Paddle Steamer List

Paddle Steamer Resources by Tramscape : The Internet's leading database of Paddle Steamers past and present

PADDLE STEAMERS IN OPERATIONAL SERVICE - Sidewheelers. Click here for Sternwheelers

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LATEST VERSION OF THIS WEBSITE IS NOW ONLY AVAILABLE AT : http://paddlesteamers.freehostia.com

Unfortunately the website became too large for its original internet location and had to be moved
This mainly text-only version represents the website as it was up until 1st July 2009 and does not include any more recent information or updates.
It includes some photographs which were included in earlier versions of this website. For the latest information and all the photos, click on the link above

Above : PS Uri at Weggis on Switzerland's Lake Lucerne. Originally built in 1901, she is the oldest Swiss paddle steamer still in regular operation.

Paddle Steamers operate in some of the most beautiful of holiday destinations : the Swiss and Italian lakes, Dresden and the River Elbe, Prague, the Firth of Clyde, Norway's Lake Mjosa, the Austrian Danube and lakes in the Salzkammergut. In these areas you can enjoy a fantastic holiday and use paddle steamers for short or day-long excursions at your convenience. The Foundation For Paddle Steamers Worldwide believes there is little future for the ships unless they keep sailing - and only with your help and frequent patronage will they have a secure future.
Scroll down to find out more about all the operational paddle steamers and their operating companies.

Left : paddle wheels - Right : steam engines

The distinguishing features of a paddle steamer

Note: Please go to the bottom of this page for helpful notes as to how to read these lists and which links to follow for which information

