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How to get to Kelheim from Munich
I have travelled around Southern Germany a lot and I was absolutely amazed with the combination of natural and historical attractions here. The local towns such as Kelheim kept their authenticity and can boast great natural and historical sites. Being charmed with towns of Southern Germany, I have decided to put together information I have previously discovered and create a series of guides on how to organize a holiday in Bavaria. Based on my research, I found out how to get to Kelheim, where to stay & what to see there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Kelheim and see its incredible natural attraction called Danube Gorge.
When to travel to Kelheim
Kelheim is a small Bavarian town located between Ingolstadt and Regensburg. Kelheim is quite similar to dozens of other Bavarian towns, but it has one feature that makes it very remarkable – this is the so-called Danube Gorge. The Danube River flows in the town which surprisingly cut through the mountain plateau of the Swabian Alb and formed the inland fjord.
The place is considered to be one of the most significant natural attractions in Germany. In addition, there are such historical monuments as the “Hall of Liberation” – a giant domed building of the 18th century, made in the Roman style, and the monastery of Weltenburg, which is also considered to be the oldest brewery in Germany.
The best time of the year to travel to Kelheim is the period of end-April until the beginning of November, when the river navigation operates. Here you can take a boat trip along the Danube Gorge to view it at a close distance. The local climate is quite mild here so you can enjoy the weather and the countryside during your trip.
How to get to Kelheim
Where do you fly into to get to Kelheim? Kelheim is located away from the railway, so you can get here by public transport only with a change. The nearest city with an international airport is Munich. Check the current flight timetable from your city at Aviasales booking service. The distance from Munich to Kelheim is 110 km.
How to get to Kelheim from Munich
By public transport: There are two main options. The first one is to take the train from Munich to the town of Saal an der Donau, which is located 6 km from Kelheim. There are no direct trains between Munich and Saal, you need to make a change in Ingolstadt. Train timetables can be checked at the Raileurope booking service. After arriving in Saal, you need to transfer to the VLK bus # 1 (route #6022). The travel time from the Saal railway station to the center of Kelheim takes about 15 minutes by bus. Buses run throughout the day with a frequency of 1-2 times per hour.
⇒The second option is suitable for a weekend trip. From Munich you can get to the city of Regensburg (there are direct trains, the journey time is 1,5 hours) and then from Regensburg you can get to Kelheim by bus. The buses between Regensburg and Kelheim run only on the weekends. You should to take the VLK bus No. 8 (route 6016). Travel time is about 40 minutes. Buses depart from Regensburg three times a day – at 7.48, 10.15 and 15.48, back – at 9.21, 14.21, 17.21, so be attentive not to miss your bus. I found out that the current bus timetable can be checked online.
By renting a car: If you choose to travel from Munich to Kelheim by car, then you should focus on the highways # A9 and A93 through the city of Abensberg. The travel time by car is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes (see on the map). You can rent a car at many rental offices in Munich, as well as at the airport right after your arrival. For registration, you need to have an ID card (or a passport), a driver’s license and a bank card.
◊A useful tip: You can also book a car in advance on the different booking services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. Compare a few of booking services to choose the best price. Roads in Germany have an excellent quality, so you can move along quickly and comfortably. I have travelled along the German roads a lot and I can confirm that they are pretty much comfortable and it is often the fastest way to get to the desired destination. I can also recommend both online services mentioned above as I often use them to find out the best available car rental offer for me.
Where to stay in Kelheim
Usually, tourists come to Kelheim for one day, this is enough to see the main attractions. However, if you plan to stay in Kelheim overnight, you can choose a guest house or a hotel. Most local hotels offer breakfast included as a bonus. Kelheim is a small town, so the location of the hotel does not play a special role.
DORMERO Hotel Kelheim 4* – The hotel is located in the historical part of Kelheim. The hotel has a spa, a lounge area with panoramic city views, and a restaurant. The pier, from where tours of the Danube Fault depart, is just a 5-minute walk. Wi-fi is provided free of charge. Paid public parking is available nearby. The hotel has rooms of various categories. All rooms are equipped with a safe, hairdryer, telephone, TV, mini-bar. Some room types include buffet breakfast (check when booking). As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I discovered that the hotel gets the best ratings for the location, cleanliness and comfort of the rooms, as well as for the quality of the Wi-Fi provided. There is also a tour desk service at the reception. Check-in is from 15.00, check-out is until 12.00.
Anitas Altstadtpension – This guest house has been opened recently at the beginning of 2017. The guest house offers its guests free Wi-Fi and free private parking on site. Guests can stay in rooms or apartments. The apartments, in turn, are additionally equipped with a kitchenette. Breakfasts are included in the price. The guest house gets the best ratings for the cleanliness of the rooms, the work of the staff and the location. Check-in is from 14.00, check-out is until 11.00.
Gastehaus St. Georg – Weltenburger Klosterbetriebe GmbH – The hotel is located in historic building of the Weltenburg monastery, while all rooms are decorated in a modern and functional way. The hotel has a lounge area with a beer garden (there is a brewery on the area of the monastery). Free Wi-Fi and free parking are provided. You can stay in single or double rooms. The rooms are equipped with everything you need; breakfast is included in the price. The hotel gets the best reviews for the cleanliness of the rooms, the location and the work of the staff. Check-in is from 14.00, check-out is until 09.00.
