The Waal is the southernmost arm of the Rhine delta. It starts at Pannerden, where the Rhine forks for the first time, and ends at Loevestein Castle, where he meets the Meuse (today Afgedamde Maas) united. From that moment on, the water becomes Merwede called.
Circuit
At Pannerden the major part (2/3 of the water masses) of the Rhine coming from Germany turns left. The rest continue their way as (dug) Pannerdensch Kanaal and is called after another fork where the IJssel away, Neder-Rijn.
The Waal flows from the former confluence with the Meuse (today Afgedamde Maas) under the name Merwede on and then flows under different names and paths towards the North Sea. The largest amount of water flows over the North, the Nieuwe Maas and the Nieuwe Waterweg. This is also the main route for navigation on the Rhine.
The Waal is with the Neder-Rijn and Amsterdam via the Amsterdam Rijn Canal (at Tiel) connected and with the Meuse on the Maas-Waalkanaal (near Nijmegen) and the Canal van Sint Andries. At this point the distance between Waal and Maas is only 1.9 km.
Cities
The largest city on the Waal is Nijmegen. The city center is located on the left bank (south bank) of the river, but for some years now the city has also been expanding to the right Uder of the Waal with the Waalsprong project.
Other bigger cities are Tiel (right) and Zaltbommel (Left). The Waal separates them Betuwe on the right bank one after the other from Rijk van Nijmegen, the Land van Maas en Waal and the Bommelerwaard on the left bank.
Ferries
- Druten-Dodewaard (Pedestrian / bicycle ferry motor ferry "De Overkant") Tel: 0344-681644 (Recreatie-Maatschappij Rivierengebied); Mobile: 06-30283489 (ferryman).
- Ferry times: 26.4.-28.9. Days of operation: 28.6.-14.9. daily 10 am-6pm; April 26-27 and 15.9.-28.9. only Sat / Sun 10 am-6pm.
- Tiel-Wamel (Pedestrian / bicycle ferry motor ferry "Hendrikus") Tel: 0344-637111 (City of Tiel, P.F. van Gent); Mobile: 06-55358688.
- Ferry times: all year round every day (except for Christmas and New Years), Mon-Fri 7 am-8pm (Thursday until 9pm); Sa 8: 30-18: 00 h; Sun 10: 00-18: 00 h.
- Varik-Heerewaarden (Pedestrian / bicycle ferry motor ferry "Neptunus I") Tel: 0344-681644 (Recreatie-Maatschappij Rivierengebied); Mobile: 06-57273775 (ferryman).
- Ferry times: 26.4.-28.9. 'Days of operation: 28.6.-14.9. daily 10 am-6pm; April 26-27 and 15.9.-28.9. only Sat / Sun 10 am-6pm.
- Brakel-Herwijnen (Car ferry motor ferry "Brakel I") Tel: 0418-671502 (Veerdienst Brakel); Mobile: 06-53652793.
- Ferry times: all year round daily Mon-Fri 5.30am-10pm; Sa 7.00-22.00 h; Sun 9 am-10pm.
- Gorinchem water taxi (Pedestrian / bicycle ferry motor ship) Tel (mobile): 06-22558233 (reserve at least 1 hour in advance!).
- Traffic times: daily all year round. Mon-Thu 9.30am -0am; fri 9.30am-1am; sat 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.; Sun 10: 00-0: 00 h.
- Landing points: Sleeuwijk, Gorinchem, Woudrichem, Loevestein, Vuren.
- Gorinchem-Woudrichem / Loevestein (Pedestrian / bicycle ferry motor ferry "Gorinchemn VIII") Tel: 0183-666899; Mobile; 06-51604964 (J.Hania).
- Ferry times: all year round April-October daily November-March mo-sa. Mon-Fri 6.45am-6.15pm (Thu: until 9.35pm); Sa 8.15-17.45 (apr-oct) 8.15-17.15 (nov-mar); Sun 12.15pm-5.45pm (only apr-oct).
Info about Pedestrian and bicycle ferries (Page in Dutch only).
bridges
There are bridges over the Waal Nijmegen (Waalbrug and railway bridge), Ewijk (Waalbrug near Ewijk / A50), Beneden-Leeuwen (Prins Willem-Alexanderbrug) and Zaltbommel (Martinus Nijhoffbrug / A2 and railway bridge). Both motorway bridges have a separate lane for pedestrians and bicycles.
