Hamburg Hop-On Hop-Off Buses

If you're planning to visit Hamburg and want to organise an itinerary, you'll find that many of the city's attractions are located at different points on the map, which could cause delays during your journey if you use public transport. However, a good alternative to save time on transfers is to opt for the city's hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus services.

These free tours, where you can hop on and off the bus as many times as you like for the duration of your 24-hour pass, allow you to choose different routes based on the sites you want to visit and the focus of your trip, and also make it easy to get discounts on other traditional Hamburg activities, such as the Elbe river cruise, making it one of the best things to do in Hamburg.

Hamburg is one of the most traditional cities in Germany and with a deep history since its foundation during the Middle Ages as a fishing village located on the banks of the river Elbe, so in different points of this destination you can find attractions worth visiting. That's why the different hop on-hop off sightseeing buses are sectored by zones, and grouped to cover buildings, monuments and the best museums of the city.

Hop-on-hop-off tourist bus Line A, the most popular option

• The most popular of the city's sightseeing buses.
• Included with the Hamburg City Pass
• Covers the Old Town and the Kunsthalle Museum
• You can get discounts on harbour and Alster Lake cruises.
• Offers a 20-stop tour

Hop on-hop off sightseeing bus Line D, the fastest alternative

• The best alternative if you are planning a short stay in the city.
• It is valid for a total of one day
• Will take you to St. Pauli
• It is a daytime tour
• It offers a 14-stop tour

Hop on-hop off sightseeing bus Line F, the most varied option

• It is the best option for visiting several very different sites
• It is valid for a total of one day
• It is the only one of the services that stops at the Marco Polo Terraces.
• It is a daytime tour
• It offers a circuit of 15 stops

Comedy tourist bus, a different alternative

• It is not a hop on-hop off service
• It lasts approximately 1 hour and a half.
• It is a daytime tour
• The comedian's monologue is in German, but you can use the audio guide
• Includes stops at Hamburg's comedy theatres

The hop on-hop off sightseeing bus covering the Line A route is Hamburg's most traditional sightseeing bus. With 20 stops throughout the city, you can hop on and off as many times as you like during the 24-hour ticket period. During this time, you can move around the city at your leisure and get close to the city's most iconic sights and attractions.

When travelling on this popular double-decker bus, you can access an audio guide in several languages, and choose the stops where you want to get off or continue your journey. Note that this mode of transport is designed to take you close toHamburg'sbest sights andmuseums, so you will never have to walk more than a street or two to a tourist attraction once you get off the bus.

While the bus has a suggested route and a start and end point, you can start the tour wherever you wish, and if you choose to go through the entire circuit on the bus, it will take approximately 2 hours. Also, the frequency of services is approximately every half hour.

This bus is the most popular because it will take you around the main circuit of the city, which includes the Elbe Philharmonic and the Kunsthalle Museum, but also because it is usually included in the Hamburg City Pass. You can also combine this bus tour with a ride on one of the city's best cruise ships or a tour of the Alster Lake, both of which come with significant discounts.

Stops included on this tour

• Landungsbrücken, an iconic Hamburg pier offering stunning views of the harbour.
• Elbe Philharmonic, a world-class concert hall.
• Überseequartier, a contemporary area with shops, restaurants and modern architecture.
• Hamburg Dungeon, a unique, interactive experience that recreates Hamburg's dark history, using special effects and actors.
• HafenCity, an innovative urbanised district with modern architecture.
• Speicherstadt, the world's largest historic red brick warehouse.
• Kontorhausviertel, a historic office district.
• Hamburg, the city itself, with its characteristic charm, parks, shopping streets and unique blend of history and modernity.
• Kunsthalle Museum, one of the most important art museums in Germany.
• Alster Lake, a beautiful man-made lake in the heart of the city.
• University of Hamburg, a leading academic institution.
• Hamburg Dammtor, a major railway station.
• Planten Un Blomen, an extensive city park offering botanical gardens, dancing fountains and cultural events.
• Hamburg Messe, an internationally renowned trade fair and convention centre.
• Esplanade, elegant tree-lined avenue with exclusive boutiques and cafés.
• Innenalster, the inner part of the Alster Lake.
• Hamburg City Hall, an impressive historic building in the city centre that houses the municipal government.
• Großer Burstah, a lively shopping street with shops and restaurants.
• St. Michael's Church, a baroque church offering breathtaking panoramic views from its tower.
• Reeperbahn, Hamburg's famous red street, known for its lively nightlife and theatres.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 22 euros per person for the free tour with 24 hours validity from activation.
• Duration: the full tour will take about 2 hours, but the activation period is for a full day.
• Advantages of these alternatives: it is the best alternative for getting to know the main circuit of Hamburg.
• Disadvantages of these alternatives: it does not include too many stops outside the historic sites of the old town and the city's most popular museums.

