Discover Hamburg by Bike
Explore Hamburg by bike and enjoy relaxed tours through the city, the harbour or the green oases. Hamburg is particularly cyclist-friendly, as most of the routes are relatively flat. Whether with your own bike, the StadtRAD or hire bikes – discover the diversity of the city along the Elbe, around the Alster and through various districts of Hamburg. Cycling tours to the Alte Land, Wilhelmsburg or the Vier- und Marschlanden are particularly recommended.
Across Hamburg in the transport mix
Rent a bike in Hamburg
The ideal way to explore Hamburg by bike is the StadtRAD. That’s what Hamburg is all about. Over 3,700 hire bikes are available at more than 260 stations throughout the city. The saddle height can be individually adjusted. It could hardly be quicker or cheaper. With the StadtRAD Hamburg, you can get to your destination on Hamburg’s streets in a climate-friendly way and, thanks to the well-developed network, in comfort and safety.
It’s easy to use: Download the app, register online and find the nearest station and the availability of free bikes in the app. You can hire up to 4 bikes at the same time. The bikes can be returned at any station. You have 30 free minutes for each journey. Additional minutes cost €0.10, but not more than the daily flat rate of €9 for 24 hours.
The StadtRAD offers flexibility on your tour, as the red bike stations are often located close to underground/subway stations, making it easy to change trains. Many hotels also provide their guests with their own bikes. For those who prefer a more comfortable bike such as an e-bike or a racing bike, numerous bike rental companies in the city centre offer corresponding options.
Bicycle, train and boat
You can take your bike on the underground, S-Bahn and A-Bahn trains free of charge. This is possible Monday to Friday before 6 a.m., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. as well as all day at weekends, on public holidays and during the Hamburg summer holidays.
You can also take your bike on the Elbe ferries, which is an ideal addition to a cycle tour with a trip across the Elbe. You can take your bike on the harbour ferries on all days without restriction. On the Blankenese-Cranz route, the Niederelbe-Tarif applies, which allows you to take your bike with you all day, but for a fee.
If you are planning an excursion to the Altes Land or to Wedel to the Willkomm-Höft ship welcome centre, you can ideally combine this with a trip across the Elbe. The Lühe-Schulau ferry offers a crossing for cyclists. The journey takes 25 minutes. Tickets are available from the on-board staff around 10 minutes before departure. The ferry can take up to 70 bicycles on board and offers a total of 250 seats. On the panoramic deck with a view of the Elbe and in the weather-protected saloon below.
Alster trip
If the tour starts in the city center, it first leads upstream and the length of the tour can be adjusted to your own wishes.
First possible turning point is the Krugkoppelbrücke at the northern end of the Außenalster. This leisurely short tour offers the opportunity to also explore the surrounding districts of Harvestehude, Uhlenhorst and St. George with. Good cycle paths lead around the Außenalster.
Another turning point is the Winterhuder Fährhaus. The Leinpfad, which has been developed as a bicycle route, leads past beautiful old villas to Eppendorf. On Tuesday and Friday from 08:30 to 14:00 you can also visit the Isemarkt there
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Further it goes along the Alsterlauf to Ohlsdorf. Here it offers itself to drive also a round by the cemetery Ohlsdorf. Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Hamburg’s Ohlsdorf district was inaugurated on July 1, 1877, and at 389 hectares is the world’s largest park cemetery
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Then it goes either back again or further on the Alsterwanderweg, along the wild, not canalized upper reaches of the Alster to the Poppenbüttler Schleuse.
You can also get back to the city easily by subway U1 or S-Bahn S1. Bicycles can be taken along free of charge.
Down the Elbe
The Elbe hiking trail stretches from Landungsbrücken to the western city limits and on to Wedel to the Willkomm-Höft ship welcome centre. The route leads past the old Elbe tunnel, via the fish market to the fishing harbour and to Övelgönne. After a short section on foot along the idyllic row of small houses, the old captain’s and pilot’s houses, past the famous Strandperle, you get back on the saddle. You then cycle past Old Sweden to Teufelsbrück. The Elbe and the large ships passing by are always in view as you cycle to Blankenese and along the Falkensteiner Ufer to Wedel.
Along the route, numerous cafés and garden bars invite you to take a break for a coffee or to watch the shipping traffic on the Elbe.
The southern bank of the Elbe can also be integrated into the tour by using the HADAG harbour ferries of the Hamburg Transport Association. The harbour ferries can also be used with a valid HVV ticket for the underground/metro and bus, and bicycles can be taken along free of charge. There is a ferry between Blankenese and Cranz (or to the Neuenfelde barrier) which also carries bicycles. Unfortunately, the Neuenfelde – Blankenese route is only passable to a limited extent due to shallow water. As an alternative, the ferry may run from Finkenwerder to Blankenese.
It is also possible to return to the city comfortably by underground U1 or S-Bahn S1, where bicycles can be taken free of charge.
Harbour round
A trip through the port of Hamburg takes you over the Elbe bridges and through the old Elbe tunnel.
The Elbe bridges consist of several parallel railway and road bridges that cross the Elbe in Hamburg. They connect Hamburg’s city center with the Elbe islands of Veddel and Wilhelmsburg.
We refer to the St. Pauli Elbe Tunnel, which opened in 1911, as the “Old Elbe Tunnel” in contrast to the new Elbe Motorway Tunnel, further to the west, which exists since 1975. The old Elbe tunnel crosses under the Norderelbe over a length of 426.5 meters and connects the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken (north entrance) with the Elbe island of Steinwerder (south entrance). It is used free of charge as a public transport route by pedestrians and cyclists.
In Hamburg-Veddel is Ballinstadt, an emigration museum that was inaugurated in 2007 and was built on the site of the former emigrant halls. In 1901, the general director of Hapag, Albert Ballin, had mass accommodation built on the Elbe island of Veddel for thousands of emigrants who arrived in the city every week from all over Europe.
The harbor museum is located at the Hansahafen. If you want to experience the history and development of the port of Hamburg up close, you have come to the right place. Since 2020, the harbor museum has also been the berth of the four-master “Peking,” built in Hamburg in 1911.
The tour can be extended with a detour to Wilhelmsburg or Harburg.
From Harburg to Bergedorf
An idyllic cycle tour from Harburg to Bergedorf leads through green landscapes and natural paradises.
After a short ride through Harburg, the tour leads along the Seeve Canal to Seevetal. A picturesque nature reserve with abundant wildlife awaits you there, including water birds, herons, pheasants and hares. The highlight is undoubtedly the checkerboard flower meadows, which usually bloom in full splendour from the end of April to the beginning of May. The Seevesperrwerk marks the mouth of the Seeve into the Elbe.
An important stopover is Hoopte, from where you can take the ferry to Zollenspieker and the Vierlande. This ferry connection, the oldest still in operation in Germany, was first mentioned in 1252. Zollenspieker is located in the Vierlanden district of Kirchwerder.
A picturesque cycle route along the old route of the Vierländer Bahn railway finally leads to Bergedorf. The Vierländer Bahn stretched between the Hamburg railway stations of Bergedorf Süd and Zollenspieker, with the last passenger train running on 16 May 1953. On the way to Bergedorf, the former track triangle, which formed the connection between the Vierländer Bahn and the Hamburger or Kirchwerder Marschbahn, is still clearly visible. Alternatively, you can return to Hamburg by turning onto the old railway line of the Marschbahn.
All about "Greets"
- Duration: two to three hours and absolutely free
- Max. 6 people, no combination of different requests
- Meeting point and exact route: by agreement between guest and Greeter
- Request: please at least two weeks before desired date
- More about Greets