Frequently asked questions about Juist

Juist is a "narrow towel" and the longest island of the East Frisian islands. Juist is (depending on tides and measurement basis) 17 km long, between 500 and 900 m wide and thus has a total area of 16.43 km².

In summer, Juist usually has officially more inhabitants than in winter, because many seasonal workers register here. Currently Juist has 1,625 inhabitants (as of 30.09.2022).

Juist is located in northwestern Lower Saxony and belongs to the district of Aurich.

Juist is a North Sea island in the north-west of Lower Saxony, close to the border with the Netherlands. Juist's neighbor to the west is Borkum and to the east is Norderney. Juist belongs to the district of Aurich.

There are several theories about the origin of the nickname "Töwerland", which is often used for Juist today, but mostly this argumentation is used: There was an old sea shanty in which all seven East Frisian islands were named and described, among others Juist as "Töwerland". This nickname has never been completely lost and we think that Juist is also a real magic land. Here are the lyrics of the song: "Wangerooge de Schone, Spiekeroog de Groene, Langeoog dat Botterfatt, Baltrum nöm wi Sandstadt, Nordernee dat Roverland, Juist dat is dad Töwerland - de Börk'mers melken Kohjen un bruuken Schiet to Brand."

Traditionally you travel with the island ferry to Juist. It takes about 90 minutes from Norddeich-Mole to our island. Faster is the water cab Inselexpress and Töwerland Express - the Inselexpress also starts in Norddeich-Mole, but at the Norderney jetty, while the Töwerland Express runs from the Osthafen in Norddeich-Mole. The express boats take about 20 - 45 minutes for the crossing. You can also fly, of course, then you start at the airfield in Norden.

If you want to book in advance when the ferries are going to be convenient for you, it certainly doesn't hurt to take a look at the ferry schedule.

A flight from Norden airfield to Juist is a very special experience. The island fliers FLN offer numerous connections every day. The flight takes about 5 minutes. The airfield on Juist is located at the western end of the island. From there you can walk into town, rent an e-bike by appointment at the airfield, or take a horse-drawn carriage into town. Please note that you have to book the carriage in advance.

If you take the train to Norddeich-Mole, get off the train and turn towards the Juist terminal (don't worry, it's signposted on site). It's only a short walk to the suitcase containers in front of the terminal. There you put your suitcase and can spend the rest of the waiting time in the terminal. If you arrive by car, you can park for a short time directly near the suitcase containers to unload before you drive to the long-term parking lot. On Juist the luggage containers will be unloaded at the port and you can get your luggage on your own. Please make a note of the number of your suitcase container so that you don't have to search for a long time.

If you prefer to send your suitcases directly to Juist by mail, that is of course also possible.

The large island ferry starts in Norddeich and sails across the Wadden Sea to Juist. The Wadden Sea runs very empty at low tide, but at high tide the water is high enough for large ships to sail. The island ferry follows a once natural waterway created by currents. To date, this path has been widened and deepened, but not to the point where the ferry could operate at low tide. This is different on Norderney, for example, where the ferry can basically always run. On Juist, it was decided that the tidal flats should not be disturbed and altered more than necessary, so the channel remained relatively narrow and narrow so that the ferries can only operate when the water level is high enough. Since the tides occur at a different time every day, the island ferry does not sail the same way every day.

Juist is located in the middle of the Wadden Sea, whose water almost completely disappears at low tide. The fast ferries partly follow the fairway of the large island ferry. Although the fast ferries have quite little draught, they too can only sail safely if there is enough water under their keel. Since the tides occur at a different time every day, it may well be that the water cabs between Norddeich and Juist also operate at an impractical time for you. But that is the charm of Juist: You are exposed to the natural conditions!

With the airfield at the east end of the island, Juist has a second traffic pillar. The island pilots take off from the airfield in Norden and fly to Juist frequently. The island pilots operate with small machines, the pilots navigate on a visual basis. If visibility is poor, for example due to fog, the planes cannot take off and land. The same principle applies when it gets dark early. Also, in winter, a midday break is usually observed to allow the pilots the necessary and mandatory rest periods.

Juist airfield is located at the east end of the island near Kalfamer, about 4 km from the center of the village. From the airfield you can walk to the village, rent a bike or be picked up by horse-drawn carriage after booking in advance.

