A truly unique way to see the Bodensee (Lake Constance) is by taking a sightseeing flight on a Zeppelin – a semi-rigid airship held aloft by helium. After seeing the Zeppelins flying over the lake while biking the Bodensee Radweg, I decided to book a flight. I’m so glad I did! Flying on a Zeppelin is a fantastic experience and easily one of the best sightseeing tours I’ve ever done. My husband and sons, who went with me, agree – it was an incredible experience. Totally recommended!
If you are wondering why there are Zeppelin tours over the Bodensee it is because Friedrichshafen is the historical home of the Zeppelin and is now the only place in the world still manufacturing Zeppelins. And, as far as I can tell, it is also the only place you can regularly book a flight on one. Truly unique! If you are interested in Zeppelins, there is also a Zeppelin Museum nearby.
Detail Summary
| Where: | Zeppelin Sightseeing Flights 88046 Friedrichshafen, Messestr. 132 |
| Train/Bus: | Zürich HB -> 88046 Friedrichshafen, Messestr. 132 – 2 hrs 54 mins |
| Car: | Zürich -> 88046 Friedrichshafen, Messestr. 132 – 1 hr 53 mins There is a large parking lot in front of the hanger. |
| What: | Zeppelin Sightseeing Flights Ride in a Zeppelin over the Bodensee. |
| Cost 2026: | Zeppelin Sightseeing Flights Prices start at about 350 EURO for a 30 minute flight and go up from there. Flights only run in good weather. See the Zeppelin Website for flight options, passenger requirements, weather requirements, and cancellation policies. |
The Tour
After driving to the Zeppelin Hanger, we went in and checked in for our flight. We were early (significantly earlier than the 1 hour required) and had more than enough time to have lunch at the on-site restaurant. I’ve included a picture of my lunch because on the menu the sandwich was called a Philly Cheesesteak but as you can see, it most definitely was not a Philly Cheesesteak. It was more like a steak fajita sandwich with arugula on it. American food outside of America tends to be very odd. Anyway, it was a still good sandwich so I can’t complain too much.
After lunch, we went to the departure gate where they took our tickets and escorted us into a small theater to watch a film about Zeppelins. I thought it would be the safety briefing, but that came afterwards. This was the “sizzle reel” – five minutes of footage of Zeppelins flying over gorgeous terrain. The safety briefing came next and for the most part it was similar to any safety briefing you get on an airplane. The big difference was the boarding procedure. For boarding, we took a van out to the field where the Zeppelin was landing and then we lined up two by two. The ground crew brought the stairs over to the Zeppelin and then after two people disembarked, two people were waved forward and allowed to get on. They said to keep moving once waved forward as timing each entry and exit was important for safety as the Zeppelin can move about in the wind.
On the Zeppelin, my younger son and I were seated in the two seats at the very back of the cabin. In the first picture below you can see the entire cabin in front of us. The exit door is to the left and a toilet is to the right. There are 14 passenger seats plus the pilot and co-pilot seats in the cabin. All the windows are large and every seat has a fantastic view. After take-off, when we reached altitude, we were allowed to unbuckle our seatbelts and wander around the cabin and take pictures to our hearts content.
The views were amazing! It was neat to see the shadow of the Zeppelin on the water underneath us. Less neat was how low the water level is this year – we really are in a severe drought. The 30 minutes went by very quickly and we were soon headed back to the landing site.
The Zeppelin is a unique mode of transportation and I don’t think there is anywhere else in the world that you can ride one. The movement of the Zeppelin feels more like a ship than a plane or helicopter. And the slower speed lets you soak in the views. Honestly, this was one of the best sightseeing tours I’ve ever done. Their tagline says the Zeppelin is the prettiest way to fly and now that I’ve experienced it, I have to agree. So while this was not a cheap tour, I definitely think it was worth the price and I strongly recommend booking a flight if you can.
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