At Hamburg’s Landungsbrücken, the destination matters before the ferry does. For Finkenwerder, use Line 62 from Brücke 3; for Elbphilharmonie, Line 72 uses Brücke 1; for Steinwerder, Line 75 uses Brücke 2. Lines 61 and 73 leave for different parts of the harbor, so boarding whichever HADAG ferry arrives next can put you on the wrong side of the Elbe.

The three HADAG departure points are grouped along St. Pauli Landungsbrücken, but they are not interchangeable. Brücke 1 is at the eastern end toward Elbphilharmonie, with Brücke 2 and Brücke 3 immediately farther west. The useful shortcut is therefore to decide on the destination and line first, then walk to the correct Brücke.

Destination or route HADAG line Landungsbrücken departure What separates it from the others
Finkenwerder 62 Brücke 3 Continues west via Fischmarkt, Dockland, Övelgönne and Bubendey-Ufer
Neuhof / Waltershof 61 Brücke 2 Shares the first western stops with 62, then turns into the working harbor
Elbphilharmonie 72 Brücke 1 Runs east toward Arningstraße and Elbphilharmonie
Ernst-August-Schleuse 73 Brücke 1 Crosses toward Theater im Hafen and the southern harbor; water levels can affect the final section
Steinwerder 75 Brücke 2 Direct crossing to Steinwerder
Finkenwerder express-type connection 66 Brücke 1 when operating Currently suspended until further notice

Brücke 1, 2 and 3 are a route map, not three versions of the same ferry stop

The name Landungsbrücken can make the waterfront look like one large ferry terminal. For HADAG passengers, it is more useful to think of it as three adjacent departure points serving different line groups.

Brücke 1 is the easternmost of the three, on the Elbphilharmonie side of Landungsbrücken. HADAG assigns Lines 72 and 73 there. Line 66 is also associated with Brücke 1, but that service is currently suspended.

Brücke 2 handles Lines 61 and 75. Those two boats may leave from the same part of Landungsbrücken, but they solve very different journeys: 61 continues through several harbor stops to Neuhof, while 75 simply connects Landungsbrücken with Steinwerder.

Brücke 3 is the important one for most visitors heading toward Finkenwerder on Line 62.

This layout means that walking toward a visible HADAG boat is not a reliable strategy. A departure from Brücke 1 could be heading east toward Elbphilharmonie or across the harbor on Line 73, while the Finkenwerder boat you actually need leaves from Brücke 3.

HADAG itself advises passengers to check the departure location shown in the HVV app and the displays at Landungsbrücken. That is worth doing even when you know the normal Brücke number, because a live departure display is a better final check than memorising a pier assignment.

Line 62 is the Landungsbrücken ferry for Finkenwerder — but the intermediate stops matter

For a normal journey from Landungsbrücken to Finkenwerder, Line 62 is the key route.

From Brücke 3 it serves:

Landungsbrücken → Altona (Fischmarkt) → Dockland (Fischereihafen) → Neumühlen/Övelgönne → Bubendey-Ufer → Finkenwerder

That route explains why Line 62 is useful for more than passengers whose final destination is Finkenwerder. It follows the north-bank waterfront first, serving Fischmarkt, Dockland and Övelgönne before crossing farther into the Elbe system.

The important comparison is with Line 61.

Both 61 and 62 leave Landungsbrücken and both call at Altona (Fischmarkt) and Dockland (Fischereihafen). If one of those two stops is your destination, either line may appear in the journey planner.

After Dockland, however, they separate.

Line 62 continues through Neumühlen/Övelgönne and Bubendey-Ufer to Finkenwerder.

Line 61 instead heads through Waltershof to Neuhof.

So “61 or 62” is not simply a question of waiting for whichever arrives first when you are travelling farther into the harbor. They share part of the route and then serve different areas.

For Finkenwerder specifically, stay with 62 unless the live journey planner gives you another current connection. Line 66 might appear in older guides or searches because it connected Finkenwerder and Landungsbrücken, but HADAG currently lists Line 66 as suspended until further notice.

Line 61 and Line 62 look similar at first, then split after Dockland

This is one of the more useful distinctions to understand before boarding.

