List of Rivers in Germany

Germany’s rivers shape the country’s regions, link towns to the sea, and mark ecological and cultural boundaries. They range from short upland streams to long navigable waterways that have guided trade and settlement for centuries.

There are 96 Rivers in Germany, ranging from Ahr to Örtze. Data is organized in columns: Length (km),Source → Mouth,States so you can quickly compare lengths, trace courses and see which federal states each river crosses — you’ll find below.

How reliable are the lengths and source/mouth designations in the list?

Lengths and source/mouth entries come from official hydrological records and common geographic references, but values can vary by measurement method, seasonal changes and mapping precision; treat the list as a solid starting point and check original sources or local authorities for exact, up-to-date figures.

Is this list useful for planning river trips or research projects?

Yes — use the Length (km),Source → Mouth,States columns to shortlist rivers by distance and region, then verify navigability, access points, protected areas and seasonal conditions with local tourism boards or environmental agencies before making plans.

Rivers in Germany

Name	Length (km)	Source → Mouth	States
Danube	2,857	Black Forest → Black Sea	Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria
Rhine	1,233	Swiss Alps → North Sea	Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia
Elbe	1,094	Krkonoše Mountains (Czechia) → North Sea	Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg
Main	527	Fichtel Mountains → Rhine River	Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse
Weser	452	Confluence of Werra and Fulda → North Sea	Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Bremen
Saale	413	Fichtel Mountains → Elbe River	Bavaria, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt
Spree	382	Lusatian Highlands → Havel River	Saxony, Brandenburg, Berlin
Ems	371	Teutoburg Forest → North Sea	North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony
Neckar	362	Black Forest → Rhine River	Baden-Württemberg, Hesse
Havel	334	Mecklenburg Lake District → Elbe River	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt
Werra	299	Thuringian Forest → Weser River	Thuringia, Hesse, Lower Saxony
Isar	295	Karwendel Alps (Austria) → Danube River	Bavaria
Leine	281	Eichsfeld region → Aller River	Thuringia, Lower Saxony
Moselle	544	Vosges Mountains (France) → Rhine River	Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate
Inn	517	Swiss Alps → Danube River	Bavaria
Oder	866	Oder Mountains (Czechia) → Baltic Sea	Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
White Elster	257	Elster Mountains (Czechia) → Saale River	Saxony, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt
Lech	256	Alps (Austria) → Danube River	Bavaria
Neisse	252	Jizera Mountains (Czechia) → Oder River	Saxony, Brandenburg
Lahn	245	Rothaar Mountains → Rhine River	North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate
Saar	235	Vosges Mountains (France) → Moselle River	Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate
Altmühl	227	Franconian Heights → Danube River	Bavaria
Lippe	220	Teutoburg Forest → Rhine River	North Rhine-Westphalia
Fulda	220	Rhön Mountains → Weser River	Hesse, Lower Saxony
Ruhr	219	Rothaar Mountains → Rhine River	North Rhine-Westphalia
Aller	215	Magdeburg Börde → Weser River	Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony
Elde	208	Near Altenhof → Elbe River	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Jagst	190	Swabian Jura → Neckar River	Baden-Württemberg
Eider	188	Near Bordesholm → North Sea	Schleswig-Holstein
Hunte	189	Wiehen Hills → Weser River	Lower Saxony
Unstrut	192	Eichsfeld region → Saale River	Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt
Amper	185	Ammergau Alps → Isar River	Bavaria
Kocher	169	Swabian Jura → Neckar River	Baden-Württemberg
Sieg	155	Rothaar Mountains → Rhine River	North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate
Warnow	155	Near Grebbin → Baltic Sea	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Iller	147	Allgäu Alps → Danube River	Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg
