Symbolic image
This page was translated automatically from German. View the original
The fee for leisure boats on the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal is abolished from 1 January 2027. The change has been adopted and promulgated. Until 31 December 2026 you still pay the current charge of 12 to 43 euros per transit (as of November 2026).
The essentials at a glance
- From 1 January 2027, transiting the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal is free of charge for all leisure and recreational boats, regardless of the boat's length.
- The full transit between Brunsbüttel and Kiel-Holtenau is free, as are partial stretches. The annual flat-rate passes are abolished.
- Until the end of 2026, a transit costs 12 euros for boats up to 10 metres, 18 euros for boats up to 12 metres and up to 43 euros for boats over 20 metres. Payment is made at the machine in Kiel-Holtenau or online in advance.
- The navigation rules remain in place: daytime only and in good visibility, a maximum of 12 km/h, no sailing, and overnight stops at a leisure boat mooring.
When does the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal become free for leisure boats?
From 1 January 2027. That is when the amended charges ordinance, which expressly exempts leisure boats, comes into force.
The Federal Ministry of Transport issued the change in an omnibus ordinance on cutting red tape in maritime shipping. It was promulgated in the Bundesgesetzblatt (Federal Law Gazette) in September 2026. The section on the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal only applies from New Year 2027.
Around 10,000 leisure boats pass through the canal every year. The ministry justifies the move by saying that collecting the fee now causes considerably more effort than it brings in.
Which boats does the exemption apply to?
To all vessels used for sport and leisure purposes. There is no length limit; even yachts over 20 metres are exempt.
Previously, only boats propelled by muscle power were exempt; in future, sailing yachts, motor boats and catamarans will be too. The charges for transits and partial stretches, as well as the annual flat-rate passes, are being scrapped.
Commercial shipping will continue to pay.
How high is the fee for leisure boats until the end of 2026?
Until 31 December 2026, the fee depends on the boat's maximum length. For the full transit you pay between 12 and 43 euros, and for a partial stretch between 7 and 23 euros.
| Boat length | Full transit | Partial stretch |
|---|---|---|
| up to 10 m | 12 euros | 7 euros |
| over 10 to 12 m | 18 euros | 8 euros |
| over 12 to 16 m | 35 euros | 18 euros |
| over 16 to 20 m | 41 euros | 21 euros |
| over 20 m | 43 euros, plus 1 euro for each additional metre or part thereof | 23 euros, plus 1 euro for each additional metre or part thereof |
A partial transit means that you pass through only one of the two large locks, for example because you are travelling from Kiel to Rendsburg.
Where do you pay the canal fee until then?
In Kiel-Holtenau, from both directions of travel, before you lock through there. Two payment machines are available: one on the canal side in front of the lock and one on the fjord side, west of the Tiessenkai. You also pay the berthing fee at the machine on the fjord side.
You cannot pay in the lock chambers. At the Gieselau Lock, the lockkeeper takes the fee. In Brunsbüttel, payment is only occasionally collected at the recreational boat berth.
It is more convenient to pay in advance in the web shop of the Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung. You enter the date, boat length, direction of travel and route, and receive a code by email. It is valid from two days before to three days after the date you entered. Print out the receipt and keep it to hand for inspections.
What stays the same on the Kiel Canal?
Everything except the fee. Transit times, speed limit, sailing ban, berths and lock rules will continue to apply unchanged from 2027.
Transit times and berths
Without a pilot, recreational boats may use the canal only during the day and in sufficient visibility. You need to plan so that you reach a recreational boat berth before the end of the daytime transit period.
From 1 to 15 November you may travel from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm, from 16 to 30 November from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, and in December from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. All the months are listed in the information leaflet for recreational boaters of the Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsamt Nord-Ostsee-Kanal.
The canal is just under 100 kilometres long, which is around 53 nautical miles. At the permitted 12 km/h, the passage alone takes a good eight hours, with locks and waiting times on top. In winter, an overnight stop at a berth is therefore often part of the trip.
The recreational boat berths by canal kilometre:
- Brunsbüttel, north side, km 1.8, fee payable
- Dückerswisch, north side, km 20.7, maximum draught 2.40 m, one night only
- in front of the Gieselau Lock, km 40.5, maximum draught 2.40 m, one night only
- Obereidersee with Enge, km 66, and Borgstedter See, km 67.5 and km 70
- Recreational boat anchorage Flemhuder See, km 85.4, one night only
- Kiel-Holtenau east of the lock, km 98.5, fee payable, maximum 24 hours and only in connection with a canal transit
Speed, engine and sailing ban
A maximum speed of 12 km/h over ground applies to recreational boats on the canal. Keep as far to the right as possible. Sailing is prohibited, so the engine must be running. The only exceptions are the outer harbour in front of the Old Locks in Kiel-Holtenau and outside the fairway on the Borgstedter See, the Audorfer See and the Flemhuder See.
If you set a sail in addition while under engine, you must show a black cone, point downwards, at the front.
Locks and radio
While underway, you monitor the VHF channel for each section: channel 13 in the Brunsbüttel lock area, channel 2 as far as Breiholz, channel 3 from Breiholz to Kiel-Holtenau and channel 12 in the Kiel-Holtenau lock area. Do not enter the lock until an interrupted white light on the centre wall shows that the entrance is clear.
While the Small Lock at Kiel-Holtenau is being rebuilt, leisure boats lock through there together with commercial shipping in the large chambers.
Larger yachts
Leisure boats over 20 metres in length need a Class A or B AIS unit (automatic identification system, which transmits position and course to other vessels) on the canal. You can rent one at the locks. Leisure boats with a draught of more than 3.1 metres generally need a pilot. Multihulls with a maximum beam of 12 metres and a length of up to 20 metres are exempt from compulsory pilotage.
Current status
As of 2 November 2026: the regulation has been promulgated, and the fee exemption for leisure boats begins on 1 January 2027. Until then, the charges in the table above apply, including for delivery trips in November and December. We will update this section as soon as there is news.
The Kiel Canal on your sailing trip
The canal links the Elbe and Kiel Fjord and saves the long route around Denmark. If you leave it at Kiel, our harbour profiles for the Tiessenkai in Kiel-Holtenau right by the lock and for the harbours along the Kiellinie show you the nearest berths.
On Törnfinder you will find cabin charters on both sides of the canal: on the Baltic Sea, on the North Sea and in the overview of all Trips.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Kiel Canal free for leisure boats?
Yes, from 1 January 2027. Until 31 December 2026, the passage costs between 12 and 43 euros depending on length, and slightly more for very large yachts.
How much does the Kiel Canal cost for a sailing boat in 2026?
A sailing boat up to 10 metres pays 12 euros for the full passage, and one up to 12 metres pays 18 euros. For a partial stretch, it is 7 and 8 euros respectively.
Where do you pay the Kiel Canal fee?
At the pay machine in Kiel-Holtenau in front of the lock, or in advance online in the web shop. From 2027, leisure boats no longer have to pay.
Does it cost anything to moor at the berths along the canal?
You pay berthing fees at the leisure boat berths in Brunsbüttel and Kiel-Holtenau. The new regulation from 2027 concerns the fee for using the canal.
Are you allowed to sail on the Kiel Canal?
No. Sailing is prohibited on the canal. It is only permitted on a few lakes outside the fairway and in the outer harbour of the Old Locks at Kiel-Holtenau.
