For over 150 years the river Isar has been used as an important waterway and a key transportation route from Rome to Vienna. Nowadays this tranquil setting in Munich, Germany doesn’t host Roman rafts but Benjamin David, an office worker who commutes a 1.24 mile stretch to avoid the rush hour traffic.

Before setting off each day Benjamin checks water temperatures, river levels and currents to ensure the 30 minute commute is viable, if conditions are good he packs his laptop, phone, towel, wallet and work clothes into a cleverly designed waterproof bag (that also doubles up as a float) and simply floats / swims downriver. Due to currents it’s a one way ticket and mainly a summer activity, although Benjamin has enjoyed winter commutes.

If you enjoy a good commuting story be sure to check out A Perfect Snapshot of 1980s Commuting in London, Tokyo Commuters and The Future of Commuting – Hoverbikes