Getting around · Hamburg · Germany
Getting around Hamburg
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Evgenii Salganik, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Hamburg's U-Bahn, S-Bahn, buses and harbour ferries are run under one HVV fare system, so one ticket covers trains and boats. The centre, Speicherstadt and St. Pauli are walkable, and cycling is popular. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- HAM
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Hamburg CARD
Ways to get around
Metro
Four U-Bahn lines and the S-Bahn network connect the centre with St. Pauli, the Schanze, Altona, Blankenese and the airport; lines run frequently and through the night at weekends.
Buy tickets in the HVV app or from machines before boarding.
Ferry
HADAG harbour ferries are part of the HVV network; line 62 from the Landungsbrücken to Finkenwerder is the classic budget harbour cruise.
Walking
The Rathaus, Jungfernstieg, Speicherstadt, Elbphilharmonie and Landungsbrücken are linked by 10–20-minute walks along canals and the harbour.
Cycling
The StadtRAD bike-share has stations across the city, and the loops around the Außenalster and along the Elbe are flat and scenic.
Bus
Buses fill gaps in the rail network, including the steep Blankenese hillside served by small buses nicknamed 'mountain goats'.
Boat
Alster steamers leave from the Jungfernstieg for lake tours and canal cruises, and rental stations hire pedalos and canoes.
Tickets and passes
Hamburg CARD
Unlimited HVV travel including harbour ferries, plus discounts at museums, harbour tours and restaurants, for one or more days.
HVV day ticket
A day ticket for unlimited travel in the selected zones, with a cheaper version valid after 9am on weekdays.
Deutschlandticket
A monthly subscription valid on local and regional transport across Germany, including Hamburg's network and regional trains to Lübeck and Lüneburg.
From the airport
Hamburg Airport is about 9 km north of the centre; the S1 S-Bahn reaches the Hauptbahnhof in about 25 minutes. A taxi takes about 25–35 minutes depending on traffic.
Do you need a car?
No. Public transport, bikes and ferries cover the city, and parking is expensive. A car helps only for rural Schleswig-Holstein or the North Sea coast.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Lübeck | About 45 minutes by train | Regional train from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof |
| Lüneburg | About 30 minutes by train | Regional or Intercity train from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof |
| Bremen | About 1 hour by train | Intercity or regional train |
| Schwerin | About 1 hour by train | Regional or Intercity train |
| Stade and the Altes Land | About 1 hour by S-Bahn | S-Bahn to Stade, or ferry 62 to Finkenwerder and bus |
| Travemünde | About 1 hour 15 minutes by train | Regional train via Lübeck |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Hamburg?
No. Public transport, bikes and ferries cover the city, and parking is expensive. A car helps only for rural Schleswig-Holstein or the North Sea coast.
+How do you get from the airport to Hamburg?
Hamburg Airport is about 9 km north of the centre; the S1 S-Bahn reaches the Hauptbahnhof in about 25 minutes. A taxi takes about 25–35 minutes depending on traffic.
+What is the best way to get around Hamburg?
Metro: Four U-Bahn lines and the S-Bahn network connect the centre with St. Pauli, the Schanze, Altona, Blankenese and the airport; lines run frequently and through the night at weekends.