hvv Card, balance & Deutschland-Ticket
What the free hvv Card is, how you load and check its balance — and why the Deutschland-Ticket (€6300/month) is the real “monthly ticket” for regular riders in Hamburg.
Straight to the point: the rechargeable hvv Card and how to check its balance, the nationwide Deutschland-Ticket, and the classic HVV season tickets.
hvv Card, balance and Deutschland-Ticket at a glance
When people ask about “cards” in Hamburg, they usually mean three very different things: the hvv Card (a rechargeable chip card used to pay for tickets), the Deutschland-Ticket (the de-facto monthly ticket for regular riders) and the classic HVV season tickets. This page explains all three — and clears up the most common misunderstanding right away.
First things first: Hamburg has no tap-and-go system like the Oyster card in London. The U-Bahn is an open system with no ticket gates — you buy your ticket before you travel and show it if an inspector asks. Nothing is deducted automatically per journey, and there is no check-in / check-out on the platform.
Every fare and ticket type is covered in detail on the Tickets & prices page, and you can find the cheapest connection with the route planner.
The hvv Card: a free prepaid card for buying tickets
What is the hvv Card — and who is it for?
The hvv Card is a free, rechargeable, contactless chip card. It is a prepaid purse used to pay for tickets — above all on the bus, at the on-board terminal or from the driver. It is handy for anyone who often buys single journeys and would rather not carry cash.
It is not a tap-and-go ticket: you do not hold the card to a reader to board, and nothing is deducted automatically per journey. You pay for a specific ticket out of your balance. And it does not replace the Deutschland-Ticket — the two are completely different things.
Loading the balance
Checking your balance
Deutschland-Ticket: the monthly ticket for regular riders
Deutschland-Ticket — €6300 a month, nationwide
The Deutschland-Ticket costs a flat €6300 a month and is valid on all local public transport across the whole of Germany — on buses, the U-Bahn, the S-Bahn and regional trains. In Hamburg that covers the entire U-Bahn network, U1–U4, and far beyond.
For anyone who rides the HVV regularly, the Deutschland-Ticket is the real “monthly ticket”: it is a subscription you can cancel month by month and is noticeably cheaper than the classic monthly season ticket (€8300). As a bonus, it is valid not just in Hamburg but on local transport all over Germany — handy for day trips and travel.
You get it as a subscription on a chip card or digitally in the hvv app. It is tied to a named person and is valid only on local transport — not on long-distance trains (IC/ICE).
The Deutschland-Ticket & tickets in the hvv app
The hvv app is free. Here you subscribe to the Deutschland-Ticket, buy single and day tickets, and show them to an inspector. Tickets bought in the app are around 7 % cheaper than at a machine.
These links go to the official app stores and to hvv.de. ubahnhamburg.com does not sell tickets itself.
HVV season tickets
Frequently asked questions about the hvv Card & Deutschland-Ticket
Not quite. The hvv Card is rechargeable, but it is not tap-and-go: you do not hold it to a reader to board or alight, and nothing is deducted automatically per journey. It is a prepaid purse used to pay for a ticket — above all on the bus. There is no check-in / check-out like the London Oyster card in Hamburg.
In €5 steps, up to a maximum balance of €150. You can top up at ticket machines, at the HVV service points and at more than 550 sales outlets such as REWE, Penny, kiosks and petrol stations. The card itself is free.
Three ways: (1) hold the card to the contactless reader of a ticket machine — after about 6 seconds you see your balance and recent journeys; (2) at the bus terminal right after paying; (3) with the free “hvv Card Info” app on your smartphone.
For regular riders almost always. It costs €6300/month, can be cancelled monthly and is therefore cheaper than the HVV monthly season ticket (€8300). On top of that it is valid nationwide on all local transport — buses, the U-Bahn, the S-Bahn and regional trains. If you only use the U-Bahn occasionally, single or day tickets work out cheaper.
No, an hvv Card rarely pays off for a short visit. For a few journeys a day ticket (€820 for the whole network), bought in the hvv app or at a machine, is enough. If you also want to visit museums and attractions, the Hamburg CARD (€from 1190/day) is often the best option: free travel on the HVV (fare zone AB) plus discounts at many sights.