While several of the different sightseeing bus routes overlap each other, each has a primary focus and the hop on-hop off Line D service is geared towards a quick circuit that not only covers the attractions of the old town and around the harbour, but also other important sites in the area such as the Mosque and the Fish Market.

During the bus tour you can use any of the 14 stops on the circuit to explore the buildings and monuments at your own pace, and you will also have access to an audio guide that will give you information about each site in several different languages. Note that if you want to do the whole tour from the top of the bus, it will take just over an hour, so it's the fastest of them all in this respect.

The hop-on-hop-off bus routes on Line D start at Hamburg Central Station and end at the same place, forming a circular loop. You can hop on or off within 24 hours of activation at any point in the city, and you can combine this activity with a ride on Hamburg's sightseeing cruises.

If you plan to visit the city at Christmas time, this bus is ideal for visiting the flea market in front of Hamburg City Hall and the Fish Market, where the traditional local fish auctions are held.

Stops included in this tour

• Hamburg Central Station, Hamburg's main railway hub.
• Spitalerstraße, bustling shopping street in the heart of Hamburg.
• Alsterufer, picturesque footpaths along the Alster river.
• Hamburg Mosque, an impressive example of Islamic architecture.
• Altersperle, a cosy café or "old pearl" offering a charming atmosphere.
• HamburgCity Hall, an imposing Renaissance building housing the government administration.
• Rödingsmarkt station, the railway station.
• St. Michael's Church, also known as "Michel".
• Reeperbahn, famous nightlife street.
• Fish Market, a traditional city market.
• St. Pauli pier, picturesque spot along the river Elbe, ideal for relaxing strolls and attractive views of the city.
• Speicherstadt, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• HafenCity, a modern and thriving urban district.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 18 euros per person for the free tour with 24 hours validity from activation.
• Duration: the full tour takes about 1 hour, but the activation period is valid for a whole day.
• Advantages of these alternatives: you will see not only the old town and the port area but also the surrounding area of the city, in a quick tour that will be ideal if you are planning a short stay.
• Disadvantages of these alternatives: it does not include too many stops in the areas near the museums, which are part of the city's major attractions.

The hop on hop off Line F sightseeing bus tour allows you to combine the city's most famous attractions, such as St. Michael's Church and Hamburg City Hall, with less explored attractions such as the Marco Polo Terraces in HafenCity and Gänsemarkt, making it one of the most complete alternatives for this type of tour.

Like the other hop-on-hop-off bus tours, Line F allows you to hop on and off as many times as you like during the 24-hour validity of the ticket and, due to the route it offers, you will have time to visit the Hard Rock Café at the St. Pauli docks and the nearby exhibitions, such as the Miniatur-Wunderland models.

In St. Pauli, you can also visit the popular Beatles Platz, which pays homage to the Beatles' stay in Hamburg in the 1960s, and stroll through Reeperbahn, the district that is famous for being home to the city's red light district, which is also one of the most popular in the world.