Line 61 from Brücke 2 follows:

Landungsbrücken → Altona (Fischmarkt) → Dockland (Fischereihafen) → Waltershof → Neuhof

Line 62 from Brücke 3 begins with:

Landungsbrücken → Altona (Fischmarkt) → Dockland (Fischereihafen)

and then continues toward Övelgönne, Bubendey-Ufer and Finkenwerder.

If you are only watching the first few stops on a screen, the two routes can therefore look almost interchangeable. They are not.

Waltershof or Neuhof means Line 61.

Övelgönne, Bubendey-Ufer or Finkenwerder means Line 62.

This is also why the Brücke number becomes useful rather than merely administrative. A passenger heading to Finkenwerder who finds Brücke 2 and sees Line 61 has reached the right waterfront but not the right ferry. Move to Brücke 3 for Line 62 rather than assuming both western-bound services eventually reach the same place.

For Fischmarkt or Dockland, the overlap is useful. For destinations beyond Dockland, the line number becomes decisive.

Elbphilharmonie is Line 72 from Brücke 1, not a stop on the Finkenwerder route

Elbphilharmonie sits along the same waterfront that many visitors associate with Landungsbrücken, but the ferry serving it is Line 72, not Line 62.

The regular Line 72 route is:

Landungsbrücken → Arningstraße → Elbphilharmonie

and its Landungsbrücken departure point is Brücke 1.

That is the opposite end of the three HADAG departure bridges from Line 62.

For someone standing at Landungsbrücken, the distinction is therefore unusually simple:

west toward Finkenwerder = Line 62 / Brücke 3

east toward Elbphilharmonie = Line 72 / Brücke 1

There is also a practical reason not to build an itinerary around Line 72 without checking the current service. HADAG has adjusted this route seasonally.

As of August 25, 2026, Line 72 is not operating on Saturdays and Sundays during the current summer arrangement, which HADAG says continues through November 1, 2026. Monday-to-Friday service continues between Landungsbrücken, Arningstraße and Elbphilharmonie.

That temporary pattern should not be treated as a permanent characteristic of Line 72. If Elbphilharmonie is your destination, check the live service for the day you travel rather than assuming a ferry will be available simply because Line 72 appears on the permanent route map.

Steinwerder is the short Line 75 crossing from Brücke 2

For Steinwerder, there is much less ambiguity once you know the line number.

Line 75 runs:

Landungsbrücken → Steinwerder

and leaves from Brücke 2.

Unlike Line 61 or 62, there is no string of intermediate waterfront stops to interpret. Its purpose is the cross-Elbe connection between Landungsbrücken and Steinwerder.

That makes Line 75 useful when the south side of the Elbe itself is the destination. It should not be confused with Line 62 simply because both can give you a harbor crossing experience.

The difference is geographic:

Line 62 continues west along the river before reaching Finkenwerder.

Line 75 crosses to Steinwerder, almost opposite the Landungsbrücken area.

If your plan specifically involves Steinwerder, choose Line 75 rather than taking a longer harbor ferry and expecting to reach the same south-bank area later.

The same Brücke 2 also serves Line 61, so check the line number before boarding. A Line 61 ferry from the correct Brücke still takes you toward Fischmarkt, Dockland, Waltershof and Neuhof rather than directly to Steinwerder.

Line 73 reaches a different part of the southern harbor — and its final stop is water-level dependent

Line 73 is another Brücke 1 departure, but it should not be grouped with Line 72 simply because they share the same starting area.

Its route is:

Landungsbrücken → Theater im Hafen → Argentinienbrücke → Ernst-August-Schleuse

This makes it a southern-harbor connection rather than an Elbphilharmonie service.

There is also an operational difference that makes Line 73 less predictable than simply looking at a static route map.

HADAG states that Ernst-August-Schleuse cannot always be served when water levels are above average. In particular, high water associated with westerly winds can prevent HADAG vessels from passing beneath Argentinienbrücke.

The result is important if Ernst-August-Schleuse is your actual destination: Line 73 may still exist as a service while the final part of the route is affected.

Do not turn that into a general “bad weather cancels ferries” rule. The issue HADAG identifies is specifically the water level and clearance beneath the bridge on this route.

