful and undisturbed travel season 2023.

The spring sailings 2022 went as planned. There had not been any issues, neither low nor high water, at the beginning of the season. As far as I remember, there had been trouble for low water in June, but that was only for two weeks or so. Apart from that the Elbe did behave well this year. High water on the Elbe ... that is even longer ago than Germany reached the play-offs in a football World-Cup 🙂 The new Viking ships on the Elbe, Astrild and Beyla indeed use this water pump thrust, not propellers. They also have a reduces draft of some 80 centimetres. Indeed, they could sail longer, when other ships like the Viking Fontane, SAGA, Grand Circle had been grounded. But that was not enough, the Elbe had even lower water tables than the new ships had been built for. Whether this was an even unforseen change in the river's behaviour, a planning mistake or a result of a compromise between economics and design, I leave it to the technical experts to judge. Anyway, CroiseEurope's Elbe Princesse, which uses a paddle wheel instead, faces the same problems. When the Viking ships are grounded, the Elbe Princesse is too. I cannot recall much of a gap (Croisi still sailing, while Viking not or vice versa). Viking also have developed a standard "plan B" for low water with one ship berthed in Dresden, the other one in Wittenberg and adapted timetables for the excursions, ship swap, buses, guides. Of course this only works, if both ships reach their harbour, so they might not take chances and stop their ships sailing a bit earlier than really necessary.

All Viking sailings this autumn and winter sailed as scheduled. It looks like as this will continue until the end of the season (end of December). I am not aware, if CroisiEurope are sailing on the Elbe right now; some of their cruises later this moth apparently had been called off due to the lack of bookings.

The Elbe can have issues with low water table, yes. Mostly in summer, sometimes in autumn. But not in winter. Since Christmas markets are usually held in December, you do not have to worry that the ships are fixed to the ground then. This "pretty likely" does not apply to Decembers.

Take a tour in December, when all Christmas markets really are open. In 2024 Dec 1st will be the first Advent, so you are fine after that date. Take a detailed look into the itineraries. Christmas markets develop their charme in twilight/darkness, while during daylight hours they could be quite sobering. So a stop noon and 3pm is a different experience from an evening tour. While Christmas markets may have a longer tradition in Saxony/Bavaria/Austria, this does not really matter any longer. They have spread. Much more important is the stage of a historic surroundings in preserved medieval cities. In Saxony, many fine and historical markets are in the mountains away from the river and therefore not touched by a cruise. So a combination, cruise and land tour might also be an option to look at. Enjoy your planning

Chartered busses are not considered public transport. So no masks are required at least here in Saxony-Anhalt. Might differ from state to state, were in Germany after all.

Great report. Thank you for sharing.

As the Elbe cruises spend some time in Saxony, there will be a wide choice of Christmas markets in December. And this year there is no indication that the markets will be cancelled due to Covid, as had happened last year. Dresden does have several markets, not only the large Striezelmarkt. My favourite is the rather quiet Christmas market in the courtyard of the residence castle, as it does not have electricity - just torches and no loudspeakers whamming the laaaast Christmas (or German favourites like Helene Fischer). But also the smaller cities like Wittenberg, Torgau and Meissen do have their markets. And as they are all in historical surroundings in those medieval cities, they all do have their special atmosphere. My choice is Meissen. The Christmas market on the central market square is next to the city hall, which has its windows decorated as an advent calendar.

Now a first bit of winter has kissed the Elbe region with freezing temperatures and even a bit of snow two days ago. Water levels are, as @notamermaid has reported, on the low end, but sufficient for sailing. All Elbe cruises are running on schedule and this will likely be the case until the end of this year/season. Looking forward to opening of the Christmas markets tomorrow/on monday.

You can bring as much alcohol onboard as you can carry. You are fine drinking it in your cabin. There will be restrictions consuming alcohol not bought on board in public areas.

Thank you for the update. Enjoy your trip. And, yes, please keep us informed.

Thank you @notamermaid. Indeed, there had been some rain and even the grass, which looked burnt a couple of weeks ago, has recovered. So everything on green here and the folks on the move between Covid and the next heating bill keep me busy.

Indeed Viking have restarted Elbe-sailings after their 2 months summer break ten days ago. As the water tables are good, the ships run on schedule.

Just an hour ago my glass bowl hit the floor and crashed and now you are coming forward with that question..... Now, honest: Nobody can seriously predict river water levels four weeks ahead. BUT: The Elbe had performed surprisingly well during the last months, especially compared with the Rhine or the Danube. Reasons are a bit unclear, some had been discusses in this thread earlier on (eg emptying Moldau reservoirs for maintenance works). There are heavy rainfalls predicted in the region for the next days. This gives a sound prospect that there will be enough water in the river for sailing. October has not been a critical time in the last years, too. So, while not a guarantee, I am quite confident that you can enjoy your cruise as a cruise.

