Arrival Guide

Wissenschaftsunterstützende DiensteAcademic Support Services

for international academics

Welcome Centre, Administration building, room 010, Innstrasse 41, 94032 Passau, Germany

AAbout this booklet

Deciding to study, work or do research in a new city is always big step that involves a lot of changes! This booklet was designed to help you find your way in and around Passau. It contains basic information about Germany, Passau, your new university and daily life.

On the following pages you will find:

• Information about formalities such as visa, insurance and official documents• Facts about the University of Passau and your routine there• Tips on getting settled• Useful information about your new daily life in Germany• Information about travelling with your family• Tips for your leisure time

You probably have a lot of questions about your new life. This booklet should facilitate your start. If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to contact the Welcome Centre!

Last revised in August 2016

DDear reader,

International academic exchange is a vital aspect of modern academia; no university in the world can hope to provide relevant teaching and research without strong interna-tional links. We are therefore delighted to welcome so many international academics at our University every semester: your presence on campus revitalises our teaching and research by providing fresh insights, ideas and approaches to problems old and new; it also encourages our students to adopt a global mindset. Like so many other sectors, glo-balisation has transformed academia, and adopting a global perspective is a prerequisite for good science.

Likewise, by going abroad as an international scholar you will gain exposure to new ide-as and important impulses for your own research. While scholarship abroad broadens your horizons, it is nevertheless true that the preparations and life changes involved can be discouraging: doubly so if you are bringing your family, perhaps with school-age children. With this in mind, this arrival guide was written by the University’s Welcome Centre Team, which has provided valuable services to international academics in Passau since its inception. The guide offers a plethora of useful information ranging from resi-dence permits to multilingual physicians’ contact details, and even a list of playgrounds for children (which can be almost as much of a lifesaver).

Maybe you are reading this booklet while still in your home country to get a feel for what it is like to be here; or you have already arrived and simply need a handy information booklet you can consult when required. Whichever it is, with the help of this arrival guide and the Welcome Centre’s services you will be sure to get the formalities out of the way quickly to focus on what’s really important: settling in to your new home, Passau, and your work at the University of Passau.

Professor Ursula ReutnerVice President for International Relations

WWelcome to the University of PassauWe’re very happy that you’ve decided upon a stay at our University and in the lovely city of Passau.

Our aim is to make your transition to this new environment as smooth as possible by providing advice and support with the necessary administrative formalities before your arrival, during your stay, as well as before and after your departure. Do you have any questions about visa issues or social security? Are you looking for accommodation or a place in kindergarten or school for your children? Then don’t hesitate to contact us!

Upon arrival, you should pass by our office (located in the Administration building – ‘Verwaltungsgebäude’, Innstrasse 41, room 010) to collect a welcome pack with basic information on Passau and the University, and importantly, your student or employee ID card (CampusCard) and university computer network username and password.

Aside from the administrative support, we organise a variety of fun activities each se-mester, during which you meet other international academics and get to know the city and its surroundings easily. Your significant other and your children are very welcome to join in, too.

We are looking forward to welcoming you personally soon!Your Welcome Centre Team

Table of contents

1. The city and district of Passau...................................................................................................................1

1.1 How to get to Passau....................................................................................................................1

1.2 The city of Passau.........................................................................................................................2

1.3 The surrounding region...............................................................................................................3

1.4 The university campus.................................................................................................................4

1.4.1 The CampusCard (your student or employee ID)...........................................................5

1.4.2 Printing and copying.......................................................................................................6

1.4.3 Parking permit.................................................................................................................7

1.4.4 Lost and found.................................................................................................................7

1.5 Media and the Library..................................................................................................................7

1.5.1 Libraries...........................................................................................................................7

1.5.2 Video Library of the Language Centre.............................................................................10

1.5 The Language Centre..................................................................................................................11

2. Formalities for international guest researchers........................................................................................11

2.1 Before you arrive........................................................................................................................11

2.2 After you arrive..........................................................................................................................12

2.3 Before you leave........................................................................................................................12

3. Administration and formalities................................................................................................................13

3.1 Administration units of the university.........................................................................................13

3.2 City administration.....................................................................................................................14

4. Living in Passau and Lower Bavaria .......................................................................................................15

4.1 Good to know............................................................................................................................15

4.1.1 The weather in Germany and Passau..............................................................................15

4.1.2 Important German idioms and terms.............................................................................16

4.1.3 “Du“ or “Sie“.................................................................................................................16

4.1.4 German measurements..................................................................................................17

4.1.5 Tap water, sockets and standart voltage.........................................................................18

4.1.6 Important phone numbers.............................................................................................18

4.1.7 Savety.............................................................................................................................18

4.1.8 No smoking laws...........................................................................................................18

4.2 Mobility......................................................................................................................................19

4.2.1 Public transport..............................................................................................................19

4.2.2 Driving in Germany.........................................................................................................19

4.2.3 Car-sharing.....................................................................................................................19

4.3 Accommodation.........................................................................................................................20

4.3.1 Hotels, pensions and vacation apartments.....................................................................20

4.3.2 Flats and apartments......................................................................................................20

4.4 Launderettes and dry cleaners....................................................................................................23

4.4.1 Launderettes...................................................................................................................23

4.4.2 Dry cleaners...................................................................................................................24

4.5 Communication.........................................................................................................................24

4.5.1 Mobile phones...............................................................................................................24

4.5.2 Internet access...............................................................................................................24

4.5.3 Streaming in Germany...................................................................................................25

4.6 Insurance...................................................................................................................................25

4.6.1 Health insurance............................................................................................................25

4.6.2 Pension insurance.........................................................................................................27

4.6.3 Unemployment insurance.............................................................................................27

4.6.4 Personal public liability insurance..................................................................................27

4.7 Shopping and groceries.............................................................................................................28

4.7.1 Groceries.......................................................................................................................28

4.7.2 Shopping centres...........................................................................................................30

4.7.3 Furniture shops..............................................................................................................30

4.8 Banking......................................................................................................................................31

4.9 Medical services.........................................................................................................................32

4.9.1 Hospitals........................................................................................................................32

4.9.2 Physicians speaking foreign languages...........................................................................32

5. Family and children................................................................................................................................34

5.1 Child care..................................................................................................................................34

5.1.1 Nursery..........................................................................................................................34

5.1.2 Kindergarten..................................................................................................................34

5.1.3 Schools..........................................................................................................................35

5.1.4 The parent-and-child room at University........................................................................35

5.2 Child benefit, parental benefit and healthcare for children...................................................35

5.2.1 Child benefit.................................................................................................................36

5.2.2 Parental benefit........................................................................................................36

5.2.3 Healthcare for children..................................................................................................36

5.3 Books for children in the library.................................................................................................37

5.4 Public playgrounds...................................................................................................................37

5.5 The Passau Family Pass..............................................................................................................38

6. Leisure Time in the Passau area.............................................................................................................38

6.1 Culture.....................................................................................................................................38

6.1.1 Theatre.........................................................................................................................38

6.1.2 Museums......................................................................................................................39

6.1.3 International societies....................................................................................................39

6.1.4 Public Library.................................................................................................................41

6.1.5 Cinemas.........................................................................................................................41

6.1.6 Cafés and restaurants.....................................................................................................42

6.2 Sports in Passau.........................................................................................................................43

6.2.1 Sports at the university...................................................................................................43

6.2.2 Swimming.....................................................................................................................44

6.2.3 Other sports..................................................................................................................44

6.3 Leisure activities in the Passau area............................................................................................45

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1. The city and university of Passau1.1 How to get to Passau

By train

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Please note: Bayern-Ticket is valid for all local trains (Interregio-Express, Regional-Ex-press, Regionalbahn, S-Bahn) and public urban transport in all Bavarian cities. It is neither valid for IC/ICE trains nor for any trains outside of Bavaria.

If you purchase your ticket at the Deutsche Bahn Travel Centre, a surcharge of €2.00 will be charged to the fare. Prices and schedules are subject to change (last updated on 18 August 2016).

1.2 The city of Passau

Passau is also known as ‘the City of Three Rivers’ – shown here is the River Inn

Widely considered one of the loveliest cities in Germany, Passau is situated in the southern foothills of the Bavarian Forest at the confluence of the rivers Danube, Inn and Ilz.

Having been razed to the ground in the great fire of 1662, Passau was re-built according to designs by Italian master builders, which is where it gets its Mediterranean baroque flair from. It is partly for this reason that Passau is also known as the ‘Venice of Bavaria’. Atop a small hill in the Old Town sits St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the largest ba-roque cathedral north of the Alps.

1.3 The surrounding region

Passau’s surrounding area has a lot to offer, such as a long-distance Danube cycling trail, the spa triangle and the Bavarian Forest with its beautiful sights and pristine nature. The area is perfect for cycling, hiking, water sports, golf, cross-country and alpine skiing as well as snowboarding, mountaineering and abseiling. The fa-mous natural spas in Bad Füssing and Bad Griesbach are only a short drive away.

One special feature of the region is that it is so close to the Czech Republic and Austria, allowing for day trips to beautiful towns with rich traditions. Don’t forget to sample the exquisite Bohemian and Upper Austrian cui-sine! The Tree-Top Walk in the Bavarian Forest

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Twice a year, Passau hosts its own version of the Oktoberfest: the ‘Maidult’ and ‘Herb-stdult’ offer many thrilling rides, plen-ty of traditional Bavarian cuisine, and of course, the iconic beer tents. These, and the Haferlfest, are centuries-old festivals and a fixture in Passau’s cul-tural calendar. On top of that, there are various street festivals in summer and a Christmas market in December.

