Process for the preparation of a 1-alkyl glycerol ether of the formula (I) in which (a) a carboxylic acid selected from formic acid and acetic acid, an ester of the carboxylic acid selected from an ester of formic acid or an ester of acetic acid, and/or an anhydride of a carboxylic acid selected from acetic anhydride or succinic anhydride, is initially introduced, a catalytic amount of an acid having a pKa value < 4 and which is not a carboxylic acid is added, the mixture is heated to 50 to 120°C, then the alkyl glycidyl ether of the formula (II) in which R is a C 3 to C 18 alkyl group, is added in portions, such that the molar ratio of alkyl glycidyl ether of the formula (II) to (x) the carboxylic acid, (y) the ester of the carboxylic acid and/or (z) the anhydride of the carboxylic acid is in the range from 1:1 to 1:3, and that the reaction mixture comprises at most 0.9 mole of water per mole of used alkyl glycidyl ether of the formula (II); and said low-water reaction mixture is reacted at a temperature of more than 40°C to give an acylated alkyl glycerol ether; and (b) the acylated alkyl glycerol ether is transesterified by adding an excess molar amount of aliphatic alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, the resulting alkyl ester of the carboxylic acid and of the aliphatic alcohol and the excess of the aliphatic alcohol are distilled off, and is then neutralized with an alkalizing agent selected from an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal hydroxide and/or alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonate or hydrogencarbonate, and fractionally distilled in order to obtain the alkyl glycerol ether of the formula (I). (a) a carboxylic acid selected from formic acid and acetic acid, an ester of the carboxylic acid selected from an ester of formic acid or an ester of acetic acid, and/or an anhydride of a carboxylic acid selected from acetic anhydride or succinic anhydride, is initially introduced, a catalytic amount of an acid having a pKa value < 4 and which is not a carboxylic acid is added, the mixture is heated to 50 to 120°C, then the alkyl glycidyl ether of the formula (II) in which R is a C 3 to C 18 alkyl group, is added in portions, such that the molar ratio of alkyl glycidyl ether of the formula (II) to (x) the carboxylic acid, (y) the ester of the carboxylic acid and/or (z) the anhydride of the carboxylic acid is in the range from 1:1 to 1:3, and that the reaction mixture comprises at most 0.9 mole of water per mole of used alkyl glycidyl ether of the formula (II); and said low-water reaction mixture is reacted at a temperature of more than 40°C to give an acylated alkyl glycerol ether; and (b) the acylated alkyl glycerol ether is transesterified by adding an excess molar amount of aliphatic alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, the resulting alkyl ester of the carboxylic acid and of the aliphatic alcohol and the excess of the aliphatic alcohol are distilled off, and is then neutralized with an alkalizing agent selected from an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal hydroxide and/or alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonate or hydrogencarbonate, and fractionally distilled in order to obtain the alkyl glycerol ether of the formula (I). <EOS>