Augsburg
Augsburg is a lovely metropolitan city of 300,000 people and around 885,000 in the urban area in the German Bundesland (Federal State) of Bavaria (German: Bayern). Some 60 km northwest of Munich, it is one of the oldest German cities. It boasts a rich history and has developed a modern urban vibe.
Understand
Augsburg is the administrative capital and local center of Bavarian Swabia. From 1276 until nearly the end of the Holy Roman Empire, Augsburg was a "free imperial city", nominally subject to nobody but the Emperor but de facto self-governing as a city state. Despite being hidden in Munich's overwhelming shadow, the city has a lot to offer. While many Germans might think the "aug" part may refer to eyes (Auge (n) in German) it actually goes back to its Roman name Augusta Vindelicorum.
Get in
By train
- 🌍 Augsburg Central Train Station (Hauptbahnhof). Augsburg is connected to Germany's efficient train system, however the fact that the line via Ingolstadt is faster means that only a fraction of the ICEs departing Munich stop here. Still there are options to pretty much the rest of Germany or you can double back via Munich if it better aligns with your departure times or you get a cheap ticket. An Austrian Nightjet sleeper runs two nights a week, north via Cologne to Brussels, and south via Munich to Innsbruck.
At least once per hour (usually twice), a Regionalbahn train leaves from Munich's Hauptbahnhof (Main Train Station) towards Augsburg. The ride lasts about 50 min. Regional trains between Augsburg and Munich always have "Fugger Express" written on them, this is important for finding the right ones. They usually continue in the direction of Ulm or Donauwörth after Augsburg Central Station. So make sure to get off as soon as you see "Augsburg Hauptbahnhof" as the next station.
For fans of scenic trains going to Augsburg from Munich, it is recommended to take Munich's S4 to the end station - Geltendorf. From here, you can get the BRB to Augsburg Central Station, with very nice landscapes between Geltendorf and Mering. But note, that this train (Geltendorf-Augsburg) usually only runs once per hour and this takes longer than directly going from Munich. So you might have to spend time in Geltendorf, which is really a small village with not much to do. At least, there is an Ihle bakery next to the train station and you can for a walk to the Sankt Ottilien monastery. Here, you get a feeling how Bavaria is very far away from usual tourist routes. On a nice day though, it's absolutely worth doing this trip. Of course, both trains here can also be used with Bayernticket. Parts of the S-train between Buchenau and Geltendorf go right through the forest, so they can be scenic too.
By plane
Augsburg is most easily reached via train from Munich Airport (MUC IATA). You will first need to take the S-Bahn S1 or S8 to München Hauptbahnhof (Munich main train station), a 45-min ride, before you can catch a train to Augsburg. Plan at least 2 hr in total from Munich Airport to Augsburg (as you can see taking a bus or private transfer will be much faster). It is best to purchase a Bayern-Ticket (Bavaria Ticket) from one of the ticket machines located in the train station. A Bayern-Ticket allows one (along with up to four other friends) to travel within Bavaria using all regional trains (no InterCity Express) and city transportation (trams, buses, etc.) It is valid from 09:00 (on weekdays) or from 00:00 (on weekends) to 03:00 the following day. The Bayern-Ticket costs €25 for one person, and €6 for each additional person (maximum of 4 additional people). You can also use a Bayern-Ticket Nacht (Bavaria Night Ticket), which is valid Sunday to Thursday from 18:00 to 06:00 the next day, and Friday to Saturday, from 18:00 until 07:00 the next day. It costs €23-35 if you book online or at the ticket machine.
Other major airports within close proximity are Stuttgart (STR IATA) and Frankfurt, both of which are also connected by train and can easily be reached by car. If you fancy low-cost airlines, Memmingen Airport (FMM IATA) has a good selection of destinations served by Ryanair and Wizzair. FMM can be reached in less than an hour by car, 1.5-2/5 hours by public transportation.
- 🌍 Augsburg Airport. A general aviation airfield
Get around
By public transportation
Augsburg has an efficient transportation system with seven main tram (German: Straßenbahn) lines and several bus lines which cover the whole urban and suburban areas. These lines run daily from around 04:30 to 00:30. From Thursday to Sunday there are additional night bus lines to cover the remaining night hours, thus providing (reduced) 24-hour service.
See a plan of the AVV lines.
With AVV tickets, you can also use every regional train within the Augsburg region (but you can't go to Munich or Ulm with AVV). The BRB rail network operated from Augsburg Hbf is a suburban train connecting suburbs and even more villages to Augsburg's center. A suburban train system (S-Bahn, just like in many other German cities) is planned to follow the BRB and regional routes.
