Getting Around

Bicycle Hire

Since its implementation in 2009, Hamburg's new StadtRAD bicycle-hire scheme (tel: (040) 8221 88100; www.stadtradhamburg.de) has been the biggest innovation in getting around town cleanly and under your own steam. Its 700 unmistakable, pillar-box-red bikes are neatly lined up at 70 different rental points across the city. Often located outside U-Bahn and S-Bahn stations, StadtRAD bikes are free for the first half hour. Following this, there is an initial rental charge of just four cents per minute, increasing to eight cents after an hour. The maximum charge per day is €12. Bikes are available to everyone, following a one-off registration process (online, by phone or at the rental terminal). Customers then use an EC or credit card to receive an unlocking code, which they then enter on the bike lock display pad. If you want to leave your bike for a short time during your tour, it can be secured using an additional lock that uses the same code provided for the bike at the initial rental station. Return a bicycle to any rental point by simply relocking it in a vacant space before paying by credit card at the terminal.

Public Transport

Public transport in Hamburg is popular, efficient and used by almost everyone. Buses travel around the clock, including a special Nachtbus (night bus) service, and the hub is centrally located at Rathausmarket by the town hall. HVV (tel: (040) 19449; www.hvv.de) runs Hamburg's excellent integrated system combining rapid transit rail, regional rail, buses and harbour ferries. The U-Bahn (Unterbahn, underground railway) and S-Bahn (Schnellbahn, rapid transit light railway) form a very useful, interlinked network. On both the trains and buses, clear signposting, indicator boards and on-board announcements make sure you know in which direction you are moving and what the next stop is. You must buy tickets for the U-Bahn, S-Bahn and all regional trains in advance. There are no ticket barriers, but if you are caught by an inspector without a ticket you will be fined heavily. You can buy individual tickets per journey, but if you are around for a day or more, it is worth investing in an All Day ticket, which offers unlimited travel for one adult and three children under the age of 15. The 9AM Day Card offers the same but is only valid after 0900. There is also a three-day ticket valid for unlimited travel by one person throughout the Greater Hamburg Area. The Hamburg Card, which you can buy at the tourist office, gives unlimited travel first class on all public transport in the Greater Hamburg area and also grants free or reduced-price admission to many top attractions and excursions. You can buy all travel-only tickets from automated ticket machines at the stations or from bus drivers.

Taxis

Taxis in Hamburg are easily available throughout the day, and can be hailed in the streets or taken from the frequent taxi stands, which are signified by a green box on a raised post. For advanced booking, reputable companies include Das Taxi (tel: 221 122), Hansa Taxi (tel: 211 211) and Taxiruf Hamburg (tel: 441 011).

Driving in the City

Driving in Hamburg has all the drawbacks of driving and parking in any other major city and is not recommended. Note that if you do drive, you can leave your car free-of-charge at one of the HVV park-and-ride facilities (see www.hvv.de for more information) at rapid transit and regional rail stations which avoids the hassle of finding an inner-city driving and parking.

Car Hire

Car hire operators in Hamburg include Avis (tel: (040) 5075 2314; www.avis.com), Europcar (tel: (040) 500 2170; www.europcar.com), Hertz (tel: (040) 5935 1367; www.hertz.com) and Sixt (tel: 01805 262 525; www.sixt.com).