The Old Town is characterised by spacious squares, romantic promenades, narrow winding alleys adorned with small cafés, bars and beer gardens. Passau is home to a number of cultural institutions, such as the theatre (Landestheater Niederbayern) and the ‘Scharfrichter Haus’ — a restaurant and political cabaret stage where many of Germany’s most pop-ular comedians started their careers. Many cultural events are put on throughout the year, such as the ‘Europäische Wochen Passau’ and the Eulenspiegel comedy festival on the tip of the peninsula be-tween the rivers Danube and Inn. Naturally, Pas-sau also has various movie theatres, including a multiplex cinema showing 3-D movies.

Passau hosts its own version of the Oktoberfest twice a year

The Oberhaus, Passaus own castle

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1.4 The university campus

Since opening its doors to the public in 1978, the University of Passau has quickly developed into a first address in German academia. The University regularly attains top positions in academic rank-ings, e.g. in Law, Business and Economics, Com-puter Science, Communication Studies, Political Science and Cultural Studies.

Some 12,000 students and doctoral researchers from more than 90 countries are enrolled at the University of Passau. In addition to studying in small learning groups, students benefit from the manageable size of the University campus, result-ing in short distances and an excellent student ex-perience.

The University of Passau is a university of short distances — both on campus and to the city. The map of the university campus will help you to gain a quick overview. You can easily walk to the Uni-versity or travel by bike or bus lines number 8 and 9 direction ‘Kohlbruck über Klinikum’. The stops along the campus are ‘Augustinergasse’, ‘Univer-sität’ and ‘Wörthstrasse’.

• ‘Augustinergasse’ is closest to the Nikolakloster and Philosophicum buildings

• ‘Universität’ is nearest to the Business Admin-istration and Economics Faculty building, the University Library and the Refectory

• alight at ‘Wörthstrasse’ for the Audimax, Ju-ridicum, Sports Centre, IT Centre and Admin-istration building

The campus, from the Nursery & Sports Centre to the Philosophicum.

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1.4.1 The CampusCard (your student or employee ID)The CampusCard is a recently introduced, multi-functional chip card of the University of Passau. The student ID card offers the following functions:

• electronic wallet for refectory and cafeteria meals• electronic wallet for copying and printing on campus• library card• locker access• access card for the Sports Centre• access card for specific buildings (please apply separately to enable this function)• access card for the underground student car park, Innstrasse 27/29 (please apply separately to enable this function)• semester bus pass (only when validated at a card validation terminal; student version only)

The CampusCard has a ‘valid-until’-field and hence needs to be revalidated every semester by inserting the CampusCard in one of the four validation machines located at the entrance of the Administration building (Innstrasse 41), the entrance of the Refectory (Innstrasse 29), the sec-ond floor of the Business Administration & Economics Faculty building (Innstrasse 27) and at the Nikolakloster building (Innstrasse 40).

How the CampusCard works

The CampusCard serves as a payment method on campus. Cash-to-card machines, where you can top up the catering balance on your CampusCard, can be found in the refectory and the Nikola-kloster building. To top up your balance, hold the card up to the reader and insert a euro banknote into the banknote acceptor. Please keep holding your card against the reader until the screen shows your new balance. If you remove your card too soon, the balance will not be stored on the card. If that happens, simply hold you card against the card reader again right away and the balance will be topped up. The catering payments function is activated when you top up your balance for the first time.Cash-to-card machines for topping up the printer-copier balance on your CampusCard can be found near the printer-copiers. Please note that these are different from the catering cash-to-card machines and that the two balances are stored separately on your card. To top up your balance, insert the card into the card acceptor and a euro banknote into the banknote acceptor. The print-er-copier payments function is activated when you top up your balance for the first time.

Please note that you cannot top up your balance at the refectory or cafeteria checkouts.

Your CampusCard has a University Library user number printed on the back, which enables you to borrow books and other items from the University Library. Please contact the Library Card team or the Welcome Services Section for further details. Photocopies of the front and back of the Campus-Card are only accepted as a library card if signed by the CampusCard owner.

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You will also need the CampusCard if you wish to use the Sports Centre facilities. Before you can do so, you have to register for ‘Hochschulsport’, using your computer network username, at www.sportzentrum.uni-passau.de. You will be charged €10 for the sports registration. If you have any further questions about this, please contact the Secretary of the Sports Centre or the Welcome Services Section.

Secretary of the Sports CentreMonday – Thursday: 9–11 a.m. & 1–3 p.m.Friday: 9–11 a.m.

Lost or damaged card?

If you lose or accidentally damage your card, you can block your card in the card portal in Stud.IP. When you apply for a replacement card, your old CampusCard is automatically blocked. Note: the block will become effective for the printer-copier balance and turnstile/building access on the fol-lowing working day at the latest. To block your catering balance, please contact the ‘Mensakarten-büro’ just across the main entrance of the refectory.A blocked card can be reactivated via the card portal in Stud.IP as long as a replacement card has not been issued.

1.4.2 Printing and copyingIn all buildings, including the library and the computer rooms, digital networked systems are avail-able for printing and copying. Some printer-copiers are configured for colour copies.Use the cash-to-card machines to top up your balance, which can be freely used for black and white or colour prints. Cash-to-card machine locations:• Computer Science and Mathematics Faculty building (Innstrasse 33) on the ground floor• Juridicum (Law Faculty building, Innstrasse 39) on the ground floor next to the staircase• Central Library (Innstrasse 29) in the copying room• Business Administration & Economics Faculty building (Innstrasse 27) next to the lower entrance• Nikolakloster building (Innstrasse 40) next to the main entrance• Department of Catholic Theology (Michaeligasse 13)

To send a print job to the campus printer-copiers, you need to type in your card number when prompted. The copy credit is stored independently from the catering balance, and you cannot use the one for the other. The price of black-and-white and colour copies/printouts is as follows: • 1 credit per black-and-white A4 page • 4 credits per colour A4 or A3 page • 1 credit = 5 cents

The CampusCard can be also used in the Copy Centre, Innstrasse 50, on printer-copier no. 4.

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1.4.3 Parking permitEmployees of the University receive a key for the car parks from the Facilities Management Division. Please contact the Welcome Services Section for further information.

Please hand in any property you find lying about to the nearest reception desk or reading room helpdesk.

1. Valuable items, such as wallets and purses, mobile phones, ID cards, keys etc. can be collected from the Facilities Management Division, Administration building (Innstrasse 41), room 002, phone +49 851 509 1231. If it is possible to identify the owner from the lost property, he or she will be promptly notified.

2. The helpdesk will keep CampusCards and storage devices for two days before sending them to:• CampusCards: Mensacard Office, Room 163 (Innstrasse 29), phone +49 851 509 1922• Storage media such as USB sticks: ZIM (Innstrasse 33), Room 160, phone: +49 851 509 1801

3. Other lost property is stored for approximately six weeks at the next reception before being sent to the Technical Services building (Innstrasse 37), phone: +49 851 509 1232.

1.5 Media and the library

1.4.4 Lost and found

1.5.1 LibrariesYou have probably seen the Central Library, but did you know the University Library also has five sub- libraries which serve different departments or facul-ties? All of their holdings and more can be found on the InfoGuide or Primo search portals, both of which allow you to search for media from home, from your office or from the library computers. The order and account functions as well as journal database searches require a CampusCard number and pass-word.

One special feature of Passau’s Central Library is the cosy ‘Library Lounge’ on the 1st floor, where you can peruse German and foreign newspapers as well as a wide range of fiction books while relaxing with a good cup of coffee.

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Library of the University of PassauInnstrasse 2994032 Passau

General enquiriesPhone: +49 851 509 1630

Central Library borrowing deskInnstrasse 29Phone: +49 851 509 1610 Business & Economics LibraryBusiness Administration and Economics buildingInnstrasse 27Phone: +49 851 509 1612 Law LibraryLaw Faculty building (Juridicum)Innstrasse 39Phone: +49 851 509 1616

Please check the library website for the current opening hours: www.ub.uni-passau.de/en

Map of all the reading rooms: www.ub.uni-passau.de/fileadmin/dokumente/download/LageplanA4.pdf

Office of the Director of Library ServicesPhone: +49 851 509 1601

Central Library reading room helpdeskPhone: +49 851 509 1610

Nikolakloster LibraryInnstrasse 40Phone: +49 851 509 1611

Computer Science & Mathematics LibraryComputer Science & Mathematics buildingInnstrasse 33Phone: +49 851 509 1613

TextbooksThe textbook collections in the reading rooms hold a number of copies of important textbooks and reference works. The textbooks on the subject areas in the Book Tower (Bücherturm) can be found on the shelves outside the Central Library reading room. The shelf-marks for these textbooks start with ‘17/’. Books from the textbook collections can only be borrowed by students: simply take the book from the shelf and check it out at the borrowing desk. The default loan period is four weeks. You may renew borrowed items up to five times, unless the book has been reserved by someone else.

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Collection areaIf you request a book or other media that is ‘available for request’ (shelf-marks starting with 00/, 02/, 03/ or 04/), it will usually be ready for pick-up from one of the shelves in the collection area on the ground floor of the Central Library by 11:00 a.m. on the following workday. The stand-ard loan period is four weeks and you may renew your loan unless someone else has put in a reservation. Take the book to the borrowing desk to have it checked out.

