Boat trip on the Ill in Strasbourg: Batorama or a private boat?

The answer first. There are two kinds of boat trip on the Ill. Batorama runs the public sightseeing tours: you buy a seat, sit with strangers and follow a fixed route. Batorama tickets are booked with Batorama itself, not through us. The boats on GetYourGuide are private: you hire the whole boat for your group, and the price is per boat, not per person. That changes the comparison completely, so compare per head only after you divide by your group size.

Batorama’s public tours

Batorama’s own site lists several routes. The Red Tour and the Green Tour last 1 hour 10 minutes (8 km and 6 km). The Blue Tour and the Orange Tour last 45 minutes (4 km and 6 km). There is also a 17-minute transfer from the European Parliament back to the cathedral. Two other products are not sightseeing tours: Batolove is a 30-minute private cruise for couples around Valentine’s Day (6 to 15 February), and the 45-minute trip to Phare Citadelle is a one-way shuttle to that summer venue, from May to October, without commentary and without a boat back. Boarding is at the cathedral point (pontoons C or D) or at Quai au Sable (pontoons 1 and 2); Batorama warns that pier works may change this, so confirm your boarding pier. The commentary comes from a system built into the boats, in 12 languages for adults and 4 for children. According to batorama.com, an adult ticket costs €16.20 for the Red and Green Tours and €12.50 for the Blue and Orange Tours; children under 4 pay €0.50. The boats sail every day of the year, with at least four departures a day in the low season, so check the timetable for your day, especially in winter.

The private boats on GetYourGuide

Four private boats from three providers are on our list. Their prices are for the boat:

• A small elegant boat for up to four. The two-hour cruise on the Picasso costs €250 for the group of up to four and is rated 4.9/5 from 31 reviews. The skipper speaks French and English. Fuel and a safety briefing are included; drinks and catering are not. It starts at Captain Bretzel, 49 Quai des Alpes, by the Pont Winston Churchill tram stop (lines C and E). The skipper can cancel for weather or sailing conditions, and then the booking page promises a full refund.
• A larger two-hour boat. The VIP boat from Captain Bretzel, whose quay the Picasso also leaves from, departs at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 and 20:00 and costs €396 per group (the price on the page is quoted for up to seven people, and the boat takes up to 11). The listing names French as the language. Its direction of travel changes for some evening departures.
• Another private boat. The private boat from Bateau Alsace lasts two hours and takes 2 to 7 people. The listing names French, English and German as the languages. It costs €795 per group. It has only 6 reviews so far, at 3.3/5.
• In winter. The 45-minute Christmas-lights cruise boards at Pont Saint-Thomas and passes Petite France, the cathedral, the Rohan Palace and the European Parliament. It takes up to 10 people, blankets are provided, and the commentary is in German and English. It costs €190 per group and is new, so it has no reviews yet.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before applies to each of these, according to the booking pages.

Who should pick what

A public Batorama tour is the simple choice for one or two people who want the overview. A private boat makes sense for four people or more, for a birthday, or when you want to decide the pace yourself. Because the price is per boat, a family of four pays the same as a couple. If the weather is doubtful, remember that the private operators can cancel for conditions, and read the cancellation terms on the booking page.

On the water you pass the same places that a walk covers; our Petite France guide shows how to see them from land, and the cathedral guide covers the building you glide past.

Our recommendation

For most visitors travelling as a pair, take Batorama’s public tour. For a group of four, the Picasso cruise is the better use of two hours. In winter, the Christmas-lights cruise shows the city under its lights from the water. See all our walking and sightseeing tours if you would rather stay on land.