TravelTips24 : Europe : Central Europe : Germany : Lower Saxony : Hanover

Hanover

For other places with the same name, see Hanover (disambiguation).

Hanover (German: Hannover [1], French: Hanovre), is the capital of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) in Germany. Having a huge exhibition complex built for the World EXPO in 2000 and being host of several biggest exhibitions in the world, Hanover calls herself the "EXPO City" or "Exhibition City" (EXPO Stadt/Messestadt). Hanover was also one of the host cities of the football World Cup 2006. The major language spoken is German. English is not common, except during CeBIT or major international event.

Culture and History

Hanover is not a typical European city. Don't expect to see beautiful centuries-old buildings; the city was one of the hardest hit during the World War II, leaving it with only a few historical landmarks. Even the Old City (Altstadt) area is "new"; all the old houses left standing after the war (around 40) were taken from throughout the city and collected in one place.

Hanover has large green areas, with forests and big parks. The landscape is mostly flat, with the river Leine going through the city. The lake Masch (Maschsee) is rather spectacular, considering its size as a man-made object.

The city had a special relationship to the late French artist Niki de Saint-Phalle. She had several of her works in public spots in Hanover (i.e., "the Nanas", "the Cave" in the Great Garden) and also in the Sprengel Museum. To honor her contribution to Hanover, she was granted an honorary citizenship from the city government. Moreover, the recently renovated "underground" shopping passageway from the central station to Kröpcke was named "The Niki de Saint-Phalle Promenade".

Hanover's public services are excellent, due to major reconstruction for the World EXPO 2000. The shopping area under the train station was renovated in 2005-2006 in preparation for the football World Cup 2006.

Kröpcke

Kröpcke is a large pedestrian area in the heart of Hanover. It is Hanover's major shopping spot and has lots of eating possibilities. The underground tram station is the crossing point of all underground trams. Two tram lines that never go underground (10, 17) ran nearby (stops at 'Hauptbahnhof' or 'Steintor'). There is a big green clock in Kröpcke (KröpckeUhr) which serves as a meeting point. The Opera House is also located here.

Using English

Hanover became more of a tourist destination since it began hosting CeBIT, and especially following the EXPO in 2000. English translation was just recently introduced to some official tourist portals such as the train ticket machines. Germans are generally helpful, but you have to ask for help as they don't like to jump into other people's business without being invited. Most university students speak English. For general information, it's safest to go to the Tourist Office, Prinzenstr. 12 (close to central station), +49-511-12345-111, M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-2PM.

Travel to Hanover & Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Hanover

Hanover airport (IATA: HAJ) [2] handles many European major airlines, including budget airlines Air Berlin and TUI. There is a twice-an-hour train (called the S-Bahn) from the airport to the central station (Hauptbahnhof). A 2-Zone ticket is needed from the airport to city centre. The fare is around €5 and the travel lasts 17 minutes. The last train departs around midnight. A taxi to the city center costs about €20 (15 minutes).

The airport offers the option to check in the day before your departure (6-9PM) for some airlines (Hapag-Lloyd, Condor, Air Berlin, Sky Airlines, and Croatia Airlines).

By train

Due to its location, Hanover enjoys good connections from all major cities in Germany via Die Bahn [3], the German rail service. There are also direct trains to the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, and Austria several times a day, including night train connections Nachtzug ([4], CityNightLine [5]). Hanover is also reachable by regional trains, making it possible to use the cheap and popular "weekend tickets".

With ICE trains, the trip to Hanover from Berlin takes 1:30, from Hamburg 1:20, from Frankfurt 2:20, and from Munich 4:30.

By car

Hanover can be reached using the Autobahn A7 (Hamburg–Kassel) from the north and south, or the A2 (Berlin–Dusseldorf) from the east and west.

Buses to Hanover

The Central Bus Station (Zentraler Omnibus Bahnhof or "ZOB") is located behind (to the north-west of) the Central Station (Hauptbahnhof).

