Kiel travel guide
Fjord ferries, canal locks and the Kieler Woche regatta
Kiel is Schleswig-Holstein's capital at the head of a Baltic fjord, a port city of ferries, naval ships and the Kiel Canal locks, with beaches a ferry ride away. June to August is the season, peaking with the Kieler Woche regatta in late June. Two or three days is enough. Costs are high, and many nationalities visit visa-free.
Kiel sits at the head of the Kieler Förde, a long, narrow inlet of the Baltic in Schleswig-Holstein, about 90 km north-east of Hamburg. Salt water runs right up to the main station. Yachts, Scandinavian ferries, naval frigates and container ships all share the fjord, and the eastern locks of the Kiel Canal, the world's busiest artificial waterway, open into it at Holtenau. Visitors come for the water rather than for old buildings.
That is a fair trade, because bombing in the Second World War destroyed about 95 per cent of the city, including nearly everything historic; even the Schloss on the waterfront is a postwar rebuild. What Kiel offers instead is sea air and sailing. The Kiellinie promenade follows the western shore for kilometres, ferries cross to beaches and to the submarine at Laboe, and every June the Kieler Woche turns the harbour into the world's largest sailing regatta and the city into one long street party.
Give it two or three days in summer. Spend one on the Kiellinie and in the centre. Ride a ferry to Laboe on the second, then use a third for the canal locks or for Schilksee, the Olympic sailing harbour built for 1972. Off-season, it works as a stopover before a ferry to Oslo or Gothenburg.
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Top things to do in Kiel
Kiel is about the water: the fjord promenade, ferries, the canal locks, a beached submarine at Laboe and the regatta in June.
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Best time to visit Kiel
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
Highs around 20-22C and up to 17 hours of daylight in June; July is also the wettest month at about 84 mm, mostly in passing showers off the sea.
Around 17-18C, quieter beaches and easy hotel rooms; the Baltic is still cold in May but September water has had the whole summer to warm.
Highs of 4-8C, raw wind off the fjord and early darkness; ferries and the canal keep running, but beach life and many kiosks close.
During the Kieler Woche in the last full week of June hotels sell out months ahead and prices jump; if you cannot book early, stay in Hamburg or Lübeck and come in by train.
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Getting there
Kielius from Hamburg Airport, or overnight ferries from Oslo and Gothenburg
Kiel has no scheduled flights of its own, so Hamburg Airport (HAM), about 90 km south, is the gateway. The direct Kielius shuttle bus runs from the airport to Kiel's central bus station, taking roughly an hour and a half. By rail, take the S-Bahn into Hamburg Hauptbahnhof in about 25 minutes and change to the regional RE trains to Kiel, which take about 75 minutes and run at least hourly; a few IC and ICE trains also run through. Kiel Hauptbahnhof sits at the head of the fjord, beside the central bus station and across the road from the Sophienhof mall and the Holstenstraße shopping street, so most hotels are a walk away. The city is also a ferry port: Color Line sails overnight to Oslo from the Norwegenkai, and Stena Line overnight to Gothenburg from the Schwedenkai near the station. Long-distance coaches stop on Auguste-Viktoria-Straße, including a daily bus from Berlin via Lübeck (about six hours). By car, take the A7 and then the A210 or A215.
- Hamburg Airport
- Kielius bus about 1.5 hours, or S-Bahn plus RE train about 2 hours
- Hamburg Hbf
- RE trains about 75 minutes, at least hourly
- Ferries
- Color Line to Oslo and Stena Line to Gothenburg, both overnight
- Denmark
- Change in Flensburg or Lübeck for Danish trains
- Check the port schedule before a summer visit: cruise ship days fill the waterfront near the station.
- For trains between Hamburg and Kiel, the Schleswig-Holstein group day ticket is the cheapest option for two or more people.
Where to stay
Düsternbrook villas, Holstenstraße or the Schilksee marina
Most visitors are best off near the Hauptbahnhof or the Kiellinie, with ferries and the old centre within walking distance. Kiel is spread out along both sides of the fjord, so a base on the far shore or at the outer harbours means relying on buses and ferries. In Kieler Woche week, any bed in the city is a win.
- Altstadt and Holstenstraße
- Between the station and the Schloss, close to ferries and shops; postwar and plain, noisy during the regatta
- Düsternbrook
- Leafy villa district along the Kiellinie north of the centre, with the smarter hotels; a 20-minute walk from the station
- Schilksee and Strande
- Olympic marina and beach village at the mouth of the fjord, including rooms in the 1972 Olympic athletes' village; far from the city but next to the sea
- Gaarden
- Working-class and multicultural east shore across the Hörn bridge, with cheap guesthouses and the alternative bar scene; rough around the edges
- Ask for a fjord-facing room on the Kiellinie: watching the Oslo ferry slide past in the evening is half the point of Kiel.
