Getting to Hannover

Hannover is very well-linked to other destinations by air, road and rail, and is therefore easily accessible. By road, Hannover is served by the excellent German road system, being on both the Hamburg to Kassel and the Berlin to Dusseldorf autobahns. With its central location, Hannover is also well served by the impressive German rail network. Hannover Airport also has regular flights to and from a variety of locations in Europe and some destinations in Asia. There is also a frequent inter-city bus service covering much of Germany, and some international destinations. 

By car

Germany is covered by an excellent network of autobahns (motorways) and bundesstrassen (major roads), both of which are a joy to drive on. The Germans drive on the right and the autobahns have no speed limits. While the limits on the B-roads are quite high, at up to 130kph outside of towns, they can drop to as low as 50kph in built up areas. The wearing of seatbelts is compulsory.
Hannover is best served by the A7 Hamburg to Kassel autobahn, which passes just to the east of the city, or the A2 Berlin to Dusseldorf autobahn, which passes just to the north. The city is easily reached after leaving these two motorways. Hannover is about an hour and a half's drive from Hamburg. From Berlin and Dusseldorf, the drive is around 3 hours.

By rail

With its central location, Hannover enjoys good rail connections with all the major cities in Germany via the German rail service, Die Bahn. The train service gives travellers an opportunity to see many of the varied scenic views and historical sites of Germany while travelling from one place to another.

Apart from being well-connected to all major German towns, Hannover is also connected directly to other European countries by rail. There are direct trains to the Netherlands, Switzerland, France and Austria, which run several times a day. These destinations are also served by night trains. All inter-city and international services offer a variety of classes and services. Apart from the inter-city services, Hannover also enjoys cheap regional rail services.

By bus

Hannover is linked to the rest of Germany and parts of Europe by frequent bus services. These services are fast and clean, but they lack the comfort of other means of transport and so, in general, they tend to only be used by budget travellers. The Central Bus Station is found behind the Central Railway Station. International destinations include: London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Barcelona, Madrid, Moscow, Prague, Copenhagen and Paris.

By air

Hannover Airport is well-served with regular flights from most European and some Asian destinations. There are trains departing from the airport to the city centre every 30 minutes until 23:30. The journey takes about 15 minutes. Buses can also be caught at the airport for journeys into the city centre. Outside the terminal, metered taxis can be taken to any destination 24 hours a day.

Hannover International Airport

Hannover Airport (HAJ) is located about 10 miles out of the city centre, and it is, in many ways, a typical regional airport. There are four busy terminals at the airport and there are many flights from around Europe and from some parts of Asia that serve Hannover regularly. With flights from some destinations including the USA, a change of flights may be needed. Information desks and bureaux de change are readily available at the airport.

Hannover airport transportation

Trains on the German S-bahn system depart from the airport for Hannover city centre every 30 minutes between 05:00 and 23:30. The journey takes about 15 minutes. The trains terminate at the Central Station and, from here, the extensive subway/tram service can be taken. There is also a regular bus service from the airport that operates between the same times as the rail service, although it is a bit slower.

Metered taxis can be found outside all the terminals, waiting to take visitors to the city centre. These are available 24 hours. Alternatively, those with hire cars can follow the main road into the city.