Living in Hamburg
If you are new to Hamburg and especially if you have not lived in Germany before, you will have to familiarize yourself with many new situations. The following links and information may help answer some of the most important questions.
Housing
Hamburg’s housing market is highly competitive, so rents are high. A bit of flexibility can pay off, e.g., in deciding what district/neighbourhood to live in or how far from the Institute. Helpful information on finding housing and living in Germany is available from these sources:
Here is a list of portals for finding housing and rentals:
Getting around in Hamburg
- By ferry, bus and train: Hamburg has a dense public transportation network. Information on timetables, ticket prices, and service is available on the HVV (the Hamburg transit association) website. Questions about applying for a “Deutschland-Jobticket” (a monthly transit pass) may be put to our HR department.
- By car or other motor vehicle: Not every foreign driver’s license allows you to drive in Germany! Here you will find information on the local validity of your driver’s license. If you bring a car when you move to Hamburg, you must register it in Hamburg. You can find information on this here.
- By bike: Most of Hamburg is very bicycle-friendly. If you do not own a bicycle, bicycle sharing and of course rentals are easily available. In many places you can use the red bikes from StadtRAD Hamburg.
Telephone & internet
There are many different providers selling contracts for home internet and mobile phone and data services at varying connection speeds and for various terms and prices. Prepaid options are available for those who do not want to be bound by a contract.
Moving to Hamburg with children
General information on childcare, the German school system, and financial support for families with children can be found here.
The homepage of Hamburg’s Welcome Center gives detailed information about childcare and schools in Hamburg. The school system is slightly different in each of Germany’s sixteen states, so this information may be helpful as well if you are moving to Hamburg from elsewhere in Germany.
Insurance
Employees are generally enrolled in the compulsory social insurance system, which includes health insurance. Information about the German social security system is available on the Euraxess website. While your pension and unemployment insurance contributions etc. are automatically deducted by your employer, you will have to choose from among many different statutory health insurers and must inform the HR department of your choice.
Optional private insurance is also available to cover various risks. Private insurance may be necessary if your particular employment situation does not fit the criteria of the statutory insurance system or if you want coverage beyond the statutory provisions. Information on some kinds of private insurance, which may be useful in general or depending on your situation, is available from Euraxess.
Sundays and holidays
Most stores, doctor’s offices and public agencies in Germany are closed on Sundays and public holidays. The Institute (including the library) also closes on three additional days between Christmas and New Year’s.
Public holidays in Hamburg in 2025:
- Christmas: Thu 25.12 + Fri 26.12.2025
- New Year’s Day: Thu 01.01.2026
- Good Friday: Fri 03.04.2026
- Easter Monday: Mon 06.04.2026
- Labor Day: Fri 01.05.2026
- Ascension Day: Thu 25.05.2026
- Pentecost: Mon 25.05.2026
- Day of German Unity: Sat 03.10.2026
- Day of Reformation: Fri 31.10.2026
- Christmas: Fri 25.12 + Sat 26.12.2026