The company and its routes
AG Reederei Norden-Frisia was founded in 1871 as a joint-stock company by 23 men from Norden and Norderney who wanted to organise traffic to the islands. Today it sails under the Inselfähre brand and is the only company in the group serving two islands from a single port.
Two islands, two timetables
Both routes leave from Norddeich-Mole, and they follow entirely different logics. Sailings to Norderney are tide-independent and run to a fixed timetable, hourly in season. Everything about Juist depends on the water level: the island harbour is only reachable at sufficient tide, so departure times shift daily.
That difference shapes how you plan your journey. What it means for each island is on the Norderney and Juist pages, and how to reach the port on the Norddeich page.
Fleet
The fleet covers car ferries, pure freight vessels and excursion boats. The largest ship is the Frisia III, in service since 2015, with room for 1,500 passengers and around 60 vehicles. The Frisia IV brought the company its first double-ended ferry in 2002, which no longer has to turn at the berth. Alongside them runs the Inselexpress, a catamaran with 54 seats that needs only 70 centimetres of draught and can therefore serve the margins of the tide.
What else belongs to the group
Beyond the ferry business, the company runs an island air service, operates the car parks at the ferry port in Norddeich and rents out electric vehicles on the islands.
FAQ
Which islands does Reederei Norden-Frisia serve?+
Why does Juist have no fixed departure times?+
The harbour on Juist can only be reached when the water is deep enough, so the timetable follows the tides and shifts from day to day. Sailings to Norderney, by contrast, are tide-independent.
Can I take my car?+
To Norderney yes, on the large car ferries. Juist is car-free, so the vehicle stays on the mainland.
What is the Inselexpress?+
A fast passenger ferry run by the company that reaches Norderney in around 30 minutes. It carries neither vehicles nor bicycles.
Where do I park in Norddeich?+
Right at the ferry port on P1, P2 and P3, with a free shuttle to the terminal in season. Details are on the port page.