Life is not quite the same, south of the River Elbe. That’s at least how the Hamburg rappers “Beginner” saw it in their homage to our city. Even though they weren’t singing about Veddel, Wilhelmsburg and other such neighbourhoods, but about the “foothills of the Alps” that begin just beyond Hamburg’s city border, there’s still a lot of truth in the song line. For one thing, Hamburg’s south has had to manage without an underground system altogether. Be it the U1, U2, U3 or U4 – all of these U-Bahn routes have stayed north and never dared to cross the river to the south. Until now. 

At just 300 metres, it is not such a big deal in terms of distance, but it is a big symbolic step for HOCHBAHN and for Hamburg’s mobility transition. From the U4 stop Elbbrücken, the leap will now be made across the river to Grasbrook. Over the next few years, a new district will be taking shape there on an area spanning some 65 hectares, with around 3,000 new apartments, 16,000 jobs, daycare centres, a primary school, and shops, as well as cultural and green spaces. 

The HafenCity model: U-Bahn stations envisaged from the outset 

As was the case with the U4 in the HafenCity, the U4 line will be part of the urban planning here from the outset – long before people take up residence. This allows us to create the best possible and most environmentally friendly connection, with plenty of prior planning that will take bicycle and pedestrian traffic into consideration too.