Berlin, Usedom, Rügen: bike & boat

Bike & boat tour from Berlin to Stralsund

By bike & boat along river Oder to Baltic Sea. 

From metropolis city Berlin with extended forests in the North you cycle first along Oder-Havel canal via Orianenburg and Eberswalde to Schwedt. The silent and unique beautifulness of Oder landscape is accompanying you into Polish Stettin with precious palace. Your route leads you along unique coast via Usedom to the biggest island in Germany, to Rügen with famous cliffs. Your aim is the old city of Stralsund. What can be more beautiful as to enjoy the landscape on sun deck and to learn during your bike tours a lot about land and people, culture and nature? Discover the diversified flora and fauna of this unique river landscape, baroque palaces, gothic and north German architecture.

MS Princess

Look forward to the 80 m long and 9.50 m wide comfort boat, which offers 49 outside cabins (about 10.5 sqm) with shower / WC, hairdryer, telephone, TV, safe and centrally controlled air conditioning. Of the 42 cabins on the main deck, 4 can be booked as a triple cabins by folding out a Pullmann bed (capacity of the 3rd bed max 70 kg). The windows can not be opened on both decks. Of the two separate beds one is prepared as a sofa and sitting during the day. All decks can be reached by a stairlift next to the steep ship stairs, the passenger and sundeck by chairlift. The brightly decorated restaurant and the cozy salon invite you to relax.

1. day Berlin-Spandau arrival

Come soon to Berlin, the city is worth it. Maybe you have time for a stroll over Kurfürstendamm, through Nicolai quarter at Spree Island or through Brandenburger Tor. Berlin offers many possibilities. Boarding from 4 pm at Berlin Tegel.

2. day Spandau - Eberswalde, 38 km

The bike path leads towards North to Oranienburg. Well-worth seeing is the baroque palace with park, the museum and the Orangery. You go on board again. Cruise to Eberswalde. In the heart of the city, in Finow canal, one of the oldest lock of the Elbe is located. It is a technical memorial since 1978.

3. day Eberswalde - Schwedt, 32-64 km

Today you cycle on the towpath along the Finow Canal and through the almost deserted Mönchsheide to the boat lift Niederfinow to Hohensaaten. The oldest working ship lift in Germany from 1934 proudly bears the title "Historic Landmark of Civil Engineering Germany" and is even Europe's largest ship lift. In Hohensaaten you go on board and cruise comfortably on the Oder to Schwedt. If you want, you can of course also cycle the route from Hohensaaten to Schwedt (about 32 km).

4. day Schwedt - Stettin, 30 km

You cross river Oder and cycle in Poland today. You cycle along side roads, country roads, forest tracks and dreamy small villages to Mescherin. Afterwards cruise to Stettin, the green big town at Oder estuary. There is one of the biggest harbors at Baltic Sea. Well-worth seeing is the reconstructed palace which is located in the old city.

5. day Cruise to Wolgast

Today you spend the whole day aboard. You pass through the protected landscape area Szczecin Haff / Oder Lagoon at a slow speed. Discover fine sandy beaches with small bays, typical Vorpommersche fishing villages and thatched houses. Look forward to Wolgast, the gateway to the island of Usedom. The city is known for its preserved historic center with many monuments, the city harbor and the Peene shipyard. Stroll through the renovated medieval city center, visit the St. Peter's Church from whose tower you can enjoy a fantastic view and marvel at the historic town hall in the brick building.

6. day Usedom/Rügen, 15 km

Today you cycle via Zecherin and Karlshagen-Hafen to Peenemünde (Tip: historic technical museum). In Peenemünde you go on board again. At 6 pm cruise to Lauterbach which is in the southeast of island Rügen.

7. day Usedom/Rügen – Stralsund, 48 km

A beautiful cycling day awaits you. Guests can visit the town of Putbus, which is only 2 km away, and has a classicist urban ensemble that is a listed building. Today's bike tour takes you via Putbus, Garz, Groß Schoritz, birthplace of Ernst Moritz Arndt, Poseritz and Gustow with its well-known village church and over the Rügendamm to Stralsund, where you meet your ship again. Marvel at this brick embossed historic Hanseatic city, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. Let yourself be inspired by the unique ensemble from Alten Markt, Nikolaikirche and the imposing Stralsund Town Hall.

