Alter Elbtunnel

The Old Elbe Tunnel in Hamburg is one of those attractions that truly surprises you — not least because it’s completely free, yet feels like stepping straight into a piece of living history. Opened in 1911, it’s a remarkable feat of engineering and architecture that still functions perfectly today. As you enter the building near Landungsbrücken, you’re immediately struck by its historic charm. The beautiful tiling, solid metal pillars, and the massive elevators — once used to carry horse-drawn carriages and vehicles — all stand as proud reminders of early 20th-century craftsmanship. You can either take one of these impressive elevators down or descend via the staircases, which adds to the experience as you move from daylight into the cool, slightly damp air beneath the river. Walking or cycling through the tunnel itself is fascinating. The long, arched passage, lined with white tiles and lit by old-fashioned lamps, stretches underneath the Elbe, giving you a sense of both nostalgia and wonder. Along the walls, you can spot small, decorative details depicting fish, crabs, and maritime motifs — all beautifully crafted and perfectly preserved. When you emerge on the other side, you’re rewarded with a stunning view back toward Hamburg’s skyline. From there, you can admire the harbor, the massive cranes, and the impressive silhouette of the Elbphilharmonie in the distance — a breathtaking contrast between Hamburg’s industrial past and modern elegance. The Old Elbe Tunnel is far more than a functional passageway; it’s a piece of living cultural heritage, a journey through time, and a reminder of what humans can achieve with vision and craftsmanship. The fact that it’s completely free only makes it more remarkable. A truly unique and memorable experience — an absolute must-see when visiting Hamburg.

Absolutely fantastic place we used it twice and it’s so efficient and well looked after. Really historic too .. it’s even better that if you are on a cruise you can walk into the city via the tunnel. But you might want to check the opening hours as it closes for maintenance sometimes and weekends are shorter opening

This is a public, toll-free tunnel for pedestrians and bikes. One tube is currently undergoing maintenance, so be aware of traffic in both directions when you cross. The tunnel is manned, and if you don’t feel like taking the stairs down, there’s good elevators to take you down on both sides of the tunnel. Built in 1911 and still very much alive beneath the Elbe. The tiled tunnel feels more like a film set than public infrastructure, beautifully preserved and slightly eerie. Walk it, bike it, or just descend for the atmosphere. If you have time, continue to Steinwerder on the south side for a quiet panoramic view of the city.

A perfectly kept tunnel running under the Elbe river. A fun free experience. I recommend taking the stairs down and the lift up. The tiles are beautiful and adorned with various sea animals. The tunnel connects central Hamburg with the docks and shipyards on the south side of the river Elbe. It is used daily by commuters as a shortcut across the river. Be sure to stick to the pavements inside the tunnel as cyclists move quite quickly.

Pretty tunnel. It is about 2km long and no way to get out in between so if one is claustrophobic, they should keep this in mind. You can use cycles inside the tunnel as well

Outstanding experience smth to do in Hamburg except drinking. Elevators and staircases are commendable as far as to get another side by walking. Absolutely recommended to visit

A free and pleasurable walk along a pretty tunnel under the river, featuring murals along the walls, a strip of road for bicycles, and a beautiful view of the river on the other side.

Incredible engineering and really well renovated. Totally free. No wait. Gorgeous inside. Easy 10-12 minute walk to other side. Make sure you use the large left for the bicycles and scooters but also check out the main hall via the stairs.

The Alter Elbtunnel is a cool and free place to check out in Hamburg. It was the original tunnel built for connecting two parts of the city across the Elbe, but has since been superseded by newer tunnels and bridges. For this reason, I don't think cars a very common sight in the tunnel, although they can go through it for a fee. There are very old and interesting lifts going down to the tunnel, which pedestrians and cyclists can also use, but I preferred to use the stairs, from where I could look at the lift's mechanisms. I'm interested in that kind of thing. The tunnel is long and it's straight. It was a fun experience to walk through it and then come up at the other side, with a tremendous view of Hamburg. From the other side, you can see St. Pauli, the harbour, HafenCity, and lots of church spires as well. It's worth it just for the view. Panoramic Photo Op!

