Transportation
We hope this information will help you plan ahead of time for your FEATS trip and we will be happy to help out with any questions you may have – either by email: hospitality@feats-hamburg.de or personally at the Hospitality Desk in Altonaer Theater from Friday 22 May.
Getting to Hamburg …
By air – to Hamburg’s Fuhlsbüttel airport, which is served by most major airlines and quite a few of the budget airlines – easyJet has recently set up a European hub in Hamburg. There should be no problem finding flights to suit all budgets and all timetables.
By train – to Hamburg Central Station (Hauptbahnhof), Hamburg Dammtor and Hamburg Altona. Most Intercity trains stop in Central Station, Dammtor and Altona (in that order). If you have booked a hotel in Altona, you can get straight through to your end destination. Check when buying your ticket.
Attention: Major construction works have been announced for Hamburg main station for the first half of this year. It looks as if the FEATS weekend will not be affected, but still make sure to ask whether there are any changes to the schedule. You may have to take the S-Bahn to get to your destination. We will keep you updated.
By car – your navigation system will deliver you directly to whichever door you wish to be deposited at in Hamburg. However, as in all large cities, parking can be in short supply. Although most hotels have some parking facilities available, these cost extra, so check beforehand. We are also trying to find out what is available in Altona – see Parking.
… and what happens next
From Fuhlsbüttel airport
Take the S-Bahn – S1 – to Altona. Indicator boards in the baggage hall give details of the next train departing for the city – trains run every 10 minutes. Once out of the baggage hall, turn left and follow the signs to the S-Bahn. Tickets can be purchased from the machines at the top of the escalators – the machines have an English option.
- Ticket: Single, Greater Hamburg Area, €3.10. Tickets do not have to be validated on the train or bus, but spot checks are often made and fines are instant, so do have a valid ticket before travelling.
- Train direction Wedel or Blankenese via Ohlsdorf. The train stops in Ohlsdorf for a short while, then continues its journey. Journey time: 37 minutes.
Returning to Fuhlsbüttel airport
From Altona take the S1 – direction Hamburg Airport/Poppenbüttel.
However, on the journey TO the airport!
The train divides in Ohlsdorf, with only the front three carriages going on to the airport. An announcement will be made in German and English in Ohlsdorf informing passengers as to which part of the train they need to be in and there is enough time to change carriages if necessary.
From Fuhlsbüttel Airport to …
… IBIS HOTEL St. Pauli: S1 to Landungsbrücken, change on to U3 (direction Schlump or Barmbek), one stop to St. Pauli.
… B&B Hotel Stresemannstrasse: S1 to Altona, take M2 bus from bus station (direction Schenefeld) and get out at Schützenstrasse stop.
From Hamburg central station to Altona
Take the S1 (Direction Blankenese or Wedel) or the S3 (Direction Pinneberg).
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Taxis
There is a taxi rank at the airport – a taxi to Altona will cost approximately €31.
From Central Station to Altona approximately €17.
To call a taxi: 040- 211-211, 040-666-666 or 040-44 10 11
Calculate fares at www.taxi-calculator.com.
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Hamburg Public Transport
Source HVV, click on image to download as PDF
Fares
The Hambuger Verkehrs Verbund (HVV, Hamburg Transport Association), uses a zone-system for fares. A zone plan is available for download.
- Single, Greater Hamburg Area (Großbereich Hamburg): €3.10
- All day ticket: €7.50 (a)
- 9 a.m. day ticket (9 Uhr Tageskarte): €6 (a,b)
- 9 a.m. group ticket for up to 5 adults (Gruppenkarte): €11.20 (a,b)
- 7-day-ticket (Wochenkarte/Flexi-Woche): 1 zone: €12.90, 2 zones: €16.90, Greater Hamburg Area: €26.90. (c)
- HAMBURG CARD – for details see Hamburg Travel website
(a) Day tickets and 9 a.m. off-peak tickets are valid for the Greater Hamburg Area and include the harbour ferries.
(b) valid for travel after 9 a.m.
(c) 2-zone or Greater Hamburg Area tickets could be the best option if you are here for the four days of FEATS and leaving on Tuesday. It is possible to buy these online at the HVV Online Shop, but at present only on the German website. Otherwise the ticket has to be bought at one of the HVV service centres.
More information on the HVV website in English.
Apart from the 7-day-ticket, all other tickets can be purchased from HVV ticket machines (payment by cash or EC Debit Card) or from the bus driver, as well as Hamburg Tourist Information offices. Tickets can be purchased 3% cheaper online. There is also a HVV app (German only) with mobile tickets – see the HVV link below for more information.
Transportation links
www.hvv.de – Hamburg public transport network info (trains: U and S Bahn, buses, HADAG ferries), journey planning, ticket prices, etc. (website in English: Click on 'English' on the bottom line of the screen)
N.B. If searching for connections to the airport, just put in 'Hamburg Airport' NOT Fuhlsbüttel, as this will call up info on another station in Hamburg with this name.
www.geofox.de – for online timetable information (also in English, as above)
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Travel
From Saturday 23 May to Monday 25 May inclusive, the S1 train service from Hamburg Airport into the city centre and Altona, and return, will be replaced by buses between Barmbek and Hasselbrook. Travel time can be up to 20 minutes longer.
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Ferries
For information and timetables, go to the HADAG website.
Insider Tip: Instead of taking a Harbour Tour, why not take a round trip on the No. 62 ferry from Landungsbrücke 3 to Finkenwerder and back – as it would be included on your HVV ticket? You can stop off at Oevelgönne for a walk round the former seamen's cottages (now very desirable properties) and have coffee or lunch at one of the restaurants overlooking the river Elbe.
