Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike - map
At a glance
  • Beginning / End:
    Mainz / Strasbourg
  • Duration of trip:
    8 days / 7 nights
  • Distance covered by bike:
    162-171 km / 101-106 mi
  • Distance per day:
    17-52 km / 10-32 mi
  • Altitude profile:
    flat
  • Profile:
    predominantly on paved, bikes-only cycle paths and quiet side roads
  • Return transfer:
    individually by train

If you don’t feel like cycling, stay aboard the ship!

Eating and drinking
This tour includes full board (no dinner in Antwerp). In the mornings, you will receive a hearty breakfast, in the evenings we serve three-course meals. For the bike tours we provide you with packed lunches.

Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike

From Mainz to Strasbourg on MS Olympia from 1249 €

The Tour

Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike - Heidelberg

The upper Rhine accompanies you on this bike tour through a landscape that is steeped in history. The locals on both sides of the river are connoisseurs of good food and drink. Mainz, Heidelberg and Strasbourg are impressive, while the small villages have a unique charm and are characterised by half-timbered houses. The tour "Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike" is suitable for less experienced cyclists. The tour starts in Mainz.
Here you can find details about your boat, the MS Olympia.

Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike - Cyclist
 
Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike - MS Olympia

Day 1 Arrival in Mainz
Embarkation starts at 4.00 pm, afterwards you can spend the evening in the historic city centre.

Day 2 Mainz - Nierstein, 17-26 km/10-16 mi + boat trip
Today you will cycle along the Rhine into the wine town of Nierstein with a beautiful medieval town centre. You will then continue your journey to the imperial city of Worms by bike (+40 km), or by boat.

Day 3 Worms - Mannheim, approx. 26 km/16 mi
Visit the Romanesque imperial cathedral before cycling across the Friesenheimer Island to Mannheim. The Technoseum offers a fascinating journey through the time of industrialization.

Day 4 Roundtrip to Heidelberg, approx. 52 km/32 mi
Today you’ll cycle through the Roman town of Ladenburg to the university town of Heidelberg. On the way back, linger in the "Garden of Reason" at Schwetzingen Castle.

Day 5 Mannheim - Speyer, approx. 27 km/17 mi
Your route will take you through nature reserves and hints at the natural wetland landscapes, which characterised this area before the straightening of the Rhine. In Speyer you will find another imperial cathedral.

Day 6 Speyer - Germersheim, 22 km/14 mi + boat trip
 Germersheim was and is an impressive fortress town. Your journey will continue leisurely by ship to the French Gambsheim with its impressive locks.

Day 7 Gambsheim - Strasbourg, approx. 18 km/11 mi
Cycle along the Rhine to Strasbourg, an old university town and modern European city. The Gerber district with its squat half-timbered houses right on the water is worth seeing.

Day 8 Departure
After breakfast your tour "Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike" comes to an end.

Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike - Karlsruhe
 
Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike - Bergheim
 
Prices & Dates
Arrival

Prices & Dates

Here are the details on MS Olympia.

Included in "Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike":
  • 7 nights aboard in your chosen category
  • 7 x breakfast
  • 6 packed lunches
  • 7 x dinner, excl. beverages
  • complimentary coffee/cake
  • cabins are cleaned daily
  • bed linen and towels supplied
  • welcome drink
  • english speaking on-board tour guide
  • bike tours are introduced and discussed daily
  • detailed travel documents in english
  • GPS tracks
  • passenger-, harbour- and lock dutie
  • optional rental bike
  • optional tickets for guided tours, bookable on board
Accomodation:
  • outside cabins, approx. 11-12 sqm (118-129 sq ft), with ensuite WC and shower
  • level-access beds
  • individually adjustable air conditioning
  • cabins on the upper deck offer openable windows
  • eco cabins: during sailing and manoeuvres the engine sounds can be more audible here

Rental bicycles:

  • We offer comfortable unisex-bikes with 7-speed gearboxes/coaster brakes or freewheel, equipped with a bike bag and a bike lock. We also offer e-bikes if desired.
  • If you choose to wear a helmet, we recommend using your own due to the variety of head sizes and shapes and for hygienic reasons.

Travel time 2025:

  • Arrival on saturdays
    24.05. + 21.06.
  • Minimum number of participants: 75. This tour can be cancelled by the provider up to 3 weeks prior to its commencement. If this is the case, we will strive to supply our customers with an equivalent offer.
Prices:
 
All prices are per person.
  • 1249 € 2-bed cabin, main deck
  • 1399 € 2-bed cabin, upper deck, eco
  • 1449 € 2-bed cabin, upper deck
  • 1499 € single cabin, upper deck
  • 1619 € 2-bed cabin, main deck, single occupancy
  • 1879 € 2-bed cabin, upper deck, single occupancy
  •   90 € rental bike
  • 195 € e-bike
  •   40 € private bike/e-bike

The booking process

The Tour
Arrival

Arrival

Arrival "Palatinate & Baden by Boat & Bike":

  • Arrival by car
    Car park at the main station, costs approx. 55 €/week, no prior reservation possible

  • Arrival by train:
    Mainz Main station

  • Arrival by plane:
    Airport Franfurt, every half an hour, duration approx. 30 min, without train changes, normal fare approx. 15 €.

Return transfer:

  • Under your own steam by train, every hour, duration approx. 3 h, 1-2 train changes, normal fare approx. 70 €.

Personal bikes:
In principle, you can bring your own bike along. However, please note that your bike will be loaded on and off the boat twice a day along with several others and therefore slight cosmetic damage to individual bikes cannot be ruled out, which is why we do not take responsibility or liability for such damage. We recommend reserving one the excellent rental bikes we offer.

Perfectly looked after:
During your tour, we are available between 8 am and 8 pm, 7 days a week. We are happy to help with any kind of problems you might be having. You will find this emergency number in your travel documents.

Please note:

  • As is the case with all boat trips, changes in travel itineraries due to the weather, the rivers’ water levels or technical issues can be undertaken at any time.
The Tour
Prices & Dates
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URL: https://boat-bike.com/en/palatinate-boat-bike-olympia