Kehl: Cruise berths on the German bank of the Rhine

Kehl is a cruise port on the German bank of the Rhine, opposite Strasbourg, and a port of call for Rhine river cruises. Strasbourg’s berths on the Rhine-Rhône Canal are on the French side.

Riverbank berths

Viking River Cruises operates two berths on the eastern bank of the Rhine near the Garden of the Two Shores. Farther north, the port area on Weststraße has two more berths, including one used by A-Rosa. The river cruise ships vary in size and draft.

Railway station, long-distance buses and city centre

Kehl railway station is on Bahnhofsplatz, north of the city centre. FlixBus also stops at the station, at Bahnhofsplatz 1. City bus routes K1 to K5 generally run to Kehl Town Hall; route K10 connects the station with Auenheim. The market square is south of the station, at the foot of the Peace Church, and hosts the weekly market.

Rose Garden and city history

The Rose Garden was created in a depression formed by a former stretch of the Old Rhine, which was filled in after the river was regulated. The park was laid out in 1925 to plans by Friedrich Scherer, the Karlsruhe director of horticulture. Lawns and rows of roses defined the garden, with a square of plane trees at its southern end. The Pioneer Memorial was erected at the northern end in 1931, along with a stone entrance reached by a broad staircase. The green space was originally named after former Kehl mayor Hermann Dietrich. In 1933, following a request by the local NSDAP faction, it was renamed Hindenburgplatz and used for political propaganda events and rallies during the Nazi era.

After Kehl was evacuated in November 1944 and the war ended, the garden lay neglected during the French occupation. Following the partial reopening of the city on 8 April 1953, a nighttime memorial service was held there; on 17 May, thousands of residents gathered for a reunion celebration. In 1983/84, Blumenstraße, which had previously run between the garden and the Old Rhine, was converted into a promenade, with a fountain by Friedrich Geiler installed at its centre. For the cross-border garden exhibition in 2004, the area was redesigned with a cross-shaped path and flowerbeds inspired by monastery and castle gardens. A further redesign began in 2024 following public consultation.

Strasbourg and airport

Strasbourg Airport (SXB) is near Entzheim in France, southwest of Strasbourg.