Elbe Philharmonic Hall

City Trip to Hamburg, Germany

7 facts about Hamburg

  1. Hamburg has 1.85 million inhabitants and is the second largest city in Germany after Berlin
  2. The area of ​​the port of Hamburg is almost as big as Copenhagen
  3. Hamburg lies on the Elbe and the Alster
  4. In Hamburg they say ” Moin “.
  5. The Elbphilharmonie is Hamburg’s landmark
  6. Hamburg has over 2,500 bridges . That’s more than Venice , London and Amsterdam combined.
  7. Hamburg is the most beautiful city in the world . At least that’s what the Hamburgers say.

Public transport in Hamburg

In Hamburg you can get from A to B very easily. The city is relatively compact, so you can explore a lot on foot. For all other routes you can use the HVV. You have the choice between the subway, the S-Bahn and many bus lines .

Incidentally, the subway in Hamburg is called Hochbahn and runs on a total of four lines (U1-U4). To explore the city, the elevated train is usually the fastest and most convenient means of transport. With the S-Bahn you can mainly get to the outer districts and the bus will take you to all the corners where the U-Bahn doesn’t go.

In addition, some ferries are part of the public transport in Hamburg . They’re a great way to see a bit of the harbor without booking a harbor cruise.

Public transport tickets

There are four interesting ticket options for visitors to the city:

  1. Single ticket : 3.50 euros
  2. Day ticket : 8.20 euros
  3. 9 a.m. day ticket : 6.90 euros
  4. 9am group ticket : 12.90 euros

Our tip: Buy a 9 a.m. day ticket. This allows you to use all public transport throughout the day, except during the rush hour between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. On weekends and public holidays, the 9 a.m. tickets are even valid all day.

Single tickets are quite expensive. The 9 a.m. day ticket is already worthwhile after the second trip. An even better deal is the 9 o’clock group ticket . Up to 5 people can travel with this ticket, which is really a bargain.

Tickets are available from machines, kiosks in the stations and in the HVV app. All further information can be found on the HVV website .

Hamburg Card

If you come to Hamburg as a tourist, take a look at the Hamburg Card. The Hamburg Card costs a little more than a 9 a.m. day pass and is specially made for city breaks.

With it, you can also use all public transport in Hamburg and also receive discounts on many sights and attractions .

Arrival in Hamburg

By train

According to acronymmonster.com, Hamburg has a total of three long-distance train stations: Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, Hamburg Dammtor, Hamburg Altona . Many trains stop at the Dammtor and in Altona after stopping at the main station.

Our tip: Hamburg Central Station is always extremely full. We therefore recommend that you get on and off at the Dammtor to avoid the hustle and bustle. Another advantage if you get on at Dammtor: the southbound trains first stop at Dammtor and then at the main station. So you can look for a place in peace before the big rush comes.

By plane

Hamburg Airport is relatively close to the city and is very well connected. The S1 runs every 10 minutes and takes you to the city center in 25 minutes.

By car

Unfortunately, there is a chronic shortage of parking spaces in Hamburg. If you are coming by car, it is best to find out beforehand where you can park or whether your hotel offers parking spaces.

Frequently asked questions about Hamburg

Is a city trip to Hamburg worth it?

Definitely! Hamburg is one of our top 3 destinations for a city trip in Germany and we think everyone should have been to Hamburg at least once.

When is the best time to travel to Hamburg?

Hamburg is at its most beautiful when life is happening outdoors. Therefore, for us, the best time to travel to Hamburg is between mid-April and mid-September. But Hamburg also has plenty of indoor attractions, making it a good year-round destination.

How many days do you need for Hamburg?

Hamburg is a great destination for a long weekend. In two full days you can definitely manage the most important highlights. If you want to delve a little deeper into the Hanseatic city, you can easily spend up to a week in Hamburg without getting bored.

Does it rain a lot in Hamburg?

Hamburg has a reputation for being a very rainy city. That is only partly true. Compared to other federal states, the amount of rain is not that great. However, it rains more often in Hamburg, just not that much at once. Due to the wind, the weather is also very changeable. Professionals therefore always have a rain jacket with them.

Elbe Philharmonic Hall