Northern Europe
Modern cruise terminal with direct pedestrian access to Kehl town center and convenient shuttle connections to Strasbourg across the Rhine.
Choose the Right Port Day
Only 3-4 Hours
Take the tram from Kehl across the bridge into Strasbourg, walk straight to the Petite France quarter and the Cathedral, grab a tarte flambée or bretzel at a winstub, and head back. That's a complete and satisfying half-day.
Best Beach
Not relevant — this is an inland Rhine river port with no beach access.
With Kids
Walk across the Mimram footbridge into Petite France, which looks like a fairy tale and keeps kids engaged. The Cathedral's astronomical clock display at noon draws a crowd but kids genuinely enjoy it.
Cheapest Option
The tram from Kehl tram stop into Strasbourg centre costs around €2-4 EUR each way. Once in the city, the old town is free to wander. A bretzel from a market stall costs under €2. Total day on foot under €15 is realistic.
Best Overall
Spend your day entirely on Strasbourg's Grande Île: Petite France, the Cathedral, and lunch at a proper winstub with choucroute or baeckeoffe. This is what people come to this port for and it delivers.
What To Avoid
Don't waste time in Kehl itself — it's a German border town with retail parks and nothing scenic. Also skip the Cathedral interior queue if time is short; the exterior and the surrounding streets are the real payoff.
Quick Take
- Port Type
- River Cruise City Port
- Best For
- Cruisers who want a genuinely beautiful, walkable European city with medieval architecture, Alsatian food, and no beach agenda
- Avoid If
- You dislike cobblestones, border crossings add stress, or you expect everything to be in Germany
- Walkability
- High once you reach Strasbourg's old town — but the port itself is industrial and not walkable to the center
- Budget Fit
- Mid-range; Strasbourg is a real French city with real French prices, not a tourist trap but not cheap either
- Good For Short Calls?
- Yes — Strasbourg's core is compact enough to cover in 3-4 hours if you stay focused on Grande Île
Port Overview
Ships dock at the Kehl pier on the German side of the Rhine, directly across from France. Kehl itself is a quiet border town — functional, not scenic. The real destination is Strasbourg, which begins just across the Mimram pedestrian bridge or a short tram ride away. Most river cruise lines including Viking, AmaWaterways, and Emerald dock here specifically because Strasbourg is one of the Rhine's showpiece cities.
Strasbourg's Grande Île is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it earns that status. The Petite France district, the Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the grid of canals lined with medieval timber-frame houses are all within easy walking distance of each other. The city is bilingual, Alsatian in character, and genuinely different from both standard French and standard German cities.
This port is frequently used as an embarkation or disembarkation point for Rhine cruises, so if you're starting or ending here, budget extra time — ideally a full day before or after your cruise. The city repays it. For in-transit stops, a focused half-day is enough to see the highlights.
Is It Safe?
Both Kehl and Strasbourg are safe and well-managed. Strasbourg is a major European capital city — normal urban awareness applies around the train station and busy squares, but the old town tourist zone is relaxed and low-risk. Petty theft (bag snatching, pickpockets) exists in high-crowd areas like the Cathedral square during peak season; keep bags in front and don't flash valuables in crowds. The border crossing on the tram is smooth and unstaffed in normal conditions.
Accessibility & Walkability
Strasbourg's tram is fully wheelchair accessible and a good option for passengers with mobility limitations. The old town's cobblestone streets are charming but genuinely difficult for wheelchairs and walkers — Petite France in particular has uneven surfaces. The Cathedral area and main Place Kléber are more manageable. Some cruise lines offer adapted shuttles; request in advance through your line. The flat Rhine cycle path between the footbridge and city is paved and accessible.
Outside the Terminal
The Kehl pier is a working river dock in an industrial-light zone. There's no immediate tourist infrastructure — no cafes, no market stalls, no viewpoint. You'll see the Rhine, the bridge, and some warehousing. Your ship's shuttle or the tram stop is your immediate priority. Most passengers board a shuttle or walk to the tram within the first few minutes ashore. Don't expect a scenic arrival — save the 'wow' for when you cross into Strasbourg.
