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IntercityHotel Kiel is tenth, and its best feature for MSC passengers is the building next door. MSC runs a paid shuttle to Ostuferhafen from Kiel Hbf, and the hotel sits beside the station; our walking route to Ostseekai is about 1.1 miles, roughly 23 minutes.
"Opposite the Norwegenkai", as Kiel's tourism listing puts it, means the Color Line ferry, not a cruise berth.
Breakfast is a buffet whose price the brand doesn't print. The tourism listing says it's included and parking is up to €8.00 (about US$9) a day — neither is the hotel's own page, so we don't score them.
Book it for an MSC sailing with the shuttle, and ask at booking whether breakfast is in your rate.
Book it if
- You're sailing MSC and want the station shuttle on the doorstep
- You're an H Rewards member
- You want a harbour-view restaurant
Look elsewhere if
- You need breakfast confirmed in the rate.
- You need a parking price from the hotel itself.
- You want to walk to the ship.
Your night before, from here
From check-in to the gangway — what IntercityHotel Kiel publishes, not what we’d guess.
A restaurant with harbour views and a bar, per the brand.
No ride to the ship is listed — Ostseekai is about 23 minutes on foot by our routing, and MSC's paid shuttle to Ostuferhafen leaves from Kiel Hbf, next door.
A buffet; the brand page doesn't print the price. Kiel's tourism listing says it's included, but that's not the hotel's own page, so ask.
Kiel's tourism listing puts it "opposite the Norwegenkai" — the Color Line ferry berth, not a cruise terminal. Our walking route to Ostseekai is about 1.1 miles (1.8 km), roughly 23 minutes; Ostuferhafen is 4.4 road miles. With heavy bags, a taxi from IntercityHotel Kiel to Ostseekai is about 1.1 road miles; Ostuferhafen is 4.4.
The brand page prints no parking price — Kiel's tourism listing says up to €8.00 a day, €16.00 (about US$18) minimum a stay, and may be out of date; nothing covers a cruise week.
Night-Before Score: 23 of 100
Scored only from what the hotel or its brand publishes, and the hub explains how the Night-Before Score works.
Getting here, and on to the ship
By our routing IntercityHotel Kiel is about 57.6 road miles from Hamburg Airport. Ostseekai is about 1.1 miles on foot, roughly 23 minutes, by our routing, Ostuferhafen 4.4 road miles, and every question mark below is a ride you arrange yourself.
No airport transfer. H Rewards members get a FreeCityTicket for local public transport.
No ride to the ship is listed — Ostseekai is about 23 minutes on foot by our routing, and MSC's paid shuttle to Ostuferhafen leaves from Kiel Hbf, next door.
Kiel's tourism listing puts it "opposite the Norwegenkai" — the Color Line ferry berth, not a cruise terminal. Our walking route to Ostseekai is about 1.1 miles (1.8 km), roughly 23 minutes; Ostuferhafen is 4.4 road miles.
From HAM without a hotel shuttle
By our routing Hamburg Airport is about 57.6 road miles from IntercityHotel Kiel, roughly 63 minutes with no traffic. The Kielius bus runs to Kiel ZOB in about 1 hour 35 minutes, €26 (about US$30) online or €27 (about US$30) on board. More: the airport page.
The brand page prints no parking price — Kiel's tourism listing says up to €8.00 a day, €16.00 minimum a stay, and may be out of date; nothing covers a cruise week.
Parking for your stay: No price on the brand page; Kiel's tourism listing says up to €8.00 a day, €16.00 minimum a stay.
No ride to the ship is listed — Ostseekai is about 23 minutes on foot by our routing, and MSC's paid shuttle to Ostuferhafen leaves from Kiel Hbf, next door.
Kiel's tourism listing puts it "opposite the Norwegenkai" — the Color Line ferry berth, not a cruise terminal. Our walking route to Ostseekai is about 1.1 miles (1.8 km), roughly 23 minutes; Ostuferhafen is 4.4 road miles.
Landing on sail morning instead? Skip IntercityHotel Kiel and head for the terminal — Ostseekai is about 58.7 road miles from Hamburg Airport by our routing. The airport page has the bus and the train.
Which terminal
Two terminalsTUI and AIDA board at Ostseekai, about 1.1 miles on foot, roughly 23 minutes, by our routing from IntercityHotel Kiel; MSC and Costa at Ostuferhafen, about 4.4 road miles, roughly 12 minutes with no traffic, by our routing. Check your documents against the Kiel cruise guide.
Source: portofkiel.comDistance
~1.1 mi on foot to Ostseekai, our routingKiel's tourism listing puts it "opposite the Norwegenkai" — the Color Line ferry berth, not a cruise terminal. Our walking route to Ostseekai is about 1.1 miles (1.8 km), roughly 23 minutes; Ostuferhafen is 4.4 road miles.
