DDSG Blue Danube

DDSG Blue Danube is the best-known name in Danube cruising in Vienna, and it describes itself as Austria's largest and most traditional shipping company. Its boats run sightseeing trips through the city, longer excursions upstream into the Wachau valley and downstream to Bratislava, and a full calendar of themed cruises, from brunch and music cruises to parties and holiday specials. The company's head office is at the Vienna Shipping Center on the Handelskai, by the main river.

For a first trip, the City Cruise and the Grand Danube River Cruise are the obvious choices and are listed as running daily. They show a side of Vienna that many visitors miss, from the modern towers of the Donau City and the green banks of the Danube Island to the bridges and older river districts. The Evening Cruise leaves from Schwedenplatz and follows the Danube Canal to the Nussdorf lock and back, which is a relaxing way to watch the city lights after dinner and passes some of the canal's street art and riverside bars.

The day trips are the company's other strength. Wachau cruises sail through the vineyard-lined valley, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape, while other excursions head to Dürnstein, Tulln and Bratislava. Wachau sailings are seasonal and run until the start of November, so check the timetable if you are travelling in late autumn. Over the winter months the programme turns to holiday and New Year's Eve cruises and trips to the Christmas market at Schloss Hof.

DDSG suits families, couples, older travellers and anyone who prefers to sightsee sitting down. A cruise is also a good option on a hot summer day, when the breeze on the water is welcome. Schedules can change at short notice when the Danube's water level is low, which the company flags on its website, so check before you set out and allow some flexibility in your plans.

Tickets can be bought online or by phone through the customer service line, which operates daily during the main season. Departure points differ by cruise, so read the details on your ticket carefully. Schwedenplatz, the starting point for canal cruises, is served by the U1 and U4, and the Shipping Center on the Handelskai is near Vorgartenstraße station on the U1.