Low water stops Basel ferry service indefinitely

Low water has forced Basel’s St Alban ferry, the Wild Maa, to suspend operations indefinitely because the Rhine is no longer flowing strongly enough to carry it safely across, SRF reported.

The ferry crosses the river without an engine, relying solely on the current. Operator Rosi Tiefenthal said the Rhine was moving so slowly in the intense midday heat that it resembled a reservoir. “We live to the rhythm of the Rhine. We live with the Rhine. And now it is like a reservoir,” she said.

The ferry remains securely moored at the landing stage. Tiefenthal said safety had to come first because the current was too weak to take the boat from one bank to the other within the required time.

Basel’s ferries have crossed the Rhine since 1854 and are regarded as part of the city’s identity, alongside its cathedral and carnival. Dieter Bühler, president of the foundation that operates the ferries, said low water in summer was not a new phenomenon. But he said an indefinite suspension caused by a lack of current had never happened before.

Bühler said the exceptionally hot summer of 2026 had created a new situation. As an engineer, he could imagine fitting the ferries with discreet, quiet electric motors. However, he acknowledged that this could diminish the character that makes them unique.

“Electric motors probably would not appeal to anyone, including us,” Bühler said. “But if the choice is between temporarily suspending the ferry service or operating the boats with unobtrusive electric motors, I think the decision is clear.”

Tiefenthal is using the enforced break to clean the boat, work normally carried out in autumn. She said she hoped to resume service once the water level rose and the Rhine regained enough strength to carry the ferry across what Basel residents also call the Bach.