Local Food & Drink
Strasbourg is a serious food city with a distinct culinary identity that blends French and German influences into something called Alsatian cuisine. You'll find tarte flambée (flammekueche) everywhere — get it at a proper winstub, not a tourist café. Choucroute garnie is the heavy regional classic; baeckeoffe (a slow-cooked meat and potato casserole) is worth ordering if you see it. Bretzel (proper Alsatian pretzel) from a market stall or boulangerie is a €2 snack that locals eat daily. For wine, Alsace produces excellent whites — Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris — and most winstubs serve them by the glass. Avoid eating right at the Cathedral square; prices spike and quality drops. Walk one or two streets inward and the options improve immediately.
Shopping
The old town has a good range of regional food shops selling Alsatian wine, foie gras, gingerbread (Bredele), and mustard — all legitimate gifts worth bringing home. Rue des Orfèvres and the streets around Place Gutenberg have independent boutiques, chocolatiers, and linen shops. It's not a duty-free shopping port, so don't plan your day around it. Note that you're buying in euros and shipping back to Germany (or wherever your cruise ends) — wine and heavy food items add up in luggage weight fast.
Money & Currency
- Currency
- Euro (EUR) — you cross into France for most of the day
- USD Accepted?
- No
- Card Payments
- High — Strasbourg is a major city with card acceptance almost everywhere including markets and small cafes
- ATMs
- Plentiful in Strasbourg city center; fewer in Kehl near the pier
- Tipping
- Service is included in French restaurant bills by law; rounding up or leaving small change (€1-2) is appreciated but never expected
- Notes
- You dock in Germany (Kehl, euros still apply) and spend most of your day in France (also euros). No currency change needed. Cards are strongly preferred in France.
Weather & Best Time
- Best months
- May, June, September, October — mild, manageable crowds, good light
- Avoid
- July and August are hot and tourist-heavy; December Christmas Market is magical but extremely crowded and cold
- Temperature
- 15-25°C (59-77°F) in shoulder season; up to 32°C in peak summer
- Notes
- Strasbourg's Christmas Market (late November through December) is world-famous and draws enormous crowds — if your cruise stops here during that window, build in extra transit time and expect the tram to be packed.
Airport Information
- Airport
- Strasbourg Airport (SXB) — also called Strasbourg-Entzheim
- Distance
- Approximately 25-30 km from the Kehl pier
- Getting there
- Train from Strasbourg Gare Centrale to the airport takes around 9 minutes on the shuttle train. Taxi or rideshare from the pier runs €35-55 EUR. Some cruise lines offer embarkation transfers.
- Notes
- If you're flying in or out for an embarkation cruise, staying a night in Strasbourg is strongly recommended — the city is worth it and logistics are much smoother than arriving day-of.
Planning a cruise here?
Viking River Cruises, Uniworld, AmaWaterways & more sail to Kehl Strasbourg.
Getting Around from the Port
Tram (recommended)
Strasbourg's tram network extends across the Rhine into Kehl via the Tram D line. Board at Kehl Bahnhof or the Kehl tram stop near the port and ride into Strasbourg city center. Seamless, frequent, and crosses the Rhine border without hassle.
Walking / cycling via pedestrian bridge
The Passerelle des Deux Rives footbridge connects Kehl directly to the Strasbourg waterfront. A pleasant walk or easy bike ride in fair weather.
Taxi or rideshare
Taxis available from Kehl but pricier than the tram. Uber operates in Strasbourg; order from the French side once you cross.
Ship shuttle
Most river cruise lines (Viking, AmaWaterways, Emerald, Scenic) operate a complimentary shuttle between the pier and Strasbourg's old town on port days.