E-mail notificationsYou will be notified by e-mail when:

• the loan period for a borrowed item is about to expire (not for overnight and weekend loans) • a requested item is ready for collection • a request has been cancelled due to the item being recalled • an item requested via interlibrary loan is ready for collection

If you are an enrolled student, these notifications go out directly to your University e-mail address, e.g. name@stud.uni-passau.de. You can read these e-mails via the GroupWise client (webaccess.uni-passau.de/gw/webacc). You may set up automatic forwarding of these notifica-tions to a private e-mail address.

Reserve collectionsThe reserve collections contain books and essays from the library’s holdings and other materials compiled by lecturers for their various courses. The shelf space for the respective reserve collec-tions is marked with the name of the relevant lecturer or the course title. Items from the reserve collections are not available for borrowing! Reserve collections may also exist in electronic form. Log in to your Stud.IP account to look for digitised essays, book excerpts from the University Library holdings and other materials for your courses.

Local catalogue in InfoGuideYou can use InfoGuide to search for books, periodicals, e-books, e-journals and databases in the holdings of the University Library and the Passau branch of the Bavarian State Library. If a title is in the Passau holdings, the shelf-mark (location mark) shows how it can be used: Items from the the reading room collection, which have a shelf-mark such as 40/QP 120 V127(6), are only for use in the library and may in some cases be available for overnight and weekend loan.Shelf-marks starting with 00/, 02/, 03/ or 04/ denote items from the closed stacks. These can be requested in InfoGuide. The loan period is four weeks. Loans are renewable unless someone else has reserved the title in the meantime.

If the book you are looking for cannot be found in the local catalogue in InfoGuide, or if you want to display additional search results, you can extend the search to include the union catalogue of the Bavarian Library Network by clicking on the‚ Extend automatically‘ link.

1.5.2 Video Library of the Language CentreThe Video Library can be found on the 3rd floor of the Nikolakloster Building in room NK 315. It offers a variety of media in various languages, including movies and documentaries. In addition, you will find language courses on CD and DVD. All media can be accessed via the InfoGuide of the University Library. Two TV sets are available, where the media can be viewed during opening times.

University of PassauLanguage CentreInnstrasse 4094032 PassauPhone: +49 851 509 1701

Opening hours:Monday – Thursday: 10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

E-books, e-journals and databasesSome 80,000 e-books and a large number of e-journals and databases are accessible through the University’s com-puter network. All titles are stored in InfoGuide. You may also search the Electronic Journals Library for e-journals and DBIS for databases. Nearly all licensed e-books, e-journals and databases can be retrieved via external access, by log-ging into the University’s EZ-Proxy server (using the same log-in credentials you use for Stud.IP).

Library RegulationsPlease note, that users are not permitted to consume food or drink within the library with exception of water. This may be brought in a transparent and sealable container. You may not bring bags, briefcases or other containers into the library. This does not include laptop covers, baskets and bags that are transparent. The locker in the foyer should be used to store bags, briefcases and ofther per-sonal effects while in library. You need to remove your belongings every evening. Please note, that the lockers and the foyer are not monitored.

For more information about the regulation please have a look at the official sheet.

Library LoungeThis ‘library within the library’ offers the latest fiction and non-fiction bestsellers, crime novels, trav-el guides, encyclopedias, compendia and coffee table books for unadulterated reading pleasure!

• The usual loan period for books from the Lounge Library is four weeks. You may renew loans up to five times, unless a reservation has been made.• List of Lounge-Library books in InfoGuide• List of new acquisitions in the past 30 days• List of Lounge Library books moved to the closed stacks for logistical reasons. You can still re- quest them in InfoGuide.

To borrow or return any books from the Library Lounge, take them to the check-out desk on the ground floor.

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1.6 The Language CentreTo improve your private and business time in Passau, the university offers German classes to all in-ternational researchers who stay for at least three months. The sessions take place in small groups suited to your skill level. Please contact us directly for further information.

2. Formalities for international researchers

2.1 Before you arrivePlease bring along the following documents and items:

• your passport or an equivalent identity document, valid for the entire duration of your stay • your visa, if applicable also for the accompanying family members (not required for citizens of

the EU and a number of other Countries, please check with the German Embassy)• proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay in Germany: e.g. scholarship certificate or employ-

ment contract• multiple biometric passport photos for different cards which you will need during your stay,

ideally also in digitised form• originals and copies of the doctoral certificate, birth certificate, marriage certificate, insurance

documents and birth certificates of your children, if applicable• you will need to take out health insurance for the duration of your stay in Germany. If the stay is

not covered by the health insurance in your home country, we can help • vaccination certificate, currently required medications, medical records (e.g. chronic illnesses)

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2.2 After you arrive• Give notice to the Welcome Centre• Read the information under the heading Residence permits and registering with the authorities on

the page www.uni-passau.de/en/immigration-formalities/, then register with the authorities as described on the webpage

As a new resident you can apply for a voucher worth €100, usable in many shops in Passau as well as the local swimming pool (‘peb’).

• Open a bank account (select one which is member of ‘Cash Group’. This allows you to withdraw cash without fees from all participating banks, which are: Berliner Bank, Deutsche Bank, Dresd-ner Bank, Commerzbank, HypoVereinsbank and Postbank)

• If you do not have adequate health insurance coverage, please arrange it. In Germany, health insurance is mandatory for a residence permit.

• If you have children, apply for child support from the State Department of Finance (www.lff.bayern.de/formularcenter/kindergeld/index.aspx).• Only non-EU citizens: if you intend to stay longer than the term of your visa, apply for your resi-

dence permit at the ‘Ausländeramt’ well before the expiry date of your visa.

For this you will need the following documents: • passport • biometric passport photo • matriculation certificate (for graduate students) • proof of health insurance • proof of sufficient funds, at least €659.00 net per month (e.g. employment, scholarship) • fee: €85

2.3 Before you leave• Give notice of departure to the ‘Bürgerbüro’ • Cancel your bank account• Cancel electricity, water, gas, telephone, television licence and internet for your apartment• Return your guest/employee card and your keys • Give notice to the Welcome Centre

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3. Administration and formalities3.1 Administrative units of the UniversityThe following Divisions are located in the Administration building (Innstrasse 41):

Academic and Legal Matters (Studien- und Rechtsangelegenheiten)International Office & Student Services (Internationales und Studierendenservice)Research Services (Forschungsförderung)Communication and Marketing (Kommunikation und Marketing)Finance (Finanzen)Human Resources (Personal)Governance and Strategy (Universitätssteuerung)Facilities Management

Visitor address: University of PassauInnstrasse 41

Phone: +49 851 5090E-mail: info@uni-passau.de

Postal address:University of Passau94030 Passau Germany

3.2 City Administration In Passau there are two citizens’ offices (Bürgerbüro) where you can complete all your administra-tive formalities. One is located in the Town Hall and the other in Haidenhof Nord, which is located in the northwestern part of the city. Both offices are easily reached by bus.

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Registering and de-registering at one of the citizens’ offices (EU citizens and exempt):

Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall)Rathausplatz 2, 94032 PassauPhone: +49 851 396-0E-mail: buergerbuero@passau.de

Opening hours:Monday, Tuesday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.,Wednesday, Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 12 noonThursday: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Bus Stop: Rathaus (Town Hall)

Service Centre Passavia Vornholzstrasse 40 94036 PassauPhone: +49 851 396-0E-mail: buergerbuero@passau.de

Opening hours:Monday, Tuesday: 07:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.,Wednesday, Friday: 07:30 a.m. – 12 noonThursday: 07:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Bus Stop: Passavia

Applying for a residence permit at the Ausländeramt (non-EU and non-exempt):

Rathausplatz 1 94032 PassauPhone: +49 851 396431Fax: +49 851 934180E-mail: auslaenderamt@passau.de

Opening hours:Monday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 12 noonThursday: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.Bus stop: Rathaus (Town Hall)

Taking the bus

The municipal utilities (‘Stadtwerke Passau’) have composed an overview about the bus lines to public facilities like the hospital or the town hall. Though it is in German, it is easily to under-stand and well structured.

www.stadtwerke-passau.de/bus-parken/buslin-ien-netz/mit-dem-bus-zu-amt-co.html

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4. Living in Passau and Lower Bavaria

4.1.1 The weather in Germany and Passau

4.1 Good to know

Spring, summer, autumn and winter are usually markedly different from each other in these parts. As we enjoy both warm sum-mers and cold winters, please make sure you have appropriate clothing.

Spring

Spring is the period from March to May. The German saying “Der April macht was er will” (April does what it wants) explains it best: the weather is fickle these times. There may be temperatures in March up to already 23° Celsius (73.4 °F) but it might still freeze in the nights.

Summer

Summer is a pleasant and warm time in the Passau area. From June to August it is usually warm and quite sunny with a few intermittent showers. The days are long and the daytime temperatures may hover around 30°C (86°F).

Autumn

From September to November the temperature falls rapidly. Is it still warm in September and you can still enjoy the German “Altweibersommer” (Indian summer), it might already snow in No-

vember! If you have a car, it’s time to change your tires!

Winter

The winter period is from December to February. In the height of winter in January, the average temperature may be about 2°C (36°F). This may drop to about –10°C (14°F) or even -15°C (5°F). Snow is common in the Passau area in winter.

We’ve composed useful information about your daily life in your new home town and country.