The airfield in Norden is located at this address: Westerlooger Strohweg 5, 26506 Norden. Parking is available on site for a fee. Unfortunately, there is no public transport connection to the airfield. This means that if you are traveling by train, you will have to take a cab to the airfield.

The island ferry to Juist departs from ferry bridge 1 in the harbor in Norddeich-Mole. Follow the signs with destination Juist. You can easily recognize the terminal from a distance. The train station Norddeich-Mole (not Norddeich!) is only about 150 m away from the ferry terminal. If you arrive by car, you can park at the terminal for a short time and unload your luggage before parking your car in one of the long-term parking spaces.

The speedboats of the Töwerland Express depart from the Osthafen / Fischereihafen in Norddeich-Mole. Please use your navigation system to guide you to this address: Töwerland Express, Am Fischereihafen, 26506 Norden Norddeich. If you are traveling by train, please allow about 15 to 20 minutes walking distance from the train or contact Töwerland Express to see if they can pick you up from the train.

The fast boats of the Inselexpress leave from the ferry bridge 3 in Norddeich-Mole. Please use this address to be directed there: Hafenstraße, 26506 Norden-Norddeich. Attention, this is the ferry bridge right next to the Norderney jetty (yes, we find this a bit confusing too).

Fast boats or water cabs from two different shipping companies operate between Juist and Norddeich-Mole.

The Töwerland Express first had the idea of using small, maneuverable ships to create an additional service between Juist and the mainland when there was only the large island ferry and the island planes.

The Inselexpress belongs to the Frisia shipping company, which also operates the island ferry. The Inselexpress has small boats, as well as a "water bus" with 50 seats.

The island ferry is a large ferry of the shipping company Frisia, on which suitcase containers are loaded. The journey time is about 90 minutes. The island ferries can only cross the Wadden Sea when the water level is high enough and therefore usually only run once a day. The island ferry always operates when there is not a lot of water in the channel due to easterly winds or when the Wadden Sea is frozen.

The water cabs of the Inselexpress (also Frisia) and the Töwerland-Express (independent shipping company) can only transport guests and luggage. Strollers, bicycles or similar equipment cannot be transported due to the small size of the boats. These fast boats also need enough water, but they sail more flexible in time than the big island ferry. Travel time is about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on weather and wind. During storms, the trips with the water cabs are cancelled.

Your first look should be on the Internet. On the platform frisonaut.de you will see all the fast ships and the planes that are still running on this day. If possible, book yourself there. If no connection is offered anymore, you will have to stay overnight in Norddeich and cross to Juist the next day. In Norddeich there are some big hotels. Ask here to book a room. If you booked a connection with the big island ferry, you can use your ticket the next day and don't have to cancel it. However, if you would have traveled by water cab or plane, please contact your ferry company for possible rebooking or cancellation. If you have to stay overnight on the mainland, please inform your host as well, so that they don't start looking for you.

If you travel to Juist with the big island ferry, you drop off your luggage at the forecourt of the Juist terminal. Here you will find a fenced area where the luggage containers are placed. From about 1.5 hours before the departure of the ferry you can put your suitcases into the containers. Please remember the number of your container so that you don't have to search for your suitcases on Juist. If a foreship sails or an arrival takes place shortly before your departure, it is best to ask on the spot which containers are traveling to Juist so that you are not involuntarily separated from your luggage.

The flight from Norddeich to Juist takes about 7 minutes, depending on weather and wind.

The island ferry usually takes 90 minutes to travel from Norddeich to Juist and vice versa. If there is little water or a strong headwind, it may take a little longer.

A Töwerland Express or an Inselexpress usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes to travel from Juist to Norddeich or vice versa. In strong winds or high waves, the trip can sometimes take longer.

On Juist, despite the small size of the island, there are several hotels and guesthouses. There is a suitable accommodation for every taste: some hotels and guesthouses on Juist focus on luxury, others on this feeling of "staying with friends".

Some of the hotels and guesthouses on Juist are classified according to official standards. However, this is not the case for all establishments. For cost reasons, it can make sense for a hotel or guesthouse on Juist not to be classified.

Juist is a small island, just 17 km long and 500 m wide (depending on the prevailing tide). So it is hardly surprising that most of the hotels and guesthouses are located in the middle of the small town center and can therefore rightly be called centrally located. The center of the island is not far from the port and the beach and offers many cafes, restaurants and stores.

Since Juist is a car-free island, it is relatively quiet almost everywhere. Some accommodations are of course more central and therefore a little less quiet than others.

