Diesel ban in Hamburg
Hamburg is one of the few large German cities where an emissions sticker is not required. You will not find a low-emission zone here. On 31 May 2018, the city did however introduce a diesel ban. On two streets within the city center, older and polluting vehicles with a diesel engine are no longer allowed. On this page you can read more about the diesel ban in Hamburg. If you are looking for a list of German cities where an emissions sticker is required, please look at this page on our website.
Order the official German emissions sticker, now for only €13,95 including VAT and delivery costs.
Map of the streets with a diesel ban
On the map above you can see the streets in Hamburg where the diesel ban is in effect. The first street is the Max-Brauer-Allee, indicated with the red line. On the part between the Julius-Leber-Straße and the Holstenstraße, vehicles with older and polluting diesel engines are not allowed. The second street is the Stresemannstraße between the Kaltenkircher Platz and the Neuer Pferdemarkt, indicated with the blue line. Unlike in the Max-Brauer-Allee, only large trucks and buses with polluting diesel engines are banned here. Passenger cars with diesel engines are allowed on the Stresemannstraße.
Good to know is that the diesel ban is only meant for through traffic. If you live here or if you have to visit a store or restaurant located on one of these streets, then you can ignore the diesel ban. The police will not give you a fine, as long as you manage to convince them that your destination is on one of these streets. The diesel ban is also clearly indicated with road signs, so you do not need to worry that you will accidentally drive into either street. You can follow detour signs to avoid the two streets.
Which vehicles are banned?
Vehicles with a diesel engine that do not comply with emission standard EURO 6 or higher are banned from the two streets mentioned above. This includes most passenger cars from before 1 September 2014, light commercial vehicles from before 1 September 2015 and trucks and buses from before 1 January 2013. Please be aware that these dates are general guidelines. Some vehicle manufacturers already equipped diesel engines that meet emission standard EURO 6 earlier than these dates. You can find the emission standard of your vehicle under item V on your vehicle registration certificate.
Police checks and fines
The police of Hamburg is responsible for checking whether vehicles meet the required emission standard. Because this often cannot be seen on the outside of a vehicle, the police will randomly halt vehicles and ask you to hand over your vehicle registration certificate. Most of the time they will check older trucks and vans, vehicles that are usually equipped with a diesel engine. The fine varies from €25 to €75, depending on the type of vehicle.
Future plans
The current diesel ban is difficult to maintain, especially because it is time consuming for the police to determine which vehicles meet the required emission standard. It is likely that the diesel ban in the future will be replaced by the introduction of a blue emissions sticker. This sticker, which only vehicles that meet emission standard EURO 6 are eligible for, is expected to be introduced nationwide by the German government in the next few years. Older vehicles with polluting diesel engines do not get the blue sticker, which makes it easier for German police to issue a fine.
What is there to see and do in Hamburg?
Hamburg has 1.8 million inhabitants and is the second city of Germany. It is famous for its harbor, which is one of the largest of Europe. A boat tour through the harbor is a popular tourist activity. In the city center you will find many interesting buildings from the 19th century, such as the Nikolaikirche with a 147 meters tall tower and the beautifully designed city hall. Speicherstadt, a large complex of former storehouses, is now an important cultural center. The Europa Passage and the Mönckebergstrasse are major shopping centers.
Order the official German emissions sticker, now for only €13,95 including VAT and delivery costs.