Winter

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4.1.2 Important German idioms and terms

Hallo Hello (informal)

Tschüss/ Tschau Bye (informal)

Servus Hello / Bye (Bavarian, informal)

Guten Tag Good day

Auf Wiedersehen Good bye

Ja Yes

Nein No

Bitte? Excuse me / Please?

Bitte! You are welcome!

Danke / Vielen Dank Thank you / Thank you very much

Herr / Hr. Mister / Mr.

Frau / Fr. Madam / Mrs./ Miss

Ich heiße... My name is...

Wie geht es Ihnen? How are you?

Mir geht es gut, danke. I am fine, thank you.

Gesundheit! Bless you!

Ich spreche kein Deutsch. I don´t speak any German.

4.1.3 ‘Du’ or ‘Sie’

Unlike other countries, Germans tend to be more formal. We hence use the informal address “du” only when knowing the person in private. As a rule of thumb, “du” is used when speaking to or with

• family• good friends• all schoolchildren and students (up to about 15)• fellow workers (blue collar, not white collar)• members of some clubs, interest groups, or political parties (in particular, left-leaning)• animals and inanimate objects

In all other situations, you use ‘Sie’. In particular, ‘Sie’ is always used with adult strangers, and generally among white-collar colleagues in an office, bank, or other professional environment. It is better to risk being too formal rather than too familiar, so when in doubt use ‘Sie’.

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4.1.4 German measurementsGermany, as all other continental European countries, uses the metric system. Below you will find a list of the most important measures.

0.04 in (inch) 1 mm (Millimeter)

0.39 ft (foot) 1 cm (Zentimeter) = 10 mm

3.28 ft = 1.09 yd (yard) 1 m (Meter) = 100 cm

0.62 m. (mile) 1 km (Kilometer) = 1,000 m

Linear measures

0° F (Fahrenheit) -17.78° C (Celsius)

32° F 0° C

100° F 37.78° C

212° F 100° C

Temperature

0.7 gi, gl (British gill)

0.85 U.S. gill

100 ml (Milliliter)

1.7 pt (British pint)

2.11 pt (U.S. liquid pint)

1 l (Liter) = 1,000 ml

0.88 qt (British quarter)

1.06 qt (U.S. liquid quarter)

1 l

2.2 gal (British gallon)

2.64 gal (U.S. liquid gallon)

10 l

0.61 bbl, bl (British barrel)

0.89 (U.S. barrel)

100 l

Measures of capacity

15.38 gr. (grain) 1 g (Gramm) = 1,000 mg

(Milligramm)

3.53 oz. (ounce) 100 g

1.11 lb. (pound) 500 gr = 1 Pfund = 0.5 kg

0.078 qr. (quarter)

0.088 U.S. quarter

1 kg (Kilogramm) = 1,000

g

3.94 qr.

4.41 U.S. quarter

1 Zentner = 50 kg

1.97 cwt. (hundredweigth)

2.2 U.S. hundredweight

100 kg

0.98 t. (long ton)

1.1 U.S. short ton

1 t (Tonne) = 1,000 kg

Weights

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4.1.5 Tap water, sockets and standard voltage

Tap water is of excellent quality and may be consumed without concerns. It is even common to drink tap water at home if you prefer non-sparkling water. In Germany the standard voltage is 230 V. The standard frequency is 50 Hz. The power sockets used are of type F. Please check if you need an adapter or converter to use your devices! German sockets are of type F.

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Police 110

Fire brigade/emergency services 112

Patient transport by ambulance 1 92 22

GO out-of-hours emergency hotline 11 61 17

Poison emergency hotline 089 1 92 40

The emergency number for police, fire brigade and rescue services (including ambulances) is 112. There is an additional number, 110, to call the police. These numbers apply nationwide and can be dialled for free from any landline or mobile phone.

photo by Colourbox.de

4.1.6 Important phone numbers

4.1.7 Safety

Germany is a very safe country with a low crime rate. Especially in the rural areas - like Passau - Germans tend to regard the police as a reliable safety guarantor as well as their ‘Freund und Helfer’ (‘friend and helper’). Most incidents of street crime involve the theft of unattended items and pick-pocketing. Particularily bicycle theft is a widespread type of crime in Germany, so please make sure to always lock up your bike.

Take the usual precautions (don’t leave your valuables unattended, don’t walk around in obscure places alone at night) and you will be safe during your stay!

4.1.8 No smoking laws Smoking is prohibited in some public places such as on public transportation, including railway platforms, and restaurants or cafes. Sometimes separate smoking areas are provided. Fines for vio-lations range from €5 to €1,000. If you want to smoke at work and your working time is recorded in BayZeit (the University’s time recording system), you need to clock out!

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4.2.1 Public transport

VBP operates 17 lines that run throughout the city.

With the combined ‘Bus & Bad’ ticket, you can travel to the swimming pool and enter it for a cheaper price. A single ticket in Passau costs €1.80, a 10-trip ticket €9.50. For further information check: www.stadtwerke-passau.de/bus-parken/fahrpreise.html#c294.

As an enrolled doctoral student your CampusCard functions as your bus pass. The bus pass for Pas-sau costs €18.00 per semester at the time of writing (summer semester 2016). The fee is payable at matriculation and re-registration and is included in the ‘student contribution’. Before you can use your CampusCard as a bus pass for the first time you should make sure, that:

• your CampusCard displays the VBP logo• your CampusCard has your photograph on it• you have validated your CampusCard for the current semester

If you do not have your picture on your CampusCard, you can still use it as a bus pass but you will need to carry additional photographic ID (i.e. your passport, foreigners registration card or, if you are an EU citizen, your national ID card) whenever taking the bus. The semester bus pass is valid throughout the semester for which you have validated your card. The summer semester runs from 1 April to 30 September and the winter semester from 1 October to 31 March.

Using your CampusCard as a bus pass

4.2.3 Car-sharingThe Carsharing Passau Association gives you the opportunity to share cars with other users. One car is located behind the Nikolakloster building, another car in the historic centre. As a new resident of Passau, you can request a coupon for the use of the services of the car sharing association with a value of €100. If you are holder of the Passau family pass, there is no admission fee. For detailed information and conditions, please visit the website www.carsharing-passau.de.

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4.2 Mobility

4.2.2 Driving in GermanyIn Germany we drive on the right handed side. Your own driving licence is valid in Germany if you are an EU or EEA citizen. If you’re just visiting and are from outside the EU and EEA, you may need to get an international driving permit or an official translation of your home country licence to carry along with your current licence. If you take up residence in Germany, your driving licence is only vaild for another 6 months. Afterwards you need to swap it for a German licence. If you need help with this, please contact us!

4.3 Accommodation

On its website, the Tourism Office of the City of Passau offers various short-term accommodation options. The information is available in German, English and French. If you are interested in a par-ticular accommodation, please let us know. We gladly book it for you.

4.3.1 Hotels, guest houses and holiday apartments

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4.3.2 Flats and apartments

Apartments in Germany are usually not fully furnished and may not even come with a kitchen. Fully furnished apartments are much more expensive than unfurnished ones. It is easier to come by a fully furnished apartment for short-term rent (“Zwischenmiete”).

Finding an accomodation

The halls of residence aside, Passau has a big private housing market, where rooms cost about €200 to €350 a month. Landlords usually require a deposit of one to three months’ rent when you move in, which will be returned to you at the end of the rental period, assuming you leave your room in good condition.

If you rent your room through an estate agent, some may charge a commission of one or two months’ rent. However, since June 2015, they can only legally charge the person who instructed them to look for accommodation. If you rent directly from a landlord you will not usually have to pay any additional fees or commission. We recommend that you check very carefully what costs are involved before signing the lease or rental contract.

To find private accommodation, check the notice boards on campus (Philosophicum, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Refecto-ry) or visit the Student Services Association’s ac-commodation office.

The Wednesday and Saturday editions of the local newspaper ‘Passauer Neue Presse’ (PNP) have an extensive accommodation section, which can be found online, too (see box).

www.wg-gesucht.de/en/ (in English!)

www.studenten-wg.de www.immobilienscout24.dewww.immowelt.dewww.immobilo.dewww.immonet.dewww.wohnungsmarkt24.dewww.immomarkt.comwww.immobilien.pnp.de/

Hotels in close proximity to the University of Passau

Hotel SpitzbergNeuburger Str. 29 94032 PassauPhone: +49 851 955480Email: Info@Hotel-Spitzberg.de

Hotel Weißer HaseHeiliggeistgasse 194032 PassauPhone: +49 851 92110Email: info@weisser-hase.de

EBK = Einbauküche (kitchen): Not all apartments in Germany come with a fitted kitchen, make sure it is mentioned in the advertisement.

Kaution (deposit): You are required to pay a security deposit of up to three months’ rent. After you move out and no damage has occurred, you will recive the whole sum back. If you’ve damaged something willingly or unwillingly, the landlord will keep a certain sum for repairs.

Kaltmiete (‘cold rent’): The ‘Kaltmiete’ is the rent without heating or utilities. Keep in mind that you have to pay extra for gas and other utility costs.

Warmmiete (‘warm rent’): This is the rent including utilities and heating. However, electricity and Internet are usually paid extra, i.e. on top of it!

NK = Nebenkosten (additional costs): In Germany the majority of the running costs are passed on to the tenant. These costs include everything from property taxes to the lady cleaning the stairways each week and elevator maintenance (but not repairs) . This can include utilities.