Getting around
KVG buses, Fördefähre crossings and Kiellinie bike rides
Two systems do the work, both run by the city transport company KVG. Buses cover the city, from the station out to Holtenau, Schilksee and the beaches. The fjord ferries, the Fördefähre, are the part visitors enjoy most: boats leave from the Bahnhofskai by the station and zigzag between landings on both shores, with the longest route continuing out to Laboe. Ordinary bus tickets are valid on the ferries. Buy single, 1-day, 3-day or 7-day tickets through the NAH SH app or from machines; the multi-day passes pay off quickly for visitors. Kiel is flat and cycling is easy, especially on the Kiellinie and along the canal, where a towpath runs almost the full 98 km to Brunsbüttel on the North Sea. Taxis wait at the Hauptbahnhof around the clock and can be ordered via the taxi.eu or FreeNow apps; most take cards, but ask first.
- Fördefähre
- Ferries from the Bahnhofskai to landings on both shores and out to Laboe; bus tickets valid
- Bus
- KVG lines across the city; 1-, 3- and 7-day passes
- Bike
- Flat routes along the Kiellinie and the Kiel Canal towpath
- A ferry to Laboe and back doubles as a harbour cruise past the naval base and the shipyards, at a fraction of a tour-boat fare.
Know before you go
Kiel is a working port with beaches across the fjord. These are the things to know first.
Why travelers love it
- The Holtenau locks, where you can watch freighters the size of apartment blocks rise and fall at the Baltic end of the Kiel Canal.
- The ferry out to Laboe, past the shipyard cranes and grey naval ships, with the Navy Memorial tower growing on the horizon.
- A Fischbrötchen on the Kiellinie, eaten on a bench as the evening Oslo ferry slides out of the fjord.
Good to know
- Very little old Kiel survived the war, so do not come expecting a medieval centre; come for the harbour.
- Kieler Woche changes the city completely for nine days in late June, with crowds, noise and room prices to match.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Kiel, month by month
Kiel has a cool, breezy Baltic climate, and June to August is the season for beaches and the Kieler Woche regatta. Average monthly temperature and rain are listed for each month.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Kiel (World Meteorological Organization, via Wikipedia).
Holtenau locks, Laboe's U-995 and the Kiellinie in two days
Kiel deserves two days. On the first, walk from the Alter Markt along the Kiellinie waterfront to the Holtenau locks, where ships enter the Kiel Canal. On the second, take the Fördefähre from the Bahnhofskai to Laboe, about an hour, to tour the U-995 submarine, climb the Marine-Ehrenmal and use the beaches.
Day one, morning. Start at the Alter Markt and the Nikolaikirche, the rebuilt core of the old town, then walk down Holstenstraße, one of the first pedestrian shopping streets in Germany. Cross to the waterfront by the Schloss and follow the Kiellinie north. You pass the marine science institute, the old Seebadeanstalt bathhouse on its pier and the yacht moorings of the Kiel Yacht Club.
Afternoon. Keep going, or hop on a bus, to Holtenau. Two pairs of huge locks lift and lower ships between the Baltic and the Kiel Canal, and the viewing platform lets you watch them at close range. Cross by the free canal ferry for the view from the north bank. In the evening eat back in the centre or at the Kieler Brauerei on the Alter Markt.
Day two. Take the Fördefähre from the Bahnhofskai to Laboe, about an hour across the fjord. On the beach lies U-995, the only surviving Type VII submarine, which you can walk through from torpedo room to engine room. Next to it the 72-metre tower of the Marine-Ehrenmal rises above the beach; climb or ride the lift for views across the Baltic, and visit the memorial hall to sailors of all nations below. Spend the afternoon on the long sandy beaches toward Stein, then catch a late ferry back as the light drops over the fjord.
Kieler Sprotten, Fischbrötchen and Packeis by the fjord
Kiel's food is fish first. Try Kieler Sprotten, sprats hot-smoked whole and eaten head and all, and Fischbrötchen rolls with herring, Matjes or mackerel from kiosks along the Kiellinie. Restaurants serve Labskaus and Rote Grütze, the Kieler Brauerei on the Alter Markt brews its own beer, and Gaarden has cheaper Turkish food.
