Living in Linz
Linz, the third largest city in Austria, is located directly on the Danube. The heart of the Upper Austrian capital beats to a pulsating beat. Business hustle and bustle during the day, cultural highlights and a good atmosphere in numerous trendy bars in the evening.
The idyllic alleyways and stylish main square of Linz stand in stark contrast to the contemporary art and virtual worlds of the Ars Electronica Center. Whether opera, drama or ballet at the Landestheater, orchestral sounds at the Brucknerhaus, fine art at the Lentos or historical treasures at the Nordico or the Landesmuseen - Linz has something in its repertoire for every culture lover.
Key data
Population: around 200,000
Area: 9604.8 ha
Altitude: 260 m
Municipality of the City of Linz
Hauptstraße 1-5, A-4041 Linz
Phone: +43 732 7070 0
Fax: +43 732 7070 54 2110
E-mail: info@mag.linz.at
Web: www.linz.at
Party traffic:
The normal working hours for the Magistrate's Office are:
Monday: 7.00 - 12.30 and 13.30 - 18.00
Tuesday: 7.00 - 13.30
Wednesday: 7.00 - 13.30
Thursday: 7.00 - 12.30 and 13.30 - 18.00
Friday: 7.00 - 14.00
However, some offices deviate from this in their normal and party business hours. You can find out more at www.linz.at/verwaltung.
Public transport
If you want to get around in larger cities, public transport is often the better alternative to the car. In this section you will find basic information about Linz's public transport system.
Linz Linien
Linz has a well-developed public transportation network with four streetcar lines and several trolleybus and bus lines (traffic route map).
Linz Linien uses modern and comfortable means of transportation throughout, which is an important contribution to the city's student infrastructure.
If you use public transport regularly, it is advisable to buy multiple-journey tickets or annual, monthly or weekly tickets (Linz Linien ticket overview).
Students who receive family allowance and are registered in Linz or Leonding can apply for a semester ticket.
The card is issued at the centrally located Linz AG customer center at Landstraße 85 and must be accompanied by confirmation of enrollment, registration form, current proof of receipt of family allowance and a photo. Thanks to a cooperation with the ÖH, the price is currently EUR 50 per semester.
OÖVV
OÖVV semester ticket for students entitles you to travel between your place of residence and place of study in Upper Austria for 5 months. It is not transferable. The requirements for using the semester ticket are a regular course of study at one of the eligible institutions and an age of under 26 years at the start of the course. The place of residence and study must be in Upper Austria.
Order your OÖVV semester ticket online now instead of queuing at the start of the semester!
Students in Upper Austria can order their OÖVV semester tickets from the comfort of their own home via the transport association's online ticket store at www.ooevv.at. The ordering process is guided through an easy-to-use, automated process. Payment can be made by EPS or credit card. The semester card is then sent by post within a few days.
ÖBB
If you need the train for your regular journey to FH, it is advisable to get one of ÖBB's Vorteilscards.
The Vorteilscard Classic is not linked to any special requirements. It costs EUR 99.90 and is valid for one year from the date of issue. With it, rail travel is up to 50% cheaper. For students up to the age of 25, the Vorteilscard costs just EUR 19.90 per year - with the same scope of services.
Long-distance trains to and from Linz stop at the ultra-modern main station. From there you can reach many important cities throughout Europe, often directly (also via Westbahn). The main station is also a hub for local public transport and is connected to numerous inner-city lines and the Linzer Lokalbahn (LILO or also called S5). The journey time to the FH building in Garnisonstraße is around 10-15 minutes, depending on the line chosen and the time of day.
Regional trains to the upper Mühlviertel run from Mühlkreisbahnhof in the Urfahr district, which can be easily reached by streetcar line 3 and bus line 33. Other small train stations in the city area, which are generally only served by regional trains, are located in the districts of Kleinmünchen, Ebelsberg and Pichling and Wegscheid (Phyrnbahn).
Housing in Linz
Linz is home to eight universities and therefore many student residences. The rent for a single room starts at 280 euros per month. You can find a recommendation for suitable accommodation with address in the list below. You can also use the service of the oead housing office. If you are doing an exchange semester in Linz, you must apply independently to one of the student residences.
