Transportation in Hamburg
Hamburg spreads from the River Elbe northwards. Walk around the compact centre, which takes in the Altstadt (Old Town) and St Pauli, then explore the city's happening neighbourhoods: Altona, Schanzenviertel and Eppendorf.Most attractions cluster around the central Altstadt and near the Landungsbrücken pier in the south. The city's public transport network, consisting of U-Bahn (underground), S-Bahn (overground) and a bus service, conveniently covers the centre and further-out districts.In the central Altstadt, the grand Town Hall and the Neuer Wall shopping arcades give way to the Alster river. Buzzing St Pauli, to the west of here, is home to the nightlife stretch, Reeperbahn. The greenery of Plants and Flowers park is sandwiched in between. Move south from here, past the tower of St Michaelis church, to the Landungsbrücken pier, which gives way to the River Elbe, the frantic port and, towards the east, the brick buildings of the storehouse district (Speicherstadt).
Read more about transport from and to the airport
U-Bahn and S-Bahn
Hamburg's extensive U-Bahn and S-Bahn network is the quickest and most reliable way to get around the city. The underground U-Bahn trains and the overground S-Bahn trains share stations and tracks. Buy a ticket from a yellow machine on the platform. Trains run until around 12.30am from Monday till Thursday and all night on weekends.
Bus
Hamburg's MetroBus and CityBus service cover the city centre and most outer districts. Buses are good if you want to watch while travelling, but are especially handy at night. There are 19 lines that run throughout the night, connecting most districts from the central start and interchange point at Rathausmarkt. Buy your ticket from the driver.
Taxi
Hamburg's beige Mercedes taxis are instantly recognisable. Hail one on the street, or call the central taxi office on +49 (0) 40 66 66 66 to arrange one in advance. Taxi drivers expect a tip of 5-10%.
Foot
Walking is the best way to get around the Altstadt and St Pauli. Wander along the banks of the Aussenalster lake, in the northeast, or stroll westwards along a quiet patch of the River Elbe, starting from Museumshafen Oevelgönne.
Boat
Boats are the way to explore Hamburg's port – and to see the city from the water. Several boat tours leave from the Landungsbrücken pier. Choose your crew according to duration and boat size and buy your ticket directly from their stall.
Rent your car
You can drive swiftly into Hamburg via several motorways that fan into the city. As you approach the city centre, you’ll see electronic signs indicating parking spaces at various car parks. These are also colour coded into red for Mönckebergstrasse, yellow for the Jungfernstieg and green for the Port area.
Transportation Tips
Hamburg's public transport is fully integrated: A ticket allows you to travel on U-Bahn, S-Bahn and on buses. Unless you want to venture into the outer suburbs, Zone A is all you need. An All-Day Ticket (Tageskarte) allows unlimited travel for a day. The Hamburg Card, issued by Hamburg Tourism, offers free travel across the city's public transport, as well as free admission to Hamburg's museums.
Hamburg Transport Association (Hamburger Verkehrsverbund) website