You can buy a 24-hr ticket, a single ticket for €5.80, or a family ticket for €7.40. You must purchase a ticket and stamp it each time you enter a streetcar or bus. Riding without a ticket (German: schwarzfahren, literally "black riding") will get you a €60 fee and a visit with the police.
The Bayern-Ticket (Bavaria Ticket) is valid in Augsburg and you will not be required to purchase additional tickets for using the Augsburg transportation system.
By bike
With its mostly flat terrain, Augsburg is great to explore by bike. That way, you can more easily visit some hidden gems in the suburbs and along the rivers Lech and Wertach. Augsburg's UNESCO World Heritage (Water Management System of Augsburg) also includes several objects outside the centre.
Bikes can be rented on several bus stations from the "Stadtwerke", and at some bike stores in Augsburg:
- Zweirad Bäuml, Jakoberstr. 70.
- UNI - RAD, Salomon-Idler-Str. 26.
- GEPE Sportgeräteverleih UG, Reisingerstr. 27.
See
- 🌍 Brechthaus, Auf dem Rain 7. The birthplace of the writer Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956).
- 🌍 Cathedral (Augsburger Dom), Frauentorstraße 1. Founded in the 11th century in Romanesque style. Five of its stained glass windows are considered the oldest of their kind that have been preserved. The cloister connects it to the diocesan museum where the cathedral's Romanesque bronze door can be seen.
- 🌍 Fuggerei, Fuggerei 56. The Fuggerei is the world's oldest social housing complex and dates back to 1516. 160 people still live in this complex. The rent of an apartment today is only €1 per year.
- 🌍 Fugger Stadtpalast, Maximilianstraße 36-38. This 16th-century renaissance building is the former residence of Jakob Fugger. After destruction in WW II, it was rebuilt in simplified forms.
- 🌍 Maximilianmuseum, Fuggerplatz 1. Displays various topics connected with Augsburg. Among the highlights are the Renaissance bronze sculptures from some fountains which are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. (On the fountains, they were replaced by copies.)
- 🌍 Rathaus, Rathausplatz 2. The city hall built in 1615–1624 by Elias Holl is a major example of Renaissance architecture in Germany. The Golden Hall (Goldener Saal, carefully reconstructed after WW II destruction) is located in the 2nd story and has a small entrance fee.
- 🌍 Römisches Museum, Dominikanergasse 15. Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00-17:00. Museum in the 16th-century church St. Magdalena, displaying Roman artefacts found in and around Augsburg. During the museum closure, a selection can be seen in an exhibition at Zeughaus. free for people under 27, 5,50eur reduced for e.g. pensioners, 7eur regulra.
- 🌍 Schaezlerpalais and Staatsgalerie Altdeutsche Meister, Maximilianstraße 46. The Rococo hall is at least as striking as Goldener Saal. The art gallery displays art from Baroque and Rococo eras; the attached State Gallery (in a former church) adds late-medieval and early-renaissance paintings from the Bavarian State Collections.
- 🌍 Augsburg Zoo (take bus 32 with the final station Zoo from the train station). Zoo of medium size in a nice setting along a brook. The Botanical Garden is right next to the zoo.
- 🌍 Leopold-Mozart-Haus Augsburg. The birthplace of Leopold Mozart (father of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) houses a museum, re-designed and reopened in 2020.
- 🌍 Textilmuseum. Daily 09:00-18:00. Augsburg's newest museum broaches the issue of the city's drapery industry. If you are interested in history, this is very interesting as it shows the economical history of Germany on the example of the drapery in Augsburg - also very interesting for anyone who is interested in technical functions of clothing production. Every 2 hours (10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00) retired clothing engineers show the functions of old machines featured in the drapery production. This costs an extra €1. It's very crowded on Sundays. There is also a restaurant/café inside the museum, called Nino. It's good, though a bit expensive. To get there from the city center, take tram 6 in the direction Friedberg until Textilmuseum. Then cross the street and go left through an area full of unused old factories, it reflects the presence of drapery industry in Augsburg. The museum is in an old factory hall. Adults €4, concessions €3, Sunday €1, children under 18 are always free.
- 🌍 Synagogue, Halderstraße 6-8 (between the main train station and Königsplatz tram hub), ☏ +49 821 513658, office@jkmas.de. M-Th 09:00-18:00; F 09:00-16:00; Su and public holidays 10:00-17:00. Augsburg's beautiful synagogue was built between 1914 and 1917 in an "Art Nouveau" style with oriental elements. It is one of the very few synagogue buildings in Germany that survived the Nazi regime mostly intact. Today, it's still in use by the local Jewish congregation, and also houses the Jewish Museum Augsburg Swabia. Guided tours in English are available by appointment. Regular entrance €6, Sundays free.
