Spree river cruise in Berlin: which one to choose

3cruises compared
€21lowest price
1 h to 2 h 30 mintime on the water
3boarding points

The cruise to check first

Spree sightseeing boat from Alte Börse (1 or 2.5 hours)

1 h · from €22 · 7.5/10 (227)

Check dates and price

Updated 5 October 2026

Miniature model of Berlin with a sightseeing boat on the Spree

Which one, depending on what you want

Start here

Spree sightseeing boat from Alte Börse (1 or 2.5 hours)

1 h · 7.5/10 (227)
from €22
Lowest price

One-hour Spree cruise with live guide (Reederei Hadynski)

1 h · 8.4/10 (10)
from €21
Best rated

Spree dinner cruise from Charlottenburg

2 h 30 min · 7.6/10 (129)
from €79.90

Cruises in Berlin side by side

For most visitors the right Spree river cruise is the one-hour boat from the Alte Börse pier, opposite Museum Island. It costs from €22, can be cancelled free up to 24 hours ahead and is the most reviewed boat trip in the Berlin catalogue. The same listing sells a 2.5-hour version that carries on east to the East Side Gallery.

The catalogue is short in Berlin: three boat products in English, run by three different companies. Two are one-hour sightseeing cruises that leave from almost the same spot by the cathedral, and the third is a dinner cruise that starts across town in Charlottenburg. We compared each listing with what the operators publish, including the parts that do not match.

Boat trips in Berlin compared by type, duration, boat, food, price and rating
Cruise	Duration	Open or covered	Food	Price	Rating
Spree sightseeing boat from Alte Börse (1 or 2.5 hours)SightseeingOur pick	1 h	Covered with open deck	No food	from €22	7.5/10 (227)
One-hour Spree cruise with live guide (Reederei Hadynski)Sightseeing	1 h	Covered with open deck	No food	from €21	8.4/10 (10)
Spree dinner cruise from CharlottenburgDinner cruise	2 h 30 min	Not stated	Dinner	from €79.90	7.6/10 (129)

Boat sheets

One sheet per cruise, same fields in the same order. Open a sheet for the pier, the commentary and what is included.

Sightseeing · DayOur pick

Spree sightseeing boat from Alte Börse (1 or 2.5 hours)

A round trip on the Spree with BWSG from the Alte Börse pier, sold as a one-hour city loop or a 2.5-hour tour that also reaches the East Side Gallery.

from €22

7.5/10 from 227 reviews on Civitatis

1 h
Covered with open deck
No food
Alte Börse, Burgstraße 27
Free cancellation up to 24 h before

Who it suitsFirst-time visitors who want Museum Island, the cathedral, the Reichstag and the government district from the water in an hour, with the freedom to cancel. The 2.5-hour option suits people who also want the stretch of river along the old Wall.

Pick something else ifSkip it between early November and late March: the operator's 2026 season runs from 28 March to 1 November, and the other one-hour boat from €21 keeps sailing until the end of December. It is listed as not wheelchair accessible.

Check dates and price

Boarding, commentary, what is included

Boarding point: Alte Börse, Burgstraße 27. Alte Börse pier at Burgstraße 27 in Mitte, on the river bank facing Museum Island. The operator places it near the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn and tram stop. The voucher is not your ticket: you swap it for boat tickets at the pier, at least 15 minutes before departure. Arrive later and the listing says the supplier may give your seats to someone else. Open pier on the map
Open or covered: The operator runs two ships and the listing does not say which one you get. MS Belvedere is a two-deck boat with two saloons below and a sun deck on top. AC BärLiner is a convertible boat with three sliding glass panels that close when it rains. The operator puts the 2.5-hour tour on MS Belvedere.
Commentary: The listing promises an audio guide in several languages on the one-hour tour and in English on the 2.5-hour tour. The operator describes it differently: live commentary in German and English on both, plus an audio guide in Spanish, French, Polish, Hebrew, Italian and Russian.
Included: Boat ride on the Spree (1 hour or 2.5 hours)
Audio guide in several languages on the 1-hour tour
Audio guide in English on the 2.5-hour tour
Not included: Food and drinks
Tips
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. After that, or if you do not show up, there is no refund.

Sources: Civitatis catalogue and bwsg-berlin.de. Checked on 5 October 2026.

Sightseeing · Day

One-hour Spree cruise with live guide (Reederei Hadynski)

A one-hour round trip with Reederei Hadynski from the pier by Berlin Cathedral, on a boat whose glass roof opens in good weather.

from €21

8.4/10 from 10 reviews on Civitatis

1 h
Covered with open deck
No food
Reederei Hadynski, Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Straße 2
Non-refundable

Who it suitsTravellers whose date is fixed and who are visiting on a cold or rainy day, or after 1 November when the Alte Börse boats have stopped for the season. It also has reduced rates for students and over-65s, which the other one-hour cruise does not list.

Pick something else ifSkip it if your plans could move, because the cruise from Alte Börse costs from €22 and can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before. With 10 reviews there is also little evidence to go on. Not wheelchair accessible.

