Passau ships' berthing locations

[RDVIK2016]

I've seen four different areas where river cruise ships tie up in Passau.  (1) Right in town at the Fritz Schäffer Promenade, (2) downstream on the left bank of the river at Lindau, (3) upstream at the Winterhafen (winter harbor) at Racklau), and (4) further upstream on Regensburger Straße in the section called Heining.  I some reports and saw some drawings of development at the Racklau site.  So what is going on in Passau?  Has construction started at Racklau.  Are the boats that have been docking lately at site (4) six kilometers upstream doing so only because of river level issues further towards Deggendorf?  Hoping to hear from Passau expert G.M.T.

[G.M.T.]

3 hours ago, RDVIK2016 said:

I've seen four different areas where river cruise ships tie up in Passau.  (1) Right in town at the Fritz Schäffer Promenade, (2) downstream on the left bank of the river at Lindau, (3) upstream at the Winterhafen (winter harbor) at Racklau), and (4) further upstream on Regensburger Straße in the section called Heining.  I some reports and saw some drawings of development at the Racklau site.  So what is going on in Passau?  Has construction started at Racklau.  Are the boats that have been docking lately at site (4) six kilometers upstream doing so only because of river level issues further towards Deggendorf?  Hoping to hear from Passau expert G.M.T.

RDVIK2016, you are well informed, so lets see if i can shed some light on the situation. I'll use your numbering system

 

1. Is used mostly for day visits cruises, i.e. Nuremberg to Vienna.

2. Is used for embarking and disembarking passengers, i.e. Passau to Budapest.

3. Mostly used for ships that have to wait a day or so before being called upon, even at short notice, as empty ships at a central location 1 or 2 above will incur a lot more mooring fees than in the winter harbour.

4. Ships are moored here (above the Kachlet Locks) when not required in the short term, i..e. upto a week's wait. This is normally used for cargo ships waiting for their next cargo, first time I have seenit used for cruise ships. If I remember correctly, if a river is navigable and then a set of locks are built then ships are not charged to use them. Is a new waterway is built with locks (i.e. Rhine, Main, Donau Canal) ships are charged to use it.

 

Because of the over crowding of cruise ships in Passau, some cruise companies have made their operational bases in the near from Passau, AMA Cruises 20 Km upstream in Vilshofen ans AROSA Cruise in Engelhartzell, Austria 25 Km downstream.

 

No new news about WInterhafen Racklau development, no development has started:

 

 

 

Winterhafen Rachlau.pdf

[RDVIK2016]

Thank you G.M.T. for your very informative answer.  You information gives me confidence that I need not worry that our boat will be berthed way upstream at my number (4).  The salespeople at Viking are not always fully informed of every detail. I guess it is unfair to expect them to know everything about every port and I tend to get very deep into the details.

 

Passau is such a nice town, we want to find ways to make full use of our time there. We were there in 2016 and long ago I spent three years not far away at the north end of the Bavarian Forest while in the US Army.  I developed and maintain strong connections with East Bavaria. 

 

We had expected to have to board our ship at the LIndau docks.  As I followed the upstream Viking Waltz cruises on the AIS sites it seemed that the Viking Longships coming from Linz would first tie up in town in the morning, then move to Lindau after the walking tours and stay there overnight - the last night onboard for the passengers who had boarded in Budapest.  Those people would disembark the next morning.  Later in this season some ships seemed to be docking at he Winterhafen instead of Lindau. 

 

It looks like in the afternoon, after the disembarking passengers were all gone and the ship cleaned up, the new passengers would board at Lindau and that night the boat would move to the town docks for the next morning's tours before "setting sail" in the afternoon for Linz.   

 

I'll have a rental car to drop off at Sixt near the Bahnhof.  I guess we'll drop off the luggage at the ship in Lindau (or at the Winterhafen), then return the car to Sixt and ask them to get us a taxi back to the boat.  Or we might want to stay in town for dinner, possibly at the Heilig Geist Stiftschenke if we can get a table, and return to our boat later.   In the morning we plan to take the optional long walking tour from the Mariahilf Church to the Veste Oberhaus.  I sure hope it all goes smoothly.

 

Do you have any comments or corrections on my plans as described?  Recommendations? Advice? 

[G.M.T.]

On 11/23/2018 at 5:55 AM, RDVIK2016 said:

I'll have a rental car to drop off at Sixt near the Bahnhof.  I guess we'll drop off the luggage at the ship in Lindau (or at the Winterhafen), then return the car to Sixt and ask them to get us a taxi back to the boat.  Or we might want to stay in town for dinner, possibly at the Heilig Geist Stiftschenke if we can get a table, and return to our boat later.   In the morning we plan to take the optional long walking tour from the Mariahilf Church to the Veste Oberhaus.  I sure hope it all goes smoothly.

 

Do you have any comments or corrections on my plans as described?  Recommendations? Advice? 

There is a taxi rank outside the Hauptbahnhof, about 100 m from the Sixt Office.

 

Heilig Geist is a good choice, if you can't get a reservation, try the Bräustübl at the Hacklberg Brewery:

http://www.hacklberger-braeustueberl.de/

http://www.hacklberg.de/

 

Thats a lot of ups and down, or rather down and ups from Mariahile to Oberhaus. There is now an elevator from near the suspension bridge to Oberhaus:

http://www.oberhausmuseum.de/Information/OeffnungszeitenundPreise.aspx

 

Of course the real way to get to Mariahilf, is to go up the 321 stairs. In the past when people made a pilgrimage there, they would go up on their knees, to give thanks (i.e. for a good harvest), praying at each step.

 

http://www.mariahilf-passau.de/rundgang/stiege.htm

 

If you require any any help, just ask.

[RDVIK2016]

Thank you so much for the information G.M.T.   The Hacklberg Bräustüberl looks like a great place for Bavarian food and beverages.  (If you are on the look out for similar places and are ever up near Bad Kötzting try Lindner-Bräu.)

 

One of the travel advisor sites has many highly rated restaurants in Passau.  Looks like we have many to choose from. 

 

As far as taking the Pilgrimage Steps to Mariahilf Church I think that Viking's walking tour starts with the bus from the boat bringing us to the church and then we walk to the Oberhaus.  Still a nice trek. If it includes the steps to Mariahilf we should be able to handle it - not on our knees though.  We might rather do it outside on street and path rather than in the covered stairway.