Schleuse Kiel-Holtenau (Nord-Ostsee-Kanal)

Harbour info

Lock

Locking about 60 min

VHF 12 · Tel. +49 431 3603-152

Location: 54° 21,93' N 010° 08,51' E

Locking times

Through the year: 16.1. to 31.1.: 07:30 to 17:30; 1.2. to 15.2.: 07:00 to 18:00; 16.2. to 29.2.: 06:30 to 18:30; 1.3. to 15.3. and 1.10. to 15.10.: 05:30 to 19:00; 16.3. to 31.3. and 16.9. to 30.9.: 05:00 to 19:30; 1.4. to 15.4. and 1.9. to 15.9.: 04:30 to 20:00; 16.4. to 30.4. and 16.8. to 31.8.: 04:00 to 20:30; 1.5. to 15.5. and 1.8. to 15.8.: 03:30 to 21:00; 16.5. to 31.5. and 16.7. to 31.7.: 03:00 to 21:30; 1.6. to 15.7.: 02:30 to 22:00; 16.10. to 31.10.: 06:00 to 18:30; 1.11. to 15.11.: 06:30 to 17:30; 16.11. to 30.11.: 07:00 to 17:00; 1.12. to 15.1.: 07:30 to 17:00

All times in local time (Europe/Berlin).

Times: Tagfahrzeiten für Sportfahrzeuge, WSA Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, as of 2026-04

Fees

• Fee: Canal dues for pleasure craft, full transit: up to 10 m €12, up to 12 m €18, up to 16 m €35, up to 20 m €41, over 20 m €43 plus €1 per additional metre or part; pay before locking (web shop wsv.webshop.bund.de, machine in Kiel), abolished from 1 January 2027
• Fee: Canal dues for pleasure craft, partial transit: up to 10 m €7, up to 12 m €8, up to 16 m €18, up to 20 m €21, over 20 m €23 plus €1 per additional metre; abolished from 1 January 2027
• Fee: No canal dues for pleasure craft (abolished on 1 January 2027)

Notes

• Pleasure craft may use the canal and its approaches only during daylight passage hours and not in restricted visibility; the table is in CET, one hour later during summer time. Head for a berth for pleasure craft before the daylight passage hours end (Brunsbüttel, Dückerswisch, Gieselau, Obereidersee, Borgstedter See, Flemhuder See, Kiel-Holtenau).
• Pleasure craft lock through with commercial vessels; waiting and locking together usually take about an hour, longer in heavy traffic.
• VHF 13 Kiel-Kanal I (Brunsbüttel locks), 2 Kiel-Kanal II (to Breiholz), 3 Kiel-Kanal III (to Kiel-Holtenau), 12 Kiel-Kanal IV (Kiel-Holtenau locks); keep a listening watch while under way.
• Speed limit 12 km/h over ground; sailing on the canal is prohibited (motor-sailers show a cone, point down).
• At Kiel-Holtenau pleasure craft are currently locked only with commercial vessels through the large chambers, because the small lock is being rebuilt. The canal’s fixed high bridges give 40 m clearance.

Harbours nearby

• Kiel-Holtenau (NOK) 0.5 km NE
• Sporthafen Wik 1.6 km S
• Sportboothafen Plüschowbecken / Schwentineflotte e.V. 2.5 km NE
• Yachthafen Mönkeberg 2.5 km SE
• Kiel-Düsternbrook 3 km SE
• Fischerei- und Yachthafen Möltenort / Heikendorf 3.5 km E
• Sporthafen Blücherbrücke 3.6 km S
• Sporthafen Reventlou 3.8 km S

Frequently asked questions