The Elblag Canal, also called the Elblag-Ostroda Canal, is a 150-years-old canal in Poland that runs from Elblag to Ostroda. At over 80 km in length, it is the longest navigable canal still in use in Poland. It is also one of the most interesting canals in Europe. Elblag Canal’s uniqueness arises from its peculiar choice of engineering to tackle a particularly difficult section of the route where the water level rises by 100 meters. This particular section is located between Druzno Lake and Piniewo Lake, a distance of about 10 km. Because the difference in height was too large, it was impractical to build traditional locks. Instead, an ingenious system of inclined planes was employed where the boats are lifted out of the water and placed into tracks and dragged across dry lands.
Schedule & prices
Runs
Every day
Start times
8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, and 10:00 AM
Season
Starts May 1, 2027
Adult (ages 7+)
$200
Infant (ages 0–6)
Free
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $335.
Larger groups pay less per person.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 9.
Tour Options
Elblag Canal Tour EN
Elblag Canal Tour EN, DE: We invite you to a tour by Elbląg-Ostródzki canal, which is unique in the whole world monument of hydro-engineering, recognized as a historical monument and one of the 7 wonders of the Polish.
Pickup included
Itinerary
Pass by
Hotel/Apartment pick up (Gdansk, Sopot, Gdynia)
Elblag Canal
Admission included120 min
We invite you to a tour by Elbląg-Ostródzki canal, which is unique in the whole world monument of hydro-engineering, recognized as a historical monument and one of the 7 wonders of the Polish. The tour starts at Buczyniec and will be led by the four inclined planes, which will drag up uphill or drain down boat by the water-powered hoists special system. During the 2h tour we beat 9.6 km distance, where the difference in level is 99.5 meters.
Boat cruise on the canal by four inclined planes ( Buczyniec, Olesnica, Jablonki, Jelenie )
Old Town Elblag
40 min
Caffe or free time break in Elblag Old Town. Elbląg is one of the oldest cities in the province.Its history dates back to 1237, when the Teutonic Order constructed their fortified stronghold on the banks of a nearby river.
What's included
Included
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Boat tickets
Transport by private vehicle
Not included
Food and drinks
Pickup Locations & Times
- Pick up from your hotel in Gdansk, Sopot, Gdynia, Please indicate your meeting point.
- Finall pick up time will be pointed after booking. Pick up time from 8:30 to 12:00. Usually is
9:00-9:30. Departure depend on boat schedule.
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.6
25 reviews
5
19
4
3
3
3
2
0
1
0
How it compares in Gdansk
No. 47 by number of reviews among 406 tours in Gdansk
Starting price $200 is close to the typical $189 for tours of similar length in Gdansk
Excurgo comparison of 406 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
Wheelchair accessible
Specialized infant seats are available
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Childs under 7 free (please inform us about kids)
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Elblag Canal Tour from Gdansk take?
Elblag Canal Tour from Gdansk lasts about 6 hours. The itinerary has 3 stops.
How much does Elblag Canal Tour from Gdansk cost?
Prices start at $200 per person for this Gdansk experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $335. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Elblag Canal Tour from Gdansk run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, and 10:00 AM.
Can I cancel Elblag Canal Tour from Gdansk for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. - Pick up from your hotel in Gdansk, Sopot, Gdynia, Please indicate your meeting point.
- Finall pick up time will be pointed after booking. Pick up time from 8:30 to 12:00. Usually is
9:00-9:30. Departure depend on boat schedule.
Pickup points include Arche Dwor Uphagena Gdansk, 4 Pory Roku Restauracja I Nocleg.
What languages is Elblag Canal Tour from Gdansk offered in?
The experience is available in DE, DE, EN, EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Specialized infant seats are available Childs under 7 free (please inform us about kids)
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Elblag Canal Tour from Gdansk worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.6 out of 5 across 25 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Tours in Gdansk Local Tour Operator.
Reviews(25)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
R
roaldh675
September 18, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
.
Guide in German I don't understand. I wanted English
Operator response
Dear Client,
We provide an English-speaking driver/group leader for the journey to the Elbląg Canal. However, there is no English-speaking guide on the boat. The crew speaks German.
We also provide a documentary film about the construction of the canal and its history.
The cruise is scenic and takes you through beautiful natural surrounding
S
Stefan_L
August 23, 2026 · via Viator
Amazing trip
Fabulous experience with a special thank you to our tour guide who was amazing. He couldn’t t have been any better.
Operator response
Good to hear that you enjoy the tour :)
R
renatorE6322XF
July 27, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
The trip
Chill, was so funny experience, i’ll repeat it definetly
Operator response
Definitely it's chilly tour. Recommend to everyone who love nature.
D
Danuta_B
September 16, 2025 · via Viator
All A1 and well worth the trip.
Great trip, very interesting. We were transported by Marek who was informative, interesting and friendly. The whole experience was A1. We all had a lovely day
Operator response
thanx :), Elblag Canal Tour is definitelly for expirenced clients.
R
Regina_H
September 13, 2025 · via Viator
Regina
Great organization, driver on time, helpful. Linguistic communication worked everything out. Any time again. Of course, the Overland canal was awesome. That's all I want to say. A trip worthwhile 😁.