DG = Dachgeschoss: Penthouse or attic floor

EG = Erdgeschoss: Ground level

OG = Obergeschoss: Upper floor

BJ = Baujahr: Year the house was built

Qm2 = Quadratmeter: Size in squaremetres

Zi = Zimmer: Number of the rooms the ac-commodation has. In Germany the bath-room and the kitchen are not counted as rooms. If hence you are looking for an apartment with a living room, a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom, you are looking for a two-room-apartment.

Zwischenmiete or befristet (interim lease): The actual renter sublets his or her apartment for the time he/she is not in town (e.g. on a semester abroad). Therefore the apartments are usually fully furnished.

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Important key words and abbrevations

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General information

Recycling in Germany: In Germany waste is not simply thrown in the rubbish bin but is recycled. That means you are expected to separate at least paper, organic waste, glas and tins cans. Your house will have three different bins in front: a blue, a brown and a black one. The blue one is meant for paper only, the brown one for organic waste and the black one is for the residual waste. For different types of glas and cans there will be extra boxes provided.

Pets: Please get your landlord’s written permission if you wish to keep a pet as pets might not be allowed in your apartment.

Number of persons living in one apartment: It is unusual to share a single-room apartment with another person and your landlord might even prohibit living there with more people.

Never pour or shake anything from windows or balconies. Make sure flowerpots or boxes on win-dows or balconies are secure and that watering them doesn’t create a nuisance for the neighbors below.

Cleaning the house: Have a look at the rental contract to check if you are required to clean the stair-ways, the footpath etc. If there is no paid service you might be on cleaning duty every few weeks.

Rental and lease contracts

Usually the landlord requests a deposit in the amount of up to three monthly instalments. The money should be repaid to you when you move out. The deposit is used to repair damages caused to the apartment by you. When you move out, the landlord will deduct the cost of any necessary repairs of the deposit and pay back the remaining amount. Please see exact rules in your contract. If you have left the flat in good condition, the whole amount should be transferred back in full.

Before you move in, you should make an appointment with the landlord and take a close look at the apartment together. Let him or her note down all defects in a list (transfer protocol), so that you won’t be accused of damages you didn’t cause. The transfer protocol will be signed by the landlord and you; one copy will remain in your possession.

If needed, you will receive expert advice relating your lease from the tenants’ association:

Mieterverein Passau e.V.Ludwigstrasse 1094032 Passau Phone: +49 851 2120Fax: +49 851 2378kontakt@mieterverein-passau.de

photo by C

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Electricity, gas and water

Electricity, gas and water can be obtained via Stadtwerke Passau, the public utility company. Please sign up and unsubscribe when moving in/out. This is conveniently done online at www.stadtwerke-passau.de.

Stadtwerke Passau GmbHRegensburger Strasse 29 94036 PassauPhone: +49 851 560-0Fax: +49 851 560-175E-mail: servicezentrum@stadtwerke-passau.de

4.4 Launderettes and dry cleaners 4.4.1 LaunderettesWaschtreffNeuburger Strasse 1794032 PassauPhone: +49 851 9881 6143 Mobile: +49 151 1560 4794

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Quiet periods during the dayPlease check whether the house you are living in has defined quiet periods during the day. These should be observed in addition to the general quiet periods defined for the whole of Germany, which are: from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (on Saturdays: 7 p.m. to 8 a.m.!). Within this time, any noise should be kept to a minimum, i.e. no sound from your apartment should be audible from outside. The quiet periods also extend to all day on Sundays and on public holidays. However, please note that church bells, noise from children or animals and noise caused when taking a bath or a showers during the rest periods are not deemed a disturbance.

Television and radio license feesIn Germany, every household has to pay a fee for public service broadcasting. The rule is simple: one fee for every unit of accommodation, which includes flats, apartments or rooms in a hall of res-idence. The licence fee is not linked to a broadcasting device: it is irrelevant how many TVs, radios or computers there are at your accommodation. The licence fee is €17.50 per month and is only paid once per household. The fee only has to be paid by persons aged 18 or above. Privately-used vehicles are also covered by this fee. If you live in a shared flat — i.e. a shared household — then only one person has to register to pay the licence fee (and you can split the cost among yourselves). If you have rented a room in a hall of residence, you will need to pay the full fee yourself.

www.rundfunkbeitrag.de/e175/e198/Informationsflyer_Buergerinnen_und_Buerger_English.pdf

photo by Colourbox.de

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4.4.2 Dry cleaners

Modex in the DEZ shopping centre (Refill X)Neuburger Strasse 104b94036 PassauMonday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

El Sadek Amina Miriam Reinigung Am Bramerhof 494034 Passau – GrubwegPhone: +49 851 7564 5449

Modex TextipflegeserviceNibelungen Center 94032 Passau – Haidenhof-NordPhone: +49 851 751847

Reinigung ZimmermannWaldschmidtstrasse 494034 Passau – GrubwegPhone: +49 851 43114

Märtl Vinzenz Inh. Elisabeth FrankUnterer Sand 16 94032 Passau – AltstadtPhone: +49 851 2545

Eichberger ReinigungSpitalhofstrasse 90 94032 Passau – Haidenhof NordPhone: +49 851 55303www.eichberger-reinigung.de

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In Germany there are two different types of tariffs: pay-as-you-go (PAYG) tariffs (called ‘pre-paid tariff’ in Germany) and contracts with monthly payments. The average non-PAYG contract runs for 24 months and is automatically extended for an additional year if you don’t terminate it on time. Whether you choose a contract or a pay-as-you-go SIM card will probably depend on the duration of you stay. You can find and compare appropriate offers on the website www.handytarifever-gleich.org. In addition, we are keeping tabs on affordable PAYG tariffs. For more information please ask in our office.

If you stay in a long-term accommodation you also might need to conclude a contract with an internet provider. Similarly to mobile phone contracts, internet contracts tend to have an average contract period of 24 months. However, some providers allow you to terminate your contract ear-ly when you leave Germany. If you live in a flat-share you always can consider sharing a contract. Please keep in mind that the installation of the service takes a few weeks. If you’re only staying for a short time we recommend that you use the internet facilities on campus: the University of Passau provides Wi-Fi access and various computer rooms, which you can access with your university user account (aka ‘ZIM-Kennung’). Computer rooms are located in the following buildings:

• Rooms 046, 047 and 058 in the Computer Science and Mathematics building (IM), Innstr. 33• Rooms 030, 031 and 032 in the Business & Economics building (WIWI), Innstrasse 27• Room 29/30 in the Department for Catholic Theology (KT), Michaeligasse 13• Rooms 057 and 058 in the Law Faculty building (JUR), Innstrasse 39• Room 117 in the Nikolakloster building (NK), Innstrasse 40)

4.5 Communication4.5.1 Mobile phones

4.5.2 Internet access

4.6 Insurance4.6.1 Health insurance

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Streaming and downloading digital content, in-cluding music, films and TV series in Germany can lead to very serious legal consequences. The general rule of thumb is: the downloader is only legally permitted to download content that has been paid for or is legally shared. This is because unlike many nations, under German law a cop-yright holder may require an internet server to disclose the name and address of the internet connection holder — and sue that person for damages arising from illegal downloads carried out using that internet connection.

For more on this, please check:www.young-germany.de/topic/live/your-digi-tal-rights-in-germany

4.5.3 Streaming digital content: the German legal perspective

Health insurance is compulsory in Germany. If you have a regular employment contract with the University of Passau you are automatically insured and your contributions are automatically trans-ferred to the AOK insurance company. Of course, you may switch to another insurer if you wish.

In any other case and if your stay does not exceed 90 days, we can include you in our corporate health insurance policy with Hallesche Versicherung for €0.25 per day. Please contact us.

Health insurance is a requirement if you wish to obtain a residence permit. Your options depend on your citizenship origin and your status at the University.

Citizens of EU/EEA countries, as well as from countries with bilateral social welfare agreements (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, Switzerland, Turkey and Tunisia): if you are covered by statutory health insurance from one of the above countries you are exempt from the requirement to obtain German health insurance. However, you have to show your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), form E128 or form A/T 11 (Turkish citizens) to the AOK office in Passau (see below for address). You will then be issued a health insurance card, which you should present whenever you go to see a doctor.

If you are privately insured in your home country you will need written confirmation that your insurance coverage meets the German and European legal requirements. Travel health insurance policies are not accepted, as they do not provide sufficient coverage!

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Citizens from all other countries:We recommend that you take out health insurance with a statutory or state-recognised health insurance scheme in Germany (see ‘State health insurance offices in Passau’ below), as the health insurance coverage in other countries is often inadequate. German health insurers offer favourable rates for students (€76.41 for students under the age of 23; €77.90 for students aged 23 and above)

If you are covered by a foreign health insurance scheme, you should provide proof of insurance cover to the German health insurer. Your health insurance must include the following benefits:

• medical and dental treatment• prescription drugs and materials• hospital in-patient treatment• rehabilitation treatment• pregnancy and childbirth

Only uncapped insurance contracts, i.e. those which do not have a limit on the sum paid per per-son and per incident, provide adequate health insurance cover according to this regulation. Hospi-tal daily benefit or private medical liquidation costs do not have to be insured, nor do nursing care provisions have to be included.

Important: foreign health insurance (e.g. travel insurance) policies are deemed in-adequate, because they usually offer a limited number of benefits and have im-posed financial limits (e.g. up to a maxi-mum of USD 50,000) and/or a limited du-ration of coverage (e.g. repatriation after 90 days).