Kiel's name travels on a smoked fish. Kieler Sprotten, small sprats hot-smoked whole until golden, have been sold under the city's name for well over a century, although most were smoked in Eckernförde up the coast. Eat them whole, head and all, with dark bread. On the waterfront and at the station, kiosks sell Fischbrötchen: soft rolls filled with Bismarck herring, Matjes, smoked mackerel, fried fish or tiny North Sea shrimp. They are the default lunch on any walk along the Kiellinie.
Restaurants lean on the region's farmhouse dishes too. Look for Labskaus, the sailors' hash of corned beef, potato and beetroot topped with a fried egg and pickled herring, and Rote Grütze, a red berry compote served with vanilla sauce or cream. In summer, the local ice cream from Packeis turns up at beach kiosks and cafés across the fjord.
For beer, the Kieler Brauerei on the Alter Markt brews on the premises and serves solid northern German food; the newer Czernys Küstenbrauerei makes beer and spirits. Gaarden, across the Hörn on the east shore, has cheaper Turkish and Middle Eastern places and an alternative pub scene. For a fast, cheap fish supper, Holstenstraße has a well-known fish and chips counter. During the Kieler Woche the whole waterfront becomes an international food market, with stalls from dozens of countries.
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How we research our Kiel travel guide
Ferry schedules to Laboe, Oslo and Gothenburg change by season, so kiel.de and the operators are checked often. Hamburg trains come from Deutsche Bahn, Kieler Woche dates from the city, and regional context from the German National Tourist Board.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Kiel answers for ferry passengers, sailors and day-trippers.
Timing & weather
In the last full week of June, over nine days. It combines the world's largest sailing regatta with a city-wide festival of concerts and food stalls.
The best time to visit Kiel is Jun to Aug. Highs of 20-22C, long northern evenings and the Kieler Woche regatta; also the wettest months, so pack a jacket.
- Sailing season: June - August (Highs around 20-22C and up to 17 hours of daylight in June; July is also the wettest month at about 84 mm, mostly in passing showers off the sea)
- Shoulder: May, September (Around 17-18C, quieter beaches and easy hotel rooms; the Baltic is still cold in May but September water has had the whole summer to warm)
- Winter: November - March (Highs of 4-8C, raw wind off the fjord and early darkness; ferries and the canal keep running, but beach life and many kiosks close)
July is the warmest month in Kiel, with average highs of 22°C, and January the coolest, with lows of 0°C. July is the wettest month, at about 84 mm of rain; April is the driest. Kiel has a cool, breezy Baltic climate, and June to August is the season for beaches and the Kieler Woche regatta.
Getting there
Take the Fördefähre from the Bahnhofskai next to the station; the crossing takes about an hour. Buses also go round the east side of the fjord.
The Kielius is direct and takes around an hour and a half to the central bus station. The train needs a change at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof but runs more often.
Falckenstein on the west shore near Friedrichsort, and the long beaches at Laboe and Schönberg on the east side of the fjord, all reachable by bus or ferry.
General
Yes. At Holtenau, at the canal's Baltic end, a public viewing platform overlooks the locks, and ships pass through all day.
Color Line's Oslo ferry uses the Norwegenkai on the east side of the inner harbour; Stena Line's Gothenburg ferry departs from the Schwedenkai near the main station. Both sail overnight.
Allied bombing targeted the city's submarine yards and destroyed about 95 per cent of Kiel, so even old-looking buildings such as the Schloss are postwar reconstructions.
Yes. A path follows almost the whole 98 km of the canal to Brunsbüttel on the Elbe estuary, and Rendsburg makes a good overnight stop halfway.
A small Baltic sprat smoked whole until golden, sold under the city's name. Eat it complete with the head, ideally with dark bread.
The navy's sail training ship is based in Kiel and is often moored at the naval harbour on the western shore. Check the port schedule before you go, since it spends long periods at sea.
Two systems do the work, both run by the city transport company KVG. Buses cover the city, from the station out to Holtenau, Schilksee and the beaches. The fjord ferries, the Fördefähre, are the part visitors enjoy most: boats leave from the Bahnhofskai by the station and zigzag between landings on both shores, with the longest route continuing out to Laboe.
Visa & documents
As a Schengen member, Germany shares one set of entry rules with most of the EU. Citizens of the EU and of many other countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records non-EU travelers' fingerprints and a photo at the border.
Health & safety
Pickpocketing at large stations, Christmas markets and on big-city public transport is the main risk in a very safe country. Carry ID and validate paper tickets where required. Call 110 for police and 112 for fire or ambulance.