8. day Stralsund departure

Today your eventful bike and boat trip ends after breakfast until 09:00 am with the disembarkation.

Please note:

Timetable and program changes are basically reserved. If e.g. If a route cannot be traveled due to low or high tide or bad weather, the skipper reserves the right to change the route for your safety (this is not a free reason for cancellation). Since your ship usually calls for the next port on the same day, your time frame for your own activities and sightseeing is limited. With some bridges the headroom is so low that the sun deck is locked for your safety.

Worth knowing about the Berlin - Usedom - Rügen bike & boat tour

Please find more information about the Berlin - Usedom - Rügen bike & boat tour below. If you have any further questions feel free to contact us by phone: 0049 - (0)6421 - 886890.

Arrival to Berlin / Stralsund

Arrival Berlin:
The MS Princess landing stage is in Berlin Tegel, Tegeler See / Greenwichpromenade. The S-Bahn station Berlin Tegel (S 25) and the U-Bahn station Alt-Tegel (U 6) are about 1 km from the pier.

Arrival Stralsund:
The berth in Stralsund is at Hansakai, berth 8.

Parking facilities in Berlin / Stralsund

Parking Berlin:
Multi-storey car park “Hallen am Borsigturm” (1,600 spaces), open all day, daily charge approx. € 10, approx. 800 m from the landing stage or various other multi-storey car parks in Berlin Tegel. Reservation not possible. Return transfer by train from Stralsund to Berlin possible, costs approx. € 46 per person.

Parking Stralsund:
Various parking garages near the berth See-, Hafenstraße, area Hafeninsel, e.g. Parking garage at the Ozeaneum - costs approx. € 28 for 2 days, € 6 for each additional day. Reservation not possible. Return transfer by train from Berlin to Stralsund possible, costs approx. € 46 per person.

Noise level

Engine and generator noises can be heard in the cabins in the front and rear of the ship when the ship is moving and stationary.

Embarkation

Embarkation on the MS Princess in Berlin and Stralsund is possible from 4 p.m.

Luggage

Please note that the storage space in the cabin is limited. It is advisable to put your luggage in a sports bag or something similar instead of a sturdy suitcase. bring on board. We recommend good rainwear, a bicycle helmet, sun hat and sports shoes.

Condition of cycle paths

Usually you cycle on car-free roads, country roads with little traffic and graveld bike paths, but sometimes on sandy paths through the woods and short sections along a federal road as well. In the majority of cases the routes are flat however a few steep rises and descents have to be managed.

Available rental bikes

Tourer bike: 7-speed gear shift bike with hand and pedal brake and a pannier by Velo de Ville. Electric bikes: Swiss Flyer with freewheel (limited number available - an early booking is recommended). 

Own bikes

Due to the limited space on the sun deck, you can only bring your own bike on request and only to a limited extent.

Return transfer to the starting point of the journey

Return by train from Stralsund / Berlin to Berlin / Stralsund from approx. € 46 per person.

Deck plans

Subject to modification

Sailing list and program are subject to changes. If the boat cannot cruise due to low or high water or bad weather conditions, the skipper has the right to change the route for your own security. This is no reason for a cancellation at no charge. The tour can be cycled also in opposite direction.

Extra costs which are not included in the tour price

Arrival and departure, transfers, tourism tax, rental bike, city maps, insurances, and tip are not included in the tour price.
A fuel surcharge, which may apply due to the sharp rise in fuel prices, is not included in the cruise price and must be paid in cash on arrival on board the ship. We will inform you of the amount of the surcharge, if any, in the travel documents approx. 3-4 weeks before arrival.

7 day hotline service

Just in case the bike chain is broken, flooding makes it impossible to continue your tour or any other nasty surprise: you can reach us seven days a week and we will do anything to help you as fast as possible.

Passport and visa requirements, health regulations

EU nationals (who do not have any special circumstances, e.g. dual citizenship, primary residence abroad or temporary travel documents) require a valid identity card or passport for this trip, which must be valid for at least 6 months after the end of the trip. If you have another citizenship or several citizenships or if you have to observe special legal regulations, please inform yourself about the respective visa and entry regulations at your responsible consulate.

