Hamburg is Germany's second-largest city and its great maritime gateway, a proud Hanseatic port that has traded across the North and Baltic Seas for centuries. Known as the 'Venice of the North' for its extensive network of canals and bridges, the city pairs a historic warehouse district with the striking modern Elbphilharmonie concert hall. From the red-light glamour of the Reeperbahn to the quiet green banks of the Alster lakes, Hamburg blends maritime heritage with contemporary culture.
- Public
- Excellent HVV network of trains, buses and ferries covers all of Hamburg and runs late into the night
- Taxi
- Metered taxis are reliable and available at ranks; FREE NOW and Uber also operate
- Rental
- Unnecessary within the city; useful for day trips to Lüneburg Heath or the Wadden Sea coast
- Walking
- Speicherstadt, HafenCity, the Altstadt, and Blankenese are all very walkable
Transport at a glance
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
- Taxi
- €35-45, 20-25 min to city center
- Taxi Info
- Taxis available outside both terminals at marked ranks, metered fare to central Hamburg
- Shuttle
- €25-35 via shared transfer services booked online in advance
- Shuttle Info
- Reserve ahead of arrival; shuttle meets passengers at the arrivals hall
- Bus
- €3.40, S1 S-Bahn direct to Hauptbahnhof
- Bus Info
- S1 departs from the airport's own station beneath Terminal 1, trains every 10 minutes
- Private
- €60-90, pre-booked car service
- Private Info
- Book online at least 24 hours in advance for guaranteed pickup
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Bus
HVV buses cover the whole city, €3.40 per ride or €8.40 day pass
Alternatives
U-Bahn, S-Bahn, harbor ferries, and StadtRAD bicycle sharing
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Regular
- €3.90 base fare + €2.55/km
- Apps
- FREE NOW, Uber, Taxi Hamburg
- App Names
- FREE NOW, Uber, Taxi Hamburg
- Typical Fare
- €10-18 for average city ride
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Bus
Flixbus from €7 to Berlin, Bremen, and Lübeck
Shared
BlaBlaCar available for budget intercity travel
Flights
Domestic flights from Hamburg Airport (HAM) from €35
Private
Car hire from €30/day from Sixt, Europcar, Hertz
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Hamburg is served by HVV (Hamburger Verkehrsverbund), an integrated network of U-Bahn, S-Bahn, buses, and harbor ferries that makes a car unnecessary for most visitors. The compact city center, Speicherstadt, and HafenCity are also highly walkable.
Airports
Hamburg Airport (Helmut Schmidt)
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
HVV App
Official HVV app for journey planning, live departures, and digital ticket purchase
FREE NOW
Taxi and ride-sharing app widely used in Hamburg
StadtRAD Hamburg
Bicycle sharing app with docking stations across the city
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Buy an HVV day pass (Ganztageskarte) at €8.40 for unlimited travel on trains, buses and ferries
The Hamburg CARD bundles transport with museum and attraction discounts
Ferry line 62 is a regular HVV service, not a sightseeing cruise, so a standard ticket covers it
Validate tickets before boarding or risk a fine during spot checks
S3/S31 now runs directly to Stade, making Elbe-side day trips easy without a car