Germany Guide
Hamburg
Getting around
Public transport is run by HVV ( 
www.hvv.de ) as a coordinated system of U- and S-Bahn trains and buses. The former are as clean and efficient as you'd hope of German transport, organized into colour-coded routes – three underground (U) and six express commuter (S) routes – and operating every five minutes from 5am to 12.30am. In addition, three long-distance commuter lines (AKN) snake into outlying regions. Night buses operate between midnight and 5am; in theory conductors can pre-book a taxi for your stop. All forms of public transport are priced by zone, although most of the time you're unlikely to go outside central zone A. Current prices for all public transport are: €1.30 for a single ticket; €6 for day-ticket (Tageskarte) or €5.10 if bought after 9am; three-day tickets are €15. A 9am Group Ticket (Gruppenkarte) for up to five people of any age costs €8.60. Note, too, that three children under 15 can travel for free on an adult single ticket, and that the Hamburg CARD provides free travel. An alternative way to reach the western suburbs – and a bit of sightseeing in its own right – is by the Elbe river ferries from St-Pauli-Landungsbrücken. Boats to Altona or Övelgönne leave from Brücke 3 every fifteen minutes; prices are the same as those for trains and buses. Non-municipal tourist services of the ATG Alster-Touristik line make circuits around quays on the Aussenalster in both directions; boats leave from Jungfernstieg from late March to early October between 10am and 6pm.
Walking in the city centre requires stamina but is pleasant enough away from the major thoroughfares. As an idea of distances, from the Rathaus to St Michealis church takes about twenty minutes at a brisk pace. Cycling is the fastest and most flexible means of travel over short distances within the centre thanks to a good network of cycle routes off the main roads, demarcated by red-paved lanes. Bike rental is available from the Hauptbahnhof, or try Fahrradladen St Georg ( 
040/14 39 08) at Schmilinskystrasse 16 in neighbouring district St Georg. You can take a bicycle on to any rapid-transit rail service (U-, S-, A-Bahn) and many buses free of charge from Monday to Friday outside of rush hour (6–9am & 4–6pm) and all day at weekends. Bicycles are also permitted on board ferries at all times.
Taxis wait 24 hours a day at ranks on the Kirchenallee side of the Hauptbahnhof and outside St-Pauli-Landungsbrücken. To pre-book a taxi, try Taxi Hamburg ( 040/66 66 66).