Drought forces Basel ferry to suspend service

Low water levels: St Alban ferry in Basel suspends service

Keystone-SDA

The St Alban ferry in Basel has been closed since Monday morning due to low water levels and will remain so until further notice.

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August 10, 2026 – 15:47

The other three ferries on the River Rhine are still operating, Dieter Bühler, president of the Basel Ferries Foundation, told the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA.

The reason why the “Wild Maa” ferry, unlike the other three, cannot set sail is not only the low water levels but also its geographical location. It is more exposed to the westerly wind than the others. As Bühler explained, when the wind blows directly towards the boat, the current in the Rhine is too weak to propel the ferry.

Two people on a jetty are looking out over a dried-up lake

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The “Wild Maa” ferry connects the St Alban Valley in Greater Basel with the Wettstein district in Lesser Basel. The ferry association publishes information on the current situation on its website. The Basler Zeitung was the first to report on this.

Unlike the St Alban ferry, the low water level is not putting a spanner in the works for another local tradition: the Basel Rhine Swim is going ahead this year. The 46th edition of this traditional event is set to begin as scheduled on Tuesday, at 6 pm, the Swiss Life-Saving Society announced on Monday.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.

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