PADDLE STEAMERS IN EUROPE : see below for other world areas

Country / Operating Area	Paddle Steamers	Year	Operator / Basic Service Pattern	Website
United Kingdom
Firth of Clyde / UK coast	Waverley	1947	Waverley Steam Navigation Co Ltd / Waverley Excursions Ltd Full day cruises offered around the UK coast normally from Easter until mid October. On the Firth of Clyde during high summer normally preceeded by a few weeks on the Bristol Channel, then English South coast and River Thames in late summer / early autumn. Link to supporters group website	Click here
River Medway	Kingswear Castle	1924	Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust (Trading) Ltd Mainly short or half-day cruises on the River Medway, with vessel charters especially welcomed. Link to supporters group website	Click here
Switzerland
Vierwaldstattersee (Lake Lucerne)	Uri Unterwalden Schiller Gallia Stadt Luzern	1901 1902 1906 1913 1927	Schiffahrtsgesellschaft des Vierwaldstattersees (SGV) Fully integrated into the SGV public timetable with all available paddlers active in high summer sailing the length of the lake and back from Luzern. Unterwaden cruises into the Alpnachersee to Alpnachstad under a low bridge. Slightly reduced paddler service in early and late summer. In recent years one paddler (normally Uri) active over Christmas and New Year. Link to supporters' group website	Click here
Lac Leman (Lake Geneva)	Montreux La Suisse Savoie Simplon Rhone	1904 1910 1914 1920 1927	Compagnie General de Navigation sur le Lac Leman (CGN) Fully integrated into the CGN public timetable with all paddlers active in high summer sailing on a range of cruises from Geneva and Lausanne, normally calling at all piers. Slightly reduced paddler service in early and late summer, but "retired" vessels sometimes active on charter sailings. The CGN also operates motorised ex-paddle steamers (see table below) Link to supporters' group website	Click here
Thunersee (Lake Thun)	Blumlisalp	1906	Schiffsbetrieb BLS Summer return service from Thun to Interlaken (West) as part of BLS public timetable although the vessel itself is owned by a preservation society. Link to supporters' group website	Click here
Brienzersee (Lake Brienz)	Lotschberg	1914	Schiffsbetrieb BLS Two summer return services from Interlaken (East) to Brienz as part of BLS public timetable Link to supporters' group website	Click here
Zurichsee (Lake Zurich)	Stadt Zurich Stadt Rapperswil	1909 1914	Zurichsee-Schiffahrtsgesellschaft (ZSG) Integrated into the ZSG timetable with limited sailings outside the summer season, mainly at weekends Link to supporters' group website	Click here
Germany
River Elbe, Dresden	Stadt Wehlen Diesbar Meissen Krippen Pillnitz Kurort Rathen Pirna Dresden Leipzig	1879 1884 1885 1886 1892 1896 1898 1926 1929	Sachsische Dampschiffahrts GmbH & Co Long summer season of scheduled services on the River Elbe, mostly originating at Dresden, but with vessels also based at Bad Schandau, Koenigstein and Pirna to provide a range of full day cruises. The frequency of vessels allows shorter trips and return on a different paddler especially in high season. Short non-landing cruises are offered from Dresden (to the "Blue Wonder" bridge) and return trips to nearby Pillnitz palace also available. One downstream service to Meissen and return is scheduled.	Click here
River Elbe, Lauenburg	Kaiser Wilhelm	1900	Lauenburger Elbeschiffahrtsmuseums e.V. A range of short and longer day trips on the Elbe	Click here
River Weser, Minden	Wappen von Minden	1949
Bodensee (Lake Constance)	Hohentwiel	1913	Internationales Bodenseeschiffahrtsmuseum. Mainly special services requiring advance booking or charters	Click here
Kiel Canal and north Germany	Freya	1905	Insel- und Halligreederei Timetabled services from Kiel west to Rendsburg and east to Laboe and services over complete Kiel canal to Brunsbuttel. Occasional Elbe cruises from Hamburg and coastal cruises from Rostock.	Click here
Austria
Traunsee	Gisela	1871	Traunseeschiffahrt Karlheinz Eder GesmbH Owned by a preservation group, but integrated into the main public timetable, Sundays early July to early Sept : From Gmunden 11:30-13:50 and 14:00-16:35 on Sundays. Additional Saturday trips - but you need to check in advance.	Click here
River Danube	Schonbrunn	1913	OeGEG - Oesterreichische Gesellschaft fuer Eisenbahn Geschichte Full-day cruises on selected summer weekends mainly departing from Linz.	Click here
Italy
Lake Como	Concordia	1927	NLC - Navigazione Lago di Como Limited use as part of local lake scheduled timetable in summer season. Normally on full length Como-Colico and return run on summer Sundays unless on private charter and also on peak summer Thursdays	Click here
Lake Maggiore	Piemonte	1904	NLM - Navigazione Lago di Maggiore Expected only to sail on charters or special sailings in 2008. In 2007 she was on scheduled Sunday services, but poorly marketed and lightly patronised.	Click here
Netherlands
Rotterdam	De Majesteit	1926	Nederlandse Raderstoomboot Maatschappij Mainly used as a floating restaurant in Rotterdam, particularly for functions. Can be chartered to sail from Rotterdam	Click here
Czech Republic
River Vltava, Prague	Vysehrad Vltava	1938 1941	PPS-EVD : Prague Passenger Shipping Public scheduled sailings from Prague, with a mixture of local cruises and longer day cruises to the Slapy Dam. Occasional long trips to Melnik at Vltava/Labe confluence	Click here
Romania
River Danube	Tudor Vladimirescu	1854	Available for charter
Norway
Lake Mjosa	Skibladner	1856	A/S Oplandske Dampskibsselskab Short summer season sailing the length of Lake Mjosa from either Hamar, Lillehammer or Eidsvoll depending on the day	Click here
Denmark
Silkeborg	Hjejlen	1861	A/S Hjejlen Trips from Silkeborg to Himmelbergjet, Denmark's highest "hill"	Click here
Ukraine
River Dnepr, Kiev	Bogdan Khmelnitskiy
Russia
River Dvina, Archangelysk	Gogol (C)	1911	Overnight or longer services in remote areas with limited public transport. Some freight / supplies carried.
River Lena, Siberia	Krasnoyarsk (C)	1959	Overnight or longer services in remote areas with limited public transport. Some freight / supplies carried. Lena Shipping Company. Internet Photo Gallery

There are three paddle steamers, currently out of service, which are under restoration with definite plans for a return to operational service :
click here for more details

PADDLE VESSELS (MOTOR-POWERED) in EUROPE

Paddle-wheel ships, even if not powered by steam engines, do have their attractions, at least from the shore. Watching them pass by or call at a nearby pier, there is nothing to distinguish them from the real thing. On board, it is a different matter. These vessels have enclosed engine rooms and therefore, very little of interest to view on the main deck. The smooth operation of steam engines is replaced by the constant din and vibration of diesels, more noticeable on some vessels than others. Whilst it regrets any conversion from steam to motor power, especially the recent conversion of "Goethe", the Foundation for Paddle Steamers Worldwide recognises that in certain circumstances it has enabled classic ships to survive. There is, of course, the hope that at some stage they might be reconverted, as was the case with PS Montreux on Lake Geneva but these would be exceptional cases : plans to return the remaining three Lake Geneva vessels to steam faltered on cost grounds, as did the hopes of retro-fitting the original engines of MPV Diessen when it was rebuilt in 2006.
Right: Engines of Grof Szechenyi (ex-Stadt Passau). Photo by courtesy of Zsolt Szabo

Grof Szechenyi Engine 051208-2s.jpg

MOTOR PADDLE VESSELS (CONVERTED FROM STEAM)

These vessels have been converted from steamers, usually as an economy measure undertaken when the original boiler was requiring replacement. The dates of conversion are shown in the column "MPV". The Year column shows the date of original construction.

