When travelling from the Netherlands to the East, one will always have to cross the Elbe somewhere. This shouldn’t be a problem, as there are plenty of bridges or ferries. The river takes rise in the Giant Mountains in the Czech Republic, enters Germany near Dresden and then flows north-westward to Hamburg. Because the river is navigable, it is an important waterway for cargo-vessels. The mouth of the Elbe at Cuxhaven, where it debouches in the North Sea, is at least 15 km wide.