Is the boat worth it?

Is the Bruges canal tour worth it?

For a first visit, yes. It is short, cheap by Bruges standards, and it shows you the city from the side it was built to be seen from.

Visit Bruges puts it plainly: some things you can only see from the water. The canals, the "reien" in local Dutch, take their name from the Reie, the small river the city grew rich on. Houses back straight onto them, and the boat slips under bridges so low that passengers duck.

The half hour also works as a rest. Bruges is a walking city on cobbles, and sitting down on the water after a morning on foot is half the appeal for many people. Who gets less out of it? Repeat visitors who already know the route, anyone hoping for a long cruise (longer trips are not possible), and travellers who cannot manage stairs.

★★★★★

The boat was a great way to see Bruges from a different angle and lasted 30 mins. The Captain spoke great English and gave some description.

What do you see on a Bruges canal boat tour?

The stretch of canal between Jan van Eyck Square and the Beguinage: the Groenerei, the Rozenhoedkaai, the Dijver, Bonifacius Bridge, St John's Hospital and the Beguinage gate.

Boats are only allowed on part of the canal network, and every company sails the same loop. There are no stops and no hop-on hop-off: you start and finish at the jetty where you bought your ticket. The skipper talks you through it over a microphone.

Which language? The skipper asks who is on board at the start and picks the languages from that. Most speak Dutch, French and English, and some add German or Spanish. On a full boat with five nationalities, expect shorter explanations in each.

What is the best canal tour in Bruges?

There is no better or worse boat company: the five share the route, the boats and the price. The real choice is between a ticket at a jetty and a tour that already includes the boat.

The City of Bruges fixes the width and length of the boats, so the fleets are the same in practice: 20 boats in all, four per company, each taking 35 to 40 passengers. What differs is the jetty you queue at and the skipper you get. Some are comedians, some stick to the facts.

One thing does vary by boat: the engine. Electric boats have sailed the canals since 2020 and at least half the fleet is electric today. They are quieter, make fewer waves and give off no fumes. From 1 January 2028 every tour boat must be electric, as our post on the electric boats explains.

• Shortest walk from the Markt: Wollestraat 32 or the Rozenhoedkaai.
• Fewest stairs: Stael at Katelijnestraat 4.
• Want it booked: a walking tour with the boat in the price.

Is it better to take the boat on a tour or on your own?

On your own is simplest if you are happy to queue and pay in cash. A tour with the boat included saves the queue and adds a guide on land.

Individual tickets cannot be booked ahead, by phone or online. Tours on GetYourGuide get round that because the boat ride is part of their programme. The difference is mostly what comes with it: a licensed guide, a chocolate stop, a fixed time slot.

The boat, chocolate and walking tour (4.8 from 5,122 reviews) has the boat in the price. The guided walk with boat option and the small-group tour let you add it when you book. Day trips from Brussels, Amsterdam and Paris offer it as an option too. The Bruges and Ghent day tour does not include it, but you can buy a ticket at a jetty in your free time.

Skip the jetty queue: a licensed local guide, a chocolate tasting and the 30-minute canal boat with its captain, all in one small-group booking.

★ 4.8 · 2 hours 30 minutes · from $44

Explore the boat, chocolate and walking tour → Tour details

When is the best time for a canal boat ride in Bruges?

From 15 March to October, when every jetty sails daily from 10:00 to 18:00. Go at opening or late in the afternoon for shorter queues.

The guaranteed season runs from 15 March to October. The last boat leaves half an hour before closing, so around 17:30 on a normal day, and companies can change their hours with the weather and the crowds. Queues build from late morning on summer days and at weekends.

From November to 14 March the companies take turns: at least one jetty sails every day, and the others decide for themselves whether and when they open. There are no fixed winter times, so look for the jetty that is open on the day. Our winter boats post has more.

A note for swan lovers: there are about a hundred on the canals, but in winter the city moves them to a covered winter home. Spring to autumn is swan season.

What happens if it rains on a Bruges boat tour?

The boats have no roof, so the companies hand out umbrellas. In long, heavy rain they may stop sailing for a while or not open at all.

Light rain rarely stops anything: you sit under an umbrella and the skipper carries on. A downpour that lasts is different, and each company decides for itself when to pause. If one jetty has stopped, another may still be running.

On a tour, rain can change the order of the day. One reviewer on the walk with boat and beer options missed the boat when it started raining and went on to the beer tasting instead. Pack a light rain jacket, since an umbrella is awkward on a full boat. The boat, chocolate and walking tour lists warm clothing and rain gear in its own packing list.

Is the Bruges canal boat tour good for children?

Yes. The commentary is not made for children, but the ride itself is: ducking under bridges, swans, the odd splash. Under 4s go free and children aged 4 to 11 pay €9.

Every boat carries life jackets for all passengers, a first-aid box, a fire extinguisher and a bailer, and skippers need a licence and a first-aid course to sail. Everyone is asked to keep their hands inside the boat, which is worth repeating to small children before the first low bridge.

• Prams: ask the company to set yours aside before boarding. There is no storage, and it may stay outside.
• Dogs: small dogs can ride on your lap. Ask the company when you buy your ticket.
• Snacks: no food or drink is sold on board, and you may not bring any.

★★★★★

Our guide Rick was amazing and Alan the captain on the boat really fun also. Saw lots of places that we would not have seen otherwise, learnt loads about the history of this beautiful city.

Can you take a Bruges canal tour in a wheelchair or with luggage?

Not in a wheelchair: neither the boats nor the jetties are accessible, and there are no lifts. Luggage has no space on board either, beyond a handbag or a small backpack.

All the jetties sit at water level, down a flight of steps. Visitors who can walk short distances and step into a boat, perhaps with a companion's help, are best off at Stael on Katelijnestraat 4, which has the fewest stairs. With a European Disability Card the ticket is €9, and one companion rides free.

For bags, the boat companies have no lockers. Use the lockers at Bruges station, opposite the tourist office, or the ones in the courtyard of the Historium on the Markt, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The prices and tickets guide covers the discounts in full.

Frequently asked questions