U-2511 conducted one patrol. On the evening of 30 April (coincidentally the date of Hitler's death), U-2511 set out from Bergen, Norway for the Caribbean, but on 4 May Schnee received the end-of-the-war cease-fire order. A few hours later U-2511 spotted a group of British warships. Schnee approached to within 500 meters of the British cruiser HMS Norfolk without being detected.
Schnee had a U-boat commander's dream shot lined up, but left the scene without attacking and headed back to base. U-2511 reached Bergen, Norway on 5 May 1945 and surrendered as ordered. The commander spoke with officers of HMS Norfolk a few days later, who found it unbelievable that U-2511 was able to get so close without any sonar contact.
On 14 June 1945, U-2511 was transferred from Bergen, and arrived at Lisahally, Ireland on 21 June for Operation Deadlight. The boat was scuttled on 7 January 1946 at 7:40pm. U-2511 suffer no casualties to her crew.