Hamburg
Illegal parking is getting really expensive in Hamburg: towing fees have risen to almost 500 euros
Unpleasant: Once the car is on the hook, it gets really expensive.
© Imago Images
If you park on sidewalks, in the second row or in closed areas in Hamburg, you will soon have to expect significantly higher costs. But that’s not necessarily due to the city itself.
Some just want to go to the bakery or the ATM “just for a moment”, others overlook the no parking sign or even park in the wrong place at their own risk. The big shock for motorists often comes when they are back on the road – but their car is no longer: it has been towed away! In Hamburg, this unpleasant experience is now even more expensive.
Drivers have already had to dig deep into their pockets for the towing service: up to 340 euros are due in Hamburg if the car is moved by the police. If the car is taken to the new car jail at the airport, there are additional costs. According to the NDR, motorists have to reckon with another 250 to 380 euros if their car is parked there.
Hamburg: Towing now costs almost 500 euros
From next year, these prices will rise again significantly: Instead of 340 euros for towing, up to 470 euros will then be due – a price increase of around 38 percent!
The reason for this is not higher costs for the city of Hamburg, but a new round of tenders: every five years, the Hamburg police have to obtain new offers for the service – and this year all providers were significantly more expensive than the previous offers.
In the tenders, the towing companies stated higher fuel and salary costs – a cost increase that they are now passing on to drivers.
But there is at least one piece of good news for motorists: the city of Hamburg itself is not planning to increase its fees any further. The administration costs remain at 170 euros – but with the costs of almost 500 euros for towing, this will probably not be much of a consolation for most drivers. If you see all the signs, it is better to pay attention to them.
Source: NDR