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Voykit pocket guide · Germany

Reichenau

Go for a half-day or one night: walk the 4.5 km island, see the three UNESCO abbey churches, then leave. Two nights only if you cycle or swim.

Reichenau is the largest island on Lake Constance: 4.5 km long, 1.5 km wide, joined to the mainland by a 3 km causeway. Its three Romanesque churches, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, are the reason to come; the rest is vegetable fields, greenhouses and vineyards. Most travellers see it as a half-day from Konstanz or Radolfzell, or sleep one night to catch the island without day-trippers. It is quiet, flat and easy to walk or cycle, and there is no nightlife to speak of.

AachenAlfeld, LeineAlsfeldAltenkirchenAltöttingAmbergAmelinghausenAmrumAndechsAnklamAnsbachAschaffenburgAschheimAssmannshausenReichenau200 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Germany
Best months
May–Sep
Avoid
Nov–Mar (many sights closed or short hours)
Stay
1 night

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
EUR
Money
Currency is the euro (EUR). Card acceptance has improved but some bakeries, bars and small restaurants are still cash only.
Daily spend
Budget €60–95 excl. bed · Mid €95–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
Telekom, Vodafone and O2 are the networks; Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect and congstar resell them cheaply in supermarkets and electronics shops.
Emergency
Fire and ambulance 112 · Police 110 · Out-of-hours doctor 116 117
Plugs
Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US devices need an adapter.
Tipping
Restaurant: Round up or add 5–10%; say the total you want to pay as you hand over money or card.; Bar and café: Round up to the nearest euro.; Taxi: Round up by €1–2.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night, optional.; Free walking tour: €10–15 per person.
Water
Tap water is safe everywhere. Restaurants usually sell bottled water; fizzy (mit Kohlensäure) is the default, ask for 'still' or 'ohne'.
Toilets
Station toilets cost €0.50–1.50 (Rail&Fresh WC); restaurant toilets are for customers; the 'WC' at motorway rest stops takes coins and gives a voucher.

What things cost

ItemPrice
Coffee€2.50–4
Beer, 0.5 l in a restaurant€4–5.50
Lunch, main dish€12–20
Dinner, main dish€16–28
Museum entry€3–8
Bus ride, short hop€2.50–4
Bike rental, one day€12–20

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

ZRH · Zurich
About 1 h 30 min by train to Konstanz, then bus 7372; check connections.
FMM · Memmingen
About 1 h 30 min by car; train via Memmingen and Radolfzell is slower.
STR · Stuttgart
About 2 h 30 min by train via Singen or Konstanz.

Typical fares

Bus 7372, Reichenau station to the island
a few euro, about 10 min
Boat, Konstanz to Reichenau
seasonal, April–October
Taxi, Konstanz to Reichenau
about €35–45
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

The island is flat and small: walk or cycle. The causeway has a paved path for bikes and pedestrians. Bus 7372 runs from Reichenau station and Konstanz-Wollmatingen onto the island and stops in a couple of places. Bikes, tandems and child trailers can be rented at the campground at the north-west end. A car is useful only for luggage or if you sleep on the mainland.

See and do

Known for

  • UNESCO abbey island (Reichenau Abbey)
  • Three Romanesque churches: Minster, St Peter and Paul, St George
  • Vegetable and wine farming
  • Lake Constance causeway and wildlife sanctuary

Day trips

WhereHowTime
KonstanzBus 7372 to Konstanz-Wollmatingen, then city bus; or boat in seasonAbout 45–60 min
RadolfzellBus 7372 towards the station, then train or busAbout 40–50 min
FriedrichshafenTrain from Reichenau station via Radolfzell, or boat in season1.5–2 h
ÜberlingenTrain via Radolfzell and Friedrichshafen, or boat in seasonAbout 2 h
Mainau islandBus and boat via KonstanzAbout 1 h 30 min
Stein am Rhein (Switzerland)Train via Konstanz and SchaffhausenAbout 2 h

Sleep

Mittelzell (island centre)
Next to the Minster and the museum; walk to everything, few beds.
South shore (An der Schiffslände)
Lake-facing hotels with restaurants; boat pier nearby.
West end / causeway
Closest to the mainland road and bus stop; cheapest rooms.
Campground Sandseele (north-west)
Tents and motorhomes, plus bike and boat rental on site.
Mainland near Reichenau station
Cheaper and easier by train, but you cross the causeway each day.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
HelloHallohallo
Thank youDankedanke
PleaseBittebitte
The bill, pleaseDie Rechnung, bittedee rekh-noong, bitte
Can I pay by card?Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit kar-te tsa-len
Where is the toilet?Wo ist die Toilette?vo ist dee toy-let-te

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; 'Guten Tag' or 'Hallo'; avoid: Hugs with people you have just met
  • Names: Herr / Frau plus surname until invited to use first names; avoid: Using 'du' with officials or older strangers
  • Punctuality: Arrive on time for tours, dinners and appointments; avoid: Being more than 5–10 minutes late without a message
  • Queues and rules: Follow signs, wait at red lights, sort rubbish; avoid: Walking in cycle lanes
  • Conversation: Direct and factual; people say what they mean; avoid: Taking directness as rudeness, or joking about the Nazi era
  • Home visit: Bring flowers (odd number, not red roses) or wine; shoes off if the hosts do; avoid: Arriving early
  • Paying: Say the total including tip as you pay; avoid: Leaving coins on the table and walking off

Scams and watch-outs

  • Church treasury and museum hours are limited and seasonal: check before you go.
  • Boat services from Konstanz and Radolfzell run roughly April–October only.
  • The island is farmland: stay on paths and do not walk into fields or greenhouses.
  • Evenings are very quiet; eat before kitchens close, often around 21:00.
  • Winter ice on the bay is not always safe to walk on: follow local signs.

Very safe. The real risks are cycling on the causeway path with traffic alongside, cold water if you swim, and thin ice on the bay in a cold winter: follow local signs.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Reichenau yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • UNESCO abbey island (Reichenau Abbey)
  • Three Romanesque churches: Minster, St Peter and Paul, St George
  • Vegetable and wine farming
  • Lake Constance causeway and wildlife sanctuary

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Reichenau

Zu dieser Adresse, bitte

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

No embassies on the island; the US consulate-general is in Munich and most embassies are in Berlin. Konstanz has consular agencies for some countries: check.

Cash is still common in small island businesses: carry some euro.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/reichenau). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.