Frankish Saale	140	Grabfeld region → Main River	Bavaria
Peene	136	Near Gnoien → Baltic Sea	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Ilm	134	Thuringian Forest → Saale River	Thuringia
Tauber	130	Franconian Heights → Main River	Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg
Oker	128	Harz Mountains → Aller River	Lower Saxony
Nahe	125	Hunsrück Mountains → Rhine River	Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate
Trave	124	Ostholstein → Baltic Sea	Schleswig-Holstein
Mulde	124	Confluence of Zwickauer and Freiberger Mulde → Elbe River	Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt
Wupper	117	Bergisches Land → Rhine River	North Rhine-Westphalia
Vils (Danube)	110	Near Seeon-Seebruck → Danube River	Bavaria
Enz	105	Black Forest → Neckar River	Baden-Württemberg
Regnitz	64	Confluence of Rednitz and Pegnitz → Main River	Bavaria
Regen	191	Bohemian Forest → Danube River	Bavaria
Schwarze Elster	179	Lusatian Highlands → Elbe River	Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt
Naab	197	Upper Palatinate Forest → Danube River	Bavaria
Salzach	225	Kitzbühel Alps (Austria) → Inn River	Bavaria
Vechte	182	Baumberge Hills → Zwarte Water (Netherlands)	North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony
Kyll	128	Eifel Mountains → Moselle River	North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate
Elz	121	Black Forest → Rhine River	Baden-Württemberg
Wümme	118	Lüneburg Heath → Lesum River	Lower Saxony, Bremen
Pegnitz	113	Franconian Switzerland → Regnitz River	Bavaria
Wied	102	Westerwald → Rhine River	Rhineland-Palatinate
Kinzig (Baden)	93	Black Forest → Rhine River	Baden-Württemberg
Kinzig (Hesse)	86	Spessart Mountains → Main River	Hesse
Ahr	85	Eifel Mountains → Rhine River	North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate
Ilz	65	Bavarian Forest → Danube River	Bavaria
Zschopau	130	Ore Mountains → Freiberger Mulde River	Saxony
Rednitz	46	Confluence of Rezat rivers → Regnitz River	Bavaria
Oste	149	Lüneburg Heath → Elbe River	Lower Saxony
Wörnitz	112	Franconian Heights → Danube River	Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg
Sauer	173	Ardennes (Belgium) → Moselle River	Rhineland-Palatinate
Dieme	110	Rothaargebirge → Weser River	Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia
Ohm	59	Vogelsberg Mountains → Lahn River	Hesse
Prüm	95	Eifel Mountains → Sauer River	Rhineland-Palatinate
Erft	107	Eifel Mountains → Rhine River	North Rhine-Westphalia
Rur	165	High Fens (Belgium) → Meuse River	North Rhine-Westphalia
Trebel	87	Near Zarnekow → Peene River	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Paar	134	Near Kaltenberg → Danube River	Bavaria
Günz	90	Near Lauben → Danube River	Bavaria
Mindel	78	Allgäu region → Danube River	Bavaria
Zusam	97	Near Markt Wald → Danube River	Bavaria
Schmutter	96	Stauden Hills → Danube River	Bavaria
Mangfall	58	Lake Tegernsee → Inn River	Bavaria
Loisach	113	Tyrol (Austria) → Isar River	Bavaria
Alz	63	Lake Chiemsee → Inn River	Bavaria
Sempt	40	Near Anzing → Isar River	Bavaria
Helme	81	Eichsfeld → Unstrut River	Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt
Wipper (Saale)	85	Harz Mountains → Saale River	Saxony-Anhalt
Bode	179	Harz Mountains → Saale River	Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia
Fuhse	100	Harz foreland → Aller River	Lower Saxony
Örtze	62	Lüneburg Heath → Aller River	Lower Saxony
Meiße	41	Lüneburg Heath → Aller River	Lower Saxony
Our	78	Eifel Mountains → Sauer River	Rhineland-Palatinate
Gera	85	Thuringian Forest → Unstrut River	Thuringia
Wutach	91	Black Forest → Rhine River	Baden-Württemberg
Aist	67	Freiwald (Austria) → Danube River	Bavaria
Stepenitz (Elbe)	84	Near Meyenburg → Elbe River	Brandenburg
Lühe	35	Lüneburg Heath → Elbe River	Lower Saxony
Pinnau	41	Near Henstedt-Ulzburg → Elbe River	Schleswig-Holstein
Stör	87	Near Neumünster → Elbe River	Schleswig-Holstein

Images and Descriptions

Danube

The Danube is a major European river that flows east from the Black Forest toward the Black Sea. It crosses southern Germany and feeds the Danube basin. Include it because it is the largest river system touching Germany and a key reference for lengths and basins.

