Day trips · Hamburg · Germany
6 best day trips from Hamburg
Where to go when you want a day away from Hamburg, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Esther Westerveld from Haarlemmermeer, Nederland, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Hamburg is Lübeck (About 45 minutes by train). The closest option is Stade and the Altes Land, about 45 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 6
- Closest
- Stade and the Altes Land (45 km)
- Most popular
- Lübeck
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lübeck | 65 km | About 45 minutes by train | Regional train from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof | Culture, Couples, First-timers |
| Lüneburg | 50 km | About 30 minutes by train | Regional or Intercity train from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof | Culture, Quiet stays, Couples |
| Bremen | 120 km | About 1 hour by train | Intercity or regional train | Culture, Families |
| Schwerin | 110 km | About 1 hour by train | Regional or Intercity train | Couples, Culture, Quiet stays |
| Stade and the Altes Land | 45 km | About 1 hour by S-Bahn | S-Bahn to Stade, or ferry 62 to Finkenwerder and bus | Couples, Families, Quiet stays |
| Travemünde | 80 km | About 1 hour 15 minutes by train | Regional train via Lübeck | Families, Beach |
The day trips
65 km · About 45 minutes by train
1.Lübeck
The former capital of the Hanseatic League has a UNESCO-listed old town on an island, entered through the twin-towered Holsten Gate, with brick Gothic churches, merchants' houses and almond marzipan shops.
- Getting there
- Regional train from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof
- Best for
- Culture, Couples, First-timers
50 km · About 30 minutes by train
2.Lüneburg
A salt-trading town whose wealth built stepped brick gables around the Am Sande square and the old harbour crane on the Ilmenau river; the German Salt Museum explains its history.
- Getting there
- Regional or Intercity train from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays, Couples
120 km · About 1 hour by train
3.Bremen
Bremen's market square has the UNESCO-listed town hall and Roland statue, the Town Musicians statue and the narrow medieval lanes of the Schnoor quarter.
- Getting there
- Intercity or regional train
- Best for
- Culture, Families
110 km · About 1 hour by train
4.Schwerin
Schwerin Castle, a fairy-tale palace on an island in the lake, is the seat of the state parliament and surrounded by gardens; the small old town is easy to explore on foot.
- Getting there
- Regional or Intercity train
- Best for
- Couples, Culture, Quiet stays
45 km · About 1 hour by S-Bahn
5.Stade and the Altes Land
The Altes Land is Northern Europe's largest fruit-growing region, with half-timbered farmhouses among orchards that blossom in late April and May. Stade has a pretty Hanseatic harbour and old town.
- Getting there
- S-Bahn to Stade, or ferry 62 to Finkenwerder and bus
- Best for
- Couples, Families, Quiet stays
80 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by train
6.Travemünde
Lübeck's Baltic seaside resort has a long sandy beach, a promenade, the four-masted barque Passat as a museum ship and ferries heading for Scandinavia.
- Getting there
- Regional train via Lübeck
- Best for
- Families, Beach
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- Buses fill gaps in the rail network, including the steep Blankenese hillside served by small buses nicknamed 'mountain goats'.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Hamburg?
Lübeck. The former capital of the Hanseatic League has a UNESCO-listed old town on an island, entered through the twin-towered Holsten Gate, with brick Gothic churches, merchants' houses and almond marzipan shops.
+How long does it take to get from Hamburg to Lübeck?
About 45 minutes by train — Regional train from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, about 65 km.
+How long does it take to get from Hamburg to Lüneburg?
About 30 minutes by train — Regional or Intercity train from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, about 50 km.