Tours & Getting around Hanover

By public transportation

Hanover has a fantastic network of public transportation, so it's best to just park your car and ride. For more than two trips by tram, bus, or subway, a day ticket is your best bet, buying you unlimited travel on the public transport system. Day tickets are valid until the last connection of the day (which normally ends sometime after midnight). The public transportation adopts an honor system for tickets, but they do ticket inspections once in a while (also late at nights and early mornings). The fine is quite high, so make sure to have a ticket all the time. Be aware that some tickets will need to be validated (stamped on the 'blue box'), and some not, depending on the machine. [6]

• Hannover Card [7]. Hannover Card is issued by the Tourism Office. It includes free use of public transportation and discounts for some local attractions (e.g. museums, opera, the Great Garden), tours, and restaurants. Price: Single ticket: 1 day €9, 3 days €15; Group ticket (2-5 persons): 1 day €17, 3 days €29.

• Ticket and Cards Regions. It may be confusing to understand the zones of Hanover public transportations. The key is to know that there are "tickets" and "cards". The term "tickets" applies to the ones bought at the machine or elsewhere, while "cards" are the ones with (monthly) subscription. Inside the city area, you only need a 1-zone ticket as it already covers a good part of the city. However, for the airport you will need a 2-zone ticket, as it is located outside the Zone 1. Ticket is valid inside bus, tram, fast tram (S-Bahn), and regional train.

• Ticket Price

• Day ticket: €3.80 (1 zone), €5.00, (2 zones), €6.20 (3 zones)
• Group day ticket (up to 5 persons): €7.60 (1 zone), €10.00 (2 zones), €12.40 (3 zones)
• Single-trip ticket: €2.00 (1 zone), €2.70 (2 zone), €3.30 (3 zone)
• Short-trip ticket (up to 3 stops for tram and 5 stops for bus): €1.20
• Reduced ticket (children 6-14y, big dogs): €1.10 (all zone)
• Special price for 6 single-trip tickets (SammelTicket): €11.00 (1 zone), €13.80 (2 zones)

By bicycle or on foot

Bike paths are provided in almost every street that runs through the city. There is no law on using a helmet, but make sure that the bike has both front and rear lights if you don't want to get stopped by the police (Fine: €10). Pedestrian paths are also provided along every street and there is also a pedestrian area in front of Central Station to Kröpcke.

It is possible to bring your bike inside the tram or bus for free on M-F 8:30AM-3PM and after 7PM, on weekends no time restriction.

By taxi

Unless you have limited time, lots of heavy baggage, or are traveling after public transportation stops at night, you might want to think twice about using taxi, as it is very expensive. However, it could be cheaper if traveling in a big group: You can order a 7- or 9-seat taxi by phone and get more people in with the same price.

Hanover attractions and sightseeing

• The Great Garden of Herrenhausen (Herrenhäuser Gärten). The world-famous baroque gardens of Herrenhausen were created in the 17th century to copy the Versailles Garden in France. A must see! Even in the winter one can still see its beauty, but it reaches its best at the end of spring until end of summer. There is also a glimmering cave decorated by Niki de Saint Phalle. Getting There: By tram, go to stop named "Herrenhauser Garten". By car, "Herrenhauser Str. 4, 30419".

• Castle Marienburg (Schloss Marienburg). Marienburg 1, 30982 Pattensen (20km south of Hanover). Daily 10AM-6PM, April to November. €4.50 adult, €3 7-16, €2 up to 6.

• Sea Life. Herrenhäuser Straße 4a (Tram 4 or 5, stop: Herrenhäuser Gärten) Is open from 10am daily. For exact opening times, call +49-511- 123300 , [mailto: hannover@sealife.de] [8].

• Hannover Zoo (Erlebnis-Zoo Hannover) [9] is very modern and supposed to be one of the best in Europe. About 2,000 animales from all over the world live in six impressive zoo worlds. The ticket is pricey but should be worth for a whole day of fun. Day tickets cost € 19,50 for adults. Open year-round. In wintertime, visit the WinterZoo - a charming Christmas market with ice show, ice skating, slides, food & drink, etc.

• City Hall (Neues Rathaus). See the models of Hanover at four different points in history: 1689, 1939, 1945, and 2000, and then take a sloped elevator to the dome for a beautiful view of the city.

• The Nanas, at the Leibnizufer. Giant sculptures made by Niki de Saint Phalle.

