Frequently asked questions

How can I rent or buy accommodation in HafenCity? How green is the district? And what are the responsibilities of HafenCity Hamburg GmbH? Answers to frequently asked questions

Mobility

How do I get to HafenCity without a car?

HafenCity enjoys a variety of connections to the public transport network and is quick and easy to reach, whether by bus, U-Bahn underground or ferry

When will I be able to use the U4 and where will it stop?

The U4 will start operating in September 2012, initially at 10-minute intervals. Inside HafenCity, the Überseequartier and HafenCity University stops are currently under construction. In the medium term, the U4 will also make "the leap over the Elbe".

Where can I park my car in HafenCity?

HafenCity will offer public and private underground car garages. All buildings contain two to three floors of parking space inside their plinths, which also serve to elevate the building above flood level.

What are the plans for the HafenCity cycling lane network?

It is too early to see how the network of cycling lanes will look in HafenCity because they cannot be laid out until the buildings on adjacent private sites are completed. The transport concept provides for three sorts of cycling path in HafenCity.

Why doesn’t the U4 line have any overground sections?

Before the final route of the new U4 underground line was decided, alternatives with an overground layout were also analyzed. There were important arguments against realizing the above-ground version.

Living & Working

How are HafenCity’s businesses developing?

More than 270 companies had moved into HafenCity by fall 2010. And the number of jobs provided has almost doubled in the past two years. The new city district offers the best conditions for the location of small and medium-size as well as large enterprises.

How can I rent or buy accommodation in HafenCity?

There are many routes to renting or buying your own home. New buildings are being completed all the time. HafenCity Hamburg GmbH’s booklet on housing, working and living in HafenCity offers an overview.

What is the cost of accommodation in HafenCity?

The price for rental apartments on Dalmannkai works out at EUR 12 to 18 per square meter; for housing cooperatives the price is between EUR 9 and 13.5 per sq. m. Purchase prices for apartments range from EUR 3,000 to 4,500 per sq. m, although exclusive homes close to the water may fetch up to EUR 10,000 per sq. m.

Which companies are already settled in HafenCity?

There are already around 200 businesses (as of autumn 2008) operating out of HafenCity. And this new part of town offers optimal conditions for small or medium businesses as well as very large companies to set up operations.

Who lives in HafenCity?

People with greatly differing lifestyles and concepts can find accommodation to suit them: young professionals, singles, couples, families, so-called “empty nesters” and seniors all now live in the new district.

Leisure & Culture

What kind of shops are opening in HafenCity?

Local supplies are already available to residents and people working locally in Dalmannkai neighborhood and its surroundings. In Überseequartier innovative outlets as well as "normal" supermarkets, drugstores, fashion and accessory shops come up since 2010.

What shopping is available?

Even in the current early phase of HafenCity’s development, plenty of local suppliers are available. The district is also a budding location for boutiques, shopping chains and the flagship stores of international brands.

Is there a good selection of bistros, cafés, restaurants and bars?

The number of bistros, cafés, restaurants, bakeries and bars is ever-expending alike HafenCity itself.

What does HafenCity have to offer for kids?

In the new "Schatzinsel" (Treasure Island) playground 850 sq. m play space awaits them; a parents’ initiative also runs an all-weather playhouse. Up and coming soccer players are already training for Störtebeker sports club, while music and sport is on offer in the Katharinenschule premises after school.

What sports activities are available in HafenCity?

For joggers the waterside promenades are a favorite route, while skaters prefer the many squares and ramps. Green spaces taking shape in the planned parks over the coming years will offer facilities for play, sport and exercise.

What is the concept for the Science Center and when will it be ready?

The concept for the Science Center resembles a construction kit for the earth, focusing on ten main science topics. Content will be made accessible to children, teenagers and adults.

How many cruise ships visit per year and what level of emissions do they produce?

In 2011, Hamburg will be visited by 119 cruise ships. Because so many of them make directly for the HafenCity cruise ship terminal, the problem of their emissions was already taken into account in planning of the new city district.

Concepts & Planning

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How green is HafenCity?

Different typologies of green open spaces are emerging in HafenCity. There are squares with tree planting, such as the Marco Polo Terraces and Vasco da Gama Square, as well as smaller "pocket parks", such as the Dalmannkai steps. Two of the neighborhood parks - Sandtorpark and Grasbrookpark - will have grassed and play areas. Lohsepark will be the largest park in Hamburg’s inner city, covering around 40,000 sq. m.

Lohsepark will become a part of the Hamburg system of green spaces, as a continuation of the green belt running from the Wallanlagen, the remains of the medieval city walls, southwards to the River Elbe. The park will be adjoined by a promenade with wide grassed areas, meandering along the Kirchenpauer quay in the east of HafenCity. Later, walkers will be able to continue across a bridge to the Entenwerder park area. A grassed sport field will be laid out in Oberhafen neighborhood.

Planting in HafenCity will include around 2,000 trees with a trunk circumference of at least 30-35cm, around 7m in height and crowns 2-3m across. Trees are mostly being planted on both sides of streets and sometimes along central reserves as well. A special "tree masterplan" has been drawn up for HafenCity which defines which types of tree should grow where. The choice of trees for the various neighborhoods has centered on tree types that have a special characteristic - for example, feathery leaved trees or species that boast wonderful autumn colors or special blossoms. All in all some 20 different tree species, such as cherry, swamp oak, magnolia and willow, are being planted in HafenCity.

The trees chosen were picked for their suitability to an urban climate and the sometimes extreme local conditions in the port area. A special vegetation concept to this end was commissioned by HafenCity Hamburg GmbH. The prime requirement is sustainability. Plants need to remain healthy and to flourish. For this reason, planting holes for trees of at least 12 cubic meter volume are filled with a substrate specially developed for HafenCity and roots are supplied with oxygen via an aeration system.

Landscaping with plants will have a positive effect on the environmental track record of HafenCity: a young tree absorbs around 25 kilos of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year. Once it is grown, it can trap 200 kilos of CO2 annually. A study commissioned by HafenCity Hamburg GmbH has shown that the newly planted trees will absorb more than 400 tonnes of CO2 each year.

After all HafenCity's open spaces also include expanses of water in the harbor basins and there will be little planting in its network of promenades due to the occasional high water and to retain the typical port structures.