Planning a trip to Hamburg

Getting There

By Plane -- Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel, 8km (5 miles) north of the city center, is served by frequent flights to and from major German airports and many European and intercontinental destinations. Lufthansa (tel. 01803/805805; www.lufthansa.com) flies into Hamburg from most major German and European cities, and many national carriers also serve Hamburg, including Air France from Paris and British Airways from London. United Airlines offers nonstop service from the United States (from Newark) but on most carriers a flight from the U.S. requires a change in Frankfurt or another European hub. For flight information in Hamburg, call tel. 040/50750 or visit www.ham.airport.de.

The ultramodern terminal, with a roof shaped like an enormous airplane wing, is well-equipped wth shops and boutiques—even a branch of Harrods of London—as well as restaurants and other establishments.

During the day the S-Bahn (suburban rail network) line S1 operates every 10 minutes between the airport and Hamburg’s central railway station, Hauptbahnhof (the trip takes 25 min.). The airport (Flughafen) S-Bahn station is directly in front of the air terminals. The one-way fare to the center is 3€, or 1.50€ for ages 11 and under.

By Train -- There are two major rail stations, the centrally located Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, Hachmannplatz 10 (tel. 040/39183046; www.bahn.com), and Hamburg-Altona (tel. 040/39182387; www.bahn.com), at the eastern edge of the Altstadt. Most trains arrive at the Hauptbahnhof, although trains from the north of Germany, including Westerland and Schleswig, arrive at Altona. The two stations are connected by train and S-Bahn. Hamburg has frequent train connections with all major German cities, and is a hubfor international routes as well. From Berlin, 15 trains arrive daily (trip time: 2 1/2 hr.), 37 from Bremen (trip time: 54 min. to 1 hr., 16 min.), and 33 from Hannover (trip time: 1 1/2 hr.). For information, call tel. 01805/996633 (www.bahn.com).

By Bus -- Information about short-haul buses from surrounding towns and villages is available from Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (tel. 040/19449; www.hvv.de).

By Car -- The A1 Autobahn reaches Hamburg from the south and west, the A7 from the north and south, the A23 from the northwest, and the A24 from the east.

Neighborhoods in Brief

Central Hamburg

Hamburg’s commercial and shopping districts are on the southernmost shores of the Alster (the lake at the city center) and in the Altstadt (Old City), around the Rathaus (City Hall). Don’t look for a lot of historic charm—there certainly is some, though World War II laid waste to much of it. Notable survivors include the city’s distinctive red-brick warehouses that line canals near the waterfront, and some noble landmarks, such as St. Petri Church with its skyline-piercing dome. St. Georg, an inner city neighborhood running alongside the lake just north of the Hauptbanhof, is one of many old quarters that have been gentrified in recent years. Parts are still a bit dodgy, but leafy streets near the lake, especially the Langhe Reihe, are lined with cafes and restaurants, some catering to gays, and some of the city’s most character-filled hotels are in this old neighborhood.

The WaterFront

The Port of Hamburg is the world’s fifth-largest harbor, stretching for nearly 40km (25 miles) along the Elbe River. Hamburg has been one of the busiest centers of trade on the Continent for almost ten centuries and is, largely as a consequence of this maritime trade, one of Germany’s wealthiest cities. HafenCity, Europe’s largest inner-city urban development project extends for 3km (2 miles) along the Elbe River. The emerging district is expected to double the population of central Hamburg with thousands of waterfront apartments, and includes a concert hall, bars, and slick office buildings.

St. Pauli

Hamburg’s infamous nightlife and red-light district centers on the Reeperbahn, neon-lit and garrish and offering all sorts of pleasures—cafes, sex shows, bars, dance clubs, and music halls. This maritime quarter is a lot less raucous than it once was and these days many habitues are more intent on drinking and dancing than paying for companionship.

Altoni

Once populated mainly by Jews and Portuguese, this western district is the scene of some great dining and nightlife. Those in search of more traditional pursuits can wake at the crack of dawn on Sunday to check out what’s happening in the stalls of the historic Altona Fischmarkt.

Around the Lake

Many villas dating from the 1800s and some stunning Jugendstil buildings line the streets of tree-filled residential districts around the Aussenalster. A particularly attractive lakeside enclave is Harveststude, since the 19th-century home to Hamburg’s wealthy burghers and whose villas are now occupied by many foreign consulates.

Fast Facts

Business Hours -- Most businesses and stores are open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm (to 4 or 6pm on the first Sat of the month). Note that most stores are not open on Sunday or in the evenings.

Car Rentals -- We don’t recommend that you rent a car for touring Hamburg, and you can easily reach Lübeck and other outlying towns by train. If you do require a car, you’ll find all the major agencies at the airport for info on car rentals in Germany.

Consulates -- Consulate General of the U.S., Alsterufer 27–28 (tel. 040/41171415); British Consulate-General, Neuer Jungfernstieg 20 (tel. 040/4480326).

Currency Exchange -- You’ll find ATMS throughout Hamburg. If you require the services of a bank, try the ReiseBank at the Hauptbahnhof (tel. 040/323483), which is open daily 7:30am to 10pm and has a number of English-speaking staffers. The same bank maintains a branch at the Altona Station (tel. 040/3903770), open Monday to Friday 7:30am to 8pm, and Saturday 9am to 2pm and 2:45 to 5pm. There’s also a branch in Terminal 2 of Hamburg’s airport (tel. 040/50753374), open daily 8am to 9pm.

