Float up Germany's longest circulating cable car for 20 minutes to the 1,284m Schauinsland summit, where on a clear day the panorama opens across the Black Forest to the Rhine plain, the Vosges and even the Alps. It's the easy 'top of the Black Forest' payoff a valley-level tour can only hint at, and it pairs naturally with a half-day in Freiburg just below.
What to expect
You'll descend from your ship at Breisach and board a regional train toward Freiburg, then transfer to tram and bus to reach the Schauinslandbahn's valley station nestled below the Black Forest canopy. The 20-minute cable car ascent unfolds as a gentle float upward, the view expanding from forested ridges to the Rhine plain stretching below. At 1,284m, you emerge onto the Schauinsland summit where the panorama opens across the Black Forest, the Alsatian Vosges, and—on a clear day—the Alps distant on the horizon. The return cable car descent mirrors the journey down, delivering you back to the valley with plenty of daylight and time to reverse the transit chain to your ship.
Good to know
Allow 3–3.5 hours total for the excursion (30 min train, 20 min ascent, summit time, 20 min descent, 30 min return transit), leaving a comfortable 2.5–3 hour buffer before all-aboard in a 6–8 hour port window. Regional trains run frequently enough that you won't need to book ahead, but confirm the tram/bus connection at Freiburg station upon arrival. Cost is minimal—EUR 15 for the cable car round-trip plus a few euros for train and tram—so carry small bills and coins. Wear layers and bring a camera; summit weather can shift rapidly, and visibility determines whether you see the Alps, so avoid this excursion if morning fog or rain is forecast.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Breisach am Rhein — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.