ðə fˈɜːst ɹˈeɪlweɪ lˈaɪn bᵻtwˌiːn hˈæmbɜːɡ ænd bˈɜːdʒɪdˌoːɹf wʌz ˈoʊpənd ˌɔn fˈaɪv mˈeɪ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi tˈuː, koʊˌɪnsɪdˈɛntəli ðə sˈeɪm dˈeɪ ðætðə "ɡɹˈeɪt fˈaɪɚ" dˈɛɹ ɡɹˈoʊs bɹˈænd ɹˈuːɪnd mˈoʊst əv ðə hɪstˈɔːɹɪk sˈɪɾi sˈɛntɚ.
The first railway line (between Hamburg and Bergedorf) was opened on 5 May 1842, coincidentally the same day that the "great fire" (der große Brand) ruined most of the historic city centre.