• University of Hannover. The main building was the winter palace of the Kings of Hannover. (The summer palace was in the Great Garden complex. However, it was destroyed during the World War II. Now only one wall remains.)

• Leibniz House, in Holzmarkt near the Historical Museum. The house where Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz lived during the later part of his life.

• City park (Stadtpark), Theodor-Heuss-Platz 1-3 (Tram 10, direction Zoo, stop: Congress Centrum/Stadthalle.). This is worth visiting on a nice sunny day. Good place to relax with a good book. This is a favourite place of the elderly people, that is why this is a great hideaway from the crowded city center.

• Tiergarten, Tiergartenstraße 149. A 112 hectares of recreational forest.

• List, a residential area not so far from the Central Station. This area is popular among students and it has a nice pedestrian areas with some small interesting shops.

• Eilenriede. 650 hectares of city forest, very unique considering its size and locataion in the middle of the city.

• Home of Baron Munchhausen - in Bodenwerder - a village not far from Hannover (about 20 km south-east of Hamelin)

• The Tourism Office (nearby Central Station), has self-guiding maps. Follow the red line which starts from the exit of the Tourism Office. The red line will pass all the major attractions of Hanover and can be completed on foot in 1.5 hours. Refer to the map for explanation everytime a number on the red line is encountered.

• Walk or jog around the Maschsee, especially in the summer. In a (rare) very cold winter, the surface of the lake will be frozen and thick enough for ice skating. Make sure to join thousands of people there during this not-so-often time.

Museums

Many museums (including the Landesmuseum, the Historical Museum, and the Kestner Museum) can be visited for free on Friday.

• Landesmuseum

• Historical Museum

• Sprengel Museum, Kurt-Schwitters-Platz, (any tram to Aegidientorplatz then walk 10 min to the direction of the lake, or Bus 131 from Kröpcke to stop Maschsee/Sprengel Museum) +49-511-16843875, fax +49-511-16845093, [10]. Tu 10AM-8PM, W-Su 10AM-6PM. Should not be missed by modern art lovers. Hosted a great number of art objects from the modern era (20th century). Objects include works from Picasso, Paul Klee, Niki de Saint-Phalle. €7 (adults), €4 (students, seniors, unemployed).

• Wilhelm-Busch Museum, in Georgengarten, within the Great Garden (Tram 4 or 5 (Direction Garbsen/Stöcken) to stop Wilhelm-Busch Museum) [11]. Tu-F 11AM–5PM, Sa/Su/holiday 11AM–6PM. This museum hosts the unique collection of Busch’s work and other's satirical and humorous art. It is respected as the German Museum of Caricature and Critical Graphic Arts. €4.50, €10 family, €2.50 reduced.

• Blindenmuseum Hannover, Bleekstraße 22, +49-511-52470. The museum hosts objects showing how blind people have been educated between 1843 and today. Free admission, but open only by appointment.

• Kestner-Museum, Trammplatz 3, (Bus 131/132 stop: Aegidientorplatz, Bus 120 stop: Friedrichswall/Culemannstraße, Bus 250 stop: Bleichenstraße), +49-511-16842120. Tu/Th-Su 11AM-6PM, W 11AM-8PM. Objects include ones from ancient Egyptian, Roman and Greek from the Middle Ages to the present times. €3.

Fireworks

Hanover's people enjoy a lot of fireworks during the year. In addition to the world competition held every summer, there are fireworks every night of the Kleines Fest, every weekend during the Spring Festival (Frühlingsfest) and Oktoberfest, and on the weekend of the Lake Masch Festival. For the first two, the best spot to see is inside or outside the Great Garden, while the latter ones can be seen from any point around Lake Masch. Fireworks usually start at 10PM. Hanover is also place of the annual fireworks world contest (or at least one of the many world contests happening during the year around the world) in the Herrenhäuser Gärten. Six nations participate on six Saturdays, three of them around May - Jun, three in Aug - Sep.

Hanover city tours

• Hanover Opera (Opernhaus), Kröpcke [12]. Hosts a number of operas played by international singers, as well as ballets and classical music. Operas by German composers are performed in German; Italian operas are performed with German subtitles (no English). Tickets normally sell out for the popular Mozart's "Die Zauberfloete" ("Magic Flute") and Strauss' "Der Fledermaus" ("The Bat"). €14-55, €8 students (sold 30 minutes before curtain, ID required).

