Passau, Germany
Hotels in Passau Germany
Stay close to river cruise port, in city centre, …
Plenty of Accommodation Deals
Passau in South-East Germany is close to the Austrian border and a popular port terminal for river cruises.
Often called ‘Venice on the Danube‘, Passau sits on the confluence of the River Danube, the River Inn and the Ilz. These good waterways helped develop its trade in salt, as well as its Renaissance knife and sword blade industries. In this pleasant town you will find plenty of accommodation deals.
Once part of the Roman Empire, Passau was rebuilt in the Italianate style after a fire in the mid-17th century.
Passau’s baroque cathedral, pretty squares and elegant merchant’s houses make it a pleasant place to spend a few days. The flavours of Italy and Germany mix here in its restaurants. Italian pizza houses sit next to cafes serving hearty German cuisine.
If you are looking for hotels near the river cruise pier and the port terminal you will find plenty of deals in all price ranges and types. There are hotelrooms and pensions in old 15th century buildings, some sitting right on the banks of the River Danube. Several properties have decorated their rooms with Bavarian flair in a variety of local themes.
The wide range of chain hotels available offer clean rooms and a guaranteed standard of quality. Many establishments will have their own parking and offer free Wi-Fi. Many offer en-suite bathrooms and televisions in the rooms. Some have bed and breakfast deals, serving filling and tasty German food.
Bestsellers
Hotel Weisser Hase
★★★★
Old Town accommodation, 5-minute walk from the pier where cruise ships dock.
Passau
Vessels dock at Donaustrasse near the bridge Kräutelsteinbrücke in Passau-Lindau or at the Old Town of Passau
River Cruise Docks
River cruise ships tie up at one of the several moorings at the Port of Passau on Donau Lande, which is the main waterfront area. Ships can dock at either Fritz-Schäfer-Promenade in Passau close to the old town, or Donaustrasse near the bridge Kräutelsteinbrücke in Passau-Lindauclose. The Central Bus and Train Station is located on the western side of the Old Town.
Major cruise lines departing from the port are Avalon Waterways, Viking River Cruises, and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises. Some voyages will bring you to the river port of Budapest or Basel in Switzerland.
City located on the Danube River
Passau in Germany is compact, making it a good destination when you visit on a cruise. It is easy to explore by foot from the river port terminal or local hotels, pensions and b&b’s.
Donau Lande has fourteen moorings for river cruise vessels and each cruise vessel terminal is only a few steps to the old town of Passau.
If you don’t want to venture far from your terminal, you will find plenty to see and do here as well. There are restaurants at the dock and a tourist information centre. The Glass Museum, close to the terminal, houses a dazzling display of glass from Germany and Europe, including examples of Baroque, Rococo, Art Noveau and Art Deco styles.
From the cruise port wander into the picturesque old town, with its steep and narrow cobbled streets. On Hollgasse Street you can admire beautifully kept medieval houses and browse in art shops and jewellers.
Look out for good deals in souvenirs here. St Stephan’s Cathedral is in the old town and home to the world’s largest cathedral organ. Free lunch time recitals are a pleasant way to sit and relax for a while.
Hugging the banks of the River Danube in Passau is the imposing bulk of the Veste Oberhaus fortress, home to a youth hostel, museum and several restaurants.
If souvenir shopping, look out for traditional Bavarian feather trimmed hats and leather lederhosen from Germany. Take a Beer and Baroque excursion to see Baroque architecture, as well as visiting some of Passau’s four breweries, where you can sample different beers from Germany.
If you want to stretch your legs, a twenty minute walk from the cruise port pier will take you from Germany into Austria.
Another major departure river port in Germany is Nürnberg or Nuremberg.
Nearest Airports
Munich International Airport (IATA : MUC) is the nearest main international airport, called Flughafen München in German. This airport is well served by international and domestic flights. The airport is situated approx. 130km or 80mi from Passau city centre hotels and the river cruise port.
Linz Airport or Blue Danube Airport in Austria is approx. 110km or 68mi from Passau. It’s a smaller airport offering domestic flights and some international.
web : Munich Airport, Linz Airport
Train Station
Passau train station, called Hauptbahnhof, is located 1 to 2 km from the river port depending where your ship will dock. From the station you can easily take a taxi to the river port or city centre hotels.
Passau is on the main train line going to Nuremberg, Regensburg, Linz and Vienna in Austria. There are also frequent direct trains to Munich.
InterCity trains will take you as fas as Hamburg, Cologne, Dortmund and Essen.
Currency and Language
Currency
The Euro (EUR) is the official currency in Germany.
Language
German is the official spoken language in the country. Many people speaks English in the tourist areas.