Top Things To Do
1
Petite France Quarter
The most photographed district in Strasbourg and the place most river cruisers come to see. Medieval half-timbered tanners' and millers' houses line narrow canals fed by the Ill river. Walk the entire loop in 30-45 minutes, cross the covered bridges (Ponts Couverts), and climb the Barrage Vauban viewing terrace for a panoramic look back over the rooftops.
Book Petite France Quarter on Viator2
Strasbourg Notre-Dame Cathedral
One of the finest Gothic cathedrals in Europe, completed in 1439 with a single tower that dominated the European skyline for centuries. The facade detail is extraordinary. The astronomical clock inside runs a mechanical show at 12:30pm daily that draws crowds. Climb the tower (330 steps) for views over the Alsatian plain.
3
Alsatian Lunch at a Winstub
A winstub is an Alsatian wine tavern — the local equivalent of a bistro, warmer and more regional. Order choucroute garnie (sauerkraut with meats), baeckeoffe (slow-cooked casserole), or a tarte flambée (thin-crust onion and cream pizza). This is genuinely some of the best regional cooking in France and shouldn't be skipped.
4
Place Kléber and Old Town Wandering
Strasbourg's main square, Place Kléber, is the natural hub of the city and worth passing through. The surrounding streets between here and the Cathedral — Rue Mercière, Rue des Orfèvres — are lined with independent shops, patisseries, and chocolatiers. Good for a relaxed hour of urban exploration without a plan.
Book Place Kléber and Old Town Wandering on Viator5
European Parliament District (La Robertsau)
Strasbourg is the seat of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. The Parliament building is architecturally striking and tours are available when the Parliament is not in session. Not for everyone, but genuinely interesting if you care about European politics or modern architecture. Free entry with advance booking.
Book European Parliament District (La Robertsau) on Viator6
Musée Alsacien
A modest but worthwhile regional museum housed in a 17th-century building near the Ill river. It covers traditional Alsatian domestic life, costumes, crafts, and folk art across multiple linked courtyards. Skip it if you're short on time, but it's a good rainy-day option that most cruisers miss.
Practical Tips for Cruise Passengers
- Your ship's shuttle is the easiest option but check the last return time carefully — missing it means a taxi at your expense.
- The Kehl tram stop is a short walk from most pier locations; the tram is cheap, reliable, and drops you directly in Strasbourg city center without navigating taxi availability.
- If this is your embarkation or disembarkation port, add at least one full night in Strasbourg before or after — the city genuinely rewards more than a rushed port-day visit.
- The Cathedral's astronomical clock show at 12:30pm is worth timing your visit around if you're interested, but arrive 20 minutes early as it gets crowded fast.
- Strasbourg's Christmas Market (late November to December) is one of Europe's best but also one of the most congested — plan extra time and layer up, as outdoor standing in cold crowds is the reality.
- Carry a small amount of cash for market stalls, bretzels, and smaller winstubs — card acceptance is high but not universal at street level.
Frequently Asked Questions
No formal passport check — both Germany and France are in the Schengen zone so the border is open. Carry your passport or EU ID as a matter of habit, but you won't be stopped on the tram or footbridge under normal circumstances.
Go straight to Strasbourg. Kehl is a functional border town with retail parks and nothing of scenic or historic interest. Your port time is better spent entirely on the French side.
A focused half-day (3-4 hours) is enough to cover Petite France, the Cathedral, and a quick lunch if you don't linger. A full day lets you slow down, eat properly, and explore the European quarter or a museum.
Technically yes — the pedestrian bridge links Kehl to the Strasbourg waterfront and it's about 2.5-3 km to Petite France on foot from the pier. In good weather it's a pleasant walk; in rain or heat most passengers prefer the tram or ship shuttle.
Viking River Cruises, AmaWaterways, Emerald Waterways, Avalon Waterways, Scenic, Uniworld, Tauck, Riviera Travel, and APT all use Kehl as a Rhine itinerary port. Most provide a complimentary shuttle to Strasbourg city center — confirm with your line before arrival.
Book shore excursions in advance to secure English-language guides for Strasbourg's top attractions and avoid potential port-day availability issues.
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