Inland navigation on the Danube and the Rhine waterways

The aim of this paper is to compare the inland river transport on the Danube and the Rhine according to different aspects. Different historical and economic development of countries in the western, central and eastern Europe led to differences related to dimensions of vessels, canals and lock chambers. The development of ports on the Rhine and the Danube is also slightly connected to the historical and economic development. Comparison of inland navigation on the Danube and the Rhine and activities in ports are the fundamental of the future development of cooperation between different parts of Europe. Thanks to comparisons like this one it is possible to create new frameworks of the future development of inland waterways in Europe. In the future, better connections between river systems will certainly have a positive effect on the development of transport and economic conditions of countries along these rivers.