Corona travel information:
Before booking your trip, please inform yourself about the measures in place to contain the Corona pandemic. Approximately 3 weeks prior to arrival, you will receive from us, together with the travel documents, the current information at that time regarding rules and regulations concerning Corona on your trip.

Information on current decisions of the German Federal Government can be found here:
https://www.bundesregierung.de/corona-these-rules-and-restrictions-apply

Current information on entry requirements to Germany can be found here:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus

An up-to-date overview of applicable measures and travel and safety advice regarding Covid-19 for all countries in the EU and Switzerland can be found here:
https://reopen.europa.eu/en/

You can also find more information on our website at:
Corona virus and holiday planning

Travel insurance

The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Berlin

Berlin is the capital and also a country of the Federal Republic of Germany. With about 3.4 million inhabitants, the city state of Berlin is the most populous and with 892 square kilometers the largest urban community in Germany and the second-largest of the European Union by population. In addition, Berlin is the third most densely populated municipality in Germany, with some 3800 inhabitants per square kilometer. Berlin is an enclave in the state of Brandenburg and forms the center of the metropolitan region Berlin / Brandenburg as well as the agglomeration Berlin. The city is divided into twelve districts. In addition to the rivers Spree and Havel, there are smaller river streams in the city as well as numerous lakes and forests.

Berlin

Berlin Museum Island

Oranienburg Palace

Oranienburg Palace is one of the most significant Baroque buildings in the Mark Brandenburg, and a symbol of the Electorate of Brandenburg’s regal ascent. The palace dates back to a rural mansion built as of 1651 for the Great Elector’s wife, Louise Henriette, who was born Princess of Orange-Nassau and also gave the locality of Oranienburg its name. After having undergone a variety of uses, the Oranienburg Palace Museum now houses a collection of masterful works of art, among which is the magnificent etagère, or display stand for porcelain, in the Porcelain Chamber. Also outstanding are pieces of seating furniture made of ivory, a series of tapestries (made by the manufactory of Pierre Mercier in Berlin) extolling the heroic deeds of the Great Elector, sculptures by François Dieussart, and works of art by the sculptor Bartholomeus Eggers. The extraordinary collection of paintings includes masterpieces by the great Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck. Another splendid highlight is the Silver Vault, where select items of royal ornamental silver are on display.

Oranienburg Palace

Niederfinow boat lift

The Niederfinow boat lift is the oldest still operating ship lift in Germany and a protected industrial monument. It is located on the Oder-Havel-Kanal and crosses the height difference of 36 meters between the canal and the Oder. On 17 June 1914 the large navigation between Berlin and Stettin was opened. Near Niederfinow the difference in elevation was overcome using a staircase lock with four chambers. One can still visit the remains of these locks today. The boat lift consists of 14,000 Tonnes of riveted structural steelwork standing on steel columns. The Oder-Havel-Kanal approaches the head of the lift on a 4,000 Tonne riveted steelwork aqueduct. The trough when filled weighs 4,290 tonnes and hangs on 256 steel cables, these cross over guide rollers and support 192 counterweights which balance the trough. Because of the continuing increase in traffic on the Oder-Havel-Kanal, in 1997 it was decided that a new, bigger lift should be built. In the autumn of 2006 earthworks began between the lift and the old staircase locks.

Niederfinow boat lift

Lower Oder Valley National Park

The heart of the National Park is the floodplain landscape of the lower Oder valley. There are large polders, which are regularly flooded. Typical habitats and species of the wetlands could thus be preserved. Getting classified as a National Park has brought with it new goals: the cultural landscape disappears over large areas and a “breath of wilderness” once again moves into the lower Oder valley. The management of the meadow grassland is ending in many areas; meadows and pastures are going, reed beds, sedges and alluvial forests are coming. In some areas, man no longer decides when and how much water may enter the floodplain – the Oder once again is going to dictate the course of action, which will lead to an inundation that equates to a near-natural floodplain.

