Buses, trains and...ferries? Public Transit in Hamburg
One of the great things about living in Hamburg is one doesn't need a car to get around the city. This is thanks to a pretty good public transportation network that includes buses, trains, and yes, even ferries. Yet understanding the massive network of interconnected transport options and how to get from A to B can be quite intimidating at first. I'll provide you a brief overview of how the system works, and some basic tools you can use to figure out how to get where you're going.
Paying for your ride: HVV
27 different transportation companies are involved in providing public transportation service in different forms across different areas of the Hamburg metropolitan region. Luckily, you don't have to buy a ticket for each different company, thanks to the existence of HVV, or the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (Hamburg Transportation Network). Each of the 27 transportation companies belongs to this network, which in turn handles the management and ticketing of all transportation offerings in the Hamburg metropolitan area, as well some additional regions outside of the city. To give you an idea of how big the network is, here are some basic facts about it:
The network companies have a total of 4,609 vehicles. If you stacked all those vehicles on top of each other, the resulting tower would be 16 kilometers tall.
There are approximately 10,000 stops in the network.
The area of the network is 9,693 kilometers squared.
The network is comprised of 15,192 kilometers of service lines.
Last year, the network had a total income of 660 million euros.
The network has 865 different lines
Data taken from this page and translated into English
Luckily the HVV takes care of organizing and aggregating all of the offerings of its network and making them available to you through various maps posted around the city, information pamphlets found at many stations, or, the most convenient option, the HVV app and website.
One of the HVV maps, taken from the HVV website.
If this map is a bit confusing to you, you are not alone. Because the HVV is so big, it is rather difficult to display the entirety of the network on one map in a clear manner. This is why my recommendation is to use the HVV app to get you from point A to point B. Google also has access to HVV data, so you can alternatively use the Google Maps app to plan your route. However, experience has shown that the HVV app has the most up to date information, and in case Google Maps and the HVV app differ in what they show you, you should always trust the HVV app over Google Maps.
Inside of the HVV app, you can get the fastest and most efficient route from your current location to your destination, and buy a ticket. You can pay with PayPal or Credit Card, and even per SEPA direct debit if you have a HVV customer account. There are many types of tickets, but the most basic type of ticket is an "Einzelkarte" or Single Use Ticket. This ticket allows you to travel one-way from your current location to your destination.
The app will also show you alternative types of tickets, which may be appropriate for you depending on the type and duration of travel you plan to do with public transportation in the HVV network. Often a "Tageskarte", or Day Ticket, is worth getting if you plan on traveling more than just the single trip, as it is about the price of just two Single Use Tickets. With a standard Day Ticket, you can travel anywhere within the A & B rings of the HVV network as much as you like for the whole day. You can also add additional coverage area to your Day Ticket before you purchase it in the app. You can find more information on the app and how to get it on the HVV website.
Types of Transport
Train
There are two main train systems inside of the HVV system, the "U-Bahn" or subway, and the "S-Bahn" or urban rail. The subway system is operated by the Hochbahn company, and the urban rail system is operated by the larger country-ride rail service provider Deutsche Bahn.
What a typical Hamburg subway train looks like
What a typical Hamburg S-Bahn train looks like. Image taken from ndr.
The Hamburg main train station
Bus
In Hamburg, buses round out the coverage of the train lines. Buses come in handy when you need to get to places that are harder to reach by train. In general, the train lines here form a large X, with one arm of the X running from Northwest to Southeast, and the other running Northeast to Southwest. For more direct trips from west to east or north to south, buses often come in handy. Some neighborhoods in Hamburg are simply under-served by trains, and here too buses fill in the gaps.
A typical HVV bus. Image taken from Hamburger Abendblatt.
Ferry
Perhaps the most unique and exciting public transportation method in Hamburg are the various ferry lines operated by HADAG. These ferry lines are part of HVV and are public transport exactly like the buses or trains. One of the most popular ferry lines in the number 62, which takes you from Landungsbrücken to Finkenwerder and back, effectively offering you a round trip of the Hamburg Harbor for much cheaper than the various charter companies present in the touristy areas of the harbor.
A HADAG ferry on the river. Image taken from the Hamburg city website.
Back when I used to work in an office near the Elbe river, I took the ferry every day as part of my commute to and from work. Because the 62 line is so popular with tourists, it is always extremely full in the afternoon when the weather is good, so I recommend you do it early in the morning. I also recommend taking the 73 ferry, which is not as popular among tourists, and takes you across the river to Wilhelmsburg and back, offering an up close and personal look at an industrial part of the harbor during the journey.
As you can see, there are a myriad of ways to get around Hamburg by public transportation. Due to the large array of options available to you, it can be a bit hard to figure out the best route to your destination, but if you use the HVV app you'll certainly find your way.