Getting Around Hamburg

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I just happened to be in Copenhagen sharing a beer, or maybe it was two (HA!) with my good fiend Rasmus. I wasn't sure where I was heading next - I just knew I had to be in Brussels about a week later. Ras mentioned the Eurolines bus service from CPH to Hamburg and that they were offering a pretty good deal at the time - 94 DKK one-way including the ferry.

So that was Hamburg settled as my next intermediate destination.

Buses leave Copenhagen I think twice a day and whilst I'm not normally a big fan of long-distance buses this proved to be a very enjoyable journey, broken by the 45 minute ferry crossing between Rodby and Puttgarden which was a good opportunity for a swift beer and a fag (in the UK sense of the latter).

Here in Hamburg the bus station is just round the corner from the main railway station and I'd assume that most buses from everywhere else terminate here. There's plenty of relatively cheap hotels in the area and whilst it can come across a bit seedy is in fact perfectly safe and very friendly.

By plane:
Hamburg is connected by air with almost every part of Europe, you will find many air companies having Hamburg in their routes and many low cost companies too. Watch out though that some low cost companies like Ryan Air use airport that are 1 hour away from Hamburg (at Lubeck)

By train:
I usually travel to Hamburg from Berlin by train. If you book in advance you may find a ticket down to 29euros. There are several different trains, some direct trains cover the distance in about 2 hours. The main train station is always busy (pic 1), the staff is very helpful, there are machines for tickets but you go to the main hall and ask for details, routes and prices so not to get confused. There is also an Info Spot where you can take maps, guides of the city, buy tickets and get all the useful info you need.

Since December 2008 there is a direct connection from main railway station to the airport in Hamurg. The ride takes 25 minutes, and costs 2,60 Euro. First arrival at the airport 4:29, last departure to station at 0:14. The train is called S1 to the direction of Poppenbüttel-Wedel. The train is separated in Ohlsdorf, the first wagons go to the airport. So watch out you are in the correct part;-) (info from Feb 2008).

If you want to go on sightseeing right away think about buying a day ticket. If you only take two rides in bus, metro and ferry it makes sense.

Info on public transport in general you find here: www.hvv.de

The official airport website is: www.ham.airport.de/en/index.phtml

If you are departing from the airport have a look at the new Möwenpick restaurant area on the upper level. It was opened in the end of 2008 and I think it is a nice design!

The airline Ryanair offers cheap tickets but mostly flies to airports that are pretty far from where you want to go...

There are also bus connections starting / leaving from ZOB (central bus terminal) next to the mail railway station in Hamburg (Hauptbahnhof) to different airports.

You will find more information and/or time shedules here:

For Lübeck (LBC): around 8 € and one hour
Ryanair: www.vhhpvg.de / http://www.vhhpvg.ch/ryan/index.php
Jet2: www.vhhpvg.de

Bremen (BRE): around 14 € and 1,5 hours
www.bus2fly.de

Hamburg has a very good public transportation with busses, underground and ferries. This is a link to the homepage of the transportation company where you can look for the connections and more detailed prices:
www.hvv.de/en/index.php

For underground you have to buy tickets before departure, bus drivers, however, sell tickets, too.

If you do more than two regular drives (2,60€) a day ticket is cheaper (5,10 €, starting at 9:00 am, before that 6,00 €). Also you might think about 3-day (15,00 €) or weekly tickets (14,10 €).
Travelling with a goup is a good option: you can buy day tickets for up to five people (8,60 €, weekdays not between 6-9:00 am, weekend whole days). You can use them between 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. next day - so after partying no need for a new ticket).

The prices comprise the normal touristic drives within the city. Prices mentioned here are from April 2008

By the way the prettiest underground is the U3 passing the harbor with a great view. As for busses I can recommend the line 112 that connects many tourist places. Last stop is Oevelgoenne with its museum harbor and the Elbe beach. Very nice to stop by;-)

Private Car Sharing
In Germany it is pretty common among students and young people to share costs by travelling together by car. There is a good website where you can look up the possible connections and people offering tours. It definately is the cheapest possibility to get around. Much less than the train company. There are good connections between the big cities, mostly at the weekends when students and commuters are going home. Of course you should check how much luggage you can take along... If I remember correctly there also where some connections to cities in some other European countries. It's little strange because you do not know with whom you are going. But I use this frequently and I did not made bad experiences so far.
www.mitfahrgelegenheit.de

I've got an electronic ticket from the lufthansa web site.
I was a bit nervous because I had to actually get the ticket from a machine at the Hamburg airport (as well as the Budapest airport)

However ... it turned out to be pretty nice procedure :
you go to the machine and put your credit card inside - the machine recognizes you by your cc number and gives it back to you, then you choose which seat you would like in the plane and the machine prints out the ticket ....

easy uh ?

I don't care what the girl on the airplane from Hamburg to Amsterdam told me!!

To her they may seem modern and efficiant... but I can't stand these little rodents of the road.

I like my big Japanese Mazda!! It has a small but powerful engine. I have trouble parking it in the city. It is not very snappy in handling... but it rules the road when it works.

This car is a scary concept.

By the way, there is a coffee shop here also.