When you first come to Tübingen and walk along the Neckar, you see flat wooden boats with someone standing and pushing with a long pole. Tourists often shout “A gondola!” — charming, but wrong. A Stocherkahn is its own thing, something typically Tübingen. Here’s a quick explanation of why.
The quick answer
- Flat wooden bottom
- Up to 16 seats
- Pushed with a long pole
- Only works in shallow water
- Tradition since 1830
- Curved hull
- Usually 6 people
- Oar from the back
- Special asymmetry
- Tradition since 1094
- Small, light
- 2–4 people
- With oars
- Works in deep water
- Sport, not tourism
What makes the Stocherkahn special
The name comes from stochern (punting with a pole). The Stocherer (that’s what the person steering the boat is called) pushes the boat forward off the riverbed with a three- to four-meter wooden pole. That only works in shallow water, and the Neckar in Tübingen is exactly that: usually no deeper than two meters, calm, and almost still by the old town.
The result is a way of moving that’s completely silent. No motors, no wheels, no splashing. Just the pole in the water and whatever you say yourselves. That’s exactly why a Stocherkahn trip feels so different from a boat tour.
Why does it exist in Tübingen?
Stocherkähne in Tübingen weren’t originally a tourist invention but working tools. The boats belonged to student fraternities and were used for fishing and running errands. Today’s Stocherkahn grew out of that tradition, almost unchanged to this day: flat wooden bottom, bench seats lengthwise, and a platform at the back for the Stocherer.
Every June there’s the famous punt race: over 100 boats compete, and the loser has to drink cod-liver oil. If you’re ever in Tübingen in early June, go.
How does a trip differ from a tourist boat?
Anyone who’s been on a sightseeing steamer in Heidelberg or Hamburg knows the drill: loudspeakers, a guide, lots of people, a program. A Stocherkahn trip works the exact opposite way.
- Small: Max 16 people per boat — with us, always your group, no strangers.
- Personal: You talk to the Stocherer directly. Ask what you want to know; what you’d rather skip, we’re happy to stay quiet about.
- Slow: A loop around the Neckar island takes 1 to 2 hours at normal punting speed. It’s not about arriving.
- Private: You can bring bubbly, beer, snacks. It is your boat for the time.
“Punting is the slowest way to move through Tübingen — and at the same time the most beautiful.”
What does a trip cost?
Unlike gondola rides in Venice, which are charged per person, in Tübingen you pay for the whole boat. With us that is €80/hour on weekdays and €100/hour on weekends, whether you are two or sixteen. Split across the group, it is often cheaper than a dinner out.
When’s the best time for a trip?
The season runs from April to October. In high summer we recommend late afternoon or evening — the light is loveliest then and it is no longer so hot. If you want to photograph the town, start 1.5 hours before sunset.
The bottom line
A Stocherkahn trip isn’t a boat tour. It’s a different way of seeing Tübingen: from the water, slow and personal. If it’s your first time here and you only do one thing, make it this.
Read more: Tübingen from the water: the most beautiful spots on the Neckar