Wachau Valley Boat Tours
Hours, prices and access verified by the Wachau Valley Tours team — last checked 2026-09-16.
Wachau Valley boat tours put time on the Danube in your fare, from an hour's sailing between Spitz and Melk on a shared day to two hours on a private wooden boat with your own skipper.
Boat tours in the Wachau Valley
BEST SELLER
★★★★☆ 4.5 (1,607 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes)
Melk Abbey on one optionDanube boat in seasonStarts in central Vienna
The coach from Operngasse 8 to Krems and Dürnstein, an hour in Melk and a 75-minute guided abbey tour, with a Danube boat leg between 30 March and 3 November. Abbey entry in summer comes on the all-inclusive option.
From $136 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 4.8 (641 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes)
Melk Abbey entry off-seasonDanube boat in seasonWine tastings includedMax 8 guests
Eight seats, a driver-guide and tastings in the fare, with a 70-minute cruise between Spitz and Melk from May to September. Outside those months Melk Abbey entry and a guided tour replace the boat.
From $232 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 4.7 (435 reviews · 9 hours)
Melk Abbey entry off-seasonDanube boat in seasonWine tastings includedStarts in central Vienna
A one-hour cruise from Spitz in summer, between tastings in Dürnstein and Spitz. From 1 March to 3 May and 7 October to 31 December a guided Melk Abbey tour is in the fare instead.
From $228 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 5.0 (1 reviews · 8 hours)
Melk Abbey entry includedDanube boat includedYour group onlyHotel pickup
A private car for two with a certified guide, a 75-minute Danube boat trip and Melk Abbey admission in the fare. Stops in Dürnstein, St. Michael and Krems fill the rest of an eight-hour day.
From $3,117 per group, up to 2
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 5.0 (4 reviews · 2 hours)
Two hours on the riverYour group onlyStarts in Spitz
No coach and no timetable: a traditional wooden boat and skipper for your group of up to four, two hours from the Spitz pontoon to below Dürnstein and back. You get yourself to Spitz.
From $642 per group, up to 4
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
The river day most travellers book
Krems, Dürnstein and a 75-minute guided tour of Melk Abbey, with a Danube boat leg between 30 March and 3 November.
Check availability
What a boat tour of the Wachau Valley is
It is a valley day with time on the Danube in the fare. Between Melk and Krems the river
runs about 33 km past vineyard terraces, Dürnstein's blue tower and the Aggstein ruin. From the
water you see both banks at once, which no road gives you.
There are two kinds. The shared day tours put you on a scheduled Danube sailing for about an
hour between Spitz and Melk, then drive you on. The private options give you a boat or a river
leg for your party: RSL's 75-minute trip, or a traditional wooden boat from Spitz. Fares run
from $136 to $3,117, per person on the shared days and per boat or car on the private ones.
Why choose a boat tour
The valley is best seen from the river
The vine terraces reach about 450 m above sea level. From the deck you see the vineyards, the
villages and the castle ruins in one sweep. On a coach you see one bank through a window.
The sailing is already paid for
Bought on your own, DDSG's full stretch between Krems and Melk costs €43 one way in 2026. On a
boat tour the sailing is in the fare, so you are not buying tickets at the pier or working out
which departure meets your train.
A private boat is quieter
The wooden boat from Spitz carries your group with a skipper for two hours,
drifting down to below Dürnstein and back. No timetable and no crowd at the rail; drinks are
not in the fare.
You still get the sights
The shared boat days keep Dürnstein and Melk on the itinerary. The Melk Abbey tour with the boat includes a 75-minute guided abbey tour, and RSL's private day includes Melk Abbey
admission.
Boat tours vs a day with Melk Abbey
The shared boat tours trade the river for the abbey when the sailing season ends. Here is what
each gives you, and when.
| Tour | Time on the water | Boat season | In the cooler months | Fare |
|---|
| Melk Abbey tour with Danube boat | A boat leg | 30 Mar-3 Nov | Melk Abbey visit | $136 |
| Small-group wine tasting tour | 70 minutes | May-Sep | Melk Abbey entry and guided tour | $232 |
| Day tour with wine tasting | 1 hour from Spitz | Summer | Guided Melk tour, 1 Mar-3 May and 7 Oct-31 Dec | $228 |
| Grand Wachau private day | 75 minutes | Not stated | Melk Abbey admission all year | $3,117 for a car of 2 |
| Traditional wooden boat | 2 hours | Not stated | Ask the skipper | $642 for a boat of 4 |
| Coach day: Melk, Dürnstein, Krems | None | - | The same day | $79 |
Check availability from $136
DDSG's own 2026 season on the Wachau line runs 28 March to 1 November. If you travel in winter,
the boat is gone and the abbey is the day; a sightseeing day costs less for the same abbey.