• N.D.R. Symphoniker, Rudolf Benigsen Ufer 22, +49-511-9880. The venue for poetry readings, jazz and rock&roll concerts, as well as chamber orchestras. €15-35.

• Theater am Aegi, Aegidientorplatz 2, +49-511-989330.

• Cinemaxx [13]. This multiplex movie theater right behind the main train station (Raschplatz) shows some films in original English version. Tickets: €6-7, student €5. Tuesday is the cheap ticket day (€3.50-4.50). Seats are numbered and there is an extra fee (€1) for the "better seats" (Loge, the ones upper than the first few rows). For extra long movie, another extra fee (€0.50-1).

• Hannover 96 [14] is Hanover's professional soccer club in Germany's premier division.

• Hannover Scorpions [15] is Hanover's professional ice hockey club in Germany's premier division (DEL).

In Spring

• CeBIT [16] at the EXPO area. An annual event lasts several days in March. The biggest computer-related exhibition in the world. Very interesting for tech lovers.

• Hannover messe [17] A well-known industrial expo later in the spring.

• Spring Festival (Frühlingfest), Schützenplatz [18]. Annual event in spring, everyday from 2PM. Practically a knock-down amusement park. Lots of fun.

• Masala World-beat Festival. Musicians from around the world play in several spots throughout the city. An annual event in spring/summer.

In Summer

• The Small Festival in the Great Garden (Kleines Fest im großen Garten) (Tram 4, from Kröpcke direction Garbsen) [19]. Around 30-40 performers from around the world perform in this summer festival, including clowns, acrobatic performance, comedy theatre and many more. Every festival day lasted around 4 hours (6-10:30PM), so normally only maximum 7 stage performances can be seen in 1 festival day. At the end of the day (or night), fireworks are lighted, bringing the excitement from the day to a fabulous ending. Tickets can be bought directly on the day, but be prepared for a very long queue. Coming as early as 2 hours before the festival start is recommended.

• Still in Herrenhäuser Gärten, there is an International Firework Competition [20] every year (between May and September). Tickets are sold to see the firework from inside the garden. However, the firework can also be enjoyed from the outside of the garden. Be prepared to have a stiff neck by the end of the show as each session lasts 20-30 minutes and during this time you will have to tilt your head up.

• Lake Maschsee Festival, around the lake. Annual event in the summer.

• Reincarnation Parade, a one-day street techno party. A much smaller scale of Berlin's Love Parade. Annual event in summer.

• Rubber Duck Race (Entenrennen). (Tram 10,17 stop: Clevertor); Tram 3,7,9 stop: Markthalle). Date for 2007 was July 7. A fun one day event, especially for the children. Hundreds of rubber duckies "racing" through the river Leine. Numbered rubber duckies can be bought for €3 (incl. €2 start fee) in üstra Service Center City in Kröpcke a few weeks before the event or directly on the spot before the "qualification race". Race starts at the Lower Saxon State Parliament (Landtag Niedersachsen, Leineschloss, Hinrich-Wilhelm-Kopf-Platz 1) and finishes at the bridge Marstallbrücke.

In Autumn

• Oktoberfest, Schützenplatz. second biggest oktoberfest in the world.

In Winter

• Christmas Market (Weihnachtsmarkt) can be found in front of Central Station, in Kröpcke, in Old City (Altstadt), and in List from end of November until a couple of days before Christmas. The best to visit are the Finnish stands in the Old City. They serve very good smoked salmon, herring, and reindeer meat. The hot wine (Glühwein) is probably the best in the whole Christmas Market. Another alternative is the charming WinterZoo at Hannover Zoo. From end of November until mid of January the fourth WinterZoo will be hosted with Peter Pan ice show, ice skating, slides, food & drink, and many more.

Learn

• The Leibniz University of Hanover, Welfengarten 1, +49-511-7620, fax +49-511-7623456 [21]. Having more than 60 interdisciplinary studies and 24,000 students, this university is one of the major institution offering higher degree of education in Hanover. Besides the regular German degrees (Diplom, Doktoral), there are also the more international Bachelor's and Master's degrees offered.