Check dates and price

Boarding, commentary, what is included

Boarding point: Reederei Hadynski, Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Straße 2. The Reederei Hadynski pier is diagonally across from Berlin Cathedral, next to the restaurant Alois Moser Alpenküche and close to Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station. The listing asks you to be there 25 minutes before departure and says check-in closes strictly 5 minutes before. Your ticket is valid only on the boats named Carola and Franziska, and other companies moor alongside. Open pier on the map
Open or covered: Both the listing and the operator describe a panoramic glass roof that opens fully in warm weather and stays shut when it is cold or wet. The operator adds a shade roof at the back, 120 cushioned seats, toilets on board and a bar selling drinks, ice cream and small snacks.
Commentary: The listing includes an English-speaking guide. The operator's German pages advertise live commentary, while its English timetable says every departure includes a German and English audio guide. Either way, expect English and German only.
Included: 1-hour boat ride
English-speaking guide
Not included: Food and drinks (sold on board, according to the operator)
Cancellation: Non-refundable. Once booked, the listing gives no money back for cancellations or changes.

Sources: Civitatis catalogue and reederei-hadynski.de. Checked on 5 October 2026.

Dinner cruise · Sunset · Night

Spree dinner cruise from Charlottenburg

A 2.5-hour evening cruise with Reederei Becker from the Caprivi Bridge, with a welcome drink, a two-course dinner, dessert and one drink.

from €79.90

7.6/10 from 129 reviews on Civitatis

2 h 30 min
Not stated
Dinner
Caprivibrücke, Wintersteinstraße 24
Non-refundable

Who it suitsCouples or friends staying in the west of the city who want a slow evening at a table on the river and are certain of the date. Bookings need at least two people.

Pick something else ifSkip it if you mainly want to see Berlin from the water: either one-hour cruise does that from €21 or €22. The fixed menu in the listing is potato salad, chicken fillet and a dessert, with no alternative mentioned, and the boat is not wheelchair accessible.

Check dates and price

Boarding, commentary, what is included

Boarding point: Caprivibrücke, Wintersteinstraße 24. Meet at 6:30 pm at the Caprivi Bridge (Caprivibrücke), Wintersteinstraße 24, 10587 Berlin, next to the Reederei Becker sign. The group then walks to the dock together. The listing recommends arriving 15 minutes early. This is Charlottenburg, more than 6 km west of Museum Island, so allow for the journey across town. Open pier on the map
Open or covered: The listing does not describe the boat. Its photos show a restaurant saloon, and it says nothing about an open deck, window tables or where you will be seated. The operator's own website was not reachable when we checked, so none of this could be confirmed.
Commentary: Recorded commentary in English and German. There is no guide on board according to the listing.
Included: 2.5-hour boat trip
Welcome drink
Two-course dinner and dessert
One drink with the meal
Recorded commentary in English and German
Not included: Further drinks
Cancellation: Non-refundable. The listing gives no money back for cancellations, changes or no-shows.

Sources: Civitatis catalogue. Checked on 5 October 2026.

Three questions, one cruise

Tell us how much time you have, whether you want to eat on board and when you can go.

Sunset in Berlin today Plan a sunset cruise

/ How much time do you have?

Next: food on board and time of day

Still deciding?

One page per decision, with the cruises it compares.

Spree cruise in Berlin: 1 hour or 2.5 hours?

Take the one-hour cruise unless you have a particular wish to see the East Side Gallery and the Oberbaum Bridge from the river.

Is the Berlin dinner cruise worth it?

For most visitors, no.

Berlin one-hour boat tour: which of the two to book

Book the Alte Börse cruise from €22 in most cases: you can cancel up to 24 hours before and 227 reviewers have rated it.

Where to board a Spree cruise in Berlin

The two one-hour cruises board on Burgstraße in Mitte, across the river from Berlin Cathedral and Museum Island, a short walk from Hackescher Markt station.

Questions about boat trips in Berlin

Which Spree river cruise is best for a first visit to Berlin?

The one-hour cruise from the Alte Börse pier, from €22. It covers Museum Island, the cathedral and the government district, can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before and has 227 reviews.

How long does a boat tour in Berlin take?

The standard sightseeing cruise takes one hour. The East Side tour on the same listing takes 2.5 hours, and so does the dinner cruise.

Is a Berlin river cruise worth it?

The one-hour version is, for a first visit: many of the main sights of the centre stand on the river and it costs from €21 or €22. The scores are modest, 7.5 from 227 reviews for the main boat, so expect a plain sightseeing trip and nothing more.

Is there commentary in English?

Yes, on all three. The Alte Börse cruise has an English audio guide and, according to the operator, live commentary in German and English. The Hadynski cruise has an English-speaking guide and the dinner cruise a recording in English and German.

Do Spree cruises run in winter?

Only some. The Alte Börse operator's 2026 season ends on 1 November, while Reederei Hadynski publishes departures until 31 December with a last boat at 3:30 pm.