How to travel from Essen to Hamburg, Germany

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.

7 routes found

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 HamburgEssen if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
train
+
plane
+

Train and Plane

Take the train to Duesseldorf Flughafen then fly from Dusseldorf (DUS) to Hamburg (HAM).

  • Duration1h 55m
  • Flight time1hr
  • Typical cost
    €140($140)
Operated by

Multiple operators

2 similiar routes

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

2
train
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Train

Take the train to Hamburg Hbf.

  • Duration2h 45m
  • Departshourly
  • Typical cost
    €75($75)
Operated byDeutsche Bahn+ 1 others

1 similiar route

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

💰 Cheapest
3
bus
+

Bus

Take the bus to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof/ZOB.

  • Duration5h 50m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    €22($22)
4
car
+

Drive

Drive to Hamburg.

  • Duration3hrs
  • Distance367km (228 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Essen and Hamburg

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.

Train travel

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.

Bus travel

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.

Flights and Airlines

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.

Drive yourself

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).

How do I get from Essen to Hamburg

Compare travel optionsbetween Essen and Hamburg

Transport options from Essen to Hamburg
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train and Plane + 2 similar
1h 55m
€140($140)
every 15 mins394km (245 miles)
Train to Köln Deutz Messe/Deutz Bf, Fly2h 40m
€160($160)
hourly474km (294 miles)
Train to Frankfurt, Fly3h 15m
€335($335)
hourly673km (418 miles)
Train + 1 similar
2h 45m
€75($75)
hourly352km (219 miles)
Train to Hamburg Hbf3h 35m
€190($190)
twice daily367km (228 miles)
Bus
5h 50m
€22($22)
once daily405km (252 miles)
Drive
3hrs
€61($61)
on demand367km (228 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Essen and Hamburg

Bus companies

Airports near Hamburg

The following major airports near Hamburg offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Germany and internationally.

HAM
Hamburg Airport (HAM)
International Airport
Distance
9km (6 miles) from Hamburg
LBC
Luebeck-Blankensee Airport (LBC)
Domestic Airport
Distance
54km (34 miles) from Hamburg
BRE
Bremen Airport (BRE)
International Airport
Distance
98km (61 miles) from Hamburg