Rhine

The Rhine is a long, classic European river that runs from the Alps north to the North Sea. It cuts through western Germany and forms many important trade and city corridors.

Elbe

The Elbe flows from the Czech border through eastern Germany to the North Sea. It drains a large central catchment and links Prague and Hamburg by waterway.

Main

The Main flows across central Germany and joins the Rhine near Mainz. It serves as a major inland waterway and passes through Frankfurt.

Weser

The Weser flows north through central Germany to the North Sea. It forms from the Werra and Fulda rivers and shapes Lower Saxony and Bremen regions.

Saale

The Saale is a central German river that joins the Elbe. It drains large parts of Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia and connects historic towns.

Spree

The Spree runs through eastern Germany and flows into the Havel at Spandau. It passes through Berlin and is important for city waterways.

Ems

The Ems flows north in northwestern Germany to the North Sea. It drains parts of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia and serves coastal regions.

Neckar

The Neckar is a tributary of the Rhine in southwestern Germany. It runs through Stuttgart and other industrial cities and is a major regional river.

Havel

The Havel flows in northeastern Germany and joins the Elbe. It passes through Potsdam and forms many lakes and waterways around Berlin.

Werra

The Werra is one of the two source rivers of the Weser. It flows through central Germany and meets the Fulda to form the Weser.

Isar

The Isar runs from the Alps through Bavaria to join the Danube near Deggendorf. It flows through Munich and is central to Bavarian river systems.

Leine

The Leine flows in Lower Saxony and northern Hesse. It joins the Aller and contributes to the Weser basin and regional drainage.

Moselle

The Moselle (Mosel) flows from France through Luxembourg into western Germany and joins the Rhine at Koblenz. It forms a major wine region along its valley.

Inn

The Inn flows from the Alps at the Austrian border into Germany and then into the Danube. It shapes parts of southeastern Bavaria and is a key Alpine tributary.

Oder

The Oder runs along and across the German-Polish border to the Baltic Sea. It forms a major eastern boundary and drains a large northeastern basin.

White Elster

The White Elster is a tributary of the Saale and runs through Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. It serves urban and industrial landscapes in eastern Germany.

Lech

The Lech comes from the Alps in Austria and flows into the Danube in Bavaria. It is an important Alpine tributary with scenic valleys.

Neisse

The Neisse (Lusatian Neisse) forms part of the German-Polish border and flows to the Oder. It is included as a key border river in eastern Germany.

Lahn

The Lahn is a Rhine tributary that flows through central Germany. It drains parts of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate and links several historic towns.

Saar

The Saar flows from France into Germany and joins the Moselle. It defines border and industrial regions in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate.

Altmühl

The Altmühl is a slow river in Bavaria that joins the Danube. It runs through rural limestone country and is included for its scenic and historical importance.

Lippe

The Lippe flows across North Rhine-Westphalia into the Rhine. It drains an important industrial and agricultural area in the Ruhr region.

Fulda

The Fulda flows in central Germany and meets the Werra to form the Weser. It drains parts of Hesse and is a main Weser headwater.

Ruhr

The Ruhr flows into the Rhine through North Rhine-Westphalia. It runs through the Ruhr industrial area and defines a major urban valley.

Aller

The Aller is a tributary of the Weser in northern Germany. It drains large lowland areas and passes through Lower Saxony.

Elde

The Elde flows in Mecklenburg and feeds into the Elbe river system. It serves lakes and inland waterways in northeastern Germany.

Jagst

The Jagst is a tributary of the Neckar in Baden-Württemberg. It flows through a rural valley and is part of the Rhine basin.

Eider

The Eider runs across Schleswig-Holstein to the North Sea. It forms part of the northern drainage into the North Sea.

Hunte

The Hunte flows in Lower Saxony and joins the Weser. It drains agricultural regions and feeds northern waterways.

Unstrut

The Unstrut is a tributary of the Saale in central Germany. It runs through Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt and serves local valleys and towns.