Country / Operating Area / Operator	Paddle Vessel Fleet	Year	MPV	Basic Service Pattern / Link to Operator page in this database	Website
Switzerland
Lac Leman (Lake Geneva)	Vevey	1907	1956	Compagnie General de Navigation sur le Lac Leman (CGN) In recent years one motor paddler (ie Vevey) has been active into December and available for service if required to cover for a motor vessel throughout the winter. Expected to be dry-docked for a major overhaul after the 2010 season.	Click here
Germany
River Rhein	Goethe	1913	2008	KD - Koln-Dusseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt Long season from late Spring through to mid-autumn on a full day trip from Koblenz calling at all piers to Rudesheim and return. For 2009 : 25th April - 4th October, usually from Koblenz (09:00 back 20:10) to Ruedesheim (15:15 / 16:15).	Click here
Ammersee	Diessen	1908 (2006)	1975	Staatliche Schiffahrt Ammersee Completely rebuit in 2005/6. Integrated into the lake's public scheduled timetable	Click here
Chiemsee	Ludwig Fessler	1926	1973	Chiemsee Schiffahrt Ludwig Fessler Integrated into the lake's public scheduled timetable from Prien.	Click here
Austria
Wolfgangsee	Kaiser Franz Josef I	1872	1954	Salzkammergutbahn GmbH Public sailing schedule on Wolfgangsee
Italy
Lake Garda	Zanardelli Italia	1903 1909	1983 1980	NLG - Navigazione Lago di Garda Limited use as part of local lake scheduled timetable in summer season	Click here
Netherlands
Amsterdam	Kapitein Kok	1911	1977	Radersalonboot Kapitein Kok Mainly used as a floating restaurant in Amsterdam, particularly for functions. Can be chartered to sail from Amsterdam	Click here

MOTOR PADDLE VESSELS (BUILT AS MOTOR SHIPS)

By the time diesel power became widely available for excusion ships in the late 1920s, new ships around most of Europe were screw-driven. Only on the Clyde in the UK did the London & North Eastern Railway experiment with diesel electric drive for their paddler "Talisman" of 1935. Their attempt was not entirely successful, although on Switzerland's lake Geneva a number of paddlers received diesel drives with various methods of transferring power to the paddle shaft and several of these sail on today (see above).
The Austrian DDSG's Stadt Wien and Stadt Passau (now Grof Szechenyi), with geared diesel drives, were unusual and unique. The experiment with diesels and paddles was not repeated until Elias Lonnrot (1986) which replicated an older steamer but with a more economical propulsion system. Diesels were also chosen for the brand new "Herrsching" (1992) on Germany's Ammersee and when "Diessen" on the same lake was heavily rebuilt in 2006 she was re-engined with diesels rather than her old steam engines which had been removed in 1975.
MPV Stadt Wien and Grof Szechenyi are marked (C) as they cabins for overnight accommodation but these ships no longer used on original service pattern so these are not used in service.

Country / Operating Area

Paddle Steamer Fleet

Year

Basic Service Pattern / Link to Operator page in this database

Website

Germany

Ammersee

Herrsching

2002

Staatliche Schiffahrt Ammersee
Integrated into the lake's public scheduled timetable

Click here

Austria

River Danube, Wachau valley	Stadt Wien (C)	1939	Herr W Stift Saturday & Sunday scheduled cruises from Tulln into the Wachau valley are being stopped for the 2009 season although special cruises and charters will still be undertaken in June 2009 (see website). Open as a restaurant at Tulln when not cruising. UNDERSTOOD TO BE AT BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, AND POSSIBLY ON LONG TERM CHARTER TO THE OWNERS OF MS GROF SZECHENYI	Click here
Hungary
River Danube, Budapest	Grof Szechenyi (C)	1940	Greenhill Rendezvenyiroda Zrl Moored at Budapest and used on occasional short cruises but only for charters (such as conferences or special parties) for which high quality catering is provided. Not available for public timetabled sailings	Click here

Finland
Lake Keuresselka	Elias Lonnrot	1986	Keurusselan Laivamatkat KY Summer weekday services from Keuruu to Keurusselka Hotel, and to the town of Mantta on Sundays.	Click here
France
Disneyland Paris	Molly Brown	1992	Very short trips of around 20 minutes through an artificial lagoon with riverbank "attractions" in the Disney fun park. Runs on a guided rail.