Please note: German health insurance coverage starts on the first day of the se-mester: 1 October (winter semester) or 1 April (summer semester). If you arrive before those dates, you should make sure you have health insurance that covers you for the entire time from your date of ar-rival in Germany to the beginning of the semester.

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AOKNeuburger Strasse 92Phone: +49 851 5302 155E-mail: passau@by.aok.dewww.aok.de/bundesweit/index.php

Opening hours:Mon to Wed 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.Thurs 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.Fridays 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Health insurance company offices in Passau

As an employee of the University of Passau, you and the University pay monthly contributions to the German pension office. In addition, the employer pays a portion of the VBL Pension Fund. If you are less than five years in the public service in Germany, you can apply for an exemption. If your employment exceeds the duration of five years, your employee share is automatically de-ducted from your salary.

4.6.2 Pension insurance

If you are subject to social security at the University of Passau, you will have to pay unemploy-ment insurance contributions. You are entitled to unemployment benefits if your contribu-tion period is at least 12 months. If you wish to use these services, you must register, at the latest, three months before the end of your em-ployment contract with the employment agency. Website: www.arbeitsagentur.de/web/content/EN/

4.6.3 Unemployment insurance

This type of insurance is useful for a longer stay in Germany, and sometimes is required under the terms of your rental contract or lease. The cost for the insurance ranges from €35 to €100 per year.

4.6.4 Personal public liability insurance

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Techniker Krankenkasse (TK)Nibelungenplatz 1Phone: +49 851 8517 7710E-mail: passau@tk.dewww.tk.de/tk/english/610312

Opening hours:Mon to Wed 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.Thurs 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.Fridays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

DAKAm Schanzl 8Phone: +49 851 9885200E-mail: service734700@dak.dewww.dak.de

Opening hours:Mon to Wed 8 a.m. – 4 a.m.Thurs 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.Fridays 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Health insurance company offices in Passau

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4.7 Shopping and groceries

4.7.1 Groceries

Weekly markets

Klostergarten (across the street from the Nikolakloster bldg.)Tuesdays and Fridays 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Domplatz (pictured below)in front of the cathedralSaturdays 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The most known supermarket chains are ‘Aldi’, ‘Lidl’, ‘Penny’ and ‘Netto’; for more special treats as well as fresh cheese, meat and fish sold at specialised counters go to ‘Rewe’ or ‘Edeka’. Open-ing hours vary from state to state. In Bavaria most supermarkets and shopping centres are open from Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Smaller shops tend to close earlier and also have a lunch break. On Sundays and national holidays shops are usually closed, yet you might find some open bakeries on Sunday mornings. Another exception are shops at train stations, which have extended opening hours and are also open on Sundays. Last but not least, petrol stations also offer some (high-priced) drinks and basic food supplies and are ususally open around the clock.

Many supermarkets offer organic products and you can find locally grown vegetables and fruits as well as homemade food products at weekly farmers’ markets (see below). Also, most supermar-kets nowadays offer a small selection of vegan and vegetarian products such as milk substitutes and tofu. Chains such as ‘Bioladen’, ‘Naturkostladen’ or ‘Reformhaus’ specialise in organic and vegetarian and vegan products and shop assistants here are well trained in nutritional questions.

Please note that there is a deposit on many plastic and glass bottles. You will recover it when you return the bottles to the shops.

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Health-food shops

Biobäckerei WagnerLudwigsplatz 494032 PassauPhone: +49 851 9890307www.rudertinger-bauernbrot.de

Der mymuesli-LadenTheresienstrasse 594032 PassauPhone: +49 851 2302024www.mymuesli.com

Other

Weltladen Passau Eine-Welt-Kreis e. V. Kleine Klingergasse 1, 94032 PassauPhone: +49 851 1036www.weltladen-passau.de

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Bio-topGrabengasse 1694032 PassauPhone: +49 851 36321www.biotop-passau.de

Reformhaus BuckWittgasse 894032 PassauPhone: +49 851 3171 8www.reformhaus-buck.de

Vitalia Reformhaus GmbHBahnhofstrasse 194032 PassauPhone: +49 851 7565982www.vitalia-reformhaus.de

Auryn Naturkost GdRSchönauerweg 294036 PassauPhone: +49 851 8519797

Shops offering international food

Medeo (Russian)Spitalhofstraße 73a94032 Passau Phone: +49 851 8519720

Mix Market (Eastern Europe)Königsbergerstraße 694036 Passau Phone: +49 851 2274415

CeylanMarket (Turkish)Grünaustraße 1394032 Passau Phone: +49 851 20967091

Jennifer’s Afromarket (African)Grünaustraße 1294032 Passau Phone: +49 152 / 16169455

Asia ShopBahnhofstraße 2494032 Passau Phone: +49 851 751672

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4.7.3 Furniture shops

XXXL HiendlSteinbachstrasse 4294036 PassauPhone: +49 851 881180211www.xxxlmoebelhaeuser.de

Natur & Design — Ökologische MöbelBahnhofstrasse 3194032 PassauPhone: +49 851 2435www.natur-design-passau.de

Mömax Passau Steinbachstrasse 1594036 PassauPhone: +49 851 9886550www.moemax.de

LOFT EinrichtungenBahnhofstrasse 31a94032 PassauPhone: +49 851 2435

Ahollinger Schreinerei & Möbelwerkstätte Eck 294034 Passau Phone: +49 851 51271www.ahollinger.com

Möbel Schuster Inh. Walter Schuster Neustifterstrasse 2794036 Passau Phone: +49 851 966550 www.moebelschuster.de

Don’t forget to check online if you’re looking for used furniture that is in good condition:

• www.studentenflohmarkt.de• www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de• www.facebook.com/groups/FlohmarktPA• www.facebook.com/groups/flohmarktpassau• www.facebook.com/dietroedelbuam• www.facebook.com/groups/264707563629065/?fref=ts

4.7.2 Shopping centres

Stadtgalerie Bahnhofstrasse 1 94032 PassauPhone: +49 851 8517970

DonaupassageBahnhofstrasse 2494032 PassauPhone: +49 851 9555810

Dreiflüsse Einkaufszentrum (DEZ)Neuburger Strasse 104b94036 Passau

Nibelungen Center PassauNikolastrasse 294032 PassauPhone: +49 851 98847337

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Deutsche BankLudwigsplatz 5 94032 PassauPhone: +49 851 931020www.deutsche-bank.de

Commerzbank Bahnhofstrasse 2294032 PassauPhone: +49 851 50160www.commerzbank.de

HypoVereinsbankUniCredit Bank AGBahnhofstrasse 10 94032 PassauPhone: +49 851 72090www.hypovereinsbank.de

Postbank FinanzcenterNikolastrasse 294032 PassauPhone: +49 180 3040500www.postbank.de

4.8 Banking

Most people in Germany pay by cash or debit card. You will get such a card when opening a current account. If you additionally want a credit card from your bank, you should note that banks usually charge an annual fee. If you wish to withdraw money from you German bank account in your home country, please enquire whether there are subsidiaries or partner companies that provide free cash withdrawal. You should also know that some banks offer a free account management, but others not. In any case, it is worthwhile comparing the offers of all banks, including online banks.

If you choose a bank that is part of the Cash Group, you can also withdraw free of charge at any ATM of the group’s member banks. The following banks are in the group: Berliner Bank, Commerz-bank, Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank and Postbank. Even with a foreign credit card you can withdraw cash at ATMs, however, a fee will be charged for this service.

Sparkasse PassauGroße Klingergasse 294032 PassauPhone: +49 851 3980www.sparkasse.de

VR-Bank PassauLudwigsplatz 194032 PassauPhone: +49 851 3350www.vr-bank-passau.de

photo by Colourbox.de

4.9 Medical services4.9.1 Hospitals

Klinikum Passau Innstrasse 76 94032 PassauPhone: +49 851 5300-0 webmaster@klinikum-passau.dewww.klinikum-passau.de

General Hospital

Klinik Passau KohlbruckKohlbruck 594036 PassauPhone: +49 851 5305-0verwaltung@klinik-passau-kohlbruck.dewww.klinik-passau-kohlbruck.deRehabilitation Centre for haematological, onco-logical, metabolic and orthopaedic illnesses

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4.9.2 Physicians speaking foreign languages

General Practitioners

Dr. med. Manfred KronawitterPrinz-Eugen-Strasse 394034 PassauPhone: +49 851 493490info@hausarzt-passau.dewww.hausarzt-passau.deLanguages spoken: German & English

Dr. med. Arpad GellerDr.-Hans-Kapfinger-Strasse 1394032 PassauPhone: +49 851 59933Languages spoken: German, English, Hungari-an, Russian & Serbo-Croatian

Petra van IngenGrünaustrasse 1394032 PassauPhone: +49 851 958000Languages spoken: German & English

Dr. med. Felicitas BusseGrünaustrasse 13Hauptstrasse 4494167 Tettenweis Phone: +49 8534 249 praxis.busse@telemed.dewww.praxis-busse.comLanguages spoken: German & French

This list represents only an overview and does not purport to be exhaustive.

