Booking choice: The lock cruise to Beilstein, from $28 per person. Check dates Tour details
Kolb runs every long boat trip from Cochem. Upriver, boats go to Beilstein, Zell and Traben-Trarbach; downriver, to Treis and, in some years, Koblenz. The longest is a 10.5-hour day to Traben-Trarbach and back, on two days a week in high summer.
Times come from Kolb's printed 2026 Cochem timetable and its trip pages. The 2027 timetable isn't out yet, so treat these as the pattern to expect.
The quick answer
The big one is Cochem to Traben-Trarbach: 08:30 out, 13:15 arrival, 14:45 back, 19:00 in Cochem, on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 20 June to 26 September 2026. A shorter half day is the lock cruise to Beilstein (2.5 hours). The afternoon boat to Zell (15:00 to 18:00) is the best one-way trip: sail up, take the train back via Bullay.
What long boat trips run from Cochem?
Five: the Beilstein lock cruise, the Treis loop, the Zell line, the Traben-Trarbach day trip and, in some seasons, Koblenz. All are Kolb boats.
Days are from Kolb's trip pages; the printed timetable groups some days loosely, so check the board at the kiosk before planning around a single date.
| Route | Direction | Time on board | Runs (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cochem to Beilstein and back | Upriver | About 2 hours plus time ashore | Daily 1 May to 31 Oct |
| Treiser Moselbogen loop | Downriver | 1.5 hours | Wed and Sat; daily except Mon from 25 Jul to 2 Sep |
| Cochem to Zell | Upriver | 3 hours each way | Several days a week, May to Oct |
| Cochem to Traben-Trarbach | Upriver | About 4.75 hours out, 4.25 back | Tue and Sat, 20 Jun to 26 Sep |
| Cochem to Koblenz | Downriver | About 4.25 hours out, 4.5 back | Not offered in 2026 (Kolb) |
Not ready to give up a whole day? The lock cruise to Beilstein takes 2.5 hours.
Check dates for the lock cruise to BeilsteinHow long is the boat from Cochem to Traben-Trarbach?
About 4 hours 45 minutes upriver and 4 hours 15 back. The day trip leaves Cochem at 08:30 and returns at 19:00, with 90 minutes ashore.
The 2026 timetable has the boat calling at Ernst, Bruttig, Beilstein, Briedern, Mesenich, Ediger, St. Aldegund, Alf-Bullay, Zell, Briedel, Pünderich, Reil and Enkirch before Traben-Trarbach at 13:15. It leaves again at 14:45. Kolb's trip page lists it on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 20 June to 26 September 2026, with several locks and a kitchen serving lunch on board.
Ninety minutes in Traben-Trarbach is tight for a town that big. If the art nouveau villas are the point, sail up and take the train back instead, and give yourself the afternoon.
Can you take the boat one way and the train back?
Yes, and it is often the better plan. Zell and Traben-Trarbach connect to Cochem by train via Bullay; Koblenz is about 40 minutes away by regional train.
- Zell: the afternoon boat leaves Cochem at 15:00 and reaches Zell at 18:00; the morning boat leaves Zell at 09:30 and reaches Cochem at 12:20. Bullay, on the main line, is a stop on both.
- Traben-Trarbach: sail up in the morning, then take the short branch line from Traben-Trarbach to Bullay and change for Cochem.
- Koblenz: regional express trains run hourly and take about 40 minutes. The railway leaves the valley, so the train is fast but the view is not the river's.
Check connections on bahn.de on the day. Late-evening trains on the Moselle line are thinner, and buses rarer still.
Is there a boat from Cochem to Koblenz?
Not in 2026: Kolb's trip page says the Cochem to Koblenz day trip was not offered this season. In earlier years it ran on selected summer days.
The Koblenz page carries the note that the tour will not run during the 2026 season, even though the printed timetable still shows the pattern: 08:30 from Cochem, Koblenz Deutsches Eck at 12:45, back at 14:45, Cochem at 19:20. A local news site listed Friday sailings from 19 June to 9 October 2026. The operator's own page wins that argument; ask at the kiosk before planning on it.
Downriver views are milder than upriver, and the train back from Koblenz is quick. If you only have one long boat day, go upriver.
The upriver half day: through the Fankel lock to Beilstein, with a later boat home if you want more time.
Explore the lock cruise to Beilstein Tour detailsWhat is the Treiser Moselbogen trip?
A 1.5-hour Kolb loop downriver from Cochem around the Treis bend, with stops in Klotten and Pommern. Departures are at 10:00, 13:00 and 16:30.
Kolb's page lists it from 2 May to 22 July on Wednesdays and Saturdays, daily except Mondays from 25 July to 2 September, then Wednesdays and Saturdays again to 24 October. One-way tickets to Treis and stopovers are sold on site. From Treis-Karden, the walk to Burg Eltz is a popular follow-on.
It is the obvious second trip if you've already done the Beilstein boat. The scenery is gentler than the Moselkrampen upriver.
Which direction is more scenic from Cochem?
Upriver. The 24 km of tight bends between Cochem and Bremm, the Moselkrampen, are the most dramatic stretch near Cochem.
Upstream from Cochem the river loops back on itself under steep slate vineyards, past Ernst, Bruttig and Beilstein. That's the route of the Beilstein, Zell and Traben-Trarbach boats. Downriver toward Treis and Koblenz the valley widens and the castles take over from the vines.
For a first long trip, go up. The autumn colour in the vineyards, from late September into October, is the time to do it.
What should you know before a long Moselle boat day?
Bring a layer, eat on board or carry snacks, plan around Mondays, and expect times to slip at the locks.
- Food: the long-trip boats have kitchens serving snacks and lunch dishes; Kolb's Q&A says full meals can be arranged with advance notice.
- Weather: the open top deck is cooler than the promenade. A jacket in May and October, a hat in July.
- Locks: the timetable warns that times can change for lock delays. Don't book a tight train connection.
- Bikes and dogs: dogs ride free on a lead; bikes cost €2 to €4 if there's room.
- Season: the long day trips run June to September only. The 2027 season post will carry next year's dates.
Fix the date for a summer weekend, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check dates for the lock cruise to BeilsteinFrequently asked questions
What is the longest boat trip from Cochem?
The Traben-Trarbach day trip: 08:30 to 19:00, with about 90 minutes ashore. In 2026 it ran on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 20 June to 26 September.
Can I go from Cochem to Koblenz by boat?
Not in 2026; Kolb did not offer the Koblenz day trip this season. Take the regional train instead, about 40 minutes.
Is there a one-way boat from Cochem to Zell?
Yes. In the 2026 timetable the afternoon boat left Cochem at 15:00 and reached Zell at 18:00. Take the train back via Bullay.
Do the long trips run in winter?
No. The long day trips run in summer only, roughly June to September; in winter only the one-hour loop sails from Cochem.
Ready to book
Choose your boat
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Lock Cruise from Cochem to Beilstein
- Boat Cochem to Beilstein and back
- Passage through the Fankel lock
- Time ashore in Beilstein, later boat back possible
KD Panoramic Cruise on the Moselle
- One-hour round trip from the KD pier
- Loudspeaker commentary in German and English
- Children up to 6 ride free
KD Evening Lounge Cruise
Two hours on deck with a DJ and the castle lit up at dusk
