Hamburg Hop-On Hop-Off Buses

If you are planning to visit Hamburg and want to organize an itinerary, you will see that many of the city's attractions are located at different points on the map, which could cause delays during your trip if you use public transportation. However, a good alternative to save time on transfers is to opt for the services of the hop on-hop off tour buses of the city.

These free tours, in which you can get on and off the bus as many times as you want during the validity of the 24-hour pass, will allow you to choose different routes based on the sites you want to visit and the focus you intend to give to your trip, and will also facilitate you to get discounts on other traditional activities of this destination, as is the case of the cruise rides on the Elbe River, so it is undoubtedly one of the best activities to do in Hamburg.

Hamburg is one of the most traditional cities in Germany and with a deep history since its founding during the Middle Ages as a fishing village located on the banks of the Elbe River, so in different parts of this destination you can find attractions worth visiting. That is why the different hop on-hop off tourist 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 tourist buses.
• Included with the Hamburg City Pass
• Covers the Old Town and Kunsthalle Museum tour
• You can get discounts on harbor and Alster Lake cruise rides
• Offers a 20-stop tour

Hop on-hop off tourist bus Line D, the faster alternative

• It is 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 circuit of 14 stops

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

• It is the best option to visit several sites very different from each other.
• It is valid for 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 has an approximate duration of 1 hour and a half.
• It is a daytime tour
• The comedian's monologue is in German, but you will be able to use audio guide
• Includes stops at Hamburg comedy theaters

The hop on-hop off sightseeing bus covering the Line A route is the most traditional bus in Hamburg. This transport, which includes 20 stops throughout the city, allows you to hop on and off as many times as you like during the 24-hour ticket period. During this period, you can move around the city at your leisure and get close to the most emblematic monuments and attractions.

During the trips on this popular double-decker bus you will have access to an audio guide in several languages, and you can choose the stops where you want to get off or continue the tour. Keep in mind that this means of transportation is designed to take you close to the points of interest andthe best museums in Hamburg, so you will never have to walk more than one or two blocks to the tourist attraction once you get off the bus.

Although the bus has a suggested route and a starting and ending 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 through 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 the best cruises of the city or with a tour of the Alster Lake, activities to which you will have access with significant discounts.

Stops included in this tour

• Landungsbrücken, an iconic Hamburg pier offering breathtaking views of the harbor.
• Elbe Philharmonic, a building that houses a world-class concert hall.
• Überseequartier, a contemporary area with stores, restaurants and modern architecture.
• Hamburg Dungeon, a unique, interactive experience that recreates Hamburg's dark history using special effects and actors.
• HafenCity, an innovative urbanized 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, an outstanding academic institution.
• Hamburg Dammtor, a major railway station.
• Planten Un Blomen, an extensive urban park offering botanical gardens, dancing fountains and cultural events.
• Hamburg Messe, an internationally renowned convention and trade fair center.
• Esplanade, elegant tree-lined avenue with exclusive boutiques and cafes.
• Innenalster, the inner part of the Alster Lake.
• Hamburg City Hall, an impressive historic building in the city center that houses the municipal government.
• Großer Burstah, a lively shopping street with stores and restaurants.
• St. Michael's Church, baroque church offering breathtaking panoramic views from its tower.
• Reeperbahn, Hamburg's famous red street, known for its lively nightlife and theaters.

Details of interest

• 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 is valid for a full day.
• Advantages of these alternatives: it is the best alternative to get to know the main circuit of Hamburg.
• Disadvantages of these alternatives: it does not include too many stops outside the historical sites of the old town and the most popular museums of the city.

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 for a quick circuit that not only covers the attractions in the historic district and around the harbor, but also other important sites in the area such as the Mosque and the Fish Market.

During the tour you will be able to 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 provide information about each site in several different languages. Keep in mind that if you want to do the whole tour from the top of the bus, it will take you a little over an hour, so it is the fastest of all in this sense.

The hop on-hop off bus tours on Line D start at Hamburg Central Station and end at the same place, forming a circular loop. You can hop on or off during the 24-hour period from activation at any point in the city and you can combine this activity with a ride on Hamburg sightseeing cruises.

If you plan to visit the city during Christmas, this bus will be ideal to visit the flea market in front of the Hamburg City Hall and the Fish Market, where the traditional local fish auctions are usually held.

Stops included in this tour

• Hamburg Central Station, the main railway hub of the city.
• Spitalerstraße, bustling shopping street in the heart of Hamburg.
• Alsterufer, picturesque paths along the Alster river.
• Hamburg Mosque, an impressive example of Islamic architecture.
• Altersperle, cozy cafe or "old pearl" offering a charming atmosphere.
• Hamburg City Hall, an imposing Renaissance building housing the government administration.
• Rödingsmarkt station, the train station.
• St. Michael's Church, also known as "Michel".
• Reeperbahn, famous nightlife street.
• Fish Market, a traditional market of the city.
• St. Pauli Pier, picturesque location along the Elbe River, ideal for relaxing walks 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 complete tour will take about 1 hour, but the activation period will be valid for a whole day.
• Advantages of these alternatives: you will get to know not only the old town and the port area but also the surroundings 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 great attractions of the city.

The hop on-hop off tourist bus tour on Line F will allow you to combine the most famous attractions of the city, such as St. Michael's Church and the Hamburg City Hall, with other 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 excursions.

Like the rest of the hop on-hop off bus tours, on Line F you can hop on and off as many times as you want 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 tribute to the Beatles' stay in Hamburg in the 1960s, and stroll through Reeperbahn, the district that is famous for housing 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, a central transportation 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 stores and high quality restaurants.
• Hamburg City Hall, an impressive Renaissance building.
• Gerhardt Hauptmann Square, 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.

Details of interest

• Price: approximately €18 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 will be for a full day.
• Advantages of these alternatives: you will be able to combine the main circuit of the city with other less known sites of this destination.
• Disadvantages of these alternatives: some famous points of the city, such as the Elbe Philharmonic, will be a bit far away from the stops included in this tour.

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

While this tour will take 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 observe 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 theaters of St. Pauli, to learn about the origin of the comedians who will perform on board, and in the bars of Reeperbahn for a beer. 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 do not master the language you can only access the audio guide in different languages about the history of the sites you visit.

The routes of Hamburg's tour buses cross each other, because they all run, to a greater or lesser extent, through the main points of the city around the old town and the harbor. However, each of the services has particularities with respect to the others, because they focus on different circuits.

If you opt for the Line A tourist bus, you will be able to visit the main attractions of the city, which is why it is the most popular option. The comedy bus, on the other hand, covers a similar itinerary, although 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 have planned a short stay.

Line F is the one that offers the most varied alternative, since some of the less popular attractions in the outskirts of the city are added to the main circuit. However, you should keep in mind that some of the most popular buildings, such as the Elbe Philharmonic, are not included in 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 distributed in different points, so the sightseeing bus tours will be useful for you to save time in transfers and also to organize a proper itinerary. In addition, you could also get the most out of your visit by getting to know sites on the way that you had not originally planned to visit.

On the other hand, many of these tourist services, as is the case of the hop on-hop off buses of Line A, will allow you to access discounts on the purchase of some of the best cruises in Hamburg 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.

Generally, the bus schedule is from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm each day, with frequencies approximately every half hour. Although in some cases the frequencies can range from 15 minutes to 45 minutes between each service.

Please also note that during holidays the schedules may be modified or reduced. This information will be useful if you are planning to visit Hamburg during the winter or during 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 during the validity of the full day from the activation you can get on and off as many times as you want in each of the posts of 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 organize the itinerary and prevent the pass from being cut off in the middle of the next day.