At present, most guest students are accommodated in the Dr. Karl Grünner House. If you would also like to live there, you will find all the information you need to apply here.
In most cases, the first month's rent and a deposit must be paid before arrival.
There are also many privately rented apartments or rooms on offer in Linz. Advertisements can be found in local newspapers as well as online. Please note, however, that the International Office cannot help you find private accommodation.
Student residences in Linz
Dr. Karl Grünner Haus
Kaisergasse 33, 4020 Linz
Email: clever-wohnen (at) ooe-heimbauverein.at
Tel: +43 690 8012894
Web: www.ooe-heimbauverein.at
Studentenheim Garnisonstraße
Garnisonstraße 15, 4020 Linz
Email: office (at) wistooe.at
Tel: +43 732 25 15 33 -30
Web: wistooe.at/haus-bruno/
Studentenheim Europahaus
Ziegeleistraße 19, 4020 Linz
Email: clever-wohnen (at) ooe-heimbauverein.at
Tel: +43 690 8012893
Web: www.ooe-heimbauverein.at
Dr.–Ernst–Koref–Heim Linz
Prunerstraße 3a, 4020 Linz
Email: office (at) wistooe.at
Tel: +43 732 25 15 33 -30
Web: wistooe.at/haus-ernst/
Studentenheim Kaisergasse
Kaisergasse 31, 4020 Linz
Email: office (at) wistooe.at
Tel: +43 732 25 15 33 -30
Web: wistooe.at/haus-johanna
Housing market
As an alternative to "Hotel Mama" and student accommodation, there is the private housing market.
In addition to the daily and weekly newspapers and the notices on the notice board in the auditorium at Campus Linz, there are also a number of online platforms for finding suitable accommodation.
Here are a few examples:
Magistrat Linz:
www.linz.at
bazar:
www.bazar.at
Immobilienscout24:
www.immobilienscout24.at
Immowelt:
www.immowelt.at/
Willhaben:
www.willhaben.at/iad/immobilie...
GWG - Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft der Stadt Linz GmbH:
www.gwg-linz.at/immobilien/
WAG Wohnungsanlagen GesmbH:
https://www.wag.at
Housing allowance
Everyone who has an apartment here in Linz should not miss out on this monthly allowance!
What it's about
Every household has the right to apply for a housing allowance, whereby the amount of the allowance depends on the size of the apartment, the number of residents and the income of the residents (usually €0 for students). Detailed regulations can be found on the state website.
In order to receive the housing allowance, 1-2 residents of the apartment must register their main residence in Linz. The re-registration itself costs nothing.
Consequences
The person is allowed to vote in Linz in the future and a change to the vehicle registration certificate must be carried out (costs: € 178.55 for new vehicle registration).
Mode
Pick up the application form at the Municipal Office of the City of Linz or download it from the homepage and fill it out. The registration of the main residence also takes place at the Magistrate's Office (take your passport with you).
Questions
Office of the Upper Austrian Provincial Government
Department of Housing Promotion
Bahnhofplatz 1
4020 Linz/Austria
Phone: +43 732 77 20 141 43 or 141 44
E-mail: wo.post@ooe.gv.at
Culture & Events
Linz's cultural offerings range from classical to modern. A good opportunity for students to go beyond their own personal boundaries and get to know new things. After all, a student's time at university should not only serve their professional, but also their personal development.
Linz was the "European Capital of Culture" in 2009.
The Landestheater Linz offers opera, drama, musicals and ballet at the highest level. It is one of the largest four-division theaters in Central Europe. Classics, such as an opera by Verdi or a drama by Schiller, are performed alongside contemporary creations. The international ensemble of singers and actors is regularly supplemented by guest appearances. Students in particular have the opportunity to obtain tickets at very reasonable prices, for example with the KultCard.
Theater Phönix is more experimentally oriented. The repertoire includes provocative contemporary dramas, guest performances, world premieres by Austrian authors and sometimes radical adaptations of classics. In contrast, the Kellertheater on the main square is dedicated more to the cultivated boulevard.
