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last mo.

Hamburger Hochbahn Posts Record Ridership and Investment as Cost Coverage Declines

Planning more than €1 billion in investments this year, Hamburger Hochbahn is retrofitting diesel buses with HVO to achieve 35 percent emission-free service by December 2025.

Ein Elektrobus der Hochbahn Hamburg. Auf ihrer Jahrespressekonferenz stellte die Hamburger Hochbahn am Donnerstag ihre aktuellen Zahlen und Pläne vor.
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Overview

  • Passenger numbers rose 4.6 percent to 551 million in 2024, surpassing the previous pre-pandemic high and buoyed by the Deutschlandticket.
  • Investments hit a record €658.4 million last year, funding U-bahn expansion and fleet upgrades with spending set to exceed €1 billion in 2025.
  • The cost coverage ratio fell to 73 percent in 2024 from 93 percent in 2019, increasing reliance on public subsidies and a €286.6 million city compensation.
  • Revenues climbed 14 percent to €669.6 million in 2024, but lower fare yields from subsidized tickets have weighed on financial self-sufficiency.
  • High prices and delivery delays for electric buses have prompted a shift toward HVO diesel retrofits as Hochbahn accelerates its emission-free fleet goals.