Basel's St. Alban Ferry Suspended as Rhine Water Level Drops

What happened

The St. Alban ferry in Basel, Switzerland, has been suspended from Monday morning until further notice after the water level in the Rhine fell too low to operate safely.

Dieter Bühler, president of the Basel Ferry Foundation, told the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA that the city's three other Rhine ferries continue to run without interruption. The story was first reported by the newspaper Basler Zeitung.

Why wind matters as much as water

Basel's ferries carry no engine. They are pushed across the river by the force of the Rhine's current, which is what makes them unusually sensitive to a drop in water level — less water means less push.

That is also why the St. Alban ferry, known locally as “Wild Maa”, was the first to be withdrawn while the others stayed in service. According to Bühler, its position on the river leaves it more exposed to westerly winds. When the wind blows straight at the boat, the weakened current is no longer strong enough to move it across.

Which crossing is affected

“Wild Maa” links the St. Alban valley in Greater Basel with the Wettstein district in Lesser Basel. The foundation publishes the ferry's live status on its official website, so travellers can check before walking down to the landing.

The Rhine swim goes ahead

The low water that stopped the ferry did not stop Basel's other summer tradition. The Swiss Lifesaving Society confirmed that the 46th Basel Rhine Swim has not been cancelled and will start as planned on Tuesday at 18:00.

Also in Turkish

This report is also published in Turkish on our sister site: Basel'de St. Alban Feribotu Durduruldu.