Car rentals in Hamburg

Part of our guide to car hire in Germany.

Driving and Parking in Hamburg: What You Need to Know

• Rules of the road: Germany drives on the right. The limit is 50 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h on rural roads, and 130 km/h is the recommended speed on Autobahn sections without a posted limit. Many stretches around Hamburg carry a lower posted limit, so follow the signs rather than the advisory figure.
• No low emission zone: Hamburg has no low emission zone, so a hire car needs no green sticker to drive in the city. Two streets in Altona, the Max-Brauer-Allee and the Stresemannstraße, had passage bans for older diesel vehicles from May 2018, and these were lifted in September 2023. An older navigation warning about them is out of date.
• Zones elsewhere: A trip beyond Hamburg may enter a city that does require a green sticker, so check the windscreen for one at collection if you plan to drive south or west into other states.
• Garages near the station and Mönckebergstraße: The Parkhaus am Hauptbahnhof at Borgesch 1 is listed at €2.00 per started half hour with a daily maximum of €20. The Parkhaus Hühnerposten at Hühnerposten 1 is listed at €3.00 an hour with a daily maximum of €19, and the Parkhaus Saturn Mönckebergstraße at Mönckebergstraße 1 at €3.00 an hour. The Parkhaus Kunsthalle at Ferdinandstor 1 is listed at €2.00 per started half hour with a daily maximum of €30, and the Parkhaus Europa Passage at Hermannstraße 11 at €3.50 per started half hour with a daily maximum of €36. These tariffs date from October 2023 and are not binding, so confirm them at the entrance.
• Street parking: Street parking in the centre is paid and time-limited, and the paid hours differ by street. The sign and the machine at the space are the rule that counts. Never park in a loading area or on a pavement, and leave the ticket where it is visible.
• Keeping the car overnight: Ask your hotel whether it has parking and what it charges before you book, because garage charges in the centre add to the cost of the trip. A garage near the station with a daily maximum is usually simpler than looking for a space on the street.
• Motorway links: The A1 leads north-east to Lübeck and south-west towards Bremen, and the A39 leads south-east to Lüneburg. The A255 links the southern approaches around the harbour. Join early in the day, because the approaches slow at weekday rush hours.
• Equipment: German law requires a warning triangle, a first-aid kit and a reflective vest in the car. Hire cars are normally equipped, and you can confirm this at collection.
• Winter driving: Tyres with the Alpine symbol are required in snow, ice, slush or black ice. Tyres marked only M+S have not been accepted since 1 October 2024, and winter hires normally come fitted correctly.
• Phone and alcohol: Holding a phone while driving costs €100 and one point. The alcohol limit is 0.5 per mille, and 0.0 applies to novice drivers and drivers under 21. Treat any alcohol before driving as a risk.
• Tolls: Germany has no general toll for cars. Private cars pay only on a few private tunnels elsewhere in the country, and none of the routes below carries a charge, so there is no vignette or transponder to arrange.
• Before you drive away: Photograph the car on all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior at collection and again at return.

Top Places to Visit from Hamburg by Car

• Lüneburg — about 56 km south-east, in roughly 44 minutes by the A39. The old salt town has a compact centre, and parking is listed at about €1.50 to €2.00 an hour, with a park and ride lot at Lüneburg-Zentrum for a lower daily rate.
• Lübeck — about 65 to 75 km north-east, in roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour by the A1, measured from Hamburg Airport. Exit Lübeck-Zentral (22) is the closest to the centre of town, and the old town is best seen on foot, with more than a dozen parking facilities in or around the inner city. Look for the blue P signs as you approach, park once and walk.
• Neustadt in Holstein — about 93 km north, in roughly 56 minutes. The town on the Baltic coast suits a day by the water, and the drive is easier outside the summer weekends. Check the parking signs near the beach before you leave the car, and allow extra time for the return on a sunny Sunday evening.
• Hitzacker — about 101 km south-east, in roughly 1 hour 14 minutes. The small town on the Elbe suits a quieter drive, and the road is slower than the Autobahn. Plan the day around the drive, and check the fuel type on your booking confirmation before you refuel on the way.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Hamburg?

Peak season: June to August is the busiest period for visitors, with long daylight hours that suit the day trips above. The weeks before Christmas also fill hotels and roads, as visitors come for the Christmas markets. Collect the car on the day you leave the city for the day trips, because the centre is easier on foot, by train or by ferry than by car. Demand for cars rises with the summer weekends, so the choice of vehicle class narrows closer to the date.

Shoulder season: April to May and September to October bring steadier traffic and milder weather. Roads are easier to read, and a day on the Autobahn is less tiring than in the heat of July. These months suit a longer loop that takes in Lüneburg and the Elbe in a single day.

Low season: January and March are the quietest periods for visitors. Daylight is limited, and winter tyre rules apply in wintry conditions. Allow extra time on the Autobahn after snow, and plan longer drives to leave and arrive in daylight. Short winter days leave less time for a long day trip, so start early.

Advance booking: Book several weeks ahead for the summer and the pre-Christmas weeks, and earlier for automatic cars or larger vehicles. Free cancellation means booking early carries no penalty.

How Payment Works for Car Hire in Hamburg

A rental prepayment confirms your booking online with Instant Confirmation, and you pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival. The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk, and cancellation is free. The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit.

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Hamburg

Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.

• Hamburg Airport (HAM)
• Hamburg Central Station
• Hamburg Downtown