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Dermatologists

Dr. med. Antoinette Gassenmaier & Dr. med. Gerhard GassenmaierBahnhofstrasse 2494032 PassauPhone: +49 851 6004g.gass@passau-hautarzt.dewww.dr-gassenmaier.deLanguages spoken: German & English

OrthopaedistsDr. med Holger FritzschingDr.-Hans-Kapfinger-Strasse 2294032 PassauPhone: +49 851 9882620info@dr-fritzsching.dewww.dr-fritzsching.de/Languages spoken: German, English & Spanish

Dr. Alexander Hartmann Dr.-Hans-Kapfinger-Strasse 14a94032 PassauPhone: +49 851 2277info@al-dente-plus.dewww.al-dente-plus.deLanguages spoken: German & English

Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Gabriele ScherrerKleiner Exerzierplatz 494032 PassauPhone: +49 851 51547Languages spoken: German, English, French, Italian & Spanish

Dr. med. Johannes SchneebergerLudwigsplatz 494032 PassauPhone: +49 851 37931379praxis@dr-j-schneeberger.dewww.frauenarzt-schneeberger-passau.de/Languages spoken: German & English

Dentists

photo by Colourbox.de

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Christian RaabLudwigstrasse 1894032 PassauPhone: +49 851 98903313praxis@frauenarzt.comwww.gyn-raab.deLanguages spoken: German & English

UrologistsDr. med. Volker WaltherKleiner Exerzierplatz 1294032 PassauPhone: +49 851 6364urologie-passau@t-online.dewww.urologie-passau.deLanguages spoken: German, English & French

PsychologistsDipl.-Psychologin Claire ThomasInnstadtbahnhofweg 294032 PassauPhone: +49 851 4901655Languages spoken: German & English

Christian ZiselsbergerLebersbergerstrasse 294116 Hutthurm Phone: +49 8505 6767 praxis@gyn-ziselsberger.dewww.gyn-ziselsberger.deLanguages spoken: German & English

This list represents only an overview and does not purport to be exhaustive.

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5. Family and childrenTo ideally combine your work and family life, the University offers a nursery for your youngest. We are happy to assist you in finding a place in a municipal or privately run day-care centre or kindergar-ten.

In Germany, school is compulso-ry for children aged 6 to 15. If you are arriving with children of com-pulsory school age, we will gladly help you to find a suitable school.

5.1 Child care

The University of Passau wishes to ensure that its members are able to balance their family life and work or studies. Therefore, our own nursery, situated at the western end of the campus next to the sports grounds, takes care of children aged ten months to three years. The nursery, which is called ‘Krümelkiste’ (literally ‘box of crumbs’) is located at Innstrasse 47. Two group rooms offer plenty of

place for playing, climbing, sliding or doing craftwork. Furthermore, the children take lunch together. The open-ing hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.The ‘Krümel-kiste’ was founded in 1990 on the initiative of students and staff with children. The Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) took over the running of the nursery in 2008. If you intend to bring your children to Passau for your stay, please get in touch as early as possible, either directly with the nursery or with us. For more informa-tion on registrations, fee, services and a picture gallery, visit www.campuskinder.info/passau (please note that the website is only offered in German).

5.1.1 Nursery

5.1.2 KindergartenKindergarten is for children aged three to six, however unlike primary and secondary school, at-tendance of a kindergarten is not compulsory. The City of Passau and other providers offer various child care facilities.

Further information as well as an overview of all facilities are available from the website of the City of Passau. Unfortunately, the website is only available in German. Please contact us if you need help finding a suitable kindergarten.

For children aged six to fifteen, school is compulsory in Germany. Up to 4th grade children at-tend primary school, followed by one of three types of secondary school: Mittelschule, Realschule and Gymnasium: the former two provide vocation-al and higher vocational qualifications respective-ly, while the latter leads to the Abitur, the German higher education entrance qualification. Which type of school the pupil goes to depends to a large part on his or her performance at primary school. If you are planning on a longer stay with a child in Germany, you need to register with a school or apply for an exemption. The website of the City of Passau, www.passau.de, has more details and a list of all schools located in Passau and its surround-ing area; however, the website is only in German. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need help finding a suitable school.

5.1.3 Schools

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Students, academics and university employees with children are now offered a well-equipped separate room on the University’s premises that allows them to work and study without worrying about child care: Parents can use a comput-er desk to keep up with university assignments or work, while a play area with toys, stuffed animals and children’s books meets the little ones’ needs. A cosy couch and a portacrib further offer both parents and children the chance to take a rest; a kitchenette is available for heating up meals. The parent-and-child room forms part of the University’s efforts to strengthen its family-friendly profile. The parent-and-child room is locat-ed on the first floor of the Central Library (room 117). The room is locked; keys can be borrowed from the central information desk. You will need to leave your CampusCard as a deposit while in possession of the key. Guest researchers are welcome to make use of this facility. If accompanying partners without a CampusCard want to use the room, please let us know and we will arrange to get the key for you!

5.1.4 The parent-and-child room at University

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5.2 Child benefit, parental benefit and healthcare for children

5.2.1 Child benefit (Kindergeld)

As a public sector employee, you will receive child benefit from the state’s family fund. Please fill in the application form for child benefit. Please send the form to the state finance office at the fol-lowing address: Landesamt für Finanzen — Dienststelle Bayreuth, Tunnelstrasse 2, 95448 Bayreuth. Child benefit is granted for all children up to 18 years, and in some cases even beyond that age. If you are not a public-sector employee, you will still get child benefit, but the administering unit is the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) rather than the state finance office. For further details and the application form, visit www.arbeitsagentur.de/web/content/EN/index.htm. The service number for child support of the Federal Employment Agency is: +49 800 4555530.

5.2.2 Parental benefit (Elterngeld)Parental benefit is a state benefit in-tended for parents who wish to take some time off their work to look after their child during the first few months. If you have a baby during your stay in Germany, you are also entitled to pa-rental benefit. However, rather than being a permanent subsidy, it is lim-ited to the first 12 to 14 months im-mediately following the child’s birth. The amount of Elterngeld you will receive is based on the net income of the parent dedicated to caring for the newborn, ranging from a minimum amount of €300 to a maximum of €1,800. Even if you were not in reg-ular employment before birth, you are entitled to parental benefit. If the mother and father share the parental leave entitlement and lose income, they receive a maximum of 14 months’ parental benefit to-gether. In this case, one parent can claim a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 12 month’ parental benefit.

Nationals of EU Member States and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are entitled to parental benefit in the same way as German nationals if they live or work in Germany. For other foreign citizens the entitlement depends on the residence title. People with a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) are entitled to parental benefit, while those here on a temporary resi-dence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) are only entitled if they are also entitled to work in Germany or have already legally worked here. For further details, visit the following websites:

• www.zbfs.bayern.de/sprache/english/families-children.php• www.bamf.de/EN/Startseite/startseite-node.html

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5.2.3 Healthcare for childrenIn Germany, all vaccinations are voluntary, but many vaccinations are highly recommended. The costs of these recommended vaccinations are covered by your German health insurance.Since infectious diseases for infants and children are especially dangerous, you should have your children vaccinated for the first time in their third month. Your child should be vaccinated against all major diseases by their 14th month at the latest.

5.3 Books for children in the libraryThe ‘Europa-Bücherei’ is a public library where you can borrow many media — books, audio CDs, DVDs and magazines — for an annual fee of eight euros.

Europa-BüchereiSchiessgrabengasse 294032 Passau Phone: +49 851 929890

Opening hours:Tuesday to Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.Saturday: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.Monday: closed

Neustift BranchNeustifterstrasse 5294036 PassauPhone: +49 851 82349

Opening hours:Tuesday: 12 noon – 5 p.m.Thursday: 10 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. & 12:45 p.m. – 5 p.m.

5.4 Public playgroundsOld Town• Innbrücke• Innpromenade-Stadttheater• Ortsspitze• Pfaffengasse Innstadt• Voglau

Haidenhof-Süd• Dr.-Ritter-von-Scheuring-Strasse• Leonhard-Paminger-Strasse (Kainzenpark)• Spitzberg

Haidenhof-Nord• Dr.-Stefan-Billinger-Strasse• Granecker Weg• Karlsbader Strasse / Breslauer Strasse• Liegnitzer Strasse• Westerburger Strasse

More playgrounds at regiowiki.pnp.de/index.php/Spielplätze_in_Passau

photo by Colourbox.de

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5.5 The Passau Family PassThe Passau Family Pass (Passauer Familienpass) gives you access to numerous discounts and special offers that are good for your family budget. The Family Pass should encourage all families to spend quality time together. The free pass is available from both citizens’ offices (Bürgerbüro, see p. 11). Parents with a child younger than 18 years can apply for the pass.

6. Leisure Time in the Passau areaThe City and the County of Passau have a lot to offer in the way of leisure activities. Whether you enjoy cultural highlights, museums and galleries or large sports grounds — there’s much fun to be had in Passau and at the University.

6.1 CultureCulture is a big deal in Passau — both on cam-pus and in town. Concerts, readings, exhibi-tions and other events take place regularly in the University’s own Culture Café (Kulturcaf-ete), located in the Nikolakloster building. Dur-ing the semester, numerous student societies and clubs ensure a lively and multifaceted stu-dent life on campus. The City of Passau itself is a cultural centre of the Bavarian, Austrian and Czech border area. Museums, galleries, music and literature, theatre and cabaret offer a wide range of possibilities. On the website of the City of Passau there is a list of all cultural facilities as well as associations situated in the City of Pas-sau and its surroundings. To keep abreast of the cultural events, check the calendar of the City of Passau at kalender.passau.de/.