• Hannover Medical School (Medizinische Hochschule Hannover or MHH, pronounced ehM-HA-HA), Carl-Neuber Str. 1. (Tram 4: "Medizinische Hochschule") [22]. MHH is a one of the leading university medical centres in Germany. Besides the regular medical courses, MHH offers a Master degree in Biomedicine [23] (program in both English and German), and doctoral degrees as part of the Hannover Biomedical Research School (HBRS) (see below).

• Hannover Biomedical Research School (HBRS) [24] currently offers 2 PhD programs: "Molecular Medicine" and "Infection Biology". Both are conducted in English with students coming from all over the world.

• University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Bünteweg 2, +49-511-9536, fax +49-511-9538050 [25].

• School of Music and Theatre, Emmichplatz 1, Tel +49-511-3100281, fax +49-511-3100361 [26].

• University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Ricklinger Stadtweg 118, Tel. +49-511-92960, fax +49-511-92961010 [27].

• Protestant University of Applied Sciences, Blumhardtstr. 2, Tel +49-511-53010, fax +49-511-5301195 [28].

Work

As Hanover regularly hosts a number of big exhibitions (eg. CeBIT, Biotechnica), temporary jobs are always available. However, these are very popular side jobs for students and recruitment may be restricted to local residents.

Hanover souvenirs & shopping

Souvenirs

• Souvenirs of the city Hanover can be easily bought at the Tourism Office.
• Official merchandise for World Cup 2006 or Hannover 96 soccer team is sold in Karstadt Sport in Kröpcke.

Shopping

• There is a supermarket (Lidl) in the Central Station. It is the only one open on Sundays. A larger supermarket open 24/6 except Sundays (Kaufland) is right next to the Central Station - behind the Central Bus Station (so at the other side of the Station if you are walking from the city center).

• Big department stores such as Galeria Kaufhof and Karstadt can be found in Kröpcke.

• Check Schmorl und von Seefeld in Kröpcke for popular English books. Another large bookstore is Lehmanns in Georg Strasse near Steintor.

• For sport equipments go to SportScheck or Karstadt Sport.

• Rossmann and Douglas provide most body care products. Rossmann also offers a good and cheap photo printing service. There is a Rossmann shop right in the Central Station.

• Horstman & Sander in Kröpcke (Georgstr., direction to Steintor) is a great shop for leather goods and good quality bags ranging from coin purse to backpack to extra large suitcases.

• For elegant boutiques, Galerie Luise (Luisenstr.) is the best option.

Flea Market

A flea market located along the Leine River takes place every Saturday, 7AM-4PM. However, it's dominated by electronic goods and overpriced "antiques". Watch out for pickpockets.

Hanover Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

In most cafés and small restaurants, paying individually is accepted, as Germans very much like this system. Tips are not compulsory but most people do. In smaller cafés, if paying separately, rounding up to the next full euro is common; in bigger restaurants, 10% is best.

Budget

• Asia-Garden, A Chinese buffet restaurant in Ernst-August Platz - just opposite the Central Station. It is located on the 2-nd floor of the Ernst-August Food Court. You can serve yourself picking bits and pieces from around a dozen Chinese dishes. The small plate costs €4, the big one - €6.
• Café Mezzo, Lister Meile 4, +49-511-314966, fax: +49-511-3884677. Normally crowded with students during lunch and dinner time. Reservation should be considered if planning to come during this time. Service can be slow sometime, but they offer wide range of "student's" menu with reasonable price.
• Check out the variety of food stalls in the market hall (Markthalle). You will find almost everything from Spanish tapas to Mett (raw minced meat).
• CUISINE DU MONDE, Dieffenbachstrasse 23, Phone [0] 531 / 29371, french cuisine, $ 14 Euro/ person, Open Mo-So from 17.00 - 24.00,
• Extrablatt, This is a franchised restaurant easily found in several cities in Germany. They serve burgers, pizza, and wraps. Reasonable price. For the one in List (Friesenstraße), reservations are not necessary except for large groups.
• Kabul Haus, Goethestrasse 10. An Afghan all-you-can-eat buffet for €5.
• Masa, Georgstr. 50b. Afghan food. You may want to opt for the carpeted floor than the tables. Next door to cocktail bar "Loft".
• Merhaba , Grolmanstrasse 67, Phone [0] 531 / 12465, deutsches Essen, >5 Euros for
• Mr. Phung, A Chinese imbiss inside the central train station. Very quick and gives big portion. They have a very good "Ente Kung-Pao" (crunchy fried duck with soya sauce), served with rice. €4.50-8.50.
• Satluss, Georgenstrasse 112, Phone [0] 531 / 13089, deutsches Essen, >10 Euro/person, Open Mo-Sa from 10.00 - 23.00,
• Schöneberger , Badensche 23, Phone [0] 531 / 31890, deutsches Essen, >5 Euros for a snack Open Mo-So from 10.00 - 24.00,
• Wurst-Basar is the perfect place to taste German's favourite meal, the sausages! There are several stalls through the city, including inside central station and Kröpcke.

