Local Tip
Keep some euro cash handy: hamburg.com says plenty of Hamburg shops, bars and restaurants still take no cards. Away from the Hauptbahnhof, ReiseBank's branch at Altona station changes money seven days a week, with shorter hours at weekends.
Where to change money in Hamburg
ReiseBank has exchange counters at two Hamburg stations, the Hauptbahnhof and Altona, and inside two Hamburger Volksbank branches in Harburg and Wandsbek. Get a firm euro figure, charges included, before handing anything over.
- ReiseBank, Hamburg Hauptbahnhof Wandelhalle, Hachmannplatz 10, 20099 Hamburg, in the station's shopping concourse. ReiseBank says its branches can supply up to 100 currencies; check this branch's opening times on its website.
- ReiseBank, Bahnhof Altona Paul-Nevermann-Platz 12, 22765 Hamburg. Open Monday to Friday 08:00 to 19:30, and on Saturday and Sunday 09:00 to 14:00 and 14:45 to 17:00; public holidays may differ.
- ReiseBank at Hamburger Volksbank, Harburg and WandsbekCounters inside the Volksbank branches at Lüneburger Tor 2 in Harburg and Wandsbeker Marktstraße 99-101 in Wandsbek, useful if you are staying outside the centre; confirm their hours with ReiseBank first.
Changing money at the airport
Hamburg Airport lists a ReiseBank branch on Level 0 of Terminal 2, the arrivals level, open 08:00 to 20:00 daily. Travelex has a counter airside at gate B53 on the Pier (Level 1), open 09:00 to 17:00; its Terminal 1 departures desk is a Tax Free counter, a Global Blue partner handling tax refunds for non-EU travellers. Cash machines before security are run by Deutsche Bank, Hamburger Sparkasse, Hamburger Volksbank and ReiseBank; beyond it, by ReiseBank, Hamburger Volksbank and Travelex.
ATMs and cards in Hamburg
Bankdaten.de, a German money-advice site (June 2026), steers readers towards savings-bank and Volksbank machines, in Hamburg those of Hamburger Sparkasse and Hamburger Volksbank, and warns off Euronet (€3 to €6 per withdrawal), Cardpoint (€3 to €5) and Travelex, which has machines past airport security; charges can change. Should a Hamburg cash machine or restaurant card reader ask whether you want the total in pounds, answer euros: HSBC UK explains that choosing sterling lets the business or its bank set the rate, which usually works out dearer than Visa's or Mastercard's.
Paying for transport in Hamburg
Buying single, day or group tickets in either HVV app (hvv or hvv switch) or HVV's online shop saves 7 per cent on the ticket-machine price, though not on weekly, monthly or Deutschland tickets; discounts may change. The hvv switch app requires registration and takes PayPal, SEPA direct debit, or Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Ticket machines and HVV service points still accept cash. The hvv Any app feature, which checked you in and charged the lowest fare automatically, ended on 23 October 2025, DT5 Online reports, so you now pick each ticket yourself.
Good to know
- In Hamburg's cafés, bars and restaurants a tip of around 10 per cent is customary though not compulsory, hamburg.com says; for small purchases, rounding the bill up is enough.
- The hvv Prepaid Card, available from HVV's many sales partners, service points and some ticket machines, lets you buy single, day and group tickets from its topped-up balance without cash or registration.
Key Areas in Hamburg
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Exchange bureaux, banks and cash machines, as mapped by OpenStreetMap. The map loads only when you ask for it.
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Hamburg travel money FAQ
Where is the best place to exchange money in Hamburg?
ReiseBank changes money at the Hauptbahnhof's Wandelhalle and at Altona station, and inside Hamburger Volksbank branches in Harburg and Wandsbek. If your debit card works abroad, drawing euros from a Hamburger Sparkasse or Hamburger Volksbank machine is the alternative.
Can I change money at Hamburg Airport after landing?
Yes: ReiseBank's branch in the Terminal 2 arrivals area (Level 0) opens 08:00 to 20:00 daily. Travelex's counter at gate B53 is past security, and the Travelex desk in Terminal 1 departures is listed for tax refunds.
Can I still pay cash for hvv tickets in Hamburg?
Yes, at ticket machines and HVV service points. Buying in the hvv or hvv switch app, or HVV's online shop, instead takes 7 per cent off single, day and group tickets.
Checked September 2026. Fees, fares and opening times change, so check locally before relying on them. Sources: ReiseBank · Hamburg Airport · Bankdaten.de · HSBC UK · hamburg.com · HVV
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