Netherlands
GermanyRotterdam to Hamburg shipping route.
501 km by rail, about 16 h 42 min in transit.
Rail Distance Between Cities: Rotterdam and Hamburg
Rail Freight Distance on the map, along the rail network.
RotterdamRailHamburgRail freight transit time
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Rail Freight Distance | 501 km (311 mi) |
| Straight line | 413 km |
| Transit time | 16 h 42 min |
| Assumption | 30 km/h average freight speed |
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About the Rotterdam to Hamburg shipping route by rail
The rail shipping route from Rotterdam, Netherlands to Hamburg, Germany runs 501 km on the freight network, heading north east. The straight line between the cities is 413 km, the track adds 21%.
At an average 30 km/h for a freight train, stops and crew changes included, the transit time is about 16 h 42 min. Terminal handling at both ends and the border crossing between the Netherlands and Germany come on top.
Rail freight suits heavy, high volume cargo that is not urgent: containers, steel, chemicals, grain, cars. Per tonne it emits far less CO2 than trucking the same distance. Most shipments still need a truck for the first and last mile to the rail terminals in Rotterdam and Hamburg.
By road the same trip is 502 km and takes a truck about 5 h 30 min.
Of 32 rail routes from Rotterdam in this directory, Hamburg is the 4th shortest. Closer destinations: Paris (450 km), Bremen (395 km) and Duisburg (212 km).
FAQ
What is the rail distance from Rotterdam to Hamburg?
501 km by rail (413 km in a straight line).
What is the rail freight transit time from Rotterdam to Hamburg?
About 16 h 42 min at an average 30 km/h for a freight train, stops included. Border and terminal times vary.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Hamburg to Rotterdam has its own page with the same distance and route.
More rail freight distance
- Rotterdam to Duisburg212 km
- Rotterdam to Bremen395 km
- Rotterdam to
Paris450 km - Rotterdam to
London514 km - Rotterdam to Berlin671 km
- Rotterdam to
Basel705 km - Berlin to Hamburg294 km
- Duisburg to Hamburg362 km
Copenhagen to Hamburg446 km
Antwerp to Hamburg580 km
Prague to Hamburg640 km
Gdansk to Hamburg705 km
How we count: rail distance on the freight network, 30 km/h average including stops. Engine navo-distance-time 0.3.0. See all rail distance between cities or the Shipping Routes Directory.