What you get, and what you don't
- The boat: a scheduled sailing on the shared days, in season only. RSL's fare
includes a 75-minute boat trip, and Ahoi Wachau's is a private wooden boat with a skipper.
- A guide: a guide on Vienna Sightseeing Tours, a driver-guide on the small-group
day and a certified guide on RSL. The wooden boat has a skipper.
- Melk Abbey: a guided tour on the Vienna Sightseeing day, with entry in summer on
its all-inclusive option. RSL includes admission.
- Wine: tastings on the Vienna Explorer days. Drinks on the wooden boat are
extra.
- Not included: lunch on every boat day, and a promise that the boat sails. Low
water cancels sailings.
Want the river to yourselves?
A traditional wooden boat and skipper for up to four, two hours from the Spitz pontoon down to below Dürnstein and back.
Check availability
Planning a boat tour
- Price. $136 to $232 per person on the shared days, $642
for the wooden boat for four (about $160 each), and $3,117 for RSL's car for two.
- Season. DDSG sails daily in full from 25 April to 4 October 2026, with a
reduced timetable from 28 March and until 1 November. When to visit,
month by month covers each month.
- Low water. In a dry late summer sailings can be cut or re-routed. In September
2026 the Weißenkirchen and Emmersdorf piers stayed closed after regular sailings resumed.
- Getting to Spitz. The wooden boat does not collect you.
Getting here from Vienna covers the train, the Wachaubahn and
driving.
- Bring. A layer for the deck, even in summer, and sun cream.
- Cancel. Every boat day here refunds in full up to 24 hours before the start.
Who should choose something else
- If you travel between November and March. There is no scheduled boat. Book a
day built around Melk Abbey, such as the coach day to Melk, Dürnstein and Krems at
$79.
- If you are set on the river in a dry September. Choose the wooden boat, or buy
a DDSG ticket for a date you can move, and check the water level before you travel.
- If you want to taste wine. Only the Vienna Explorer days combine tastings with
the boat. The Wachau Valley wine tours put the glass first.
- If you would rather sail without a tour. The ÖBB Wachau-Ticket covers the train,
a sailing between Melk and Krems and Melk Abbey entry for €88 an adult.
- If you use a wheelchair. No boat day here is listed as wheelchair accessible.
Ask the operator before you book, or take DDSG's scheduled ship on your own.
Frequently asked questions
Which boat tour stays on the water longest?
The wooden boat from Spitz, at two hours. RSL's private day gives 75 minutes, the Vienna Explorer small-group day 70 minutes, and its sister wine day one hour.
Does the Danube boat run all year?
No. DDSG sails the Wachau from 28 March to 1 November 2026, daily in full from 25 April to 4 October and on a reduced timetable either side. The shared day tours swap the boat for Melk Abbey outside that season.
Is the boat guaranteed to sail?
No. DDSG can cut or re-route sailings in low water, as it did in September 2026. The shared tours then swap in another stop, so book a day you would enjoy without the river.
What happens if low water stops the boat?
Sailings are cut or re-routed. In September 2026 DDSG ran a substitute timetable, and the Weißenkirchen and Emmersdorf piers stayed closed after regular sailings resumed on 16 September. A tour then replaces the boat with another stop: one traveller's group went to Melk Abbey instead.
Can I take the Danube boat without a tour?
Yes. DDSG sails between Krems and Melk from 28 March to 1 November 2026, at €43 one way and €52 return for the full stretch. The ÖBB Wachau-Ticket bundles that sailing with the train and Melk Abbey for €88.
How much is the Danube boat in the Wachau?
DDSG's 2026 fares are €43 one way and €52 return between Krems and Melk, €34 and €41 between Spitz and either end, and €25 and €28 for a short hop. Children up to 9 travel free and those aged 10 to 15 pay half.
Can I cancel and get my money back?
Almost always: the listings refund in full if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start. The exception is Wolfy's private wine tour with gourmet lunch, which is non-refundable, so be sure of your date before you book it.