UK to Hamburg Ferry

[Masboroughlad]

Is there a direct ferry to Hamburg from the UK?

Or a ferry to elsewhere with a short train hop to Hamburg?

 

[Eagle]

Not that I can see.

The closest place to Hamburg with a direct ferry from the UK is Esbjerg, which is served by DFDS from Harwich. But it's over 150 miles away, and all rail journeys I can find require at least one change.

 

[306024]

There used to be between Harwich and Hamburg three times a week and alternate days in Summer, similar to the Harwich - Esbjerg schedule. Then along came cheap flights and the route was cut back to Harwich - Cuxhaven, which only suited those with vehicles. Decline continued and the route was withdrawn.

Shame as the cruise up the Elbe to Hamburg was quite pleasant.

 

[harry42]

http://www.seat61.com/Germany.htm#.UjAaiqdwbIU

 

[Greenback]

Shame as the cruise up the Elbe to Hamburg was quite pleasant.

Yes, indeed it was. I enjoyed a very nice plate of steak and chips while crusiing up the river in 2000 (I think it was 2000 anyway!).

I can't remember when the rout ewa withdrawn, but I've got a feeling it wasn't too long after my trip.

I also sampled Newcastle - Kristiansand - Gothernburg on DFDS not logn before they pulled that one. Never did Newcastle - Bergen though.

Back on topic, ther eis no ferry to Hamburg. The closest ferry arrivals would be Esbjerg or even Hoek van Holland which are both quite a long way away. Another victory for low cost airlines.

 

[gordonthemoron]

I did Harwich-Cuxhaven in 2003

 

[jamesontheroad]

Completely off topic, but the discussion about ferries to/from Hamburg reminded me of this YouTube find, back when Skoda cars were imported from Hamburg via the port of King's Lynn, and Skoda UK's headquarters in the town. When Skoda was acquired by VW, the King's Lynn operations were wound down, and HQ moved over to VW UK.

[youtube]-sCbANU_W3o[/youtube]

As far as I know, however, there was never a passenger route through KL.

 

[scarby]

Yes, a great shame that there are no Germany-UK ferries.

Indeed, when I was in Hamburg I did as suggested above - a long train ride, which was nice enough (I think I had about an hour's connection in Hannover and another change to a local service in Holland), but then three hours to kill in Rotterdam on a freezing afternoon waiting for the coach to the ferry for Hull.

 

[sarahj]

If you have time to kill in Rotterdam again, there is a decent model railway just a few mins walk from the station. Nice cafe as well.

 

[Birdbrain]

I have been to Hamburg and onto Berlin using the Harwich to Esbjerg crossing. If you can afford the cabin its much better than flying!

 

[tony_mac]

There are Southampton to Hamburg cruises. Very occasionally they may be at a reasonable price.

 

[Liam]

It is a shame that most of our ferry links to the continent have been lost and concentrated towards Hull, Harwich and the South Coast. It seems crazy that there is no longer a link from Northern England/Scotland to Norway/Sweden.

 

[jon0844]

Even the Harwich to Esbjerg service is a shadow of its former self. Tiny boat with sod all to do onboard compared to what I used to go on as a child.

And it costs a small fortune too, which is a shame. As fuel costs rocket throughout the EU, it's a great way for us to get to Sweden and save a load of driving and petrol - but it's almost cheaper to drive and stay in a hotel anyway.

I do hope we might see more ferries coming back into use as there are times you want/need your car and then the airlines are no good at all.

 

[Gordon]

.

Without realising it would happen I ended up on the penultimate ever Bergen - Newcastle DFDS crossing in August 2008. It was ironic and lucky that we chose that year to go car camping in Norway instead of our more usual Switzerland. A great loss.

Note how DFDS and Stena both try to imply that Hamburg is 'just around the corner' from Hook of Holland and Amsterdam/Esbjerg respectively and claim that Germany/Hamburg is 'easy' and 'theirs' despite not offering a service there!

http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/ferry-routes/germany/

http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/routes/germany/explore-hamburg/

As it happens, DFDS are closer to the truth, as Esbjerg - Hamburg is a faster (on theoretically emptier roads) drive than Hook - Hamburg



Almost one for the trade descriptions act!
.

 

[30907]

The distances and/or driving times are pretty clear (and accurate) stated on both sites - don't think there's anything to complain of (Hoek to Hamburg isn't the nicest of drives, but having done it recently it's better than some UK equivalents).
And the train journey would be fine if the Amsterdam-Osnabruck-Berlin service were retimed by an hour.

 

[gordonthemoron]

And the train journey would be fine if the Amsterdam-Osnabruck-Berlin service were retimed by an hour.

And the train ran more frequently (1 tph rather every other hour)

 

[kylemore]

Yes, indeed it was. I enjoyed a very nice plate of steak and chips while crusiing up the river in 2000 (I think it was 2000 anyway!).

I can't remember when the rout ewa withdrawn, but I've got a feeling it wasn't too long after my trip.

I also sampled Newcastle - Kristiansand - Gothernburg on DFDS not logn before they pulled that one. Never did Newcastle - Bergen though.

Back on topic, ther eis no ferry to Hamburg. The closest ferry arrivals would be Esbjerg or even Hoek van Holland which are both quite a long way away. Another victory for low cost airlines.

Sailed on the classic Winston Churchill from North Shields to Hamburg shortly before she was withdrawn, a great trip up the Elbe in perfect conditions straight to the heart of the great city of Hamburg.

 

[Gordon]

To be fair, DFDS is OK to be promoting Esbjerg for Hamburg as the Esbjerg - Hamburg drive is no further than the Esbjerg - Copenhagen drive.

If I was doing the trip I think I would find it difficult to justify going by longer distance ferry, as the comparitive elapsed overall travel times UK - Hamburg - both by road and rail - via other routes (ie dover - calais or Eurostar via Bruxelles) are no longer so surely outweigh the bother of going by ferry.



.

 

[jon0844]

The main reason for going by ferry is to save on fuel, as well as allowing me to rest a bit before a long drive through Denmark and into Sweden, staying overnight in Malmo, then going on to Stockholm. As a result, time and distance isn't so important to me - although I do miss the foot-to-the-floor driving experience in Germany!

Newcastle to Gothenburg was a service we never got to use, but that would be ideal as it's a nice easy drive up the A1 from home.

Hopefully ferries will make a comeback one day. With Wi-Fi on the boat (although it works perhaps just 50% of the times I've travelled!) you can pass the hours quite easily, despite the lack of things to do.

 

[Altnabreac]

The main reason for going by ferry is to save on fuel, as well as allowing me to rest a bit before a long drive through Denmark and into Sweden, staying overnight in Malmo, then going on to Stockholm. As a result, time and distance isn't so important to me - although I do miss the foot-to-the-floor driving experience in Germany!

Newcastle to Gothenburg was a service we never got to use, but that would be ideal as it's a nice easy drive up the A1 from home.

Hopefully ferries will make a comeback one day. With Wi-Fi on the boat (although it works perhaps just 50% of the times I've travelled!) you can pass the hours quite easily, despite the lack of things to do.

It's a real shame there aren't the Norway and Sweden ferries any more but the price differential from low cost airlines became worse and worse. I used to use the Bergen and Kristiansand ferries regularly to get to Oslo but once Ryanair started flying to Torp it just wasn't worth it as a foot passenger.

My only trip from Gothenburg by ferry was as the final leg of a Beijing to Newcastle overland journey via Moscow, Talinn and Stockholm. Useful for me but probably not enough regular traffic on that route to sustain the ferry.