6.1.1 Theatre

Stadttheater PassauGottfried-Schäffer-Strasse 294032 PassauPhone: +49 851 92919-13www.landestheater-niederbayern.de

Volkstheater Passau (amateur theatre)KlosterbergPassau – GrubwegPhone: +49 171 1062215www.volkstheater-passau.de

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ScharfrichterHaus PassauMilchgasse 294032 PassauPhone: +49 851 35900www.scharfrichterhaus.de

Passauer Volksbühne (amateur theatre)Innstrasse 71 94032 Passauwww.passauer-volksbuehne.de(performs once a year)

6.1.2 MuseumsDomschatz- und Diözesanmuseum (cathedral museum)Residenzplatz 894032 PassauOpen: 1 Mai – 31 October

Glasmuseum PassauAm Rathausplatz 94032 Passau Phone: +49 851 35071 www.glasmuseum.de

Museum Moderner Kunst (modern art)Bräugasse 1794032 PassauPhone: +49 851 3838790www.mmk-passau.de

Oberhaus Museum Veste Oberhaus 12594034 PassauPhone: +49 851 493350www.oberhausmuseum.de

Römermuseum Kastell Boiotro(roman museum)Lederergasse 4394032 PassauPhone: +49 851 34769Phone: +49 851 396-416 (Town Hall)www.stadtarchaeologie.de

6.1.3 International SocietiesGerman-French SocietyMr Heinz BauerWeinleitenweg 5294036 PassauPhone: +49 851 51903Mobile: +49 170 1863314 h.j.bauer@t-online.dewww.dfg.passau.de

German-Italian SocietyMr Detlef SpengerLederergasse 50a94032 PassauPhone: +49 851 42122 or +49 851 2598f.-d.spengler@t-online.dewww.dig-passau.de

photo by Colourbox.de

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German-Iranian SocietyMs Narciss TotonchiGoldberg 1694036 PassauMobile: +49 171 4577739info@digp.dewww.digp.de

German-Hungarian SocietyMr Amanda Dropalla Goldener Steig 2894133 Röhrnbach Phone: +49 8582 1602amandadropalla@gmx.de www.duf.passau.de

German-Japanese SocietyMs Sibylle RauscherGoldberg 16Hollerweg 894036 PassauPhone: +49 851 9665052djg.passau@gmx.netwww.djg.passau.de

German-Russian SocietyMs Valentine AntoniDr.-Stephan-Billinger-Strasse 194036 Passau Phone: +49 851 9520888Mobile: +49 151 16611020 info@drg-passau.de valentineantoni@t-online.dewww.drg-passau.de

German-Chinese SocietyDr Patrick KühnelKremser Strasse 2694032 Passau

German-Spanish SocietyMr Klaus Dirscherl Postfach 130194003 Passau Phone: +49 851 98839615hola@dsg-passau.dewww.dsg-passau.de

German-Turkish SocietyMs Brigitte Moser-WeithmannSchmied-Kochel-Strasse 1381371 MunichPhone: +49 89 21805487passau@dtg-bayern.dewww.dtg-bayern.de

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The Europa-Bücherei is a public library offering a wide selection of books and media, including au-dio CDs, DVDs and magazines, for an annual fee of €12 (adult tariff) or €8 (student tariff).

Europa-Bücherei (main branch)Schiessgrabengasse 294032 Passau Phone: +49 851 929890

Opening hours:Tuesday to Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.Saturday: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.Monday: closed

Neustift branchNeustifterstrasse 5294036 PassauPhone: +49 851 82349

Opening hours:Tuesday: 12 noon – 5 p.m.Thursday: 10 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. & 12:45 p.m – 5 p.m.

6.1.4 Public Library

6.1.5 Cinemas

Unikino PassauUniversity of PassauBusiness & Economics buildingInnstrasse 27 94032 Passau Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. during the semesterwww.unikino-passau.de

CINEPLEX PassauNibelungenplatz 5a94032 Passau – ZentrumPhone: +49 851 9883550www.cineplex.de

Film Theater MetropolisKino Center in der Hollergrippe – ZentrumPhone: +49 851 752815www.cineplex.de

ScharfrichterKino PassauMilchgasse 294032 PassauPhone: +49 851 9883550www.cineplex.de

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When you enter a German Restaurant or Café you don’t have to wait until the waiter offers you a table. You can seat yourself at any free table you like.Furthermore it is totally normal that the bill is split and everybody pays ex-actly for what they consumed. The bill is usually paid in cash. Not every res-taurant accepts credit cards or bank cards! Ask the waiter before you order if you want to pay via card. Please note also that giving no tip is a no-go. Only if the service was terrible you should give no tip at all. Otherwise about 10 percent are normal. Enjoy your meal!

6.1.6 Cafés and Restaurants

Café DuftlebenTheresienstrasse 22 94032 Passau – Old TownPhone: +49 851 98909430

Café GreindlWittgasse 894032 Passau – Old TownPhone: +49 851 35677

Café SchöffbergerLuragogasse 3 94032 Passau – Old TownPhone: +49 160 97938382

Café & Lounge DiwanNibelungenplatz 194032 PassauPhone: +49 851 4903280

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Café AranDr.-Hans-Kapfinger-Strasse 2294032 PassauPhone: +49 851 8519308

KaffeewerkKirchenplatz 394032 Passau – InnstadtPhone: +49 851 2014

Café SimonAm Rindermarkt 1094032 PassauPhone: +49 851 3838850

Café KowalskiOberer Sand 194032 PassauPhone: +49 851 2487

Wirtshaus Altes BräuhausBräugasse 594032 PassauPhone: +49 851 4905252

Zum Bayerischen LöwenDr.-Hans-Kapfinger-Straße 394032 PassauPhone: +49 851 958010

Va BeneGroße Klingergasse 394032 PassauPhone: +49 851 4907209

Café Bistro InnstegInnstraße 1594032 PassauPhone: +49 851 51257

photo by Colourbox.de

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6.2 Sports in Passau

6.2.1 Sports at the universityThe Sports Centre of the university offers the ideal chance for physical balance. On spacious out-door grounds and indoor installations, about 40 different kinds of sports are available, including Aikido, table tennis, fitness courses, wintersports, rowing, Yoga, and various dance courses.The indoor facilities comprise two gymnasiums, a climbing wall and a fitness area with a top-of-the-line weighlifting and cardio area. The outdoor facilities include a football pitch, athletic track, bas-ketball courts as well as a beach volleyball field. The university’s canoeing and rowing boathouse is located approximately two kilometres upstream on the River Inn. Please check the website of the Sports Centre for up-to-date information: www.sportzentrum.uni-passau.de.You can sign up for the courses online through the website once you have paid the Sports Centre user fee (usually by bank transfer). Please keep in mind that you need your CampusCard to pass the turnstiles at the entrance.

6.2.2 SwimmingIn Passau you can either go swimming at the swimming pool (peb) or at one of our lakes in the surrounding area.

Swimming pool (peb)Indoor and outdoor swimming poolMessestrasse 794036 PassauPhone: +49 851 560260www.stadtwerke-passau.de/erlebnisbad.html

Stausee OberilzmühleNear Salzweg Features:• a big lawn• changing cubicles• a jetty

FreudenseeNear HauzenbergFeatures:• a big lawn• a playground• a beach volleyball field• table tennis• catering

Unterer IlzstauseeNear Passau-HalsFeatures:• a big lawn• changing cubicles• catering

6.2.3 Other Sports

In Passau there is much more to dis-cover, such as a big ice skating arena or numerous bike and hiking trails. Around 100 sports and leisure clubs offer sports from asphalt curling to the water sports disciplines and look forward to new members.

Due to the proximity to Austria as well as to the Bavarian Forest and the Czech Republic there are many recre-ational possibilities. A guided tour of the castle (Veste Oberhaus) or a bike tour to the Mostbauer are worthwhile leisure activities.

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6.3 Leisure activities in the Passau area

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There are various activities you can enjoy in your free time in the Passau area. Here are some ideas.

Hike or bike ride to the famous Mostbauer in AustriaThe small tour is best started at University and leads you about 7 kilometres along the river Inn. During this trip you can enjoy the beautiful nature of our region. When you reach the small beer garden, you will be able to sample the famous Austrian Most and traditional Bavarian snacks. Af-terwards, we advise to walk on to Wernstein (about 2 kilometres further upriver) and take the train back to Passau.

More information about the Mostbauer: mostausschankuntererinn.gemeindeausstellung.at/

Trip to Wild West adventure park Pullman City

Pullman city, the “living Western town” in Eging am See, is an adventure park. It is idyllically sit-uated on the edge of the Bavarian Forest. Since 1997 children and adults can enjoy here the Ba-varia “Wild West” experience - archery, gold panning, pony riding, live country music, line dance and campfire. From spring to autumn, a diverse, non-violent show program with Cowboys, Indians and free-range bison will be shown with trick riders, knife throwers, Lasso throwers, horse trainers and wizards. The highlight is the American history show - informative, exciting and funny at the same time! If you want to, you can even stay over-night in an authentic tipi!

More information about Pullman City: www.pullmancity.de/

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Trip to the wildlife park in Ortenburg

High above the market of Ortenburg and directly next to the Renaissance Castle, the wildlife park holds many native and exotic animals. In a natu-ral landscape with great old trees (some of them very old), you walk through the park on land-scaped paths. Numerous benches invite you to linger and watch the animals. Children can also enjoy themselves on a playground and in the an-imal petting area.

More information about the wildlife park: www.wildpark-ortenburg.de/

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