The ship greeting station
Every larger ship on the Kiel Canal is greeted here in person — the flag is dipped, the national anthem of its home port is played and an announcement is made for our guests.
What happens here
The Kiel Canal is the busiest artificial waterway in the world. Right under the Rendsburg High Bridge, at the narrowest point in front of your table, our greeters welcome the ships as they pass.
- The flag is dipped — the classic salute from shore to ship.
- The national anthem of the home port is played over the system.
- The ship’s name, home port and destination are announced.
- Along with background on the cargo, the size and the route.
Nothing needs to be booked and nothing costs extra: it is enough to sit by the window over a coffee, a slice of cake or a meal. Everything from freighters and tall ships to cruise liners passes by.
When the greeters are on duty
The station runs seasonally. Ships pass around the clock — greeting happens during these hours. If in doubt, give us a quick call and we will tell you what is planned for the day.
The transporter bridge and the High Bridge
The Rendsburg High Bridge crosses the canal 42 metres up. Suspended beneath it hangs the transporter bridge — locals call it the “Schwebi” — which carries pedestrians, cyclists and cars across in a few minutes.
It makes for an easy outing: park on the other side, ride the transporter bridge across and stop in with us. The crossing is free of charge.
What comes past
A few shots taken by our guests and greeters over recent seasons.
Be at the window when the next ship comes
The tables with the best view go quickly — especially at weekends.
If you would like to see in advance what is on the canal, live pictures and a ship preview are available at brueckenbote.de (external site, opens in a new tab). We deliberately do not embed any third-party service in this page — so your visit here transfers no data to anyone else.