How to travel from Hamburg to Essen, Germany

The distance between Hamburg and Essen is around 365km (227 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to fly and then take the train which takes around 1h 60m.

5 routes found

We've found 5 different ways to get from Hamburg to Essen 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 EssenHamburg if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
plane
+
train
+

Plane and Train

Fly from Hamburg (HAM) to Dusseldorf (DUS) then take the train to Essen Hbf.

  • Duration1h 60m
  • Flight time1hr
  • Typical cost
    €150($150)
Operated by

Multiple operators

1 similiar route

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

2
train
+

Train

Take the train to Essen Hbf.

  • Duration3h 15m
  • Departsevery 2 hours
  • Typical cost
    €80($80)
Operated byDeutsche Bahn+ 1 others
💰 Cheapest
3
bus
+

Bus

Take the bus to Essen Hbf.

  • Duration5h 45m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    €22($22)
4
car
+

Drive

Drive to Essen.

  • Duration3hrs
  • Distance365km (227 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Hamburg and Essen

There are several options for getting from Hamburg to Essen by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around €22 ($22) and will take around 5h 45m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can fly and then take the train and arrive in approximately 1h 60m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately €150 ($150).

The distance between Hamburg and Essen is around 365km (227 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 308km (191 miles)

It takes around 3h 15m to get from Hamburg and Essen by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 3hrs to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Hamburg to Essen is to fly and then take the train which takes around 1h 60m and will set you back approx €150 ($150).

The cheapest way to travel between Hamburg and Essen, 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 Hamburg and Essen. It typically takes around 3h 15m and departs every 3 hours.

Yes there is a direct train service that runs between Hamburg and Essen with no changeovers required. The train runs every 3 hours and takes 3h 15m.

Deutsche Bahn and FlixTrain run train services between Hamburg and Essen. Trains depart every 3 hours and will take around 3h 15m, 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 Hamburg and Essen. It typically takes around 5h 45m and departs 5 times a week.

Yes there is a direct bus service that runs between Hamburg and Essen with no changeovers required. The bus runs 5 times a week and takes 5h 45m.

FlixBus run regular bus services between Hamburg and Essen. Buses run 5 times a week and take around 5h 45m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Hamburg to Essen. We recommend that you fly from Hamburg (HAM) to Dusseldorf (DUS) then take the train to Essen Hbf. instead which will take 1h 60m.

The closest major airport to Essen is Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) (DUS) which is approximately 26km (16 miles) from Essen. Dortmund Airport (DTM) (DTM) and Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) (CGN) 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 Hamburg and Essen. The distance is around 365km (227 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 Hamburg to Essen is to take the train which takes, on average, 3h 15m and will usually cost around €80 ($80).

How do I get from Hamburg to Essen

Compare travel optionsbetween Hamburg and Essen

Transport options from Hamburg to Essen
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Plane and Train + 1 similar
1h 60m
€150($150)
every 15 mins394km (245 miles)
Fly to Cologne Bonn (CGN), Train2h 25m
€170($170)
hourly474km (294 miles)
Train
3h 15m
€80($80)
every 2 hours375km (233 miles)
Bus
5h 45m
€22($22)
once daily399km (248 miles)
Drive
3hrs
€61($61)
on demand365km (227 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Hamburg and Essen

Train operators

Bus companies

Airports near Essen

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

DUS
Düsseldorf Airport (DUS)
International Airport
Distance
26km (16 miles) from Essen
DTM
Dortmund Airport (DTM)
International Airport
Distance
42km (26 miles) from Essen
CGN
Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)
International Airport
Distance
65km (40 miles) from Essen