Mid-range

• Das kleine Museum [29] Grotestr. 10, +49-511-2153979. A corner restaurant/pub with large portions of excellent German, French, and Morrocan inspired food. Owner-run, the staff are warm and welcoming. The decorations are true to it's name, replete with stuffed crocodiles on the roof.

• Maredo, Georgstr. 38, +49-511-323148. A chained steak-restaurant famous for its beef variation.

• Georxx, Georgsplatz 3, +49-511-306183. Great atmosphere, good service.

• Café Konrad Knochenhauerstrasse 34, +49-511-323666. Gay-friendly restaurant in the Old City. The food is good, but the preparation is quite often slow. Best to come before you get hungry. The atmosphere is great, even for straight diners. They have an English menu and are always happy to help you with it.

• Mövenpick, in Kröpcke, Georgstr. 35, +49-511-3262840, fax +49-511-3632539. The best place to come for the all-you-can-eat-and-drink breakfast. But not for late sleepers as the breakfast ends at 11:30 a.m. Try also the ice cream, a bit expensive but definitely worth the price.

• Bavarium,[30] near Kröpcke, Windmühlenstraße 3, +49-511-323600. Bavarian restaurant.

• Mr. Q. on Raschplatz behind the central station, offers all you can eat brunch every Sunday, including coffee and beverages, 12-13€

Splurge

• Basil, Dragonerstr. 30, +49-511-622636. International meals.

• Brasserie Bruxelles, Ernst-August-Platz, +49-511-3530808.

• Pier51, Rudolf von Bennigsenufer 51, +49-511-8071800, fax +49-511-80718019. 12AM-1AM (kitchen 12AM-3PM, 6:30PM-10:30PM). Mediterranian meals.

• Vienna Café & Restaurant, Sallstr. 48, +49-511-5344194. Tu-Su, 11:30AM-midnight.

Hanover nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

Try Hanover local beer, the Herrenhäuser Premium Pilsener

Beer Gardens

• Biercafé Pindopp, Altenbekener Damm 9, +49-511-806523

• Waterloo Biergarten, Waterloo Straße 1, +49-511-5643. Daily from 11AM.

• Uni-Biergarten, Wilhelm-Busch-Str. 2, +49-511-1698191. 11AM-midnight.

• Lister Turm Biergarten Walderseestr. 100, +49-511-7242617.

• ... und der böse Wolf , Heesestr.1, +49-511-453834. From 5PM daily.

• Restaurant Café Steintormasch , In der Steintormasch, +49-511-7000717. From 11AM daily. On Mondays closed.

Cocktail Bars

• Heim W, Theatrestr. 6. Located near the main train station. A cozy lounge.

• Bolero Bar, Nikolai Str. 3 (in front of Cinemaxx). Bolero Bar offers a great variety of cocktails at a reasonable price. The place seems to be always full, including weeknights, so reservations are recommended. The place is rather large and not as smoky as other cocktail bars. Happy hour daily 5-7PM: half-price for most cocktails; caipi hour daily 11PM-1AM: all caipi variations €4.50, jumbo caipi €6.90; jumbo hour daily after 7PM: cheaper jumbo cocktails.

• Sausalitos, Osterstraße 38, +49-511-3530919. Great variety of cocktails. Usually full during happy hour.

