Booking choice: The lock cruise to Beilstein, from $28 per person. Check dates Tour details
Cochem is a small town, about 4,900 people, with a big castle and a river that does most of the work. One day covers the Reichsburg, a boat trip and the old town without rushing. Two days lets you add Beilstein properly or a long walk on the Moselsteig.
The plan below assumes the main season, mid-March to October, when the castle opens at 9:30 and both boat companies sail. Prices are for 2026 unless marked.
The quick answer
Start at the Reichsburg at 9:30 (adults €10, guided tours only). Walk down for the 12:00 boat to Beilstein, eat there, and come back on the 15:00 boat at 15:50. Spend the late afternoon in the old town and finish at the Pinnerkreuz viewpoint by chairlift. Short on time? Swap Beilstein for a one-hour loop.
Is one day enough for Cochem?
Yes, for the castle, one boat trip and the old town. Add a second day for Beilstein at leisure, Burg Eltz or a stage of the Moselsteig.
The old town is compact and the boats leave from its riverfront. The Reichsburg takes a morning, the lock cruise to Beilstein a long afternoon. What one day can't hold is both the Beilstein trip and Burg Eltz; pick one.
What is a good one-day itinerary for Cochem?
Castle at 9:30, the 12:00 boat to Beilstein, back at 15:50, old town and the chairlift before dinner.
Boat times are from Kolb's 2026 timetable. If you'd rather keep the afternoon in town, swap the Beilstein boat for a one-hour loop: KD's at 13:30, or Kolb's at 14:00.
| Time | What | Cost (adult) |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 | First Reichsburg tours; English roughly hourly | €10 |
| 11:15 | Walk down to the riverfront, 15 to 20 minutes | Free |
| 12:00 | Kolb boat to Beilstein through the Fankel lock | €20 return |
| 13:00 | Beilstein: lunch, the lanes, Burg Metternich ruin | Small ruin fee |
| 15:00 | Boat back from Beilstein, Cochem at 15:50 | Included |
| 16:00 | Old town, market square, the mustard mill | Free to wander |
| Late afternoon | Chairlift to the Pinnerkreuz viewpoint | Pay at the lift |
The middle of the day, sorted: Beilstein and back with the lock on the way.
Check dates for the lock cruise to BeilsteinHow do you visit the Reichsburg Cochem?
By guided tour only. Adults pay €10, children 6 to 17 €5, families €26 (2025 rates). German tours start about every 15 minutes, English ones roughly hourly.
The castle's tour page is clear: the rooms and courtyards are seen on a guided tour, with free translation sheets in 12 languages. In the 2026 summer season tours ran daily from 9:30 to 17:00 (opening hours).
Getting up: cars can't drive to the castle. It is a 15 to 30-minute uphill walk from town, or a shuttle bus that runs from May to the end of October (Reichsburg). First documented in 1130, wrecked by French troops in 1689 and rebuilt in Gothic Revival style from 1868, it looks medieval and is mostly 19th century. That doesn't spoil the view.
Which boat trip fits into one day in Cochem?
The lock cruise to Beilstein if you have half a day; the one-hour loop if you have an afternoon gap.
The one-hour loops, by KD or Kolb, show you the riverfront and the castle from below and are back in time for coffee. The Beilstein boat goes further, through a lock and into the Moselkrampen bends, and gives you a second village. On a single day, we'd take Beilstein. KD or Kolb sorts out the short options.
Through the Fankel lock to Beilstein in about an hour, lunch in the village, a later boat back.
Explore the lock cruise to Beilstein Tour detailsWhat else is there to do in Cochem?
Ride the chairlift to the Pinnerkreuz viewpoint, tour the historic mustard mill, and visit the Bundesbank bunker in Cond.
- Pinnerkreuz chairlift: a 360-metre lift from 1955 that climbs 147 metres above the town. The view takes in the castle and the river bend in one frame.
- Historic mustard mill: Endertstraße 18, with tours that show the old milling process and tastings of the results.
- Bundesbank bunker: in Cochem-Cond across the river, a Cold War vault built in 1962, 30 metres underground, that held 15 billion Deutsche Mark in reserve notes (Wikipedia).
- The old town: the market square, the narrow lanes behind it and the riverside promenade.
How do you get to Cochem for a day trip?
By train: Cochem station is about ten minutes' walk from the river, and regional trains from Koblenz take about 40 minutes. Drivers park at Endertplatz or the riverside car parks.
Cochem lies on the main Koblenz to Trier railway, with regular trains in both directions. From the station, walk downhill to the river and the boats. Most car parks in town charge; the castle has no parking of its own.
What changes for one day in Cochem in winter?
Fewer boats and shorter castle hours. Kolb's loop sails only at weekends in November and on a few December dates; the castle runs tours from 10:00 to 15:00.
From 2 November to 23 December 2026 the Reichsburg runs tours daily from 10:00 to 15:00, and the castle restaurant closes after 15 November (opening hours). There is no boat to Beilstein in winter and KD doesn't sail at all. Kolb's winter loop sails on November Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00, 12:30, 14:00 and 15:30, and on December Saturdays plus 27 to 31 December.
A winter day works: castle at 10:00, the 12:30 boat, the Christmas market if it's on. See Cochem boats in winter for the full list.
Visiting before 31 October? The Beilstein boat still runs; check today's departures.
Check dates for the lock cruise to BeilsteinFrequently asked questions
How many hours do you need in Cochem?
Six to eight hours covers the Reichsburg, a boat trip to Beilstein and a walk through the old town. A one-hour cruise and the castle fit into four.
Should I do the castle or the boat first?
The castle. Tours start at 9:30 in season and get busier toward midday, while the Beilstein boats run until the late afternoon.
How much does a day in Cochem cost?
About €30 to €40 per adult for the castle tour (€10) and the Beilstein boat (€20), plus food, wine and the chairlift.
Can I visit the Reichsburg without a tour?
No. The rooms and courtyards can only be seen on a guided tour; English tours run roughly every hour.
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