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Which Ticket is Best for Travel Round Hamburg?
No doubt you have taken a look at the FEATS Transportation page and links to the HVV local travel network in Hamburg. However, it is a lot of information so we have the following suggestions to offer, based on arriving in Hamburg on Friday 22 and leaving on Tuesday 26 May:
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Car hire
Car2go – Registration required beforehand and validation of driver’s licence. Nearest Car2Go location in Grosse Bergstrasse 256 in Altona.
Or take a look at http://www.carsharing-news.de/carsharing-hamburg/ for other options.
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Altona Station Renovation
We would like to apologise for the fact that Altona station is still undergoing renovation, so can look a little confusing at first. Don't worry, it's easy when you know how!
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Bicycle hire (Stadtrad)
http://stadtrad.hamburg.de/kundenbuchung/ (Registration German)
http://www.hamburg-travel.com/info/out-and-about-in-hamburg/stadtrad-hamburg/ (general info English)
Registration required, credit cards accepted: Email: info@stadtradhamburg.de
Tel: 040-822-18810-0 (24/7) or at any station (see listing for Altona below)
5 Euro admission fee, after that free of charge
StadtRad App (rental, map, availability)
2 bikes max. per account
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Altona Station
… is still undergoing renovation (May 2015)
As promised, here are some directions on how to get to the theatre and to your Altona hotels from the station:
Getting to the theatre from the station is straightforward: Come up from the S1 (follow signs to Museumstrasse) and at the top of the escalator either turn right or left (depending on which escalator you have used – otherwise you will end up facing a wall!). If you turn right, bear right and the ramp with Museumstrasse above it is to your right. If you turn left, you will see the ramp more or less in front of you and to the right. Go up the ramp and keep going straight.Cross at the lights, on the other side of the road is a park on your left and about halfway down on the right is the Altonaer Theater.
© OpenStreetMap contributors, license terms
To Hotel-Hamburg-Altona
Take the escalator up from the S-Bahn platform – at the top of the escalator turn right or left (depending on which escalator you have used, (otherwise you will end up facing a wall!) and then bear left. Follow signs to 'Fernzüge' (long distance trains) and keep bearing left. After the fast food restaurant on the right-hand corner, up the escalator and straight on. Just before the train platforms turn left. You will come out into a shopping precinct with the Mercado shopping centre in front of you and Blume 2000 on the right-hand corner. Turn right here into Hahnenkamp, cross over the pedestrian crossing and bear left. You will see the Hotel-Hamburg-Altona about halfway down on the same side of the road.
To InterCity Hotel Altona
Follow directions as above, but at the top of the escalator before the train platforms turn right. You will see the entrance to the InterCity Hotel Altona just outside the station exit, on your left.
B&B Hotel Altona
Follow directions as above, but at top of escalator turn sharp left and head for the Altona bus station. Cross over the road to the middle island - you need the bus stop for the M2 bus direction Schenefelder Platz or Schenefeld. There are indicator boards at each stop with the bus number and direction. Take the bus to the Schützenstrasse-Süd stop – the stops are either announced in the bus or are shown on an indicator board at the front of the bus. When you get off the bus turn right, then left into Schützenstrasse – it is about a 10-minute walk to the hotel, which is on the corner of Schützenstrasse and Stresemannstrasse.
To Hotel Stephan
Follow directions to theatre, when you get to the park turn left, at the next corner cross over the Max-Brauer-Allee and turn right. Schmarjestrasse is the next street on your left and the Hotel Stephan is about halfway up on the right hand side.
GETTING INTO TOWN CENTRE (Jungfernstieg) or central station (Hauptbahnhof).
Follow the green S sign for S-Bahn to Platforms 1 and 2. You can take the S1 (direction Airport/Poppenbüttel) or S3 (Harburg or Stade) from here into Jungfernstieg or central station. Journey time about 12 minutes.
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Getting to and from the Theatre
Last trains and buses from Altonaer Theater
From Friday 22 to Sunday 24 May inclusive (FEATS party night), trains and buses run all night – as from midnight at 20 minute intervals. There are also night buses. On Monday night, 25 May into Tuesday morning, 26 May (FEATS Adjudication and Awards), weekday timetables apply. Last trains will be around half past midnight and then night buses will run – usually every half hour or full hour – so after the FEATS prize-giving you can still get back to your hotel. We will be able to help you with timetables at the FEATS hospitality desk in the theatre. Your hotels will also be able to help you with more information.
To Hotel Ibis (stop U-Bahn St. Pauli)
Bus 36 from Rathaus Altona (subject to a surcharge €1.90), last bus 10:42 p.m.
Bus 112 from Rathaus Altona, last bus 11.23 p.m. (23.23 hours) – new timing.
Night bus 688 (weekends) and 601 (weekdays) from Altona Station to Davidstrasse – a short walk from the Ibis Hotel – every half hour.
To B&B Hotel Altona (stop Schützenstraße Süd)
Bus M2 from Altona Station, last M2 weekdays, weekends and holidays at 11.56 p.m. (23.56) – new timing.
Night buses: weekdays Bus 600 from Bhf Altona to S Holstenstraße, change to Bus 602 to Schützenstraße, runs every half hour.
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Parking
There is a 24-hour covered parking facility at the MERCADO shopping centre in Altona (Hahnenkamp). There is also parking available at Altona Station, but both are only suitable for vehicles between 1.90 m and 2.10 m in height – day tickets cost between €12 and €15. There is also parking available at Altona station, but again only for cars. We are currently trying to find other parking possibilities in the area, in particular for vans. We will update this section accordingly.
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Websites in English
http://www.hamburg-travel.com/info/out-and-about-in-hamburg/hvv/
http://www.hamburg-travel.com/
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