Stops included in this tour

• Hamburg Central Station, central transport hub with rail connections.
• Marco Polo / HafenCity Terraces, panoramic platforms offering spectacular views of the trendy HafenCity district.
• Kehrwiederspitze, charming corner on the banks of the river Elbe.
• St. Pauli Quays, lively riverside area.
• Reeperbahn, famous nightlife street.
• St. Pauli Docks, a historic area with restored warehouses.
• St. Michael's Church, a church offering panoramic views from its tower and regular cultural events.
• Reesendamm, a street with charming architecture.
• Gänsemarkt, an elegant square surrounded by luxury shops and high quality restaurants.
• Hamburg City Hall, an impressive Renaissance building.
• Gerhardt Hauptmann Square, a lively public space with cultural events and activities.
• Hamburg Central Station / East Side, a side of the Central Station that presents a different perspective.
• Holzdamm, a street offering a unique shopping and dining experience.
• Alster Lake, a beautiful artificial lake surrounded by green areas and paths.
• Hotel Alster Perle, a boutique hotel with exclusive amenities and a convenient location.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 18 euros per person for the free tour with 24 hours validity from activation.
• Duration: the full tour will take about 1.5 hours, but the activation period is for a full day.
• Advantages of these alternatives: you will be able to combine the main circuit of the city with other lesser-known sites in this destination.
• Disadvantages of these alternatives: some of the city's famous sights, such as the Elbe Philharmonic, will be a bit far from the stops on this tour.

If you want a different experience that also combines a local experience in Hamburg, you can opt for the comedy sightseeing bus, a 1.5 hour tour through the main points of the city that will not only take you to see the sights of this destination, but also some comedy theatres. In these activities, historical anecdotes are intermingled with monologues and spontaneous witticisms.

Although this tour takes you past famous sites such as St. Michael's Church, Jungfernstieg, Reeperbahn and St. Pauli, the comedy bus does not include stops or hop-on-hop-off service, so you can only see the buildings and monuments from inside the bus. On these tours, on the other hand, the focus is on the comedy shows, which are provided by local representatives.

The only stops on this alternative are at the St. Pauli theatres, to get to know the background of the comedians who will be performing on board, and at the Reeperbahn bars for a beer. Please note that the monologues will be in German, although you will be able to access an audio guide to enjoy the anecdotal commentary on the main buildings and monuments.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 33 euros per person.
• Duration: about 1 hour and a half.
• Advantages of these alternatives: you will get to know the city from a different perspective while enjoying a typical local show.
• Disadvantages of these alternatives: the monologues are only available in German, so if you are not fluent in German you will only be able to access the audio guide in different languages about the history of the sites you visit.

The routes of Hamburg's tour buses cross over, as they all run, to a greater or lesser extent, through the main parts of the city around the historic city centre and the harbour. However, each of the services has its own particularities compared to the others, as they focus on different circuits.

If you opt for the Line A tourist bus, you will be able to see the main attractions of the city, which is why it is the most popular option. The comedy bus, meanwhile, covers a similar route, but without stops. If, on the other hand, you choose Line D, you will be able to combine the most important points with those located in the outskirts of the city, in a route that is also the fastest of all, ideal for visitors who are planning a short stay.

Line F offers the most varied alternative, as some of the less popular attractions around the city are added to the main circuit. However, you should be aware that some of the most popular buildings, such as the Elbe Philharmonic, are left out of this route, so you should consider this information when choosing the ideal option for your travel plan.

Hamburg is a very big city and has many attractions, buildings and monuments spread over different locations, so the sightseeing bus routes will be useful for you to save time on transfers and also to organise a proper itinerary. In addition, you could also make the most of your visit by seeing sites on the way that you had not originally planned to visit.

On the other hand, many of these tourist services, such as the hop-on-hop-off buses on Line A, will give you access to discounts on some of Hamburg's best cruises or bike rides around the city, among other activities, so you can also save money during your trip. Also note that some of these tours are included in the Hamburg City Pass.

Buses generally run from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm each day, with frequencies approximately every half hour. In some cases, frequencies can range from 15 minutes to 45 minutes between each service.

Please also note that on public holidays the timetables may be modified or reduced. This information will be useful if you are planning to visit Hamburg during the winter or at Christmas.

Hamburg's sightseeing buses have a fixed route and pre-designated stops, which change according to the line you choose to use. The price of each of the services is for the purchase of a 24-hour ticket, so for the duration of the full day from activation you can hop on and off as many times as you like at each of the stops on the circuit.

Please note that the activation begins to run from the moment of the first use and applies for 24 hours, so I advise you to do the activation early in the morning, to better organise the itinerary and prevent the pass from being cut off in the middle of the next day.