Frequently Asked Questions

You can purchase tickets from the KD head office or from the KD ticket offices on site at the wharfs.

You can also purchase your tickets from our convenient online shop and simply print them out at home.

We offer a variety of payment methods.

Tickets can be paid for in cash or by debit or credit card. For credit card payments (VISA, Mastercard), a transaction fee will be charged, in accordance with the price list valid at the time of booking. Not all KD ticket offices accept debit and credit card payments (you can find more information on the website of the KD ticket office in question). 

In the online shop, payments by Paypal and Sofortüberweisung (a direct payment service) are possible.

The KD head office can send tickets by post upon request. A shipping fee will be charged, in accordance with the price list valid at the time of booking.

A surcharge of 3 euros for tickets purchased on the day of the cruise is currently only charged for event cruises.

Reservations are required for all event cruises. For all scheduled services and panoramic cruises, advance booking is recommended for groups of 10 people or more. Please contact the KD head office (Tel.: +49 (0)221 / 20 88-318, info(at)k-d.com)

Can I change/cancel my booking? KD is not legally obliged to change, take back or refund tickets, but we do offer the following reimbursements for scheduled services and panoramic cruises (excluding party and event cruises):Entirely unused tickets may be returned on the day of issue to the issuing office and the fare will be refunded.For partially unused tickets, a pro rata fare reimbursement must be requested during the ship's scheduled journey time, with KD in Cologne for group tickets and otherwise with the agents. This request must include the partially unused ticket and a written confirmation from the crew and, for group tickets, the unused control card as well. The reimbursement shall be based on the difference between the fare paid and the fare for the section of the route travelled. Sections of the route that are skipped will be deemed travelled.

For all reimbursements, a processing fee of 20% (at least 3 euros) is charged, apart from in case of ship-related deviations from the timetable or trip cancellations. Bank transfers will only be made for reimbursements of at least 6 euros for banks within Germany and at least 20 euros for international transfers. The cost of the bank transfer will be deducted from the amount reimbursed.

Children: Children under 4 years of age may only travel if accompanied by an adult. A maximum of 3 children aged between 4 and 13 years of age may travel per fully paying adult. Children aged between 4 and 13 years of age accompanied by adults (family) travel on panoramic cruises and scheduled services every day at the children's fixed price, in accordance with the current KD timetable (max. 3 children accompanied by one fully paying adult). Exception: Reduced-rate price zones, in accordance with the current KD timetable.

Senior citizens: Persons over 60 years of age receive a discount on KD panoramic cruises and scheduled services, in accordance with the current timetable. The minimum fare is the current children's rate. Exception: Reduced-rate price zones, in accordance with the current KD timetable.

Disabled passengers: Disabled passengers themselves pay the standard price. Chaperones may travel for free provided that the requirement for a chaperone is explicitly documented on the passenger's official disabled person’s pass. Party and event cruises as well as special cruises and combined tickets are excluded from this discount.

Birthdays: On their birthdays, children and one accompanying person receive a discount on all panoramic cruises and scheduled services, in accordance with the current KD timetable.

School and university students: Upon presentation of a student ID, school and university students under 27 years of age receive a discount on KD panoramic cruises and scheduled services, in accordance with the current timetable. The minimum fare is the current children's rate. Exception: Reduced-rate price zones, in accordance with the current KD timetable.

Cyclists: On Tuesdays and Thursdays, two cyclists may travel for the price of one on all scheduled services on the Rhine (one-way journey, excludes surcharges). This offer does not apply to partner carriers.

Families: Valid for 2 adults and 2 children (up to 16 years of age): Scheduled services 68 euros / panoramic cruises starting from 25 euros.

For all discounts, discount cards, etc.: Only one discount may be applied at once. The discounts listed above do not apply to evening cruises, cruises with special programmes, cruises for firework events, cruises with food and drink included and party cruises. No additional discounts are granted on already reduced fares (e.g. KD savings rates, Senior Citizens Day or Bicycle Day, KD combined tickets or special offers).

You can purchase "Rhein in Flammen" tickets from the KD ticket offices or the KD head office.

You can only purchase RMV (Rhine-Main Transport Association) combined tickets from KD, from one of the KD agents in the RMV region (Frankfurt, Mainz, Wiesbaden, Eltville, Rüdesheim, Assmannshausen, Lorch – on the day of the journey or in advance) or from the KD head office in Cologne.

KD vouchers can be purchased from KD agents, the KD head office or the KD web shop.