Old Elbe Tunnel or St. Pauli Elbe Tunnel opened in 1911, is a pedestrian and vehicle tunnel in Hamburg. The 426 m long tunnel was a technical sensation; 24 m beneath the surface, two 6 m diameter tubes connect central Hamburg with the docks and shipyards on the south side of the river Elbe. This was a big improvement for tens of thousands of workers in one of the busiest harbours in the world. It was heavily damaged during the war and was in a big state of disrepair and the city launched a huge project to restore it to its former glory. It's a sight not to be missed. Walk down the stairs or take the elevator down and walk along the tunnel and when you get out of the other end follow the signs to the viewing area for amazing views of the city. I would definitely recommend this as a must do activity in Hamburg. The entrance is located in a big round building along the harbour and easy to find.

Long underground tunnel that takes you from the waterfront to the other side of the river. It is free for pedestrians and cyclists (2 euros for vehicles). You can access the tunnel from a dome structure at the ground level. A set of stairs or gigantic elevator takes you underground. It took us about 20 minutes to walk the length of the tunnel. When you come back up, turn the corner and you will be greeted with a beautiful view of the Hamburg waterfront. If you are worried about restrooms, there are actually portable toilets on the other side. It's incredible to think that the tunnel was built in 1911! And it's still in use today!

Alter Elbtunner is a funny way to cross the Elbe. Moreover you will appreciate the history of this place thanks to the elevators and the two different roads for each lane. I would just have appreciated to have more information inside the tunnel, about its history.

Really special and for free! You can make s as long walk and the elevator. Or get some serious free fitness by taking the stairs. The whole thing has an eerie atmosphere which is kind of fun to experience.

Wann immer ich oben - auf dem Durchgang des Alten Elbtunnels - stehe und die 26 Meter heruntersehe, überkommt mich Ehrfurcht. Die Reliefs an den Wänden zeigen so viele Menschen, die bei dem Bau mitgewirkt haben und deren Namen niemand erinnert. 1907 begonnen, wurde der Bau 1911 eingeweiht und war ein Meilenstein in der Architekturgeschichte. Denn zum ersten Mal wurde ein fließendes Gewässer unterquert. Arbeiter, die bis dahin auf Fähren angewiesen waren, konnten Wetter- und Gezeiten unabhängig ihre Arbeitsstellen auf den Elbinseln erreichen. Wie bemerkenswert, das man damals die Wege der Arbeiter mit Kunst gesäumt hat. Die Kacheln an den 465m langen Wänden sind nicht nackt und pragmatisch, sondern liebevoll mit Reliefs geziert. So lohnt sich auch heute noch ein Spaziergang durch die Tunnelröhren.

IF YOU LIKE TO WALK STRAIGHT, COME HERE! HAHAHA.. it's really just a tunnel, but still if you consider you see a part of Hamburg's history going all the way down and crossing the river underground. It's cool. COME AND HAVE FUN. If you're drunk, I think it's more fun (straight walking) haha OHHH and it's for FREEEEEEE :D

This is a great value since it is free and it only takes about 30 minutes to go down into the tunnel, walk under the river, and come out on the other side and take some very pretty pictures of Hamburg. The elevators are huge (big enough to fit 2 cars) so it was amazing to ride them up and down. They also have smaller elevators for people. The day we were there the car elevator and the people elevator were being used for people so the wait was very short.

The old Elbtunnel is a relic from a not-too-distant past, when men were men and tunnels were... tunnels. This tunnel was built in the 1910s, back in the day when tunnels weren't built at gradual slope, but were dug straight down, across and back up again. If you're on foot, a flight of stairs or a modern elevator will take you down, if you're in a vehicle, the large shaft has three separate elevators for cars. The tunnel itself is only a few hundred meters long, but is a lot of fun to walk through. Interesting detailing of marine animals (and a boot) can be found on the walls, and interesting bits of information are tacked up as well, such as a sign explaining that the tunnel was actually deepened (as in, relocated and placed deeper underground) in the 1980's. The acoustic quality of the tunnel is unique - we were down there with musicians on more than one occasion (a few guitar players and also 3 members of Sweden's Gothenburg Chamber Choir) and were treated to delightful improvised performances. Upon exiting the tunnel from the other side (assuming you went in from Landungsbrücken) is a nice place to look over the Hamburg waterfront and most of the city's landmarks. In the winter, it is several degrees colder in the tunnel than outside, so make sure to dress warmly. When showing people around the city, I try to make sure not to skip the old Elbtunnel. I think it's one of the interesting and unique pieces of architecture Hamburg has to offer. Here's a short clip I took while going through the tunnel with my younger brother who came for a visit in Hamburg. Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhHr-YzKo74

