The tour lasts around 70 minutes. First, the tour takes you through the streets of Hamburg's harbour city, past architectural highlights and well-known sights. The bus then takes a spectacular turn into the Elbe and becomes a boat. On the water route, guests experience the maritime side of Hamburg up close and enjoy the city scenery from the water at the same time. The trip is accompanied by expert guides who provide entertainment with anecdotes and knowledge about Hamburg.

• Unique amphibious vehicle in Germany
• Combination of city and water travel without changing trains
• Perfect for families, groups and tourists who want to discover Hamburg in an unusual way

&Opening times & journey times

• Season: mostly from April to October
• Multiple departures daily (depending on weather and water level)
• Duration: approx. 70 minutes

How to get there & Parking

The starting point is in Hafencity Hamburg, not far from the Speicherstadt warehouse district and the Elbphilharmonie concert hall. There are car parks in the surrounding car parks, e.g. in the "berseequartier" or "Speicherstadt". Travelling by underground (U4, Überseequartier station) is also possible.

Contact details

Hafencity Riverbus GmbH
Hohe Brücke 2
20459 Hamburg Phone: +49 (0)40 209 337 19
E-mail: info@hafencityriverbus.de

• Tour duration: Around 70 minutes – of which around 40 minutes on land and around 30 minutes on the Elbe 
• Season: From the beginning of February to 30 December, paused in January
• Sailings: Usually depart from 10 am, approximately every 90 minutes; exact times may change due to low tide, high tide or weather.

For the exact current availability and times, we recommend checking directly on the tickets page of the official website or enquiring by telephone.

Ticket prices

• Youth from 15 years & adults: 38,00 €
• Children from 5 years & teenagers up to 14 years: 28,00 €
• Children under 5 years & dogs: Not possible for safety reasons

The journey on the Hafencity Riverbus starts right in the heart of Hamburg – in the historic Speicherstadt, on Brooktorkai, not far from the International Maritime Museum. As soon as you board, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary city tour.

1. land route – architecture meets history (approx. 40 minutes)

First, you will take the road through HafenCity, Hamburg's most modern district. Here, ultra-modern glass and steel buildings meet the red brick facades of the old warehouses. From the Riverbus, you can marvel at landmarks such as the Elbphilharmonie, the Maritime Museum and the surrounding canals. The contrast between the traditional warehouse district and futuristic architecture makes this section particularly exciting.
During the trip, the guide tells interesting anecdotes, for example about the transformation of the harbour area from a former goods handling area to a modern residential and office district.

2. watering – the spectacular ¨real ¨crossing at Entenwerder

After the round trip through HafenCity, the most exciting moment of the tour follows: in Rothenburgsort, in the Entenwerder area, the bus transforms into a boat. The amphibious vehicle glides slowly but impressively into the Elbe via a specially built ramp. For the guests on board, this is a real experience - accompanied by a slight splash of water and the feeling of being on the move in a completely new way.

3rd Elbe cruise – nature and technology up close (approx. 30 minutes)

A completely different perspective of the Hanseatic city opens up on the Elbe. The Riverbus takes you past:

• Tiefstack – an important industrial and power plant site that shapes Hamburg's energy supply.
• The second largest storm surge barrier in Germany, which impressively demonstrates how much Hamburg has always lived with the forces of water.
• The Billwerder Bucht, a wide tributary of the Elbe that is one of Hamburg's quieter waterways.
• The Wood Harbour Nature Reserve, where numerous bird species and plants have found a protected home - a surprisingly stark contrast to the city.

During this water trip, guests can not only marvel at the nature and technology, but also enjoy the special tranquillity on the water - in contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

4. return ashore – through the harbour city 

5. live moderation – knowledge & entertainment combined

The entire trip is accompanied by a „Cruise Director“, who enriches the tour with plenty of humour, exciting facts and short stories. The mixture of interesting facts about urban development, harbour history and curious anecdotes ensures that the 70 minutes fly by. The presentation is lively, entertaining and makes the Riverbus a real experience for children and families too.

The Hafencity Riverbus is much more than just a city tour - it is a real adventure that allows you to experience Hamburg from two sides: on land and on water. The spectacular watering in the Elbe, the mixture of modern architecture, historic warehouse buildings and natural Elbe embankments as well as the entertaining moderation make this tour unique in Germany.

The Riverbus is particularly recommended for families with children, for visitors to Hamburg who want to discover the city from a completely different perspective and for locals who fancy an unusual experience. Those who appreciate the contrast between urban harbour life and tranquil waterways will get their money's worth here.

A tip: It's best to book tickets online in good time, as many cruises are quickly fully booked. And make sure you have your camera ready – the entrance to the water and the journey through the Elbe are unforgettable motifs.

In short: the Hafencity Riverbus is an absolute highlight among Hamburg's excursion destinations and is one of the experiences that should not be missed when visiting the Hanseatic city.