In Germany you need a environmental vignette to access several inner cities. But they are given once to a car only, as they are dependent on the technology of the car (filters, catalysators...) are are valid until the car ends on a scrapyard. Annual vignettes are sold in Switzerland to use the motorways there (btw, some other countries, too....Austria, Czech Rep.). The Swiss vignette costs 40 sfr p/a. You do not need it, if you do not intend to use motorways in Switzerland. But be careful, driving can be very tedious then, even entering the country, as you need the vignette already the the motorway border.

You did not mention, how many people are travelling and also not, which region (although it seems to be clear where you want to go. Professional incoming agencies do organize custom-tailored trips, but they come at a price. This price might be better bearable, when shared between many people. I came across Service-Reisen Giessen in Giessen or B&T Travel in Cologne. Kuoni has already been mentioned. However, if its only a few people, simply ask the local tourist office in the city/region you are aiming at. They can be quite good.

Not notamermaid, but I dare to answer. Yes, Viking too do pause for two months on the Elbe this summer. The ships seem to stay in position (at least I have seen the Beyla in Wittenberg still berthed well after her last service July13th), or move to their winter haven in Tangermünde eventually, so far the water tables on the Elbe would allow sailing. The specially designed low water ships do work much better than the old Fontane and Schumann with their 1,30 m draft did, but this does have limitations: The new ships are very long to place some more cabins. And since the river is flowing not only straight on, but also in curves, it is not only about the depth of the navigation channel, but also its width. Simple geometry: A longer ship needs a wider navigation channel in a curve. So the ship designers wanted a shorter ship, the controllers a longer one. Guess, who had won.... Ferropolis: It is a hybrid between a museum and an open air stage. The site was a maintenance site at the edge of an open lignite mine, now flooded to a lake. There they placed five large open-pit-dredgers around an arena for a 20.000 audience. Many concerts and festivals in summer, Metallica loved the setting. They have refurbished the dredgers (at least some of them) and you can climb and walk them. I did not find any hint on their website about opening during the off-season, as far as I remember they did close during winter in earlier years. This might have changed though. But you might want to check shortly before your visit. And be prepared for bad weather - it is on a peninsula and a VERY windy spot. With Wittenberg and the Luther sites and Dessau with the Bauhaus nearby there are bad weather alternatives though, and if you are in the region, Ferropolis is definitely worth a visit.

As an alternative to trains, Lufthansa are running a shuttle bus from Frankfurt to Strasbourg. No hassle with changing tracks, it goes nonstop between the airport and Strasbourg downtown. two and a half hours travelling time are competetive with trains. Look here: https://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/lufthansa-express-bus They run only a few times a day, so you have to look, if the times fit in your timetable. Look at Lufthansa timetable, dep FRA, arr. XER for connections.

a) Hamburg - Kiel You did not mention the weekday, esp in Hamburg there might be issues with traffic on working days. Generally I would calculate Taxi Steinwerder Hamburg Hbf at 30 min. Regional trains from Hamburg to Kiel run every half hour and need 1.15 hrs, so calculate 2 hrs total. There are some long-distance trains,too, but they are only 10 min quicker and do not run often - just take the next train you can catch. Taxi from Kiel Hbf to Ostuferhafen 30 mins, making it a total of 3 hrs... just a fit, if the ship is on time and you are off the ship quickly. Recommendations: Prebook taxi. Consider changing at Hamburg Dammtor (not Hbf). All trains leaving Hamburg Hbf for Kiel call at Dammtor too. Does not save time, a bit longer taxi, bit less time on the train. But saves nerves, as Dammtor is a much smaller station and shorter walk from street to platform. Consider Taxi for the full distance. With prebooking roundabout 150 Euro. b) Kiel - Warnemünde Taxi Ostuferhafen to Kiel Hbf 30 min. Train to Warnemünde minimum 3,5 hrs, depending on connection, some connections take 4 hrs+. No need to change into taxi at Rostock Hbf, take the train to Warnemünde, as the cruise terminal there is in walking distance from the station. But still, that looks too tight, if youve got only 4 hrs. Even car/taxi will take 4+ hrs, as there is only partly motorway.

@retep55555 Are you cruising on the Beyla which sails into Wittenberg tomorrow/Sunday ? Must have been plenty of rain in Bohemia recently, from the water amount, which runs down the Elbe right now... The Viking ships on the Elbe Astrild and Beyla have a draft of roundabout 85 cm (as well as the Elbe Princesse of CroisiEurope). The readings of the water level do NOT give the depth of the navigation channel; they are just a reading of the water level against a fixed scale, which makes the interpretation a bit difficult. But for now youre fine, as are any cruises of Viking before the summer break.

Storm does not fill a river - rain does :-). But although you might not like the weather in Prague right now, that is exactly the region, which needs rain to fill the Elbe for your cruise. And from the data I see, the Elbe is looking much better than last week. So, while not being a Viking captain, I dare the forecast that sailings should be possible next week.

Now it has been too hot and dry in the Elbe water system, the rainfalls last weekend sent only a shorttimed wave downriver. Viking have switched into dry-cruise mode and are not sailing any longer. Passengers are bussed instead between the ships.