Lower Oder Valley National Park

Szcecin

Szczecin is the largest city in northwestern Poland. Located along the Odra River at only 10 km from the the German border, it is both the political, cultural as industrial capital of the West Pomeranian region. World War II destroyed most of Szczecin's historic city center. Only a few buildings, including the 15th century town hall and the 16th century cathedral, have been rebuilt. The remaining Old Town (Stary Miasto), the historic buildings along the Odra promenade (Wały Chrobego), as well as the Pomeranian Dukes Castle, are all worth a visit. Furthermore, there are a number of large shopping malls, and Szczecin has a vibrant and varied nightlife.

Szcecin

Pomeranian Dukes' Castle

Anyone entering Szczecin by bridges over the Oder River can see the towering red-brick gothic Cathedral and an elegant, pale silhouette of a Renaissance castle with green towers, which used to be the seat of the dukes of the Griffins dynasty who ruled the Duchy of Pomerania. The Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle has five wings and two courtyards. Acting as a cultural institution it organizes an array of cultural events: concerts, theatre performances, exhibitions, conferences and  meetings to popularize science, as well as to spread knowledge about the history of West Pomerania.

Pomeranian Dukes' Castle

Chrobry Embankment

Chrobry Embankment (ger. Hakenterrasse) is one of the most beautiful observation terraces in Europe and the Szczecin’s Landmark. You can watch there a vast panorama of the Oder River and port. It is 500 meters long and 19 meters above river's bank.

In 1873 city's authorities decided to demolish all of the Szczecin's fortifications. Due to the contribution of the overmayor of Szczecin, Hermann Haken, a new construction was formed on the site of former Leopold Fort.  It is a complex of the three buildings: from the South – Marine University, the building of the National Museum together with the Modern Theater and the Provincial Office. In front of the Museum you can find a statue of Hercules fighting with centaur and wide stairs from the leading to the Oder River, where cruise ships await. At the foot of Chrobry Embankment there is a fountain ornamented with figures of Jan z Kolna and Wyszak and two high columns in the style of sea lanterns.   

Chrobry Embankment

Usedom

The Isle of Usedom is one of Germany’s sunniest, most beautiful islands in the Baltic Sea. It was first named “Uznoimia civitas” by the missionary Bishop Otto von Bamberg in 1125, after a village of the same name in the southwest of the island. There have been various attempts to explain the meaning of “Uznoimia”. It might well be based on the Slavic word “znoj” for river, or “bathed in water”. The name “Uznoimia” changed over the years until it became “Usedum” in 1420.

Usedom

Peenemünde Historical Technical Museum

From 1936 to 1945, the research stations in Peenemünde formed the largest armaments centre in Europe. Over an area of 25km², up to 12,000 people worked simultaneously on guided weapons, most famously the world’s first cruise missiles and the first ever functioning large-scale rockets. Both were designed as a weapon of terror against the civil population, made mostly by forced labourers and from 1944 they began to be used in the Second World War as “Vergeltungswaffen” (V-weapons).

The Peenemünde Historical Technical Museum reconstructs the history of the creation and use of these weapons. The exhibitions document who worked in Peenemünde, how the people lived and why the enormously elaborate weaponry projects were carried out.

Peenemünde Historical Technical Museum

Rügen Putbus

Rügen – an island between waves, wildlife, and green woodlands. Green as the trees by the shores of the Jasmund peninsula, white as the chalk of the cliffs, blue as the Baltic Sea – if Rügen had a flag, these would surely be its colours! Here, you are never far from the water of a lake, of a bay, or of the sea.

As far back as 1898, Putbus is known as a "lovely spot and bathing resort" in numerous tour guides. The former residence of the founder of the town, Fürst Wilhelm Malte I., has not lost its attractiveness over the past 100 years. Even today, many visitors admire the majestic buildings in the style of classicism, which he has built to embellish his residence.

Rügen Putbus

Stralsund

One colour dominates Stralsund: The glowing red of Gothic brick can be found in the churches, the imposing town hall, the monasteries and in the splendid patrician houses as well. Go on a quest and discover as many historical monuments as sand at the sea!

Stralsund

German Oceanographic Museum

The German Oceanographic Museum with its four exhibitions is the largest museum of natural science in Northern Germany. A well-balanced mixture of beautiful fish-tanks and exhibitions - rewarded with the prize "European Museum of the Year 2010". Go on a fascinating underwater trip through the oceans of the north and south.

German Oceanographic Museum