Rhine-Main-Danube Canal

城市概覽

This canal was constructed starting in the 1960s and was opened along its full length in 1992. It had been intended as a freight link, linking — as was said at the time, grandiosely but not inaccurately — the North and Black Seas via the river system of Main, Rhine and Danube. The canal reaches the highest point directly reachable via ocean going vessel in the world. Yet rail and trucking play vastly larger roles in the freight business along its entire stretch and the canal never earned enough in usage fees to pay for its upkeep and maintenance. An unintended but serendipitous consequence of its construction is converting inland cities like Nuremberg into cruise ports, and river cruises have become an important business factor even though the freight business is largely an afterthought. The canal is also a frequently used hiking and biking route with decent trails along its relatively flat banks, with several bridges and underpasses from one side to the other. It is also used by various sports clubs that use rowboats and other human-powered boats. There are also some yacht clubs along the canal.

Interestingly, the canal represents the third completed attempt to link Danube and Main (or their tributaries) for shipping of some kind. The first, Fossa Carolina was built under Charlemagne in the 8th century CE and was long thought to have been abandoned before completion until archaeological findings proved otherwise. The second one Ludwig Donau Main Kanal was built under the rule of Bavarian King Ludwig I who was sceptical of the newfangled railway and instead preferred to have a canal built. While it did carry a few goods all the way to its end in the 1950s, it soon proved too small and too outdated to compete with the railways. While parts of that canal still hold water and the former towpaths where burlaks or horses would tow the ships towards their destinations still exist along much of the way and are today popular hiking and bike paths, the canal is not passable

如何抵達

The Canal links the Main river near Bamberg in Upper Franconia with the Danube near Kelheim in Lower Bavaria. The former is served by numerous regional trains and even the occasional ICE. Nuremberg Airport (NUE IATA) is the closest international airport to the canal and Nuremberg has a harbor for both cargo and cruises, but it sits more or less in the middle of the canal so starting any trip there only enables you to take half of the itinerary. Kelheim has lost all passenger train service in 1988, but if you head a bit further down the Danube, there are plenty of places that are more accessible.

順遊推薦

Obviously as this canal links Main and Danube, you can head on along those rivers if you have a watercraft or explore Upper Franconia or Lower Bavaria respectively.