You hand the driver €1.70 for a Kurzstrecke ticket and jump on board – just another journey on Berlin public transport. Yet this BVG trip is different: Your ride today is a venerable, 3m-long rowing boat. Connecting Müggelheim and Rahnsdorf, the Paule III is the smallest ferry in the city, with space for just eight passengers and the odd bicycle. Boats like the Paule III have crossed this part of the Spree for more than 100 years. Though threatened by BVG budget cuts, the tradition continues to this day, as crossing over the Müggelspree via boat remains a necessity when exploring the area on foot or by bike, bridges being rare along this stretch of water. The two-minute journey from Müggelheim/Spreewiesen to the other side brings you to the ancient Rahnsdorf fishing village. There, right on the banks of the canal, you will find a smokehouse and cafe selling local catch and cool beers for some nourishment after your journey. And when you are finished, just flag down the Paule III and you’ll be taken back to Müggelheim, ideally located near the Kleiner Müggelsee bathing spot for a swim and a sunbathe. It’s what summer weekends are made for. (Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Johanna Rademacher–Flesland)
Between May and October the F24 ferry line runs on weekends and bank holidays 11–19h, every hour and on request. Check the BVG website for updates. Spreewiesen departure point: Zur Fähre 12559 Berlin–Siedl. Spreewiesen; map
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