- 🌍 Water management system of Augsburg. In the 14th century a system of canals and watertowers were constructed in the city to provide hydraulic power among other things. This system was very innovative for its time and as such it has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The World Heritage Site comprises 22 individual objects which are scattered all over town.
- 🌍 Mazda Classic Automobil-Museum Frey, Wertachstraße 29, ☏ +49 821 420 607 30, info@mazda-classic-frey.de. Th-Su 10:00-18:00. €5.
Do
- 🌍 Augsburger Puppenkiste. Modern and classic fairy tales are played at the Augsburger Puppenkiste . The stars on strings are so endearing and the sets so elaborate that even non-German speakers (and non-kids) will enjoy a show. It's often sold out; make advance reservations or check with the tourist office for remaining tickets.
- Altstadt (Old Town). Going on a walk in the narrow alleys of Augsburg's historic district is highly recommended. You can find places with a very nice flair. Great for taking pictures of typical medieval European cities. No street is straight, everything is slightly bend and the alleys are small. The historic center is the 3rd largest in Germany after Hamburg's and Cologne's. Stroll around or walk along the historic water ways.
- Christkindlmarkt. Augsburg is known for having one of the biggest and most beautiful Christmas markets. It usually starts the last weekend in November and closes on 24 December. Make sure to go to Rathausplatz and the surrounding areas hosting this market if you are in Augsburg in December. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 18:00 the Engelesspiel takes place where 24 people dressed as angels appear in front of the town hall (Rathaus). Make sure to try the Glühwein (mulled wine). You can also get a bottle as a souvenir. For food, there are many stalls selling German fast food like Bratwurst or Schupfnudeln.
- Football: FC Augsburg play soccer in Bundesliga, Germany's top tier. Their home ground WWK Arena (capacity 30,600) is 5 km south of town centre, take the tram.
- Ice hockey. Augsburger Panther play ice hockey - the rink can be reached by tram 4 towards Augsburg Nord, get off at Bruntal.
- Cycling in the nearby forests. For information about bike rental, look in the "Get around" section above. In the summer it's a nice idea to go on a cycling tour in the nearby Stadtwald city forest. Therefore, you should follow national road 300 direction Friedberg until the Lech river and then turn right. You will find yourself on a great cycling track next to the river with a forest on the right side. If you want to make it a longer tour, you can cycle all the way down to Mandichosee (approximately 7 km from the city center), a barrier lake of Lech River. In the summer, many people come here to relax and swim. If you are too lazy to ride back to Augsburg, you might just follow the street signs to "Bahnhof Mering Sankt Afra" and take a train (the Munich-Augsburg regional route stops here each 30 minutes as well as the Augsburg-Geltendorf and Augsburg-Mering BRB trains; so in total you won't have to wait too long for a train to Augsburg here), the one-way fare for Augsburg main station is €3.70 for adults and €2.50 for children. Eating possibilities include Waldgaststätte Jagdhaus about midway between Mandichosee and Augsburg and Waldgaststätte Friedenau close to the Mandichosee. To find them, it's best to look up for signs or ask locals. It is also recommended to take a lunch bag and have a break at some nice place along the Lech river.
Buy
Augsburg is a lively university town, a city for business and recreation. Enjoy the benefits like traditional pubs, theater, museums and lots of shopping facilities. You find many retail shops in the pedestrian zone, but don't miss to go downhill (e.g. via Judenberg) to the "Altstadt" with its unique shops! There is also a larger mall (City Galerie) with common brands and big stores, busy on weekends. For souvenirs, go to the Rathausplatz, find Augsburg-umbrellas and Brecht T-shirts. The local brewery Riegele sells giftboxes with 6 types of beer!
Eat
Augsburg is famous for its plum cake, called Zwetschgendatschi, and Bosna, a sausage coming in a bun with hot sauce and onions. Also, try Kässpatzen (which literally translates as cheese sparrows, but no birds are harmed during preparation), a popular hand made pasta dish topped with melted mountain cheese and served with caramelized onions.
In the city centre
- The Stadtmarkt or city market, enter from Fuggerstraße or Annastraße, has fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and cheese as well as the Fleischhalle and Viktualienhalle, which have various budget options available, including typical Bavarian, Greek, Thai, sushi and more. The stalls are only open during lunch time and are popular among locals. Closed on Sundays.
