Why I Will Try to Avoid Volksparkstadion in Hamburg at All Costs

On July 16th, I went to see Imagine Dragons at Volksparkstadion in Hamburg (you can read the full concert review here - Imagine Dragons were as amazing as ever). It was my fourth time at this venue - and by far the worst. I already knew the stadium had worn-down facilities and insane bathroom queues, but this time the whole organization hit a new level of terrible.

Volksparkstadion in Hamburg

Previous Experiences at Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion

My first visit to Volksparkstadion was in 2022 for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I had second fan zone tickets in the standing sector and - because nature calls - I had to visit the bathroom. The queue was so long that I missed the entire opener’s performance. Not a great start.

The second time was for The Weeknd in 2023. We had seats on the third floor, and once again, the bathroom situation was a disaster. The lines were so long that women were waiting in line for the men’s bathroom. The smell around the toilets was so bad that I decided I didn’t need to go that badly - honestly, you could get sick from the smell alone, so I won’t even get into the details. Plus, the way the men were using the facilities… let’s just say it wasn’t exactly private. I haven’t seen anything like this at any other stadium.

In 2024, I came back for Taylor Swift. We had seats on the first floor, and while I understand that bird droppings can happen outdoors, I’ve only ever encountered bird poo-covered seats at this stadium. Luckily, some kind fans nearby gave us napkins, and we had hand sanitizer to clean it up - but it was still disgusting. And yes, the bathrooms were still a nightmare. Same story every time.

2025: A Complete Disaster

But this year’s experience at Imagine Dragons? It topped them all - in the worst way. Disclaimer: I don’t want the band to be associated with this experience.

Let’s start with the entrance organization. Most venues clearly mark entrances by sector. One of the best recent examples is when we went to see Dua Lipa at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium. The venue shared a layout beforehand, had clear signs everywhere, and staff were super helpful. That’s what proper organization looks like. In Hamburg? I checked for entrance information myself but couldn’t find anything clear. From what I understood, it seemed like you could use any entrance.

When we arrived, I left my mom at one entrance (there were very few people there) and walked around the stadium. Eventually, at another entrance, a staff member confirmed it was the “correct” one. Other fans heading to the same sector were queueing there too, so we trusted the info and started waiting there.

Me queuing outside Volksparkstadion, waiting for the doors to open.

Then came a bigger inconvenience. The gates were supposed to open at 4:30 PM but were delayed to 5 PM due to “technical issues.” Sure, delays happen - but given the rest of what we saw at the stadium, it felt like another sign of poor organization. During that time, we saw VIPs being escorted in, so maybe the delay had something to do with that.

And here’s where things went downhill fast. A security worker explained how to get to the Golden Circle Left area. According to her, we were standing right in front of the correct entrance. I knew there were two staircases leading to the standing area, and based on her explanation, it sounded like the one directly in front of us led to the Golden Circle. Once they began letting people in, fans started sprinting in that direction. Then chaos broke out.

When we reached what we thought was the entrance, security told us, “It’s not here.” Can you imagine? People were crashing into each other - some still running forward, others turning back. It got quite dangerous. I saw people falling. And security? Nowhere to be seen. No one came to help. It was completely unmanaged.

Eventually, we found the correct entrance - on the other side of the stadium. If we had stayed at the very first entrance we came to, we would’ve been much closer. But we trusted the staff working there. Joke is on us, I guess.

After hours of queuing and waiting, realizing we’d wasted so much time standing at the wrong entrance was incredibly frustrating. I nearly gave up hope of making it to the front row. But once we reached the Golden Circle, I somehow spotted a small open space at the corner of the barricade - just enough for me and my mom. We got really lucky in the end.

Even though fans had already lined up along most of the stage, I guess they either missed that corner or assumed it wasn’t a good spot. But let me tell you - that spot was perfect.

And the Bathrooms… Still a Disaster

All these years later, and nothing has changed. The queues are still unbearable. Women were once again trying to use the men’s bathrooms. Compare that to venues like Liverpool or Kaunas, where they add portable toilets and sinks outside to handle the crowds. It’s not glamorous, but it works - and it saves you from spending 45 minutes in line. Also, when you’re in the standing area and need to leave, usually only one person “holds your spot,” which is quite stressful since people are always trying to sneak in.

I also noticed a lack of staff there to help visitors. In other venues, there are helpers everywhere - minimizing queues, guiding people, answering questions. At Volksparkstadion, it honestly feels like no one cares. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by better-organized venues, but seriously, Hamburg - you should do better.

Layout & Barricade Issues

This isn’t a huge deal, but I still want to share my thoughts on the layout. There were two Golden Circle sections (left and right), and then the general admission (GA) zone. It seemed like VIP ticket holders with early access were placed in the Golden Circle as well - we saw people with VIP packages standing right next to us. So unless you have a VIP ticket, it’s quite difficult to get a spot at the barricade.

Even stranger: the GA section actually had a better view of the stage than the Golden Circle. GA was directly in front of the main stage, while we in the Golden Circle were set a bit farther back and didn’t have a clear front view. Since Dan spends a lot of time on the second stage, the front of the second stage was actually one of the best spots.

Compared to other concerts, this layout felt odd. Usually, the Golden Circle wraps around the whole stage and the GA zone is behind it - but in Hamburg, it was reversed.

In Tallinn, a similar setup was used, but the Golden Circle covered the full runway, so fans had the chance to see Dan from the front at several points. (I’m adding my well-drawn maps to show you what I mean.)

A map comparing the venue layouts for Imagine Dragons concerts in Tallinn and Hamburg

Oh, and one more thing - this is what the barricade next to me looked like. Seriously? At this point, it’s just funny.

Two mismatched barricade pieces at Volksparkstadion secured together with a plastic zip tie

A Silver Lining

One small win: having been a Hamburgerin (female Hamburg resident) for several years, I knew the shortcut to public transport. We avoided the chaos, got on an empty train, and were enjoying our post-concert meal at the hotel less than 30 minutes later. Small victories.

Final Thoughts

Now, I understand this might just be my personal experience, or maybe the organization was particularly bad this time. But as someone who travels for concerts, I prefer venues that are well-organized and fan-friendly. If I’m spending my time and money to attend, I want to enjoy the experience — not stress over bathrooms, wrong entrances, and chaos. So, for me, Volksparkstadion is officially off the list — unless something drastically changes.

However, if you’re planning to visit, you might want to check out my Volksparkstadion tips to avoid some common issues.

For the full story and more concert adventures, check out my Instagram @concerts_enthusiast  and TikTok @concerts.enthusiast!