Sassnitz - Rønne Ferry: the Direct Route from Germany
The only direct ferry from Germany to Bornholm leaves from Mukran ferry port near Sassnitz and reaches Rønne in just over three hours. What to know about the terminal, check-in and sailing days.
By bornholm.de editorial team · Travel editors · Last updated: September 2026
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There is exactly one ferry that takes you from Germany to Bornholm without crossing a third country: the route from Mukran ferry port near Sassnitz on the island of Rügen to Rønne. The operator is Bornholmslinjen, a brand of the Danish company Molslinjen. It saves you the long overland leg through Denmark or Sweden, but you have to plan around a service that varies strongly by season.
The only direct ferry from Germany
The scheduled crossing takes 3 hours 20 minutes. Berlin and Hamburg are each around three hours' drive from the ferry port, so the drive and the crossing together fit comfortably into one travel day. Compared with the route through Sweden you avoid the Øresund Bridge, and compared with the route across Zealand you avoid the tolled Storebælt crossing.
The price of that convenience is frequency. Of the three Bornholm routes, Sassnitz is by far the most seasonal: densely served in the summer half of the year, noticeably thinned out in winter. Fixed sailing days would be wrong within weeks, so check the timetable for your date first. Travelling from Poland, Sassnitz is one of the two practical options; the background is on Via Kołobrzeg to Bornholm.
Mukran ferry port: getting there, parking and check-in
The ferry does not leave from the town harbour of Sassnitz but from Mukran ferry port a few kilometres to the south, at Im Fährhafen 20, 18546 Sassnitz. Entering only "Sassnitz" into a satnav will easily send you to the wrong harbour. The terminal has signposted parking with no time limit, and the passenger terminal is within walking distance; stopping to drop off and pick up passengers is permitted right at the entrance.
Check-in closes 20 minutes before scheduled departure for standard, flex and lowprice tickets, applying equally to cars up to 2.95 metres high, foot passengers and bicycles. The deadline extends to 30 minutes for motorhomes above that height, lorries, trailers and coaches, for wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and for foot passengers who need help boarding. The scheduled departure time is what counts, even when the ship is delayed.
Two features of this terminal are worth planning for. There is no luggage service at Sassnitz or at Rønne: everyone carries their own bags to the ship and on board. And the boarding assistance that the ticket offices in Rønne, Køge and Ystad offer to passengers with reduced mobility is not available at Sassnitz. If you are travelling without a car, the rail connection to the terminal is covered in the guide to travelling by train.
Sassnitz - Rønne departures
The table shows this route's departures for a given day in both directions. Choose your date; return sailings from Rønne are on the second tab. All three Bornholm routes side by side are on the Bornholm ferry timetable page.
Sassnitz - Rønne departures
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On board
A little over three hours is long enough to eat on board and short enough that nobody needs a cabin. The ferry has a food service with hot dishes, coffee and snacks, plus an on-board shop selling newspapers and confectionery.
Pets are welcome. Dogs and cats are allowed in the designated animal areas, on a lead or in a suitable carrier, but not on the furniture. They are not permitted in cabins. Many animals find the bustle on board stressful, so leaving your dog in the car for the crossing is both allowed and often calmer. Which documents you need to enter Denmark, and which dog breeds are banned there, is covered in the guide to Bornholm with dogs.
Unlike the fast ferry from Ystad, this route has no charging on board. Electric cars can only use charging points in the port itself, and those are out of reach once you have checked in. Plan your charging before you set off or once you are on the island.
Arriving in Rønne
The ferry arrives at Rønne on the west coast, the island's main port and largest town. Vehicles to and from Sassnitz use the Tysklandsvej access, foot passengers the terminal area at Dampskibskajen. The old town is a few minutes away; what Rønne offers beyond the harbour is covered in the guide to Rønne.
Bear in mind that the authorities check travellers to and from Bornholm regularly. Keep your passport or identity card to hand, even when travelling within the Schengen area.
Who this route suits
Sassnitz is the right choice if you are coming from northern Germany, Berlin or Brandenburg and want to avoid detouring through a third country, if you are travelling with a motorhome or trailer and would rather not change route several times, or if your travel date falls in the summer months when the service is dense.
It argues against itself if you are travelling out of season, if your schedule cannot absorb a route with few departures, or if you need to charge on the way. In those cases the fast ferry from Ystad with its high frequency is usually the more flexible option, and for travellers coming from the Copenhagen direction the night ferry from Køge. All three routes are compared in the overview of ferries to Bornholm.