Emden - Borkum
Crossing approx. 1 hour
Timetable 2026
Ferries to the East Frisian Islands
Which island, which port, how long - every ferry crossing to East Frisia compared
- Seven islands, seven mainland ports - from Emden to Harlesiel
- Only Borkum and Norderney take your car: the rest are car-free
- Almost everywhere the timetable follows the tides, not the clock
Route map of the East Frisian Islands
The map shows every ferry connection from the East Frisian mainland to the islands. Each island has its own feeder port - choosing the island also decides where you travel to on the mainland.
- AG EMS
- Reederei Norden-Frisia
- Schiffahrt der Inselgemeinde Langeoog
- Nordseebad Spiekeroog
- SIW Wangerooge
- Reederei Baltrum-Linie
AG EMS1 hour
Preise prüfen →AG EMS1 hour
Preise prüfen →Reederei Norden-Frisia1 hour 30 minutes
Preise prüfen →Reederei Norden-Frisia45 minutes
Preise prüfen →Schiffahrt der Inselgemeinde Langeoog1 hour
Preise prüfen →Nordseebad Spiekeroog20 minutes
Preise prüfen →SIW Wangerooge50 minutes
Preise prüfen →Reederei Baltrum-Linie30 minutes
Preise prüfen →The seven East Frisian Islands
From west to east. Every island has its own page with the route, timetable notes and the car question.
The crossings at a glance
Every connection from the mainland to the islands - with crossing time, frequency and booking.
Prices per person, one way
Which island, which port
The seven inhabited East Frisian Islands lie like a chain off the coast of Lower Saxony. Each has exactly one feeder port on the mainland, Borkum being the only one with two. The island you choose therefore also decides where you travel to and whether your car can come along.
Borkum from Emden and Eemshaven
Borkum is the largest and westernmost island, and the only one with a genuine car ferry. From Emden's outer harbour the crossing takes a good two hours, from Eemshaven in the Netherlands just under an hour. Day visitors travelling without a vehicle can also take the catamaran from Emden. Details, sailing times and booking are on the ferry to Borkum page.
Juist and Norderney from Norddeich
Both islands are served from Norddeich-Mole, where the railway station sits right beside the jetty. Norderney is the group's only tide-independent crossing: fixed departures, all year round, around ten a day, with vehicles carried. Juist, by contrast, is car-free and entirely dependent on the tides, with a crossing of about 90 minutes. More on ferry to Juist and ferry to Norderney.
Baltrum from Neßmersiel
The smallest inhabited island of the group is about 30 minutes away, or half that on the fast ferry. Here too the car stays on the mainland. Details on ferry to Baltrum.
Langeoog from Bensersiel
Like Norderney, Langeoog runs to a fixed timetable, independent of the tide, in around an hour. The island railway from the harbour into the village is included in the ticket. More on ferry to Langeoog.
Spiekeroog from Neuharlingersiel
Around 40 to 50 minutes on the island ferry, a good 20 on the WattnExpress, which draws so little water that it can sail at lower tides as well. Car-free. Details on ferry to Spiekeroog.
Wangerooge from Harlesiel
The easternmost island takes about an hour to reach, after which the island railway carries you into the village - ferry and train are a single ticket. Allow around 90 minutes for the whole journey. More on ferry to Wangerooge.
When the car stays on the mainland
Five of the seven islands are car-free, and on Norderney a seasonal traffic ban keeps visitors' vehicles out of the village centre. For most travellers that means leaving the car at the mainland port. Every feeder harbour has parking, frequently with a shuttle bus to the jetty and with online reservation; the seven ports compared are on the parking page. Arriving by train is shortest at Norddeich, where the station is right at the ferry terminal.
The seven islands compared
Crossing times are median values from the operators' published timetable data. Because almost every harbour lies in the tidal flats, departures shift with the tides - fixed times are in the timetable.
Mainland port, crossing time and car
| Island | Festlandhafen | Reederei | Fahrzeit | Auto an Bord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borkum | Emden / Eemshaven (NL) | AG EMS | 2 hrs car ferry, 1 hr catamaran / 1 hr | Yes |
| Juist | Norddeich | Reederei Norden-Frisia | 1.5 hrs | No |
| Norderney | Norddeich | Reederei Norden-Frisia | 1 hr | Yes |
| Baltrum | Neßmersiel | Reederei Baltrum-Linie | about 30 min | No |
| Langeoog | Bensersiel | Schiffahrt der Inselgemeinde Langeoog | 1 hr | No |
| Spiekeroog | Neuharlingersiel | Nordseebad Spiekeroog | 40 min, WattnExpress 20 min | No |
| Wangerooge | Harlesiel | SIW Wangerooge | 50 min plus island railway | No |
FAQ
Which East Frisian Island can I take my car to?+
Which island is quickest to reach?+
Baltrum from Neßmersiel in around 30 minutes, followed by Spiekeroog from Neuharlingersiel and Norderney from Norddeich at just under an hour. The longest passage is the car ferry from Emden to Borkum at a good two hours.
Why do the departure times change from day to day?+
Most island harbours lie in the Wadden Sea and can only be reached at sufficient water levels. The timetable therefore follows the tides and shifts every day. Only Norderney and Langeoog sail independently of the tide. Current times are in the timetable.
Where do I leave my car if the island is car-free?+
Every mainland port has supervised car parks, often with a shuttle bus to the jetty. Book ahead in high season - spaces at the harbour fill up quickly on changeover days.
What does the crossing cost?+
Every island has its own fare, because every crossing is run by a different operator. The overview is on the fares page.