What to see & do in Kelheim
The main attraction in Kelheim is a river excursion along the Danube Gorge with the opportunity to see the rocky cliffs, which are small fjords, as well as viewing the historical monuments “Liberation Hall” and the Weltenburg Monastery. As a rule, one full day is enough for this route.
In Kelheim, during the navigation period (from April to November), boat excursions depart from the river pier along the route of the Danube Gorge. The Danube Gorge is a mountain plateau cut by the course of the Danube River. During the boat excursion, you can see the rocky cliffs along the banks of the river. It is believed that these cliffs are the smallest fjords in Europe, located also inside the continent.
The Danube Gorge is included in the UNESCO Heritage List. Almost every rock here has its own name, depending on what bizarre shape the rock is. So, on the Danube Fault you can find, for example, rocks called “Three Warring Brothers”, or “Bavarian Lion”, or “Napoleon’s Suitcase”, or “Kissing Couple” etc.
Excursion boats pass along the route from the pier to the monastery of Weltenburg; the journey takes about 40 minutes. The trip is accompanied by a story about the Danube Gorge; however, tours are conducted in German. There is some useful information that I discovered:
- You can buy tickets at the pier;
- the cost of a round-trip ticket is 16 euros;
- Please, note, that boat trips run on the route from March 18 to November 5; they do not operate in winter.
To make it clear for you, here is the timetable of the boat tours by season:
✓ From March, 18 to May, 5 & from October, 9 to November, 5
| Departure | Return | Weekdays | Weekends |
| 09:30 | 10:40 | ✓ | ✓ |
| 10:30 | 11:40 | ✓ | |
| 11:30 | 12:40 | ✓ | ✓ |
| 12:30 | 13:40 | ✓ | |
| 13:30 | 14:40 | ✓ | ✓ |
| 14:30 | 15:40 | ✓ | |
| 15:30 | 16:40 | ✓ | ✓ |
| 16:15 | 17:15 | ✓ |
✓ Daily from May, 6 to October, 8
| Departure | Return |
| 09:30 | 10:40 |
| 10:10 | 11:20 |
| 10:50 | 12:00 |
| 11:30 | 12:40 |
| 12:10 | 13:20 |
| 12:50 | 14:00 |
| 13:30 | 14:40 |
| 14:10 | 15:20 |
| 14:50 | 16:00 |
| 15:30 | 16:40 |
| 16:10 | 17:20 |
| 16:50 | 18:00 |
| 17:30 | 18:40 |
✓A table of prices for a boat trip:
| Ticket type | One-way ticket | Return ticket |
| Adult | 9,50 € | 16 € |
| Children (6-16) | 7,00 € | 13,00 € |
| Family | 25,50 € | 44 € |
| Kids before 6 y.o. | Free of charge | Free of charge |
The final attraction along the route is the medieval monastery of Weltenburg, which was founded by Irish monks in 617. The monastery later became a Benedictine abbey. The monastery is located right on the banks of the Danube River and has majestic medieval facades that have survived to this day in almost unchanged form, as well as sophisticated interiors decorated with ceiling frescoes. The abbey also has a brewery, which is considered to be the oldest one in Germany. In total, up to 10 varieties of beer are produced here. I did some research to collect practical information for visiting and here it is:
- You can visit the monastery from 9:00 to 11:00 and from 12:30 to 16:30 On Sundays and holidays
- Guided tours are possible only from 12:30 to 16:30.
- The entrance fee for an adult is 3 euros, for children – 2 euros.
- There is also a restaurant on the area of the monastery.
- The restaurant is open from May 25 to November 1 from 09.30 to 19.00 daily.
Another attraction of Kelheim is the historical monument of “Liberation Hall”, which is located on a steep cliff, on the bank of the Danube River. This domed building was built in the middle of the 19th century by order of the Bavarian King Ludwig I. The building was constructed in honor of the wars of liberation from Napoleon’s troops. The Liberation Hall has typical Roman features in architecture, including arched galleries around a huge dome. In addition, the building is decorated with columns and huge statues. I found out detailed information for visiting the Liberation Hall:
- The Liberation Hall is open to visitors daily from 9 am to 6 pm (April-October) and from 10 am to 4 pm (November-March);
- You can find the building near the pier close to Michaelsberg mountain;
- You can get inside with an entrance ticket, the cost of which is 4.5 euros;
A visit to the Danube Gorge is often combined with a trip to the neighboring town of Regensburg, which is famous for its architectural attractions. So, there are the Gothic St. Peter’s Cathedral of the 13th century, the stone bridge of the 12th century, the baroque palace of Thurn and Taxis of the 18th century and several other objects of the 13th-14th centuries in Regensburg. I can truly recommend this route, combining visiting Kelheim and Regensburg.
You can also find the Walhalla monument at the closest surroundings of Regensburg. Walhalla monument is the so-called Hall of Fame, where busts of famous cultural and historic leaders are exhibited. Walhalla is rather similar to the Greek Parthenon.
As I found out, Regensburg is located only 26 km from Kelheim. You can get here by bus or by car, using a road # B16. The Walhalla monument is 10 km from Regensburg and can also be reached by bus # 5 or by car.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Germany, do not forget to take out a travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerged medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase an insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Scott Dexter
The author is Julia Mam
Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more…
