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Translated from German. In case of discrepancies, the German version applies.
The Loreley from Rüdesheim
The Loreley is a slate rock that rises steeply 132 metres above the Rhine – near St. Goarshausen, downstream from Rüdesheim.1 In the season, boats sail there from Rüdesheim; you can see the rock from the water or go ashore in St. Goarshausen.2
Current status (checked on 18 October 2026)
- Railway line to Rüdesheim closed until 12 December 2026, replacement buses; recommended: train to Bingen Hbf, then the ferry.3,
4 - Köln-Düsseldorfer round trips Rüdesheim–St. Goar: 2026 season from 4 April to 18 October; in the winter timetable (19 October 2026 – 2 April 2027) only with a minimum number of passengers.2,
5 - Tourist information office on the Loreley plateau 2026: until 31 October Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00, Sat/Sun 11:00–16:00; 1 November to 23 December daily 11:00–16:00 (as of 25 October 2026).6
Seasonal times change. For up-to-date times, the operator’s website applies.
Why the rock is famous
Heinrich Heine made the rock world-famous in 1824 with his “Lied von der Loreley” (Song of the Loreley); the figure of the “Lore Lay” had been invented by Clemens Brentano in a ballad of 1800.1
What endangered the boatmen was less the legendary figure than the very tight bend in the Rhine with its currents; the deepest point of the river here is more than 22 metres.1 The Loreley is regarded as the heart of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Site, to which Rüdesheim also belongs.1,
Getting there by boat
In summer, the Köln-Düsseldorfer sails several times a day from Rüdesheim via Bingen, Assmannshausen, Bacharach and Kaub to St. Goarshausen and St. Goar.2 In the 2026 timetable, the boat leaving at 9:00 took until 10:45 to reach St. Goarshausen.2 Outside the season, the KD only sails if a minimum number of passengers is reached.5
The Bingen-Rüdesheimer also offers scheduled boats as far as St. Goarshausen and a Loreley round trip8, and the Rössler Linie from Rüdesheim offers a Loreley round trip.9 All shipping companies at a glance: Rhine cruises from Rüdesheim.
Up on the plateau
On the Loreley plateau there is a tourist information office with a free Loreley exhibition and a 3D film about the Upper Middle Rhine Valley; it belongs to Loreley Touristik GmbH.6
How to get up from the landing stage in St. Goarshausen and how long it takes is best asked at Loreley Touristik (telephone 06771 9100, from abroad +49 6771 9100).6
Back to Rüdesheim
- By boat: upstream against the current, the trip takes considerably longer than on the way there.2
- By train (left bank of the Rhine): from St. Goar the RB 26 regional train runs to Bingen10; from there you cross to Rüdesheim by ferry. More: Rüdesheim–Bingen ferry.
- By train (right bank of the Rhine): the line via St. Goarshausen to Rüdesheim is closed for construction work until 12 December 2026; replacement buses run instead.3
Our assessment: going there by boat and back by train and ferry via Bingen saves time – and you see the valley twice from different perspectives. If you want to include Burg Rheinfels (Rheinfels Castle) in St. Goar, you will find everything you need on the Burg Rheinfels page.
Frequently asked questions
How high is the Loreley? The rock rises 132 metres above the Rhine.1
How long does the boat take from Rüdesheim to the Loreley? According to the KD timetable for 2026, about one and three-quarter hours downstream to St. Goarshausen.2
Who wrote the Song of the Loreley? Heinrich Heine, in 1824.1
Next: Rhine cruises · Burg Rheinfels · Day trips