• Loft Georgstr. 50b (you will have to go through an alley to find it) +49-511-3631376. Opens at 12AM, Happy Hour: Su-Th 9-10PM, F/Sa 1-2AM

• Escenario, Nikolaistr. 12. (Close to Cinemaxx Nikolaistr.) Happy hour 4:30-8PM (Cocktails €3,95). Tuesday is Ladies Night (i.e. Prosecco for €1-1,50).

• Gelbe Seiten, Rundestrasse 3. (Behind central station). (closed since 2007)

Hot drinks

• Tchibo is the best place for a quick sip of coffee. Can be found everywhere. There is usually no possibility to sit, however tables are provided. Some shops also offer cakes.

• Balzac Coffee has a great variety of coffee, including cold ones resembling Starbucks' Frappucino. There are several in Hanover, including front of central station (next to Saturn electronic shop), Steintor, and in old townhall (Altes Rathaus).

• World Coffee, inside Central Station. Also good coffee variety, but can be quite smoky as there is no area designated for non-smokers.

• Holländische Kakao-Stube Ständehausstr. 2, +49-511-304100. Best place in town for hot chocolate (with and without liquor). They also offer the famous Sacher Chocolate Cake imported from Hotel Sacher in Vienna.

• Teestübchen Am Ballhof 10, Old City area (Altstadt). +49-511-3631682. Offers good variety of tea. A nice place to visit in the afternoon after shooping in the city.

Nightlife

• Eve Klub, Reuterstr. 3-4. Was voted one of the Best 50 Clubs in Germany by the magazine Maxim in 2004.

• Heartbreak Hotel, Reuterstr. 5.

• Sansibar, Scholvinstr. 7. 60's soul and music from the 70's and 80's.

• Osho Discothek, Raschplatz 7L.

• Brauhaus Ernst-August, Schmiedestr. 13.

If you want to go out and see something more intresting than the ordinary clubs, you should go to Linden, a part of Hannovers east. There are 3 very good clubs. www.beichezheinz.de www.cafe-glocksee.de www.faustev.de

Hanover cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels & lodging

As Hanover frequently hosts big exhibitions, booking your room well in advance is highly recommended as hotels can easily get full and/or raise their rates during these times.

Budget

• Youth Hostel Hanover, Ferdinand-Wilhelm-Fricke-Weg 1, ☎ +49 (511) 131 76 74(jh-hannover@djh-hannover.de, fax: +49 (511) 18 555), [31]. Membership of the German or a national Youth Hostel Association is a prerequisite.B&B from EUR 24.10, half board from EUR 28.70, full board from EUR 30.80 (incl. bed linen).  edit

• Appartment Booking Page with Accommodations only in Hannover [32] many accommodation (appartments, rooms for bed and breakfast online with many pictures and maps).

• Bed & Breakfast or Appartment in Hannover, Hildesheimerstr. 49, +49-511-8765-200, fax: +49-511-8765-0840, [33]. Single rooms €25-110.00, Double rooms €40.00-150, Apartments €35-250.

• Bed & Breakfast Hannover, Gaußstrasse 23, +49-511-1695550, fax: +49-511-1695551, [34]. Single rooms €27-46.50, Double €53.50-100, Apartments €35-108.

• Etap Hotel Hannover City, Runde Strasse 7, +49-511-2355570. Single €39-44 (+€8 for 2nd/3rd person).

• Hotel Marjani, Charlottenstraße 53, +49-511-2152121, fax +49-511-2152122, [35]. Single €30-55, Double €44-85. Breakfast €7/person.

• Hotel Reverey Garni, Aegidiendamm 8, +49-511-883711, fax +49-511-3537909, [36]. €32+.

Mid-range

• Suite Hotel, Rundestr. 9. +49-511-374500, fax +49-511-37450333, [37]. Behind the central station.

• Crowne Plaza Hotel Hannover-Schweizerhof, Hinueberstr. 6, +49-511-34950, fax +49-511-3495123, [38].

• Vahrenwalder Hotel, Vahrenwalder St. 181, (Tram 1/2/8, stop: Buttnerstr.) +49-511-3881990, fax +49-511-388199400, [39]. Good and clean, standard breakfast. May be loud due to busy street.

