Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Flying into Hamburg is fairly easy; its international airport has flights across Europe, and is well connected to the city centre, with an airport bus running every 15-20min from 06:00-11:00 (25min trip). You can also take an airport bus to Altona or take the S-1 or U-1 trains to Ohlsdorf and change to an airport express bus.

The city is well served by trains, with four main train stations. There are hourly trains to Lübeck, Kiel, Bremen, Frankfurt and Munich. There are also regular direct services to Berlin, Cologne, Copenhagen and Paris.

Buses connect with Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and Copenhagen, with some agencies specialising in trips to Eastern Europe. If you're driving, the autobahns A1 (Lübeck-Bremen) and A7 (Hanover-Kiel) cross just south of the city.

Getting around

Hamburg's extensive system of U-Bahn, S-Bahn, buses and ferries won't leave you stranded. S- and U-Bahn tickets can be purchased at the bright orange machines at station entrances, while bus tickets are available from the driver.

City driving is surprisingly easy, with clear thoroughfares cutting through the town centre. The only drawback is expensive parking, particularly in the city centre or at hotel car parks.