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Voykit pocket guide · Germany
Reichenau
Go for a half-day or one night: walk the 4.5 km island, see the three UNESCO abbey churches, then leave. Two nights only if you cycle or swim.
Reichenau is the largest island on Lake Constance: 4.5 km long, 1.5 km wide, joined to the mainland by a 3 km causeway. Its three Romanesque churches, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, are the reason to come; the rest is vegetable fields, greenhouses and vineyards. Most travellers see it as a half-day from Konstanz or Radolfzell, or sleep one night to catch the island without day-trippers. It is quiet, flat and easy to walk or cycle, and there is no nightlife to speak of.
- Country
- Germany
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (many sights closed or short hours)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Card acceptance has improved but some bakeries, bars and small restaurants are still cash only.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–95 excl. bed · Mid €95–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telekom, Vodafone and O2 are the networks; Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect and congstar resell them cheaply in supermarkets and electronics shops.
- Emergency
- Fire and ambulance 112 · Police 110 · Out-of-hours doctor 116 117
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US devices need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Round up or add 5–10%; say the total you want to pay as you hand over money or card.; Bar and café: Round up to the nearest euro.; Taxi: Round up by €1–2.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night, optional.; Free walking tour: €10–15 per person.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Restaurants usually sell bottled water; fizzy (mit Kohlensäure) is the default, ask for 'still' or 'ohne'.
- Toilets
- Station toilets cost €0.50–1.50 (Rail&Fresh WC); restaurant toilets are for customers; the 'WC' at motorway rest stops takes coins and gives a voucher.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €2.50–4 |
| Beer, 0.5 l in a restaurant | €4–5.50 |
| Lunch, main dish | €12–20 |
| Dinner, main dish | €16–28 |
| Museum entry | €3–8 |
| Bus ride, short hop | €2.50–4 |
| Bike rental, one day | €12–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ZRH · Zurich
- About 1 h 30 min by train to Konstanz, then bus 7372; check connections.
- FMM · Memmingen
- About 1 h 30 min by car; train via Memmingen and Radolfzell is slower.
- STR · Stuttgart
- About 2 h 30 min by train via Singen or Konstanz.
Typical fares
- Bus 7372, Reichenau station to the island
- a few euro, about 10 min
- Boat, Konstanz to Reichenau
- seasonal, April–October
- Taxi, Konstanz to Reichenau
- about €35–45
Get around
The island is flat and small: walk or cycle. The causeway has a paved path for bikes and pedestrians. Bus 7372 runs from Reichenau station and Konstanz-Wollmatingen onto the island and stops in a couple of places. Bikes, tandems and child trailers can be rented at the campground at the north-west end. A car is useful only for luggage or if you sleep on the mainland.
See and do
Known for
- UNESCO abbey island (Reichenau Abbey)
- Three Romanesque churches: Minster, St Peter and Paul, St George
- Vegetable and wine farming
- Lake Constance causeway and wildlife sanctuary
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Konstanz | Bus 7372 to Konstanz-Wollmatingen, then city bus; or boat in season | About 45–60 min |
| Radolfzell | Bus 7372 towards the station, then train or bus | About 40–50 min |
| Friedrichshafen | Train from Reichenau station via Radolfzell, or boat in season | 1.5–2 h |
| Überlingen | Train via Radolfzell and Friedrichshafen, or boat in season | About 2 h |
| Mainau island | Bus and boat via Konstanz | About 1 h 30 min |
| Stein am Rhein (Switzerland) | Train via Konstanz and Schaffhausen | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Mittelzell (island centre)
- Next to the Minster and the museum; walk to everything, few beds.
- South shore (An der Schiffslände)
- Lake-facing hotels with restaurants; boat pier nearby.
- West end / causeway
- Closest to the mainland road and bus stop; cheapest rooms.
- Campground Sandseele (north-west)
- Tents and motorhomes, plus bike and boat rental on site.
- Mainland near Reichenau station
- Cheaper and easier by train, but you cross the causeway each day.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hallohallo |
| Thank you | Dankedanke |
| Please | Bittebitte |
| The bill, please | Die Rechnung, bittedee rekh-noong, bitte |
| Can I pay by card? | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit kar-te tsa-len |
| Where is the toilet? | Wo ist die Toilette?vo ist dee toy-let-te |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; 'Guten Tag' or 'Hallo'; avoid: Hugs with people you have just met
- Names: Herr / Frau plus surname until invited to use first names; avoid: Using 'du' with officials or older strangers
- Punctuality: Arrive on time for tours, dinners and appointments; avoid: Being more than 5–10 minutes late without a message
- Queues and rules: Follow signs, wait at red lights, sort rubbish; avoid: Walking in cycle lanes
- Conversation: Direct and factual; people say what they mean; avoid: Taking directness as rudeness, or joking about the Nazi era
- Home visit: Bring flowers (odd number, not red roses) or wine; shoes off if the hosts do; avoid: Arriving early
- Paying: Say the total including tip as you pay; avoid: Leaving coins on the table and walking off
Scams and watch-outs
- Church treasury and museum hours are limited and seasonal: check before you go.
- Boat services from Konstanz and Radolfzell run roughly April–October only.
- The island is farmland: stay on paths and do not walk into fields or greenhouses.
- Evenings are very quiet; eat before kitchens close, often around 21:00.
- Winter ice on the bay is not always safe to walk on: follow local signs.
Very safe. The real risks are cycling on the causeway path with traffic alongside, cold water if you swim, and thin ice on the bay in a cold winter: follow local signs.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Reichenau yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- UNESCO abbey island (Reichenau Abbey)
- Three Romanesque churches: Minster, St Peter and Paul, St George
- Vegetable and wine farming
- Lake Constance causeway and wildlife sanctuary
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Reichenau municipal website: www.reichenau.de/
- Wikivoyage: Reichenau, revision 4483409 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4483409
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Reichenau
Zu dieser Adresse, bitte
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies on the island; the US consulate-general is in Munich and most embassies are in Berlin. Konstanz has consular agencies for some countries: check.
Cash is still common in small island businesses: carry some euro.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/reichenau). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.