Moving to Hamburg: Costs Process & Districts

Hamburg is divided into seven boroughs: Hamburg-Mitte, Altona, Eimsbüttel, Hamburg-Nord, Wandsbek, Bergedorf and Harburg. These contain 104 districts – right down to the Neuwerk island group in the North Sea. Each borough has its own borough office (Bezirksamt), which is responsible, for example, for the special use of public space by a removal container.

The districts close to the city centre in Eimsbüttel, Altona and Hamburg-Nord are densely built up, with many period buildings without lifts and few free parking spaces. In Wandsbek, Bergedorf or Harburg there are more terraced and detached houses. For the move, the specific address is therefore what counts: we clarify floor, stairwell and space for the lorry during the survey. Our private move service adapts to it.

The Port of Hamburg is one of the largest transhipment ports in the world and, together with the airport, makes Hamburg a major logistics location. Aerospace, life sciences, information technology, consumer goods and media are also economically important; since 1996 the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea has been based here. We do not quote specific rents – they depend heavily on location and condition.

The best-known places include the Inner and Outer Alster lakes, the Speicherstadt, St. Pauli with the Reeperbahn and the Elbphilharmonie, which opened in 2017. If you are arriving for the start of a semester or a new job, fix the moving day early: according to Hamburg Police, the parking restriction should be applied for two weeks in advance. Long routes from Berlin can be found under Long-distance moves.

Our pricing model is simple and fair: small flats with 1 room cost from €354, medium-sized ones with 2 rooms from €589. For 3 rooms we start from €915, for 4 rooms from €1,299. For houses and villas, because each one is different, there is always a tailored quote. If you are moving over longer distances, long-distance moves cost from €4.10 per kilometre driven. It is best to clarify the details during a free survey.

First of all, the volume plays a central role, followed by the distance, which starts at €4.10/km. Further factors are the floor, whether there is a lift and a possible parking restriction zone. For additional services we recommend furniture assembly and part loads.

For your move to Hamburg, you put together the services you need.

1. Furniture transport: Furniture transport as the basic service.
2. Move with assembly: Move with assembly as a complete package.
3. Part load: Part load for small budgets.
4. Private move: Private move for private households.
5. Company relocation: Company relocation for businesses.
6. House clearance: House clearance to prepare for the move.

We plan moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21) for private and business customers. In the locations overview you will find places with their own pages, and details of long routes under Long-distance moves. We also move you within Hamburg or into the surrounding area if planning from Berlin works out.

In Hamburg, the local road traffic authority grants permission for a parking restriction on moving day. According to Hamburg Police, these authorities are based in the police stations. The authority finder (Behördenfinder) shows which one is responsible for your address when you enter the street and house number. You can apply for the parking restriction via the online service "Online HVZ".

• Application no later than two weeks before the moving date
• According to Hamburg Police, signs must be put up at least four days beforehand
• A separate order for the moving-in and moving-out addresses
• Zone length: about 15 m for a 7.5 t lorry with a tail lift, about 10 m for a Sprinter

According to Hamburg Police (as of January 2022), the fee is normally between 30.30 and 203.60 euros; you usually receive the notice only several weeks after moving in. For a removal container, you additionally need a special use permit from the borough office, which can take up to 14 days to process. Hamburg is divided into seven boroughs, including Eimsbüttel, Altona and Hamburg-Nord; which office is responsible depends on the address. Our guide Applying for a parking restriction zone and our service Parking restriction zone give you an overview.

During the survey we measure how much space the vehicle needs in front of the building and discuss the floor, lift and carrying distances with you. That way you state the correct zone length in the application and allow for the time between approval, putting up the signs and moving day.

After moving in, according to hamburg.de you register no later than two weeks after the move, even if you are coming from another federal state. You book appointments with Hamburg Service in person online at driveport.de or by phone via 115. For moves from another federal state, the city lists 18 locations, including City, Altona, Wandsbek, Harburg and Bergedorf.

• A valid identity card, passport or passport substitute
• Landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung); the tenancy agreement alone is not enough
• If you have bought, a copy of the purchase contract or land register extract
• Powers of attorney if you are registering other people as well

According to the city, registering in person costs 16.00 euros per person or family group with the same moving details. Online it is free of charge, but requires a valid identity card or eID card and a user account. You do not have to deregister from your old city.

Further tips can be found in our guides Registering after a move: deadlines and Registering your address online. The page Long-distance move provides information on the route from Berlin; our location page for Hamburg can be found under Moving Hamburg.

Plan your appointment with Hamburg Service as early as possible, because the two-week deadline begins when you move in. We coordinate our arrival on moving day with your key handover so that you can move into the flat in time and have the landlord confirmation ready.