The Old Elbtunnel, It took me a while till I found Elbtunnel. I've been always passing by thinking its some kind of underground parking lot. I was wondering always as well, where the hell is that Elbtunnel everybody's visiting. So for all you like-me-disoriented people - it's the big concrete thing next to S-Bahn Landungsbrücken. Practical: you can get on the other side of Elba in just a few minutes. For pedestrians and cyclists it for free, for cars I think it is 2 Euros. I cant really call it a must see in Hamburg as for basically it is just a tunnel to get on the other side and once you get there the view of Hamburg is not the best one I've seen. But the one thing I really like about it is elevator. Every time I step in I feel like listening to Bucketheads Welcome to the Bucketheadland. All in all it fits all those crazy little Hamburg bits you can see.

Definitely a must see for anyone visiting Hamburg; I totally loved the car lifts! Very bizarre! Can imagine it must get pretty smoggy in there if you're in with too many cars, but hey it was pretty quiet when we where there as you can see! The views back across the water are impressive too.

While not being one of the top sightseeing spots in Hamburg it is for sure interesting for those who are interested in technology. Built in 1907-1911 the tunnel was constructed to help the shipyard workers cross the Elbe river without having to use the small and expensive harbour boats. At that time about 20.000 workers had to cross the river every day to get to work and back home. While Pedestrians can use the staircases to get into the tunnel, cars have to use the special elevators on both sides. Even for those who are not interested in the tunnel itself it might be interesting to use the tunnel to get to the other side since the southern exit is on the opposite side of the "Landungsbrücken" which grants a nice view on the touristic harbour area.

I'm not entirely sure of the history of this place, but I'm told it's often used making war films. The main entrance is just a bit down from Landungsbrucken S/U bahn station, and is currently under some renovation so is a little bit hard to find. We pretended it was a secret. Once inside, you have the option of the lifts or the majestic wooden staircase which I took, and it's really fun, although maybe not recommended if you're scared of heights. There are also 3 vehicle lifts (it's a big shaft!) which are used to transport cars for a small fee in the week. On the weekend, there are no cars and it's free to pedestrians. It's then a short walk underneath the Elbe to the other side, which brings you out in a bizarre industrial estate but affords great views of passing river traffic and the lovely bank on the other side. Great fun!

Hamburg isn't really renowned as a tourist destination, but the old elbetunnel is pretty cool to walk along if you're in the area. It's one of the few genuine tourist attractions in the city. During the week there are three car-lifts that allow cars to traverse the tunnel, but at the weekends it's reserved for walkers and cyclists.

It's Old, under the River Elbe and a Tunnel, hence it's call the Alter Elbtunnel! I usually come here on my cycle though the docks. Two tips use the 'other' lift as its less crowded, and also its a really good place to drop into on a boiling hot Hamburg day since it's always nice and cool down there.

Cute and FREE toursit attraction in the city! Just come by and check it out if you are in Hamburg. I would reccomend taking the stairs on theway down and the elevator when you come back up. Its a fun walk and you get nice views of Hamburg from the other side! Oh and did i mention its free?

We stumbled on it by chance and it provided us with shelter from the pouring rain... it was ok but we did not find the great views etc that everyone talks about the other side so not sure we made the most of it to be honest.

The elevator down and up is free and there is a nice viewpoint after walking through the tunnel but it merely an interesting experience rather than an amazing one and convenient to the jumping off point for water taxis and boat trips.

well its a tunnel... you walk down the steps through the tunnel - where there isnt much to see then out of the tunnel and TARA you're at the other side of the elbe! Then you either go back through the tunnel or take the Lion King shuttle boat It could be interesting if you're doing the trip in a car.. but on foot... i dont know, i didnt appreciate its history and architecture...

This is a fine destination for an evening walk with your lover or a friend. Alternatively, if you're traveling by bike from Pauli or Altona to Wilhelmsburg, the Old Elbtunnel is the fastest, most enjoyable route.

A definite thing of beauty. the tunnel dates back to 1907 and if you go down there early on a Sunday it kind of feels a bit like you're not meant to be there - eery and silent. a great photo opportunity.

A free experience in Hamburg: its a tunnel under the Elbe river for cars and for people. it's a nice thing to do when you are in hambourg since there is a wonderful atmosphere in this tunnel !!

Spooky at night!!!!!!!!!!

very nice place in Hamburg. One can have a work under the water for less than 2 meters and see a good view from the other side. Free and interesting.