Danube water levels 2024 and similar topics - plus tips and info

[steamboats]

While Austria is open Hungary isn´t. My friends are stuck so far.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

3 hours ago, steamboats said:

While Austria is open Hungary isn´t. My friends are stuck so far.

 

steamboats

Interesting. Budapest is basically accessible but the South is a different matter. I have no info on what level triggers the river traffic ban and when the authorities choose to lift it. Falling levels of course mean that the situation eases, not that sailing is allowed... and what individual companies decide is best on their itinerary.

 

Still, the Amaverde left Budapest for Giurgiu during the night so that is a good sign. And a few others' tracks are showing them as sailing. The Victoria is about to enter Budapest for example.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

So with all that rain we have had the river in Germany is high and there is no risk of low water? Correct. The lower temperatures and the recent rain have made sure that the shallow section at Pfelling is not shallow and the German Danube will remain comfortable for sailing for a while. Well... that is if we do not get downpours again. Then it will be again a matter of fitting ships under the two low bridges. Quite frankly, A-Rosa is doing it best, they very often now let the passengers arrive in Passau and sail from the downstream ports (short coach ride). No problem with low bridges that way and no low water issues. But that is a different discussion.

 

Pfelling gauge is at 423cm and will rise tomorrow. So will Passau in due course. A look back in the archives reveals that Pfelling gauge was at 296cm on this day last year and fell below the dreaded 290cm the following day. Quite a different situation last year. We are looking at a good week on the German river with some rain and a bit of wind, but compared to the Rhine and the hills in the Middle of Germany, where we have strong winds and storms with some heavy rain, the weather should be cool and mild.

 

Right now, Austria has all lock chambers back apart from one. But available depth is reduced at two, which should not be a problem for river cruise ships more for the loaded barges. Repair work will happen at Abwinden-Asten lock in October.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Certainly I do not want to criticize them, the geography of Germany may not be so easy to understand if you are far away in Australia, but there has been no flooding on the Rhine in September: https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/floods-on-the-danube-and-rhine/

 

Also important to note is the fact that the photo is of a ship hull transport stuck on the Danube in June.

 

But there may be a few interesting notes in the text and in the comments for you.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[3kidslater]

We just returned from cruising the lower Danube - Bucharest to Budapest. Boarded Sept.12th and worried that the water was too low. We were able to set out with only 10inches of water below the ship (or so we were told) we had one change in where we docked early in the cruise due to low water. As you can imagine, things changed drastically by the end of the trip. We were not able to go to Budapest by ship, bussed there from Ilok Croatia. All in all, not much change to the site seeing, and one less night onboard. Budapest seemed to be dealing with their flooding as well as can be. Still lots of activity and tourists in Budapest.

[3kidslater]

Here is a photo of a ticket office along the Danube in Budapest

[moonriver54]

7 minutes ago, 3kidslater said:

Here is a photo of a ticket office along the Danube in Budapest

Thank you very much for posting this update!  We'd be curious how you compare a cruise on the Lower Danube to the Upper Danube or Rhine if you've cruised on those stretches.  Sounds like you had a great time despite the minor disruptions as you neared Budapest.  

 

[3kidslater]

4 minutes ago, moonriver54 said:

Thank you very much for posting this update!  We'd be curious how you compare a cruise on the Lower Danube to the Upper Danube or Rhine if you've cruised on those stretches.  Sounds like you had a great time despite the minor disruptions as you neared Budapest.  

 

This was our first river cruise. We have traveled extensively and cruised on small ocean ships (Windstar) many times. Though we did enjoy ourselves, I don't think we will do any more river cruises for a variety of reasons. This was however an educational trip and a nice way to see the Balkans