Köln-Düsseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt (KD)
Market leader for sightseeing and scheduled river cruises on the Rhine, Main and Moselle, with roots in the age of steamships: in 2026 the KD celebrates 200 years.
In the 19th century, steamers from Cologne and Düsseldorf competed fiercely for passengers on the Rhine. Reports from the 1840s even tell of ships ramming one another.
At a Glance
- Type
- Shipping company for sightseeing and scheduled cruises
- Area of operation
- Rhine, Main and Moselle
- Fleet
- Thirteen ships
- Roots
- Cologne company (statutes approved in 1826) and Düsseldorf company (1836)
- Merger
- Joint operating partnership from 1853, full merger in 1967
- Anniversary
- 200 years of KD in 2026
- Listed location
- Altstadt-Nord district, Innenstadt borough
In the 1840s, the rivalry on the Rhine between the KD's predecessor companies and a Dutch shipping line was so fierce that, besides price cuts and races, ships were even reported to have rammed each other.
From Rivalry to Partnership
The Prussian-Rhenish Steamship Company (Preußisch-Rheinische Dampfschiffahrt-Gesellschaft) was founded in Cologne in October 1825 under the merchant Peter Heinrich Merkens. From May 1827, it carried passengers and express freight between Mainz and Cologne. The competitor founded in Düsseldorf in 1836 served the same stretch, and a Dutch shipping line joined in as well. Price cuts and races made the businesses unprofitable. In 1853, the Cologne and Düsseldorf companies therefore formed an operating partnership: both remained independent but ran to a joint timetable between Rotterdam and Strasbourg.
The Age of Steamers
In 1860, the partners carried 1.2 million people, with each company owning 14 steamships. Freight transport lost importance to the faster railway, while industrialization boosted demand for leisure cruises. In 1867, the Humboldt and the Friede became the first vessels built purely for passengers. By 1914, the fleet had grown to 32 ships, and in 1913 more than 1.9 million passengers traveled in a single year. That same year, the Cologne company put the Goethe into service, its last flush-deck steamer for freight and passengers.
One Company Since 1967
With the merger agreement of 16 May 1967, the Düsseldorf company was absorbed into the Cologne company, which was ten years older. The latter adopted the name Köln-Düsseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt Aktiengesellschaft. Until its delisting in July 2017, the KD was among the world's oldest continuously listed joint-stock companies. Today it operates as a GmbH (limited liability company).
Out on the Water
Scheduled cruises lead through the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley or to the Siebengebirge, sometimes combined with land destinations such as the Drachenfels. In cities along the Rhine, Main and Moselle, there are panorama and lounge evening cruises, as well as day trips such as from Düsseldorf to Zons. Low water occasionally causes cancellations and restrictions to the scheduled service.
Festivals, Events and Cruises
Traditional occasions include fireworks cruises such as "Rhein in Flammen" (Rhine in Flames), the Japan Day, and New Year's Eve. There are also party cruises, shows, brunch and Advent cruises. Since 2022, the KD has been active in the river cruise business again, and since 2024 it has offered year-round event cruises aboard its own hotel ship, the KD Moment. Ships can also be used as floating hotels during trade fairs.
Timeline
- 1825Founding of the Prussian-Rhenish Steamship Company (PRDG) in Cologne
- 1827PRDG begins service Mainz–Cologne; second steamer Friedrich Wilhelm enters service
- 1836Founding of the DGNM based in Düsseldorf
- 1853PRDG and DGNM form the Cologne and Düsseldorf operating partnership
- 1859Agreement extended indefinitely; Mannheim–Strasbourg route abandoned
- 1867First pure passenger ships Humboldt and Friede enter service
- 1967Merger: the Düsseldorf company is absorbed into the Cologne company
- 2017KD delisted from the stock exchange in July
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official website (retrieved 2026-10-15)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-10-15)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-10-15, rev 271031733)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-10-15
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