Source: hrewards.comTo the ship
No shuttle statedIntercityHotel Kiel lists no shuttle, and for Ostseekai you may not need one: it’s about 23 minutes on foot. For Ostuferhafen, MSC runs a paid shuttle from Kiel Hbf; MSC’s international and US pages say €15 (about US$17) a person.
Source: hrewards.comParking while you sail
Cruise parking
Cruise parking unconfirmedThe brand page prints no parking price — Kiel's tourism listing says up to €8.00 a day, €16.00 minimum a stay, and may be out of date; nothing covers a cruise week.
Source: ahoi.kiel-sailing-city.dePort Parking
Priced onlineAt IntercityHotel Kiel, no price on the brand page; a tourism listing says up to €8.00 a day. Port Parking’s official lots are built for the trip: €174 (about US$195) for 7–8 days at Ostseekai (TUI Cruises’ price), €149 (about US$165) at Ostuferhafen (MSC and Costa). Bookings are online only.
Where the car goes while you sail · Kiel cruise parking, compared.
Source: portparking.deThe evening and the morning
The evening
Food or bar on siteA restaurant with harbour views and a bar, per the brand.
Breakfast
Not statedA buffet; the brand page doesn't print the price. Kiel's tourism listing says it's included, but that's not the hotel's own page, so ask.
Address
Kaistraße, by Kiel HbfKaistraße 54-56, 24114 Kiel
Hotel website
The fine print, in one place
The small print as IntercityHotel Kiel publishes it — times, fees and rooms. We couldn’t confirm whether breakfast is in your rate and a current parking price, so ask IntercityHotel Kiel when you book.
Check-in and check-out
Minimum age
Not stated by the hotel.
Extra fees
Kiel overnight tax: 5% of the net room price from Oct 1, 2026 (stays booked Jan 1–Sep 30, 2026 and ending by Jun 30, 2027 are exempt)
Wi-Fi
Free
Parking for your stay
No price on the brand page; Kiel's tourism listing says up to €8.00 a day, €16.00 minimum a stay
Breakfast
Buffet; price not on the brand page (the tourism listing says included)
Pool
No pool mentioned on the pages we read
Pets
Pets welcome, €15 a day per Kiel's tourism listing.
Food and drink on site
- RestaurantHarbour views
- BarOn site
Rooms
124 rooms, standard about 18 m²: Standard, Business, BusinessPlus and accessible rooms.
Accessibility
Accessible rooms are listed, per the brand.
On site
- EV chargingNot stated
- Guest laundryNot stated
- GymNot stated
- Pets allowedYes
Nearby, by the hotel’s count
- Kiel Hauptbahnhofdirectly at the station
- Norwegenkai (Color Line ferry)opposite, per the tourism listing
- Sophienhofabout 4 minutes on foot
Distances as IntercityHotel Kiel or its brand lists them, kept in its own units.
Also worth knowing
- Pets €15 a day, per Kiel's tourism listing
- "DEHOGA Superior", per Kiel's tourism listing
Before you book
Worth knowing
- 124 rooms, standard about 18 m².
- H Rewards members get a FreeCityTicket for local buses.
- "DEHOGA Superior", per Kiel's tourism listing.
- Accessible rooms listed.
- Budget 5% on top of the net rate at IntercityHotel Kiel for Kiel's overnight tax, which starts October 1, 2026 — unless you booked between January 1 and September 30, 2026 for a stay ending by June 30, 2027.
What we couldn’t confirm
- Whether breakfast is in your rate
- A current parking price
- Check-in times
Every hotel fact here comes from IntercityHotel Kiel’s own pages or its brand’s, read October 4, 2026, unless we name another source — so before you book, confirm whether breakfast is in your rate.
Worth a look alongside it
Before you book IntercityHotel Kiel: the Kiel cruise guide, Kiel cruise parking and the splurge list.
Wake up beside Kiel Hbf, MSC's shuttle outside.
Tell us your sail date and we’ll check IntercityHotel Kiel for the night before. No payment on the form.
IntercityHotel Kiel FAQ
Is IntercityHotel Kiel close to the MSC shuttle?
Yes — MSC's paid shuttle to Ostuferhafen leaves from Kiel Hbf on embarkation day, and the hotel is directly at the station.
Is breakfast included at IntercityHotel Kiel?
Kiel's tourism listing says so, but the brand page doesn't print it. Ask when you book.
How much is parking at IntercityHotel Kiel?
The brand page gives no price — Kiel's tourism listing says up to €8.00 a day with a €16.00 minimum, and may be out of date.
Is IntercityHotel Kiel opposite the cruise terminal?
It's opposite the Norwegenkai, the Color Line ferry berth. Ostseekai is about 1.1 miles on foot by our routing.
What is the FreeCityTicket at IntercityHotel Kiel?
Free local public transport for H Rewards members, per the brand.
Booking the cruise too?
Send your dates and line, and we'll check the terminal, then pair IntercityHotel Kiel with the ship and the ride. A real advisor does the work. No obligation.
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