Amper

The Amper flows in Bavaria and joins the Isar. It drains parts of Upper Bavaria and contributes to the Danube catchment via the Isar.

Kocher

The Kocher is a tributary of the Neckar in Baden-Württemberg. It runs through a steep valley and joins larger Rhine tributaries.

Sieg

The Sieg flows in western Germany and joins the Rhine near Bonn. It drains areas of North Rhine-Westphalia and is regionally important.

Warnow

The Warnow flows to the Baltic Sea at Rostock. It drains Mecklenburg and reaches the Baltic coast near a major port city.

Iller

The Iller rises in the Alps and joins the Danube in Bavaria. It is an Alpine tributary that runs through scenic mountain valleys.

Frankish Saale

The Frankish Saale (Fränkische Saale) flows in northern Bavaria and joins the Main. It drains rural parts of the Franconian region.

Peene

The Peene runs in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and flows to the Baltic. It drains large wetlands and is part of the northeastern coastal basin.

Ilm

The Ilm flows in Thuringia and joins the Saale. It passes through historic towns and contributes to central German drainage.

Tauber

The Tauber is a tributary of the Main in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. It flows through a scenic valley noted for medieval towns.

Oker

The Oker runs in Lower Saxony and joins the Aller. It drains Harz mountain runoff into northern river systems.

Nahe

The Nahe flows in Rhineland-Palatinate and joins the Rhine near Bingen. It drains a wine-growing region and local valleys.

Trave

The Trave runs in Schleswig-Holstein and flows into the Baltic Sea at Lübeck. It serves coastal ports and historic towns.

Mulde

The Mulde is a central German river that joins the Elbe. It forms from smaller tributaries and drains parts of Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.

Wupper

The Wupper flows in North Rhine-Westphalia and joins the Rhine. It runs through a densely populated and industrialized region.

Vils (Danube)

The Vils in Bavaria is a Danube tributary that drains local foothill areas. It is included as a named Danube tributary in southern Germany.

Enz

The Enz flows in Baden-Württemberg and joins the Neckar. It drains part of the Black Forest foothills and nearby towns.

Regnitz

The Regnitz runs in northern Bavaria and joins the Main. It links several cities and is an important regional watercourse.

Regen

The Regen flows in Bavaria and joins the Danube at Regensburg. It drains Bavarian forest and upland areas into the Danube basin.

Schwarze Elster

The Schwarze Elster is a tributary of the Elbe in eastern Germany. It drains parts of Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt.

Naab

The Naab flows in Bavaria and joins the Danube. It drains upland areas and forms part of the Danube’s tributary network.

Salzach

The Salzach flows along the Austria–Germany border and joins the Inn. It drains Alpine areas and is a significant Alpine tributary.

Vechte

The Vechte starts in Germany and flows to the Netherlands. It drains parts of Lower Saxony and crosses into the Dutch river system.

Kyll

The Kyll is a tributary of the Moselle in western Germany. It drains parts of the Eifel highlands and joins the Moselle valley.

Elz

The Elz in Baden flows to the Rhine and drains part of the Black Forest region. It is a local tributary in southwestern Germany.

Wümme

The Wümme runs in northern Germany and feeds into the Weser system via the Lesum. It drains parts of Lower Saxony and Bremen area.

Pegnitz

The Pegnitz flows in Bavaria and joins the Regnitz near Fürth. It runs through Nuremberg and is central to local city waterways.

Wied

The Wied is a small tributary of the Rhine in Rhineland-Palatinate. It drains local hills and feeds the Rhine valley.

Kinzig (Baden)

The Kinzig in Baden-Württemberg flows to the Rhine. It drains parts of the Black Forest and feeds the Rhine basin.

Kinzig (Hesse)

The Kinzig in Hesse flows into the Main. It drains central Hesse and links towns east of Frankfurt.

Ahr

The Ahr runs through Rhineland-Palatinate and joins the Rhine. It is known for steep valley vineyards and tributary character.

Ilz

The Ilz flows in southeastern Bavaria and joins the Danube at Passau. It drains a green, forested upland area into the Danube.

Zschopau

The Zschopau runs in Saxony and flows into the Freiberger Mulde. It drains Ore Mountain runoff into the Elbe system.