Classical symphony concerts, piano recitals, chamber music - the Brucknerhaus in the Donaupark offers musical enjoyment at its finest. In addition to the Bruckner Orchestra Linz, orchestras from all over the world perform here time and again - and not just at the annual Bruckner Festival. The Brucknerhaus is also a regular venue for jazz and new music. Cross-over artists who do not allow themselves to be pinned down to one genre also find their audience here.
Many of the artists who perform at the Posthof also refuse to be pigeonholed. Under the motto "Zeitkultur am Hafen", a colorful program of cabaret, pop concerts, dance, performances and readings is offered.
The power of the (written) word takes center stage at the Stifter-Haus. The Center for Literature and Language is a meeting place for national and international writers and reading enthusiasts. In addition to its academic activities, the Stifter-Haus offers readings, discussions and lectures on literary or linguistic topics several times a month.
For film lovers who don't see Hollywood as the measure of all things, the two arthouse cinemas City and Moviemento are open to the public. Culinary delights in the surrounding area ensure short distances after the screenings. Rarities from the early days of film are on offer at the Cinematograph.
Linz's museum landscape offers a comprehensive range of exhibits, fed by the city's own collections and temporary exhibitions. The Lentos Art Museum has an internationally significant collection of fine art from the late 19th century to the present day. Paintings, graphic art and sculptures are also on display at the OÖ. Landesgalerie as part of the OÖ. Provincial Museums. The magnificent building on Museumsstraße is also the venue for the annual Museum Ball. You can follow in the footsteps of history in the Castle Museum and in the Nordico City Museum with its Linz Genesis branch, while "pure nature" can be experienced in the Biology Center in the Urfahr district. Other first-class exhibition venues include the Ars Electronica Center with its focus on media art and the OK Centrum für Gegenwartskunst.
As comprehensive as this tour may seem, it is only a glimpse of the peaks of Linz's cultural life. It's always worth seeing what's going on in the numerous bookshops, coffee houses, galleries and other venues - true to the motto "small but mighty".
Leisure & student life
In addition to studying and working, there must also be time for meaningful and enjoyable leisure activities. Linz also offers plenty of opportunities in this respect.
Shopping
Linz offers excellent shopping opportunities, even for students on a budget.
The Landstraße in the heart of the city is not only a prestigious promenade, but also the number one shopping mile. However, it is also worth taking a look at the side streets. Especially in the area between Bischofsstraße and Spittelwiese through to Herrenstraße, you will find the kind of lovingly run specialist stores that you will look for in vain in large shopping centers.
Large specialist stores, for example in the building and home furnishings or electrical goods sectors, can often be found in the outer districts.
Sport
The people of Linz are comparatively keen on sport. There is therefore a wide range of activities for active and passive sports enthusiasts.
Active people will find plenty of opportunities for running, skating, Nordic walking or cycling along the Danube, in the northern green belt and in the southern districts of Ebelsberg and Pichling. Many a participant in the annual Linz Marathon gets their training here. For the colder days, there are an increasing number of high-quality fitness and wellness clubs in and around the city center, which often offer special deals for students. The best places to get your feet wet are the centrally located Parkbad, the Hummelhofbad in the south and the Biesenfeldbad in the north of the city. There is a beach volleyball court next to the VOEST bridge in the Urfahr district, and a game of outdoor table tennis can be easily arranged at the Pleschingersee (in the far north) and Pichlingersee (in the far south) swimming lakes.
Tennis courts and football pitches can be found all over the city, while golfers will find plenty of places to play in the surrounding area.
Gastronomy
Tastes differ, and this also applies to restaurant preferences. In general, however, it can be said that students are most likely to be found in the city center and around the Johannes Kepler University.
In the city center you will find coffee houses and restaurants as well as open-air gastronomy, with the main square, the Schlosscafe, the terrace of Cafe Traxlmayr, the Klosterhof and Josef on the Landstraße as well as the SkyGarden on the terrace of the Passage shopping center being the best places for an open-air drink.
Student nightlife can also be found in the city center along the Hauptplatz-Landstraße and Promenade-Graben intersections as well as in the Domviertel, the Urfahraner district center at Brückenkopf and parts of the old town. However, it doesn't take long to find all the highlights that are centrally located but a little off the beaten track.