With the water level steadily falling and following cleaning work and the reinstallation of services, Dresden's White Fleet is sailing again after a forced break of almost two weeks. Five ships of the historic paddle steamer fleet will be touring above the partially collapsed Carola Bridge in the city area and from Pirna in Saxon Switzerland from Friday according to a new timetable, said a spokesman for Weiße Flotte Sachsen GmbH.
Four more steamboats and the two modern saloon boats will follow down the Elbe along the Wine Route once the water level at the Dresden gauge has dropped to below 2.20 meters - it is currently still 2.93 meters there.
Before the restart, the moorings have been cleaned since Monday, the technology secured before the flood has been reinstalled and the ticket and kitchen buildings have been set up. According to the company, mud had to be removed, the steamers cleaned and the electronic display boards reinstalled.
