Car rental at Hamburg : Discover all our stations

The second largest city in Germany, Hamburg’s proximity to the Danish border gives it a distinct personality. Situated on the River Elbe, the port may be a center of trade but the soul of Hamburg is distinctly musical and festive.

From the glowing Rathaus to leafy parks and multicultural eateries, Hamburg has lots to offer beneath its industrial facade. Choose car rental with Europcar to navigate the city conveniently and explore the wider region in comfort.

There are a number of local stations to pick up cars with Europcar Hamburg, from the airport and railway station to a 24-hour service in Wandsbek.

Our vehicles come in all shapes and sizes. If you are a small group, economy car rental is a great choice, with our most popular models including the Smart ForFour and Volkswagen Polo. The Opel Insignia or Skoda Superb Combi are ideal for transporting families or larger groups of people. And van rental is also available for moving heavier loads with ease.

The maximum speed limits on German roads are 130 km/h on autobahns (federal highways) and highways, and 100 km/h on other roads. In Hamburg, the speed limit is 50 km/h unless signposted otherwise, and is reduced in residential areas and around schools.

On-street parking in Hamburg is time-limited, while parking lots have no time restrictions. Paid parking applies daily from 9am to 8pm, and is found within the center in the following areas: Wexstrasse, Hopfenmarkt, Alsterterrasse, Burchardplatz, Rödingmarkt, Dovenfleet Süd and on the Johannes-Brahms-Platz. There are free parking zones on the outskirts of the city.

There are no toll charges for cars on German roads.

Hamburg is surrounded by spectacular towns and scenery, adding another dimension to your time in northern Germany.

An hour and a half by car, Bremen (75 miles away) is home to the famous statue of the Bremen town musicians from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, the Beck’s brewery, and a beautiful Renaissance city hall. 

Also known as the City of Seven Lakes, Schwerin (70 miles away) has a mythical feel to it. Schwerin Palace, bordered by two lakes and lush woodland, and a plethora of historic buildings and shops all make it more than worth the 90-minute drive from Hamburg.

Craving some sea air? The Wadden Sea and its coastline that stretches from the Netherlands to Denmark is definitely worth a trip. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage list, it stands as the largest area of mudflats in the world. The sea is accessible from the towns of Büsum and Cuxhaven, both 80 miles away on either side of the Elbe River.

Dedicated to the 5 million people that had to leave Germany for the United States and South America, Auswanderermuseum BallinStadt traces the history of emigration from the city between 1850 and the 1930s. The 2,500-square-metre space has multilingual displays, interesting tours, and a genealogical research service. The museum is a couple of miles southeast of the city, and free parking is available on site.

The largest model railway in the world, Miniatur Wunderland, is a delightful attraction in the heart of Hamburg. With several sections, including models of Hamburg and its airport (with working planes!), the Alps, Scandinavia and Italy, the detail is mind boggling. This simultaneously fun and educational attraction is a real hit with children and a great day out for all the family. If you travel there by car, there are 44 parking spaces available on site for €1 per hour, with on-street parking nearby if these are full.

Water infiltrates many aspects of this maritime city, from the Hafengeburtstag, an annual festival celebrating the port with a carnival and boat parade, to the wave-shaped Elbphilharmonie music hall which sits by the river. As the city that helped foster the Beatles, it is no wonder that Hamburg has such a thriving musical culture.

Join the 70,000 people who come to experience the bustling activity of the Fischmarkt in St Pauli every Sunday morning, or scale the 76m-high Mahnmal St-Nikolai, the tallest building in the world between 1874 and 1876. The stunning Hamburger Kunsthalle has plenty for art lovers to admire, with its sprawling collection housed in two buildings.

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