Operator response
Danke schoon and welcome again
A
Adventure01390009025
August 1, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Visit to Elbląg Canal and boat lifts
Excellent in every way. Venue was outstanding, unique in the world. Have wanted many years to see it. Driver to venue, Mike, spoke excellent English and did everything punctually an without complaint. Only Polish and German spoken on boat but the other passengers translated for us and Mike had already explained everything beforehand.
Operator response
Thank you for review. Elblag canal is deffinitelly outstanding and unique tour.
J
JanChesterfield
May 9, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Canal Engineering at it's Finest
Wow! What an incredible tour this was. We have a narrowboat in England and have an interest in the history of canals. There is nothing like this in the UK so, when we planned our visit to Gdansk and spotted this it was a no brainer that we should go.
We were picked up promptly by our taxi driver Mirek and once we were enroute he talked about the history of the canal and the background to why it was built etc. He speaks perfect English and has a deep interest in history and economics which meant the narrative he gave us was fascinating and gave us a great understanding of the background to this amazing feat of engineering.
The reason he talked about in during the journey was because the crew on the boat spoke very limited English and so he wanted to ensure we were informed. The actual boat trip was through some splendid countryside , we spotted a Stork and a Kingfisher during the trip. The crew took very great care of our comfort during the trip and offered us hot drinks (which were very cheap) and took care to ensure that when a heavy shower came, the clear screens on the boat were folded down to keep us all dry. There was an indoor area which was warmer for those who were not so concerned about the view. Mirek was concerned to get us to the trip as early as possible so we could ensure we got great seats but in fact there were not many people on the boat that day so we could move around different areas of the boat freely and even got to sit on the outside seat at the bow for the last bit of the trip.
There is a flush toilet on the boat too and everything is extremely clean.
I would not hesitate to recommend this trip to anyone with an interest in canal engineering. The fact that the transport is from Gdansk makes getting there so easy and the journey was interesting with Mirek's narrative along the route. I would suggest taking a snack with you as our trip took longer than originally planned and we did get hungry but we called at Elblag on the way back and were able to grab a quick bite to eat there.
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Wow. Thank you for so complex review of our tour. Non one did it better than you :) We trying the best to make our clients happy.
D
donna_g
September 4, 2024 · via Viator
The very best experience
This is a unique experience made more memorable by our wonderful informative driver and guide Mike. He has so much information to impart, very safe driver, clean comfortable car. We loved our day at elblang. Thank you, Mike
Operator response
Yes, definitely Elblag Canal tour is attraction for ambitious clients. Thank you for choosing our company.
C
Catherine_F
September 13, 2023 · via Viator
An easy day out from Gdansk
A pleasant drive into the country outside Gdansk with a stop for coffee and a sandwich on the return trip. Enjoyable commentary en route, but there was no English language presentation while on the canal itself. Seeing and experiences the technology first hand was delightful.
Operator response
Thnx for review. Elblong Canal is one of 7 wonder of Poland so it's definitely worth to see.
E
Escape422611
August 11, 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Five stars for the guide, two for the boat
To do positives and negatives - the positives first - the way the boat is carried is very unusual and very interesting so it is definitely something worth seeing and we are very glad that we did. Unless you were travelling in your own car it would be very difficult to get to on your own from Gdansk, so if you want to see it - take the tour. Scenery is lovely too. As everyone says, Michael is a great guide - lovely man and very interesting to talk to. As for the negatives - the boat was crowded. We were lucky to be seated near to the openings for the exit but there was a lot of jostling for position as people came to look out/take photos etc. It was therefore disappointing and frustrating to see that the few boats we passed going in the other direction all had roof decks with people sitting on them enjoying all round views of the countryside. I don't know whether this tour always uses the same boat or whether it is luck of the draw on the day. We were lucky with the weather and obviously you wouldn't want to be sitting outside in the rain. Three stars is an average - we would give Michael five stars but for the cost of the trip I think it would be nice to have a good views consistently without having to keep giving up your seat to let others have a look outside. Don't like to sound churlish and wouldn't even have thought of saying all this if we hadn't seem other boats where people seemed to be having a more relaxing viewing experience. This is the sort of niggle you forget in time but we will remember fondly our time with Michael and his sharing of his insightful thoughts on his country's history and culture. Loved Gdansk and hope to come back and would love to do other tours with Michael as our guide.
Operator response
Dear Client
Thank you for to appreciate sceanry, landscape and our driver :) Definitelly Elblag Canal is worth to see, It`s one of seven wander of Poland.
Unfortunatelly we don`t have any influance on crowd on the boat. Sometimes is a bit crowded but sometimes ( off high season) there is a lot of space on the boat and cruise is maximum relaxing.
I also have to mention that other operator who you saw on the way is more expensive and tour take 10-12h. According our expirience during tour you had we shown you all is worth to see in at the optimum time.
Compare similar tours in Gdansk
Lowest price: Discover Gdansk Walking Tour — $6
Best rated: Discover Gdansk Walking Tour — 4.9 (570 reviews)
Shortest: Gdansk Guided City Cruise on Historical Polish Boat — 1h 10min