Doctors & Dentists -- Ask at the British or American consulates, or go to the large medical center in St. Georg, Allgemeines Krankenhaus Sankt Georg, Lohmühlenstrasse 5, 20099 Hamburg (tel. 040/1818850; U-Bahn: Lohmühlenstrasse), where you’ll find an English-speaking staff.

Drugstores -- Large pharmacies with English-speaking staff include Roth’s Alte Englische Apotheke, Jungfernstieg 48 (tel. 040/343906; U-Bahn: Jungfernstieg), open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 6pm.

Emergencies -- Dial tel. 110 for the police; for an ambulance, an emergency doctor or dentist, or the fire brigade, dial tel. 112.

Post Office -- The post office at the Hauptbahnhof, Hachmannplatz 13, is centrally located. You can make long-distance calls here far more cheaply than from your hotel. It’s open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 8am to 6pm, and Sunday 10am to 4pm. A branch office located at the airport is open Monday to Friday 6:30am to 9pm, Saturday 8am to 6pm, and Sunday 10am to 6pm. For information on either post office, call tel. 01802/3333.

Safety -- Hamburg, like all big cities of the world, has its share of crime. The major crimes that tourists encounter are pickpocketing and purse/camera snatching. Most robberies occur in the big tourist areas, such as the Reeperbahn and the area around the Hauptbahnhof, which can be dangerous at night.

Toilets -- There are decent public facilities in the center of Hamburg, and the Hauptbanhof has several. Expect to pay about 1€ to use them.

Transit Information -- For U-Bahn and S-Bahn rail information, call the Hauptbahnhof, Hachmannplatz 10 (tel. 01805/996633; www.bahn.com).

Getting Around

A word to the wise: Park your car and use public transportation to avoid traffic and the hassle and expense of parking.

By Public Transportation -- Hamburg’s U-Bahn, one of the best subway systems in Germany, connects with the S-Bahn surface trains. This network is the fastest means of getting around, though buses are also fast and efficient and travel in special lanes throughout the city center. For information, call tel. 040/19449.

Single tickets for the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and the bus cost 2.80€ for citywide service and 1.30€ for trips within the center city. A 3-day pass for 1 person costs 17€.

The U-Bahn (subway), S-Bahn (city rail), A-Bahn (commuter rail), buses, and harbor ferries are run by Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV), Steinstrasse 12. For information, call tel. 040/19449 (www.hvv.de). Tickets are sold at machines in U-Bahn and S-Bahn stations, on buses, and at railroad ticket counters.

By Taxi -- Taxis are available at all hours; call tel. 040/211211 (www.taxi211211.de). Taxi meters begin at 2.70€ and charge 1.70€ per kilometer after that.

Have Card, Will Travel

The Hamburg Card offers unlimited travel on all public transport in Hamburg, as well as discounts to museums, other attractions, and city tours. A 1-day card costs 8.90€ for individuals or 15€ for families (one adult and up to three children 14 years old and under). A 3-day card costs 22€ for individuals and 39€ for families, and a 5-day card costs 38€ for individuals and 64€ for families. You can get these cards at some hotels, major U-Bahn stations, and the tourist office, or go to www.hamburg-travel.com or call tel. 040/30051300.

Parking

A couple of things to keep in mind. One, Hamburg is not compact and can’t be easily covered on foot; you’ll probably have to depend on public transportation or taxis. Two, think water. Hamburg lies on the Elbe River, 109km (68 miles) from the North Sea, and water seems to be everywhere in this city that is centered around a lake, the Alster; faces a busy harbor; and is laced with canals. (These canals are commercial and industrial waterways, lined with docks and warehouses; don’t fall for the touristic mumbo jumbo that Hamburg is the Venice of the North, because busy, business-minded Hamburg in no way resembles that Italian city.)

The Alster, often sparkling with white sails, is divided by bridges into the Binnenalster (Inner Alster) and the larger Aussenalster (Outer Alster). Busy avenues, including the elegant, shop-lined Ballindamm, flank the Binnenalster, as do such noteworthy landmarks as the Colonnaden, an arcade of shops and cafes, and the Hamburgische Staatsoper, the opera house.

The Altstadt (Old Town) is south of the Binnenalster, tucked between the lakeshore and the Elbe River waterfront. The Hauptbahnhof is on the eastern fringe of the Altstadt, and the Rathaus, the Renaissance-style city hall, and adjacent Rathausmarkt are on the western edge. Two major shopping streets run between the Hauptbanhof and the Rathausmarkt, the Spitalerstrasse (a pedestrian mall) and Mönckebergstrasse, paralleling it to the south.

A new district, HafenCity, is growing up south of the Altstadt in former docklands that extend 3km (2 miles) along the Elbe River. At the moment much of HafenCity looks like a forest of cranes rising above construction sites, but it’s predicted that by 2020 or so a concert hall, bars, slick office buildings, and hundreds of waterfront apartments will have transformed the docklands into the city’s new pride and joy.

St. Pauli, west of the Altstadt, is the Hamburg’s famous red light district, where shops and clubs line the lurid Reeperbahn, a street where sex is sold over-the-counter, not under.