VERY SMALL SIDE WHEEL PADDLE STEAMERS IN EUROPE

United Kingdom	Heron	privately owned and not for public service
United Kingdom	Monarch	based at the Town Quay, Newport, Isle of Wight and offering short cruises on the River Medina	Click here
Switzerland	Liberty Belle	owned privately by Beat and Martha Bolzern of Emmenbrucke. Transportable by road to sail wherever required

Other World Areas : Click on country for details

Canada
Australia
New Zealand
Egypt
Bangladesh
Burma
North Korea

MODERN SMALL DIESEL POWERED PADDLERS WITH SIDE WHEEL

VESSELS FOR WHICH THERE ARE PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE WEBMASTER'S COLLECTION

Prague, Czech Republic	Elbis
Poznan, Poland	Jagienka

OTHER MODERN SMALL MOTOR SHIPS

Hableany is currently powered by one screw and has a decorative paddle wheel but there are plans to make her a genuine paddle vessel in the future

Lake Balaton, Hungary

Hableany

Entered Service in 2008

Hungarian Ship Register Entry

OTHER WORLD AREAS

United States of America

STERN-WHEEL PADDLE STEAMERS

For Stern-wheel Paddle Steamers, click here

ORGANISED TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES

Do you want to go on a short European steamer-sailing break? John Woodhams Vintage Tours could be exactly what you are looking for. They organise mini-tours taking in as many steamers as possible in the areas visited, making it easy for you to ensure you don't miss anything - and you will be in the congenial company of like-minded people.

REFERENCES

The essential reference book for Paddle Steamer enthusiasts is:

Paddle Steamers in the 1990s
By Russell Plummer
Published 1994 by GMS Enterprises, 67 Pyhill, Bretton, Peterborough, England Tel (0)1733-265123
IBSN 1 870384 27 X
This book gives extensive details of all known paddlers remaining in Europe, including motor powered paddlers

Also the following which also includes screw steamers and diesel conversions, including those in static roles

Steam Ships of Europe
by Alistair Deayton
Published in 1988 by Conway Maritime press Ltd, 24 Bride Lane, Fleet Street, London EC4Y 8DR
ISBN 0 81577 478 4

These books have been a wonderful source of information and inspiration for this website

CAN YOU HELP WITH THIS DATABASE ?

The webmaster would be delighted to receive any updates of relevant information and photographs (of which you own copyright) which could help to keep this database as up-to-date as possible and fill in gaps in the historical record.

I know that many of you will have photographs of paddle steamers on the internet on photo-sharing websites such as Picasa and Flickr. No photos are used on this website unless they were taken by the webmaster or someone who has given express permission for their own photos to be used. However, some photos from Flickr etc may be used so long a the copyright tag (Creative Commons etc) allocated to the photo at the time of downloading allows.

Tramscape is trying to develop this website as the main source on the internet for paddle steamer information and photos, so the webmaster would be very grateful if you would allow use of your photos in this database so they can be seen by the wider paddle steamer interest group who will be reading this website.

Please e-mail the Webmaster your information and photos or general authorisation to use photos from another website source. Thank you very much

Move on to : Statically preserved Paddle Steamers

PADDLE STEAMER RESOURCES MAIN MENU

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OTHER ASSOCIATED WEBSITES
Clyde Turbine Steamer Foundation Steamships with Reciprocating Engines Tramscape Tramway Photographs	Clyde and other passenger turbine steamers, surviving ferries and ocean liners Vessels for which there are photographs in the Tramscape collection only Link to Tramscape's extensive tramway photograph collection

NOTES FOR USE OF THE LIST OF OPERATIONAL PADDLE STEAMERS (BELOW). CLICK WHERE THERE IS A HYPERLINK, ON :

OPERATING AREA : to see photos of the area. (pages being developed over time)
PADDLE STEAMERS : to go to a dedicated page profiling the vessel
OPERATOR : for Tramscape's review of company operations and links to the fleet, current and historic (where there is more than one ship to review)
WEBSITE : to go to the operating company's website for official information, timetables and fares (most have English language option)

Go also to John Bird's site for the latest on Swiss and Italian schedules, updated daily to include details of special paddler services not always well advertised in advance
Go also to the Swiss magazine "Dampferzeitung" website http://www.dampferzeitung.ch/ and follow the link to "Aktuell" for the latest special sailings news for Swiss lakes, Germany and Austria

Almost all paddle steamers are "walk-up and go" as part of the local transport system (buy tickets at kiosks at piers or on board) unless they are charter services only
Go to the foot of the page for the Main Menu with links to all parts of the Paddle Steamer Resources by Tramscape database.
Click on this link to return to the Homepage for definitions of what is included in this database. Return here with either with the "back" button on your browser or with the link "Operational Paddle Steamers" on the blue Main Menu.
The date of original construction is shown in the column "Year". Most vessels have had several major refurbishments since then. Several can, even, now almost be regarded as "new" vessels.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE CLARIFICATION ON ANY MATTER REGARDING THESE STEAMERS : ASK THE WEBMASTER : HE MIGHT WELL BE ABLE TO HELP

Raddampfer in betrieb : Bateaux Vapeurs à roues à aubes en service : Swiss paddle steamers