Stade sits at the western end of the S5 suburban line to Hamburg. Buses cover the town and the surrounding district, and the Elbe ferry takes you quickly across to Schleswig-Holstein.
The terminus of the S5 line, which links Stade directly with Hamburg Hauptbahnhof. Trains run every 20 minutes, and every 10 minutes between Buxtehude and Hamburg at peak times. The journey to Hamburg takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. Regional trains towards Cuxhaven also leave from here.
The suburban line connecting Stade with the Hamburg metropolitan area. Route: Stade → Agathenburg → Horneburg → Dollern → Buxtehude → Neukloster → Hamburg-Neugraben → Harburg → Hamburg Hbf → Pinneberg / Elbgaustraße. Tickets are sold at platform machines, in the HVV app or on the HVV fare.
The local bus operator for Stade and the district. The network covers 233 routes and more than 4,500 stops in the region. The main hub is the Pferdemarkt in the old town — buses leave from there for every part of town, the neighbouring villages and Buxtehude.
One of the oldest taxi firms in Stade; it also offers wheelchair-accessible journeys and transfers to Hamburg airport. The fleet includes vehicles for larger groups.
A taxi rank in the middle of the old town, right at the main bus hub. In the evening it is one of the few ranks where cars are reliably waiting.
A local taxi firm, mainly serving the southern and eastern districts. Short waits in the afternoon.
A long-established taxi firm, in business for decades. It also carries patients to appointments when a doctor has prescribed the journey in advance.
The quickest way to the other bank of the Elbe — the ferry runs every 20–30 minutes and the crossing takes about 25 minutes. A short cut towards Schleswig-Holstein that avoids Hamburg. A foot passenger with a bicycle currently pays €6.20, a car around €18.
A multi-storey car park with around 500 spaces, five minutes’ walk from the old town. The handiest place to leave the car for a stroll through the centre or a trip to the council offices.
A large car park serving the Medeum medical centre and the town library. Usually has free spaces even in the afternoon.
The central car park for the Pferdemarkt shopping street and the shops around it. The quickest way to swap the car for the old town on foot.
A car park open around the clock, close to the Kreishaus. Handy for early appointments at the district administration or a night-time ferry crossing.
A car park near the station, used mainly by Hamburg commuters and S5 passengers. A convenient park-and-ride spot.