Rednitz

The Rednitz joins the Pegnitz to form the Regnitz in Bavaria. It drains parts of Franconia and contributes to the Main basin.

Oste

The Oste flows in northern Lower Saxony and joins the Elbe estuary. It drains rural marshes and lowlands near the North Sea coast.

Wörnitz

The Wörnitz flows in Bavaria and joins the Danube. It drains parts of Franconia and contributes to the Danube basin.

Sauer

The Sauer (Sûre) runs along Luxembourg and Germany and joins the Moselle. It forms part of the western border areas and drains into the Moselle basin.

Dieme

Dieme is a lesser-known river name in regional lists and represents smaller local tributaries. Include it for completeness among notable local streams when appropriate.

Ohm

The Ohm flows in central Hesse and joins the Lahn. It drains rural upland areas and feeds the Rhine basin through the Lahn.

Prüm

The Prüm runs in Rhineland-Palatinate and joins the Sauer/Sûre basin. It drains Eifel highlands and serves local valleys.

Erft

The Erft flows in North Rhine-Westphalia and joins the Rhine. It drains into the Rhine near Cologne and shapes local lowlands.

Rur

The Rur flows from the Eifel across Germany into the Netherlands and then to the Meuse. It is an important river for regional water management.

Trebel

The Trebel runs in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and flows to the Baltic Sea. It drains northeastern marshes and coastal lowlands.

Paar

The Paar flows in Bavaria and feeds into larger southern German rivers. It drains rural areas and is part of the Danube/Rhine region depending on the catchment.

Günz

The Günz runs in Bavaria and joins the Danube system through other tributaries. It drains Alpine foreland areas and local valleys.

Mindel

The Mindel is a Bavarian tributary that feeds larger Danube tributaries. It drains parts of the Danube’s southern catchment.

Zusam

The Zusam flows in Bavaria and joins the Danube via the Danube’s tributary network. It drains local agricultural areas.

Schmutter

The Schmutter runs in Bavaria and joins the Danube basin through regional tributaries. It drains countryside west of Augsburg.

Mangfall

The Mangfall flows from the Bavarian Alps and joins the Inn. It drains Alpine areas and provides water to Munich’s region historically.

Loisach

The Loisach rises in the Alps and joins the Isar/Ammer river systems en route to the Danube. It drains Alpine valleys near Garmisch.

Alz

The Alz flows out of Lake Chiemsee and joins the Inn. It is a short but notable river in southeastern Bavaria.

Sempt

The Sempt flows in Bavaria and drains local plains into larger tributaries that reach the Danube. It serves regional drainage near Munich.

Helme

The Helme runs in central Germany and flows into the Unstrut or Saale catchments. It drains parts of Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt.

Wipper (Saale)

The Wipper is a tributary of the Saale in central Germany. It drains regional uplands into the Saale and then the Elbe.

Bode

The Bode flows in Saxony-Anhalt and joins the Saale. It drains Harz mountain water and feeds the central German river network.

Fuhse

The Fuhse runs in Lower Saxony and joins larger rivers in the Aller/Weser basin. It drains local lowlands northeast of Hanover.

Örtze

The Örtze flows in Lower Saxony and joins the Aller/Weser system. It drains heathland and marsh areas near the Lüneburg Heath.

Meiße

The Meiße is a small river in northern Germany that drains local lowlands and joins larger regional streams. It appears on lists for regional completeness.

Our

The Our flows along the Germany–Luxembourg border and joins the Sauer/Moselle system. It serves as a small border river with scenic valleys.

Gera

The Gera runs in Thuringia and joins the Unstrut or Saale systems. It passes through Erfurt and is important to local city geography.

Wutach

The Wutach flows in Baden-Württemberg and enters the Rhine basin via the Rhine tributary network. It is known for deep gorges and natural parks.

Aist

The Aist flows in Upper Austria and parts of nearby regions; listed for border-area relevance when mapping rivers that connect to German basins.

Stepenitz (Elbe)

The Stepenitz in northern Germany flows toward the Elbe and drains Mecklenburg lowlands. It is a Baltic/North-Sea catchment feeder depending on its course.