The Havel Lakes around Potsdam can be explored by passenger ferry and tour boat, giving a completely different perspective on the city's royal landscape. White Line and other operators run regular services between the city centre, Babelsberg, Wannsee, and the Schwielowsee — a chain of interconnected lakes stretching south of Potsdam. The ferries operate on scheduled routes that function as a waterborne transit system, and it is possible to board at one landing stage and disembark at another for a walk through the parks.
The best single boat trip is the run from central Potsdam past the Glienicke Bridge and down the Havel to the Schwielowsee — a two-hour journey through forest and parkland with almost no visible development. The Heilandskirche at Sacrow, set directly on the shoreline north of Potsdam, is best approached by water. Boats depart from the Lange Brücke near the main station; timetables change seasonally and are available at the pier.