Passenger ships on the Rhine New jetty at Bonner Bogen well received
Oberkassel · The new jetty at the Kameha Grand Hotel has earned praise from Bonn passenger ships and from passengers. However, there is criticism from Oberkassel, which now has no pier after the move north.
On one side there is an impressive panoramic view of the Siebengebirge, on the other are the magnificent villas from long ago as well as modern office buildings. A boat trip on the Rhine is not only the highlight of a visit to Bonn for tourists; for many residents, a boat trip on the Rhine to Königswinter or Linz has been part of summertime every year since their childhood.
Trips mostly start from below the Alter Zoll or at the Bundeshaus. Since spring 2015, there has been a new stop. Passengers can board comfortably and above all with disabled access using a new ramp. “That was definitely a step in the right direction,” says Clemens Schmitz from the Bonn Personen-Schifffahrt (BPS). While the old jetty in Oberkassel continued to be used for a time, now only the pier at the Bonner Bogen is in use as it was not economical to operate two jetties in close proximity. “Of course the Oberkasseler must now take a slightly longer route. But they can get on and off more comfortably. The old jetty was no longer up-to-date,” he adds. In addition, the modern jetty can be easily reached by bus.
The Oberkassel civic association is more sceptical. “The journey is too far for many Oberkasseler,” complains first chairman, Hans Georg Dreidoppel. In addition, depending on the water level, the access via the jetty is too steep and difficult to cope with without help, especially for older people who depend on rollators. “For us, this is an absolute change for the worse,” he adds.
The new 25 metre long landing stage is clearly different from all others in the Bonn area in one respect: it is attached parallel to the bank. The reason is the channel used by Rhine boats is so close to the right bank at this point that a normal construction method would have pushed out too far into the shipping lane. The view of the Siebengebirge was also not to be in any way impaired.
Boat tours are dependent on the weather and it was not at all summery in the last few weeks. “The season was very mixed,” says Astrid Bori from BPS. However, a Rhine boat trip is not only a special experience from Easter to autumn. For some time, BPS has been offering events and themed tours in winter. They range from special arrangements for seniors, a Bavarian evening, a Viking festival with a special children’s programme, a detective story dinner or a sushi course on board. In addition, the Advents tour to the Christmas markets always have a particularly good atmosphere.
Charter trips for private parties or company events are also popular. It is only at the start of the year that the mooring ropes remain tied. “In January and February we often have to expect high water in the Rhine,” explains Clemens Schmitz.
(Original text: Gabriele Immenkeppel / Translation: Kate Carey)
