Information and Travel Guide for Hamburg Fuhlsbuttel Airport
Hamburg-Fuhlsbuttel Airport, Germany (HAM)

Hamburg Airport, or Hamburg-Fuhlsbuttel Airport, is just over five miles from the city's center. Located in the Fuhlsbuttel quarter of Hamburg, it is the fifth busiest airport in Germany and serves an international clientele in its 2.2 square miles. Serving over 12 million passengers annually, it is easily reached by public transportation or car. The HVV, Hamburg's public rail transit system, runs from the airport to the city's centre every ten minutes. Hamburg Airport is also well-equipped with shops and restaurants and, after an extensive renovation in the 1990's, is a fully-modernized international airport.

History

In 1911, private funds contributed to open this airport in January of that year. Hamburg Airport is the oldest still in operation today and has expanded tremendously from its origins as a base for airships and 45 hectare size. In WWI, that original airship hangar was heavily used for military purposes until a fire in 1916 destroyed it. The current name was added in 1945 while the British occupied the airport and used it for staging. In 1955, Hamburg gained hub status through Lufthansa use. Then, Frankfurt Airport took over as Hamburg's location constrained growth potential.

The possibility of moving the airport, after the introduction of Boeing's 707 in 1960, was discussed but dropped after many other cities had negative results in similar efforts. Keeping the Hamburg Airport close to the city's centre proved a good choice with the modernization in the 1990's and the addition of a terminal and the Radisson Blu Hotel Hamburg Airport in 2009. This, and the connection to the rapid transit system, secured the airport's importance in the area.

Services and Amenities

Hamburg Airport saw a great deal of addition to the amenities it offers travelers with the years since the renovation of the 1990's. The Airport Plaza has much to offer in addition to the S-Bahn station located there. You'll find:

  • Eight bars and cafes

  • Five fine restaurants

  • 18 shops, including a hair salon and floral shops

  • Baggage trolleys

  • Multiple duty free shops

  • Souvenir shops

  • ATM and currency exchange

  • Conference center

  • Luggage repair

  • Laundry service

  • Internet hotspots

  • Eight adjacent hotels

Parking and Transportation

Ground transport from the airport is available using the public transit system. The S-Bahn line of this system runs from the city centre to the airport every ten minutes. You can also drive to the airport on the A7 via B433 (the third ring road). If you're arriving from the east, you'll have to drive through Hamburg itself, rather than taking the A7.
If you do drive to the airport, you will find a lot of parking choices. One convenience that Hamburg Airport offers is online parking reservations. Simply log on to www.airport.de/en/airport_parking.phtml and choose the area offering the most free spaces to reserve one before you even leave for the airport. The airport accepts cash, Visa, American Express and Mastercard for parking payments and short-term parking is available at both terminals. Long-term parking can be found just adjacent to the airport, along the A7.

Surrounding Area

Hamburg is an old European city, in the traditional sense of the term. It has roots as far back as AD 825, yet it is a very modern city in terms of culture and transportation. At least in part due to a fire in 1842, the city's centre is one that embraces both highbrow culture with the Elbe Philharmonic Hall and the Thalia Theatre as well as new musicals like The Lion King and Tarzan. You'll find yourself surrounded by entertainment options, cafes, bars and finer dining.

Traversing Hamburg is easily done by bus, train or car. Most tourists choose the HVV, rapid transit system for its low cost and easy access to all major attractions.

Contact Information:

Airport Code: HAM
Location: Hamburg Airport is situated 8km (5 miles) north of Hamburg city centre.
Telephone: +49 (40) 50 75-0
Address: Hamburg Airport, Flughafenstrasse 1-3, 22335 Hamburg, Germany
Number of Terminals: 4
Fax: (0)40 5075 1234
Website: www.ham.airport.de
Time Zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October)