On the waterway

Mittelland Canal

The Mittelland Canal, Germany's longest artificial waterway, connects Hanover with the continent's largest seaports and inland ports.

The Mittelland Canal branches off from the Dortmund-Ems Canal at Bergeshövede near Rheine and ends at the Elbe near Magdeburg after a length of around 320 km. As the central part of the only west-east waterway in northern Germany, it connects the river basins of the Rhine, Ems, Weser and Elbe and also provides a link to Berlin and the eastern European waterways.

In addition to the industrial areas of Ibbenbüren, Minden, Hanover, Braunschweig and Magdeburg, which are directly touched by the Mittelland Canal, branch canals to Osnabrück, Hanover-Linden, Hanover-Misburg, Hildesheim and Salzgitter connect further important industrial and commercial areas to the Mittelland Canal.

Hanover at the intersection of European transport axes

Overview map - The port of Hanover at the intersection of trans-European networks — Overview map Port of Hanover

The Hannover economic region derives a not inconsiderable part of its locational quality from its location at the intersection of European transport axes.

Location on main north-south and west-east traffic routes

With their convenient access to all major north-south and west-east transportation routes, the ports of Hanover offer users optimal logistical conditions thanks to their infrastructure and superstructure.

The four ports in Hanover

The municipal ports are marked with white outlines on the overview map of Hanover — The four port locations of Hannover

The ports of Nordhafen, Lindener Hafen, Brinker Hafen, and Misburger Hafen on the Mittelland Canal and the Linden Branch Canal offer excellent connections to the seaports and the hinterland.

Hanover at the intersection of European transport axes

Location on main north-south and west-east traffic routes

The four ports in Hanover

Hanover – centrally located in Europe