There are numerous vacation apartments and vacation homes on Juist. Basically, there is something for every demand. Some apartments and vacation homes on Juist are freshly renovated and modernly equipped, others are more charming and traditionally oriented. Some accommodations are totally central, others rather quiet. For every taste and every desire you will find a wonderful accommodation on your Töwerland Juist.

On Juist not all accommodations are classified according to official systems. Why? Because such awards cost money. Not for every host it makes sense. Nevertheless, some accommodations on Juist are of course classified according to stars.

Juist is not a big island, but a "narrow towel". However, since the island is car-free, the paths can sometimes feel a bit long (especially with headwind). In the village center itself there are some vacation apartments and vacation houses. From there it is not far to the harbor, beach, spa square, beach promenade and stores and restaurants.

Juist is a car-free island. So you could say that everything here is kind of quiet. In the morning, a horse-drawn carriage or a seagull singing particularly early in the morning is most likely to wake you up, even in the middle of town. Still, there is a difference between a vacation apartment or a vacation home in the middle of town and one that is more secluded.

The daily tides on Juist change every day.

Even we cannot predict the daily weather with certainty.

You can find the sunrise and sunset times on our website.

Juist has, despite the small number of inhabitants, many different cafes, restaurants, bars and bistros can be found on the island. In our JuistWebApp you will find a list of all gastronomic establishments and their opening hours (as far as we know them).

On Juist, most stores and stores are open up to six or seven days a week during the summer season. Stores often have a lunch break from about 12:30 to about 15:00. In the low season, opening hours are usually shortened.

You can find an overview of all stores with opening hours in our JuistWebApp.

Juist is a deceleration island. Here, it's all about experiencing and appreciating nature. You can find our top sights on the island and our top walks and tours on the JuistWebApp. We have listed our events for you in our event calendar and also in our WebApp.

In the main season we offer a wide range of different events, e.g. cabarets, concerts and guided tours. You can find all information about events, experiences and sports in our calendar of events. Simply enter your arrival and departure dates here and let yourself be inspired. For some events you can also buy tickets online.

The opening hours of the swimming pool depend on the season.

If the guest fee has already been paid, the entrance to the swimming pool is possible at a discount.

The opening hours of the sauna depend on the season. Some dates are reserved for certain actions, e.g. ladies or family sauna.

The team of the spa department will gladly accept your appointment request. You can find the contact details and the contact hours of the spa department on our website.

Unlike on many other islands, the guest fee is not paid directly by the landlord. Instead, you have to come to the tourist information with your arrival and departure tickets and pay the guest fee. If you have bought your return tickets on a ticket from Reederei Frisia (Island Ferry or Inselexpress), you can pay your guest contribution online before arrival or at one of our guest contribution machines at the harbor and at the town hall. Please keep your payment receipt until you are back on the mainland.

If you were on the island more often in the past, you probably already / still know the TöwerCard. Meanwhile, it is so that after payment of the guest fee the QR code on your departure ticket becomes the TöwerCard. Here you can check if you have already paid your guest fee. If you do not have a QR code on your return ticket (e.g. if you have booked your return journey from Juist with Deutsche Bahn), you will receive a separate card at the Tourist Information upon payment of your guest contribution. Please keep this card and your receipt until you are back on the mainland.

On Juist, prices for food, products and services are more expensive than on the mainland. This is due to the fact that products must first be transported to the island. In addition, wages, rents and various other ancillary costs are higher here, so that businesses have to make more profit to cover their costs.

Juist is a small island. While in a city you need a car or public transport to get from A to B reasonably fast, that is not necessary here. The distances are short. In the village itself you don't need a bicycle, to get to the Bill or the Kalfamer, for example, the power of your own two legs is enough. Carriages take care of the transportation of people and goods on Juist. For some time now, e-bikes have also been on the island, making it easier to get from point A to point B. Cars are driven only by the two doctors. The fire department, airfield, police and a few other institutions also have a motorized vehicle.

In fact, Juist has a lighthouse - albeit not an official one. At the harbor, you can see the Memmertfeuer, an impressive lighthouse that isn't really a lighthouse at all. Originally, the Memmert lighthouse stood on the bird sanctuary island of Memmert, but then threatened to collapse, and was eventually brought to Juist. The Memmert light is not an official lighthouse, as the light is not used to guide ships through the Wadden Sea, but shines sideways across the island.