The company and its routes
Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei Föhr-Amrum, the W.D.R. for short, was founded in 1885 and is based in Wyk auf Föhr. For North Frisia it is the operation everything depends on in winter: of the region's 48 directional routes only six run all year, and those six are theirs.
What the W.D.R. runs
The core is the Föhr-Amrum line from Dagebüll, serving Wyk on Föhr and Wittdün on Amrum. To Föhr it is the busiest connection in the region, up to twelve sailings a day in high season. Alongside it runs the Hallig route from Schlüttsiel to Hooge and Langeneß, which is the supply link for the Halligen.
What each route offers in crossing time and frequency is on the Föhr and Amrum pages.
Fleet
The company mostly runs double-ended ferries that do not have to turn at the berth: the Uthlande of 2010, the Schleswig-Holstein of 2011 and the Norderaue of 2018, alongside the Nordfriesland of 1995 and the Hilligenlei of 2002. The ships carry passengers, vehicles, bicycles and freight. The catamaran Adler Rüm Hart has been chartered to Adler-Schiffe since 2019 for the fast passenger link between Föhr, Amrum and Dagebüll.
Ownership and scale
The W.D.R. is a limited company with around 315 shareholders. The largest stakes are held by AG Reederei Norden-Frisia with about 39 per cent and the town of Wyk auf Föhr with about 32 per cent. In 2025 the company carried around 1.8 million passengers, 280,000 cars and 30,000 lorries. By its own account it works without public subsidies, even though supplying the Halligen is an infrastructure task.
FAQ
Which routes does the W.D.R. operate?+
Does the W.D.R. sail in winter?+
Yes. It is the only operator in the region running all year - the seasonal Adler-Schiffe connections end in early November.
Can I take my car on the ferry?+
W.D.R. ships carry vehicles, bicycles and freight. Föhr and Amrum do have their own access rules, and booking early is advisable in high season.
Who owns the Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei?+
It has around 315 shareholders. The largest stakes are held by AG Reederei Norden-Frisia with about 39 per cent and the town of Wyk auf Föhr with about 32 per cent.
Why does the catamaran sail under the Adler name?+
The W.D.R. has chartered its catamaran to Adler-Schiffe, which runs it as a fast passenger link between Föhr, Amrum and Dagebüll.