Living in Augsburg
Augsburg – General Information on the City and Living in Germany
The city of Augsburg was founded more than 2000 years ago by the Romans. Today it is the third largest city in Bavaria with a population of approximately 270.000 inhabitants.
Since the high middle-ages, Augsburg was of great importance in the world and
emperors and kings settled here. The wealthy "Fugger-Family" established world wide trading routes and helped the city become a center of German philosophy, culture and architecture.
Many well-obtained buildings from the renaissance can still be found in Augsburg and are worth a visit.
If you would like more information on Augsburg take a look at: http://www2.augsburg.de/index.php?id=1447
1. Public Transportation in Augsburg
You can get around Augsburg easily by taking Trams or Buses. The “Königsplatz” is the main station for public transportation and is served by all lines. It will also be the meeting point for most in-town activities. Excursions and other day trips will meet at the central train station in Augsburg (Hauptbahnhof). Every meeting point will also be indicated in a schedule you will receive once you arrive in Augsburg.
During the week trams and buses run until midnight. On weekends most lines are served by night buses until 3 a.m..
Farewise, Augsburg is divided into two zones. Inner city and outer city. A one-way tram ticket within one zone is 1,05 € and 2,10 € for both zones. Month and week tickets are available at a service center at Königsplatz, where you can also get a tram map.
The University is situated in the south of Augsburg. You can reach it with the tram line 3. Be careful to check the direction the tram is going. The stop is “Universität”.
Augsburg also has a shuttle bus to and from Munich Airport. It leaves several times a day from a stop close to the main train staion. A one-way ticket is 15 €.
2. Shopping and Groceries
Augsburg has two big shopping areas. The inner city and “Citiy Galerie”. City Galerie is a mall, much like you know it from home. It hosts a wide variety of stores including a supermarket and hairdressers. You can find almost everything you need here. It is within 10 minutes walking distance from city hall and served by bus lines 22, 31 and 36.
Most stores downtown are between the train station and city hall. A grocery store downtown is inside “Karstadt” in the basement. Downtown, off of Annastraße, you can also find a big market place. From 07:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the week and from 07:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays you can always get fresh vegitables, flowers, meat and much more here. Usually stores are closed on Sundays. Due to the Soccer World Cup there might be exceptions though.
When you go shopping, be advised, that most stores in Germany do not accept credit cards. Some big stores do, as do most gas stations and restaurants, but you should always check before hand and bring enough cash.
3. Money – Visa, AmEx and Master Card.
Unlike in America, in Germany you won’t be able to get along just by paying with a credit card. So again, remember to check before hand.
If you need to get money from an account at home, you can use most German ATMs. If you do so, a charge will be added to your account. Some ATMs don’t work, but in a rather random manner. If you have an American Citibank account you can use Citibank Germany’s ATMs without any extra charge. Deutsche Bank and Bank of America also cooperate to the same extend. Please check with your local bank to see if any changes occured. Both Citibank and Deutsche Bank can be found at Königsplatz.
There is also an ATM on campus. It is located inside the “Hörsaalzentrum”, in front of “Hörsaal 1”. The “Hörsaalzentrum” is on the lower part of campus on the right hand side looking from the tram stop.
4. On Campus
At the university you have acces to several computer labs. To log on to these computers you need a client ID and a password. Both will be inside a folder you receive when you come to Augsburg. The law building is open until 9:30 p.m. and closed on weekends. The law library is open until 10:00 p.m. during the week and 5:00 p.m. on saturdays.
There is a cafeteria - “Mensa” - on campus where you can eat lunch. Different meals are offered for approximately 4 €. In the close proximity of the university there are also some restaurants that offer lunch menus.
5. Telecommunication - Calling Cards and Cell Phones
If you don’t have a house phone at your apartement, the cheapest way to call other countries is by using a calling card. Pre-paid calling cards are available at many little stores. Prices and systems vary. From house phones you can switch between providers. Several providers offer cheap rates for international calls. To choose one you simply dial a pre-selection number in front of the country code. Rates should be between 2 to 4 cent a minute.
Your cell phone from America works in Germany if it is a tri – or quad band phone. Pre-paid cards for cell phones are very common in Germany and available from many different providers. If your cell phone does not work here you can also get a cheap cell phone bundled with a pre-paid card at most electronic stores. You are not charged for incoming calls.
6. Leisure Time
During your time in Augsburg we have planned several day trips to different sights. A list with the offered trips will be given to you once you arrive here. If you would like to plan a weekend trip by yourself we have put together a list with helpful information.
“Bücher Pustet” on Karolinenstraße offers a good selection of English books. International newspapers are available at a kiosk inside the main train station.
Two cinemas in Augsburg – Cinemaxx, by City Galerie and Cinestar, by the train station – frequently show movies in English.
Typical bavarian food is served at the “König von Flandern”, in the same building as Bücher Pustet. They brew their own beer and have very traditional food.