By Bus & Subway in Hamburg

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By Bus & Subway

Hamburg's bus station, the Zentral-Omnibus-Bahnhof, is directly behind the main train station.

The HVV, Hamburg's public transportation system, includes the U-bahn (subway), the S-bahn (suburban train), and buses. A one-way fare starts at EUR 1.05; EUR 1.40-EUR 1.95 covers one unlimited ride in the Hamburg city area. Tickets are available on all buses and at automatic machines in all stations and at most bus stops. A Ganztageskarte (all-day ticket), valid until 6 AM on the next day, costs EUR 5.50. A 9 Uhr-Tageskarte for just EUR 4.65 is valid between 9 AM on the day of purchase and 6 AM the next morning. If you're traveling with family or friends, a Gruppen- or Familienkarte (group or family ticket) is a good value -- a group of up to five can travel for the entire day for only EUR 7.75-EUR 18.60 (depending on the number of fare zones the ticket covers).

Available from all Hamburg tourist offices, the Hamburg card allows unlimited travel on all public transportation within the city and admission to state museums. The Hamburg card is valid for 24 hours (beginning at 6 PM through 6 PM the following day) and costs EUR 7.30 for one adult and up to three children under the age of 14. The Hamburg card for three days (valid starting at noon the first day) costs EUR 15. The Hamburg card Gruppenkarte costs EUR 23.90 for any group of five and is valid for three days; a Gruppenkarte for just one day is available for EUR 13.50.

You must validate your ticket at a machine at the start of your journey. If you are found without a validated ticket, the fine is EUR 40.

In the north of Hamburg, the HVV system connects with the A-bahn (Alsternordbahn), a suburban train system that extends into Schleswig-Holstein. Night buses (Nos. 600-640) serve the downtown area all night, leaving the Rathausmarkt and Hauptbahnhof every hour.

Information

Hamburg Passenger Transport Board (Hamburger Verkehrsverbund, Steinstr. 7, Altstadt. 040/19449. www.hvv.de. Daily). Zentral-Omnibus-Bahnhof (ZOB, Adenauerallee 78, St. Georg. 040/247-575).