The distance between Essen and Hamburg is around 352km (219 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 1h 55m.
We've found 7 different ways to get from Essen to Hamburg by train, bus, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.
👋 Also check out Hamburg → Essen if you're planning a return trip.
Take the train to Duesseldorf Flughafen then fly from Dusseldorf (DUS) to Hamburg (HAM).
Multiple operators
2 similiar routes
We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.
Take the train to Hamburg Hbf.
1 similiar route
We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.
Take the bus to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof/ZOB.
There are several options for getting from Essen to Hamburg by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around €22 ($22) and will take around 5h 50m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 1h 55m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately €140 ($140).
The distance between Essen and Hamburg is around 352km (219 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 308km (191 miles)
It takes around 2h 45m to get from Essen and Hamburg by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 3hrs to drive there.
The quickest way to get from Essen to Hamburg is to take the train and then fly which takes around 1h 55m and will set you back approx €140 ($140).
The cheapest way to travel between Essen and Hamburg, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around €22 ($22) for a standard one-way ticket.
Yes there is a train service that runs between Essen and Hamburg. It typically takes around 2h 45m and departs every 2 hours.
Yes there is a direct train service that runs between Essen and Hamburg with no changeovers required. The train runs every 2 hours and takes 2h 45m.
Deutsche Bahn, FlixTrain and Swiss Railways run train services between Essen and Hamburg. Trains depart every 2 hours and will take around 2h 45m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.
Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Essen and Hamburg. It typically takes around 5h 50m and departs 6 times a week.
Yes there is a direct bus service that runs between Essen and Hamburg with no changeovers required. The bus runs 6 times a week and takes 5h 50m.
FlixBus run regular bus services between Essen and Hamburg. Buses run 6 times a week and take around 5h 50m on average but will vary depending on you book with.
It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Essen to Hamburg. We recommend that you take the train to Duesseldorf Flughafen then fly from Dusseldorf (DUS) to Hamburg (HAM). instead which will take 1h 55m.
The closest major airport to Hamburg is Hamburg Airport (HAM) (HAM) which is approximately 9km (6 miles) from Hamburg. Luebeck-Blankensee Airport (LBC) (LBC) and Bremen Airport (BRE) (BRE) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.
Yes it is possible to drive from Essen and Hamburg. The distance is around 367km (228 miles) by road and it will take around 3hrs in normal traffic conditons.
If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Essen to Hamburg is to take the train which takes, on average, 2h 45m and will usually cost around €75 ($75).
Transport option | Duration | Cost | Frequency | Distance |
---|---|---|---|---|
Train and Plane + 2 similar | 1h 55m | €140($140) | every 15 mins | 394km (245 miles) |
Train to Köln Deutz Messe/Deutz Bf, Fly | 2h 40m | €160($160) | hourly | 474km (294 miles) |
Train to Frankfurt, Fly | 3h 15m | €335($335) | hourly | 673km (418 miles) |
Train + 1 similar | 2h 45m | €75($75) | hourly | 352km (219 miles) |
Train to Hamburg Hbf | 3h 35m | €190($190) | twice daily | 367km (228 miles) |
Bus | 5h 50m | €22($22) | once daily | 405km (252 miles) |
Drive | 3hrs | €61($61) | on demand | 367km (228 miles) |
VRR
The following major airports near Hamburg offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Germany and internationally.