There is also a temporary 2026 disruption immediately ahead. HADAG currently lists Argentinienbrücke as closed from August 31 to September 19, 2026, and again from October 12 to October 14, 2026 because of construction. That is a dated service notice rather than an evergreen feature of Line 73, so check the current departure information if travelling around those periods.

Do not use Line 66 as an alternative to 62 just because an older route map shows Finkenwerder

Line 66 deserves a short explanation because it can create exactly the sort of contradiction that makes Landungsbrücken research frustrating.

HADAG identifies Line 66 as a Finkenwerder–Landungsbrücken route and associates its Landungsbrücken departure with Brücke 1.

However, HADAG currently states that Line 66 is suspended and will not operate until further notice.

That means an old article, screenshot, route diagram or saved itinerary can give you a technically recognizable Line 66 without giving you a usable service.

For a current Landungsbrücken-to-Finkenwerder journey, Line 62 from Brücke 3 is the route to work from.

This is also a good reason to separate the permanent structure of Landungsbrücken from the service operating on a particular date. The Brücke numbers help you understand the harbor; the live HVV/HADAG information tells you what is actually departing.

HADAG ferries are public transport, so a separate sightseeing-cruise ticket is not automatically needed

The ferries in this article are part of the HVV public-transport network.

HADAG states that passengers with the appropriate HVV ticket used for U-Bahn, S-Bahn or bus travel can also use its regular ferries.

That makes an important practical distinction at Landungsbrücken, where regular transit ferries, harbor sightseeing boats and other passenger vessels can all be visible around the waterfront.

Lines 61, 62, 72, 73 and 75 are not private harbor cruises that happen to follow useful routes. They are scheduled HADAG public transport.

That does not mean every boat leaving the Landungsbrücken area is covered by an HVV ticket. The rule applies to the HADAG services within the HVV network, not automatically to sightseeing cruises, excursion boats or other operators.

If the goal is transport rather than a narrated harbor tour, look for the HADAG line number and destination rather than buying a ticket from whichever boat operator is closest to the promenade.

Use the destination display as the final check, even when you already know the Brücke

The normal layout is useful enough to remember:

Brücke 1: 72 and 73; 66 is assigned here but currently suspended
Brücke 2: 61 and 75
Brücke 3: 62

But the number on the bridge should not be your only check.

HADAG specifically directs passengers to the HVV app departure information and the displays on site, which show the departure location for the individual sailing.

That matters because a traveler can make two different mistakes at Landungsbrücken.

The first is choosing the wrong line: for example, taking 61 when the destination is Finkenwerder.

The second is knowing the right line but walking toward a remembered Brücke without checking whether current operations have changed.

The safest order is therefore:

destination → line number → current departure Brücke → boat destination display

For the most common choices covered here, that becomes:

Finkenwerder → 62 → normally Brücke 3

Neuhof / Waltershof → 61 → normally Brücke 2

Elbphilharmonie → 72 → normally Brücke 1, when operating

Ernst-August-Schleuse → 73 → normally Brücke 1, subject to current route conditions

Steinwerder → 75 → normally Brücke 2

That gives you enough information to interpret Landungsbrücken when you arrive without turning the article into a timetable that will become obsolete every time HADAG changes a departure.

The simplest way to choose at Landungsbrücken

If you arrive at Landungsbrücken without knowing the ferry layout, ignore the temptation to start with the nearest boat.

Start with where you actually want to end up.

For Finkenwerder, look for 62 at Brücke 3.

For Elbphilharmonie, look for 72 at Brücke 1 and confirm that it is operating that day.

For Steinwerder, use 75 at Brücke 2.

For Waltershof or Neuhof, use 61 at Brücke 2.

For Theater im Hafen, Argentinienbrücke or Ernst-August-Schleuse, check 73 at Brücke 1 and pay particular attention to current operating notices if travelling through to the final stop.

Once that distinction is clear, Landungsbrücken stops being one confusing collection of boats. The three HADAG departure bridges correspond to different route families, and the line number tells you which part of Hamburg’s harbor you are actually crossing into.

Sources

Last verified: August 25, 2026.