• Mercure Hotel Hannover Medical Park Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 1 (Tram 4, direction Roderbruch, stop: Medizinische Hochschule), +49-511-95660, fax +49-511-9566333. A boutique hotel located close to Medical School Hannover, with good connection to bus and tram.

• Ibis Hotel Hannover Medical Park, (within the same complex as Mercure above), +49-511-95670, fax +49-511-9567140. €47-56, during big events €159-179.

• Radisson SAS Hotel, EXPO-Plaza 5, +49-511-383830.

Splurge

• Queens Hotel Hannover, Tiergartenstraße 117, +49-511-51030, fax +49-511-5103510, [40]. €250-300.

• The Kastens Hotel Luisenhof, Luisenstr. 1-3, +49-511-30440, fax +49-511-3044807, [41]. Very close to the central station and the Galerie Luise. €153-850.

Contact

WLAN connection

For those of you with portable computers, WLAN connection is available inside the Central Station. There are also several cafes providing WLAN connection free of charge:

• Art Oase, Egerstorffstr. 12
• Depot Cafe & Bar, Kramerstr. 10
• Viva Gastronomie, Vahrenwalderstr. 92
• Cafe Extrablatt, Friesenstr. 14

Internet access

Café Mezzo provides a public computer with internet access. Internet cafés are easy to find in Steintor area, especially along the Goethe Strasse, Lange Laube and Am Marstall. The price varies, but normally is from €1 to €2 per hour.

Mobile phone

It is possible to buy prepaid SIM cards from several operators. However, it is compulsory to register your identity, so make sure to bring your passport with you. And since it is registered, take necessary care of the SIM card when you stop using it.

Stay safe

Hannover is normally very safe. Before and after a soccer match there might be quite a lot of drunken people around, especially in the central station, but there always are police patrolling.

In Kröpcke you may get asked for money by the homeless. Pickpockets may act in crowded area such as inside the trams during a big exhibition.

There are some areas you should avoid, because it's very poor and criminal. Vahrenheide, Vahrenwald, Laatzen, and Linden North and South and especially the area around Tulpenstraße in the "Nordstadt" is not safe at night.

Important telephone numbers

• Police: 110
• Emergency (fire, acute illness): 112
• Pharmacy for emergency: 01189

Stay healthy

• Hannover Medical Scool (Medizinische Hochschule Hannover), Carl-Neuberg Str. 1 (Tram 4, direction Roderbruch, stop: Medizinische Hochschule), +49-511-5320. Most possible place to find medical doctors who are willing to speak English.

• Kinderkrankenhaus auf der Bult (Children's Hospital auf der Bult), Janusz-Korczak-Allee 12, +49-511-8115-0. Specialized in children's disease, has also an emergency ward.

Cope

Laundromat

• One laundromat can be found in Oesterleystr. in Sudstadt.

• For a laundromat with a twist, try Waschweiber Salon & Bar, Limmerstr.1, +49-511-1237696. Mon-Fri: WASCHsalon 11AM-9PM, Bar 11AM-1AM, Sat: WASCHsalon 9AM-9PM, Bar 11AM-1AM. Last time to start the machines is 9PM.

Get out

• Steinhuder Meer

A lakeside nature park located outside Hanover city, but still within "Hanover Region". Take a regional train (RE) or S1 (direction Minden(Westf)) to Wunstorf and continue with bus. For more information contact: Naturpark Steinhuder Meer Info Center, Höltystr. 17, +49-511-61622211, fax +49-511-6161123128.

• Hameln
• Celle
• Brunswick
• Göttingen
• Hildesheim
• Bremen
• Hamburg

There is a special ticket called the "Niedersachsen Ticket" [42] which offers unlimited travel by regional trains inside Lower Saxony area, up to Bremen and Hamburg within one day. This ticket is not valid in fast trains (D, EC, IC, ICE) so make sure you board the right trains (RE, RB, S-Bahn, Metronom) when using this ticket. There are two types of tickets: the group ticket (up to 5 people, €24) and the single ticket (€17). This ticket is also valid inside public transport network in some of the cities (Hanover, Hamburg, Bremen, Brunswick).

This page was last edited at 09:30, on 15 October 2008 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Wikitravel user(s) Zoohannover and Morph, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license

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