KD vouchers purchased from KD agents or the KD head office are valid until the end of the third year after the voucher was purchased. You can find the date of purchase on the voucher. Vouchers may not be extended beyond the expiry date or exchanged for cash. KD vouchers are valid for all KD services and can be redeemed at all KD ticket agents on the Rhine, Main and Moselle. If the value of the voucher exceeds the amount due, the KD ticket agent will issue a new voucher for the difference. Vouchers may also be redeemed for food and drink on board KD ships, but only to the full amount. No new vouchers can be issued for the difference on board KD ships. The difference will not be paid out in cash either. Vouchers are not valid on the ships of KD partner carriers.KD online vouchers purchased from the KD web shop are valid until the end of the third year after the voucher was purchased. You can find the expiry date on the voucher. Vouchers may not be extended beyond the expiry date or exchanged for cash. KD online vouchers can only be redeemed online at www.k-d.com. They only apply to KD's own offerings (e.g. scheduled services, panoramic cruises, themed cruises). If the amount due exceeds the value of the voucher, the difference may be paid using a different approved payment method or another voucher. Transaction fees may apply. If the value of the voucher exceeds the amount due, the amount remaining on the KD online voucher will remain valid under the same voucher code until the expiry date and can be redeemed in another booking at www.k-d.com. No new KD voucher is issued for the remaining amount. Remaining credit cannot be exchanged for cash.

On board our ships you can enjoy a choice selection of reasonably priced food and drinks in our à la carte restaurants. Upon request, we would be happy to provide you with a list of all the main allergens and additives in our food. Please speak to the service staff on board.

You are not obliged to purchase food and drink on board. Food or drink you have brought with you may not be consumed in the dining area, only on the deck. You may not bring any alcoholic beverages on board. For party and event cruises, and cruises with food and drink included in the fare, no food or drink may be brought on bord.

We cannot guarantee you a certain seat or table. However, we will do our best to make sure that groups can sit together. For event cruises with food and drink included in the fare, specific seats are reserved for you. These will be shown to you when you embark. 

Separate lounges can be reserved on scheduled services and panoramic cruises, depending on the ship operated and the group size. If you are interested, please contact the KD Service Centre, info(at)k-d.com.If you are interested in a customised setting for your business or private event on the water, please contact the KD Charter Team, charter@k-d.com.

Reservations on the deck are not possible.

There are no designated facilities for sleeping/lying down on board.

Cake, flower and decoration packages can be ordered on request, depending on availability, at an extra cost. Please contact the KD head office.

On board, we explain the most important sights along the route in German and English (additional language options: Spanish, Italian, French, Dutch, Chinese and Japanese).

Free Wi-Fi is available on board all KD ships.

There are no available plug sockets on board.

Unfortunately, playing music and singing are not allowed on board, for the comfort and consideration of all passengers and so that passengers may listen to the explanations of the landscape in various languages.

There is no dress code, but guests may be refused entry if they are wearing inappropriate clothing.

The minimum age is 18 for KD party cruises and all other cruises, unless stated otherwise.

Animals are not allowed on board, except for dogs.

A fee of 3.90 euros is charged for bringing a dog on board. Service dogs or guide dogs may travel free of charge (further information can be found in the section on Passengers with Limited Mobility). Dogs on board must be kept on a lead and, if necessary, muzzled.

Children have a great time on board the KD fleet. On many KD ships, children's play facilities make KD cruises a wonderful experience for the little ones. Slides, see-saws and different types of swing are among the standard equipment on many ships.

We would be happy to heat up baby food. Please speak to the service staff on board.

There are changing tables in the ladies toilets on board the MS RheinFantasie and MS RheinEnergie. On the other ships in the KD fleet, we also recommend you use the toilet facilities to change babies' nappies. There are no designated breastfeeding facilities.

Pushchairs and wheelchairs may be taken on board free of charge depending on the respective facilities. The crew will allocate space for storing such vehicles.

There are a limited number of high chairs on board. Please speak to the service staff on board.

We offer special cruises for children and families, such as the Fairytale Cruise to Zons and the on-board Pirate Party. The other event cruises are not suitable for children. On some individual events, we offer discounted rates for school/university students, which we recommend for children aged 10 or above.

Depending on the number of passengers and type of ship, bicycles may be transported for a fee of 2.80 euros per bike/route. 
Tandems, luggage trailers, child bike trailers, dog trailers, pushchairs and wheelchairs may be taken on board free of charge depending on the respective facilities. The crew will allocate space for storing such vehicles and bicycles. It is not possible to take bicycles on our partner carriers.

Segways are not permitted on board as a mode of transport.
Persons who require a walking aid due to disability (persons with a walking impediment = "G" designation on their disabled person’s pass) and are travelling with a Segway may bring a Segway on board free of charge, provided they can board and alight without assistance and are able to pull or push their aid. The passenger is responsible for securing their Segway on board.

There is no luggage office on board or at the wharf, therefore large baggage cannot be transported (max. hand baggage size). The passenger is responsible for transporting their luggage and other items brought on board to and from the ship. The carrier accepts no liability for luggage and other items brought on board.

KD provides special services for passengers with limited mobility:

• Address for the pier and rough map/route planner

• Information concerning ship operation (with the aid of our ship movements list approx. 7 days before departure)

• On-board taxi reservation service

• Special dietary requirements (please note, not all dietary requirements can be accommodated)

• Priority embarkation

• Height-adjustable tables in the restaurants (min. height 75cm)

• Accesible toilets

• Your chaperone may travel free of charge on round trips and scheduled services provided that your disabled person’s pass features the designation "B".

• Your guide dog is welcome on board and may travel free of charge.

