FAQ

Seven are inhabited and served by scheduled ferries: Borkum, Juist, Norderney, Baltrum, Langeoog, Spiekeroog and Wangerooge. They lie like a chain from west to east off the coast of Lower Saxony.

Each island has exactly one feeder port, Borkum being the only one with two. Emden and Eemshaven serve Borkum, Norddeich serves Juist and Norderney, Neßmersiel serves Baltrum, Bensersiel serves Langeoog, Neuharlingersiel serves Spiekeroog and Harlesiel serves Wangerooge.

Baltrum from Neßmersiel in around 30 minutes. Next come 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.

Only via the mainland. There is no scheduled service between the East Frisian Islands; each island is served from its own port. To see two islands you sail back to the mainland and out again.

As a rule, only Borkum and Norderney. Baltrum, Juist, Langeoog, Spiekeroog and Wangerooge are car-free. Norderney additionally applies a seasonal traffic ban for visitors' vehicles in the village centre - after arriving you may still drive to your accommodation and unload, after which the car stays parked.

Yes, and in the holiday season it is essential. Car decks are limited and without a reservation carriage is not guaranteed. Have your vehicle registration details ready when booking.

Every mainland port has supervised car parks, often with a shuttle bus to the jetty. At Norddeich these are P1 and P2, at Emden the multi-storey car park at the Borkumkai plus open-air spaces, at Neuharlingersiel day car parks by the harbour and the Spiekeroog garages at the edge of the village. What that costs is on the fares page.

On the large car ferries yes, for a surcharge. On fast ferries and catamarans usually not - there is no room. Bicycles may be taken to Spiekeroog, but there is no hire on the island.

Yes, on every crossing. Dogs need their own ticket, must be kept on a lead, and larger animals may need a muzzle depending on the operator. They are usually not permitted in on-board restaurants; small animals travel in a carrier.

The harbours of Juist, Baltrum, Spiekeroog and Wangerooge lie in the Wadden Sea and can only be reached at sufficient water levels. The timetable therefore follows high tide and shifts by about 50 minutes each day. Fixed times printed in a guide would be worthless there - what counts is the timetable for the day you travel.

Norddeich to Norderney and Bensersiel to Langeoog run to a fixed timetable, as does the ferry from Eemshaven to Borkum. The car ferry from Emden, by contrast, is tide-dependent.

It varies widely: Norderney is served around ten times a day, Langeoog up to eight times, Wangerooge up to six or seven times in high season, Baltrum up to three times and Juist usually once or twice. In winter the service thins out everywhere.

Yes. Storms or unusually low water cause delays and occasionally cancellations. The operators announce these at short notice on their own websites.

No. Every crossing is run by a different operator and there is no fare covering more than one island. An overview of the fares island by island is on the fares page.

As a foot passenger usually not, though it is still worth doing - fast ferries and catamarans are often full in high season, and booking online is frequently cheaper than the ticket desk. With a vehicle, a reservation is compulsory.

On the large ferries hand luggage and one suitcase are normally included. Wangerooge applies stricter rules: only two small bags are allowed on board, larger suitcases travel as freight in a container. On Spiekeroog and Langeoog, luggage containers or a luggage service handle the transport.

A local levy charged by every island. It is not part of the ferry fare. Depending on the island it is settled when you buy the ticket or paid on arrival at the terminal - on Norderney, for instance, via a QR code on the ferry ticket. Keep your outbound ticket safe.

As a foot passenger about 30 minutes. With a vehicle or luggage to check in, allow 45 to 60 minutes, and rather more in high season.

Norddeich is the easiest: the station Norddeich Mole is right at the ferry terminal. Emden also has a rail connection. The smaller harbours of Neßmersiel, Bensersiel, Neuharlingersiel and Harlesiel are served by bus from Norden, Norddeich or Esens; in high season long-distance coaches run to the coast as well.

On Borkum, Langeoog and Wangerooge the island railway does that, and the ride is included in the ferry ticket. On Norderney island buses connect with the ferries; the village is about 1.5 kilometres from the harbour. On Spiekeroog the harbour is within walking distance of the village.

The large ferries have lifts between the vehicle and passenger decks and accessible toilets. Let the operator know in advance if you need assistance boarding or disembarking.