Rhine: route guide

The Rhine runs northwest from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea. Navigation kilometrage starts at Constance (km 0) on Lake Constance, and the source divides the river into head waters, Alpine Rhine, Lake Constance, High Rhine, Upper Rhine, Middle Rhine Valley, Lower Rhine and the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta.

For a first trip, treat the river as three zones: the Alpine and High Rhine (Switzerland, with the Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen), the Upper and Middle Rhine (Basel to Bonn, the vineyard-and-castle section), and the Lower Rhine and delta (Cologne to the Dutch branches).

The Middle Rhine Valley between Bingen/Rüdesheim and Bonn/Bad Honnef is the UNESCO-listed cultural landscape and the part most travellers picture. If you only have two or three days, base yourself there and day-trip.

The table below follows the source's river sections and kilometrage. Rail times are not confirmed by the sources here, so treat them as check and confirm with the operators before you book.

Basel to Strasbourg is short enough to do as a half-day hop. Strasbourg to Mainz adds the northern Alsace and the Palatinate vineyards. Mainz to Koblenz is the run into the gorge, and you should break it: Rüdesheim, Bacharach, Oberwesel and Boppard are all worth a stop.

Koblenz to Cologne is fast by train but slow and scenic by boat. Cologne onward into the delta is the industrial, modern river; interesting if you like ports and engineering, skippable if you are chasing the postcard view.

The sources here do not establish a best season, crowd pattern or price pattern for the Rhine, so treat any timing advice as check and confirm locally before booking.

What is confirmed: the Middle Rhine Valley is a UNESCO cultural landscape of vineyards and medieval castles, and the river carries commercial navigation and cruise traffic. Boat and ferry services can be reduced outside the main season, so check sailing dates before you build an itinerary around a specific river cruise.

Winter is the quietest period for castle interiors and river services; December is Christmas market season in Cologne, Strasbourg and Basel, which is a different trip entirely.

Base in the Middle Rhine Valley for the scenery. Bacharach and Oberwesel are small and on the rail line; Rüdesheim and Boppard have more beds and more tour groups. Koblenz is the practical hub if you want one hotel for several nights and day trips by train.

For city stays, Cologne and Strasbourg give you the best combination of rail links, food and accommodation range. Basel suits the southern end and is an easy airport arrival. Rotterdam and Arnhem work for the delta end.

Book ahead for the main season and the Christmas market weeks; outside those windows, walk-up rooms in the valley towns are usually available.

Decide your unit first. A rail-based trip needs only a pass or point-to-point tickets and a day bag. A cycling trip on the Rhine Cycle Route needs panniers, a repair kit and booked beds, because valley accommodation fills in the main season.

If you are driving, note that the valley roads are narrow and parking in the small towns is limited. If you are cycling, the route follows the river, but the gorge section has less shade than you expect.

Check the operator for your boat segment before you commit. River levels can disrupt sailings after heavy rain or a dry summer, and that affects both cruise ships and ferries.