Overview of facilities

Severely disabled passengers pay the standard price (school and university students under 27 years of age and persons over 60 years of age receive a discount on KD panoramic cruises and scheduled services in accordance with the current timetable). Chaperones may travel for free provided that the requirement for a chaperone is explicitly documented on the passenger's official disabled person’s pass. Party and event cruises as well as special cruises and combined tickets are excluded from this discount.

Persons who require a walking aid due to disability (persons with a walking impediment = "G" designation on their disabled person’s pass) and are travelling with a Segway may bring a Segway on board free of charge, provided they can board and alight without assistance and are able to pull or push their aid. The passenger is responsible for securing their Segway on board. Segways are not permitted on board to be used for leisure or as a mode of transport.

Passengers should aim to be at the wharf approx. 15 minutes prior to the ship's scheduled departure and should report to the sales agent on site.


Ticket offices open 60 minutes prior to the first departure.

Please contact the KD head office during the following opening hours:

• Mon-Fri 8am to 5pm

• Sat 9am to 12 midday

Tel.: +49 (0)221 / 20 88-318.


You can find detailed information on the KD website under Locations/Wharf Information (car park prices and opening times are not specified).

You can find detailed information on the KD website under Locations/Wharf Information.

You can find detailed information on the KD website under Locations/Wharf Information.

One week before departure, we publish our ship movements list (in German Schiffsbewegungsliste, or SBL), which tells you which ship is operating.

There may be deviations from the timetable due to high or low water levels, a high volume of passengers and other traffic obstructions resulting from breakdowns or malfunctions which are not the fault of KD and for which KD is not obliged to offer a replacement service. KD does not accept liability for any missed connections.

Passengers are permitted to break their journey as many times as they wish after gaining prior written confirmation from the crew. Passengers who would like to break their journey at intermediate stations must inform the crew of their intention at least 10 minutes prior to the ship's arrival.

We will inform passengers of last-minute cancellations on the KD website. If the trip is cancelled by KD, the legitimate ticket holder will receive a refund of the ticket price upon presentation of the ticket at the office where it was purchased.

In order to avoid delays in the schedule, ships cannot wait for individual passengers. In the event of a late arrival, please go to the KD ticket office on site and take a later departure, if possible. We ask that groups that have booked a journey contact our KD head office to find out about alternative departure points/times in the event of a late arrival.

Please contact the nearest KD agent or the KD head office to receive information from a member of staff.

The history of what is today "KD Köln-Düsseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt" dates back to its founding year of 1826. At that time, two companies existed: "Preußisch-Rheinische Dampfschiffahrt-Gesellschaft" (headquartered in Cologne) and "Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft für den Nieder- und Mittelrhein" (headquartered in Dusseldorf). Due to various economic factors, it was not possible for both companies to sustainably coexist and so, on 9 June 1853, the joint venture "Kölnische und Düsseldorfer Gesellschaft für Rhein-Dampfschiffahrt" was founded.

During KD's long history, the route network was constantly adapted and today the ships do not sail between Dusseldorf and Cologne, partly because the scenery along this route is less attractive and also because the journey would take 5 hours to sail upriver and 3 hours downriver.

The following journeys can be booked via the online shop:

• Scheduled services on the Rhine and Moselle within the scope of the KD timetable 

• Panoramic cruises in Dusseldorf, Cologne and Frankfurt

• Combined tickets for the Siebengebirge mountain range and Koblenz

• Themed/event cruises

• Seasonal offerings, such as Christmas or New Year's Eve trips

• Vouchers

• Food and drinks

We accept credit cards (Visa or Mastercard), Paypal and Sofortüberweisung (a direct payment service).

Depending on the journey, you may choose between print-at-home and posted tickets. Posted tickets will be sent to you via post. Print-at-home tickets will be sent to you via e-mail. A good-quality printout of this ticket in DIN A4 format must be presented to staff upon embarking the ship. Failing this, or if the ticket is illegible, a fee will be charged for a replacement ticket.

In addition to an advance booking charge and service charge per ticket, an order fee may be charged. The amount of any potential charges and fees will be indicated during the booking process. In the event that the buyer requests tickets, admission tickets or gift vouchers to be sent via post (instead of print-at-home), the buyer does so at their own risk. The total price of the order includes statutory VAT and is due for full payment, including all fees, immediately upon conclusion of the contract.

You may change your booking up to one day prior to the departure date, provided that the desired alternative journey costs the same price or less. In this case, we can change your reservation as per your request. You will receive any difference in price in the form of an online voucher. Please contact us in writing with your re-booking request. A re-booking fee will not be charged.
It is not possible to book an alternative journey that costs more than your original booking. In this case, we can cancel your booking in accordance with our cancellation policy.

You may cancel your booking up to one day prior to the departure date. Bookings of journeys for special firework displays and New Year's Eve are excluded. You may receive a reimbursement of the invoice price minus a cancellation fee of 20% (at least 3 euros). The cancellation sum will be reimbursed via the payment method used at the time of purchase.

Unfortunately, external factors may occasionally cause cruises to be cancelled. We therefore need your contact information in order to keep you up to date of any changes. KD will not send you any promotional material unless you explicitly request it.