- As almost everywhere, bakeries are also a good choice for snacks. A bit more expensive, but of highest quality is Cumpanum (located at the northern end of Annastraße) and Augsburg based Laxgang is worth a visit as well (their shop at the end of Milchberg, close to Puppenkiste) is worth a visit.
- 🌍 Cosmos Heart Cafe, Traunerpassage (between Steingasse and Karolinenstraße, near Rathaus Platz). Small, bright and cozy hippie cafe with teas, coffee, and light vegetarian food like sandwiches, bagels and homemade cake. At midday lunch is served. The staff are very friendly and bilingual. Quiet and intimate.
- 🌍 Koh Samui, Konrad-Adenauer-Allee 5 (Königsplatz). Fresh and good Thai food, friendly service.
- 🌍 Razz Fazz Finger food, Moritzplatz (at the tram stop). Falafel and samosas lovingly made from fresh ingredients. The food is take-away. Healthiest (and filling) vegetarian fast food in all the city for a cheap price.
- 🌍 Kichererbse Imbiss '98, Annastraße 32 (on Judenberg). Another great small Falafel shop. Cool owner as well.
- 🌍 Arkadas Döner, Maximilianstraße 64. Most popular doner kebab & other Turkish food in the middle of the city. Good for a snack at night when visiting the bars in Maximilianstraße.
- 🌍 Bosna Imbißstube, Judenberg 13.
- 🌍 Asia City Restaurant, Leonhardsberg 2.
Near the city center
Mid-range
- 🌍 Thing, Vorderer Lech 45. Bavarian "Biergarten" (although not a real one, since in a real Biergarten it's usual to bring your own food and only buy the beverages there). Good German food, nice atmosphere, in the middle of the "Altstadt" (historic district) and also 5 minutes by foot away from the City Galerie. Best for Kässpatzen.
- 🌍 Riegele Wirtshaus, Frölichstraße 26 (go to the Central Train Station and turn Viktoriastraße left: the brewery is on the other side of Frölichstraße, in which Viktoriastraße ends). Next to Augsburg's Riegele brewery, this is a good place for fresh beer and typical Swabian cuisine, of course with a beer garden for summer. Apart from the beer, you should also try Riegele`s ,,Chabeso", a citron lemonade that is rated amongst the best existing. You can get them in the Wirtshaus or buy them in supermarkets, though they are only sold in Augsburg and suburbs. Sometimes there are guided tours of the brewery, you can ask at the restaurant. They include food and of course tasting the beers.
- 🌍 Wirtshaus am Lech, Leipziger Straße 50, ☏ +49 821 707074, fax: +49 821 707084. Cooking F-W 11:00-14:00 & 18:00-21:30; cold platter menu after lunch and before supper. A great place to compare Swabian and Bavarian cuisines, this family owned and run restaurant has a spacious Biergarten too. €24.80 and less for mains (2018).
- 🌍 Kappeneck, Kappeneck 30 (close to City Galerie), ☏ +49 821 512660. 18:00-24:00, warm food unitl 22:00. Closed on Sundays. High quality and regional but modern cuisine. Great pizza and constantly changing seasonal menue. Outside seating.
- 🌍 Cafe Il Gabbiano, Maximilianstraße 31 (in the middle of the "Altstadt" (historic district)). Upper mid-range Italian cafe and restaurant. Good food for fair prices with a great atmosphere.
- 🌍 Joe Peña's, Müllerstraße 19 (near bus stop Stephingerberg). Mexican restaurant with really good food, beer garden and nice atmosphere.
Splurge
- Maximilian's - Steigenberger Drei Mohren. Being part of the luxury hotel Steigenberger Drei Mohren, the Restaurant Maximilian's offers all kinds of expensive (but not excessively expensive) food.
Sweet
- Kaffeehaus Dichtl, Maximilianstraße 18 (at Moritzplatz). Traditional Cafe house with an exquisite selection of cakes and sweet pastries as well as pralines and chocolates. On Sunday there is an all you can eat buffet, don't worry, the slices are small so you can try many different things.
Drink
In Augsburg there are several beer gardens, and some of them have their own children's playground. What is written in the Munich travel guide about beer gardens also applies to Augsburg's beer gardens. The Riegele beer garden, close to the central train station and right next to the Riegele brewery, is a good place to go.
Clubs and bars
A good part of Augsburg's night life takes place in Maximilianstraße and the historic district right beneath the Maximilianstraße. There is great diversity in the type of clubs and bars, ranging from disco to student bars. It is a great idea to go see more than one place and find out which is the most comforting to you. Luckily, in generally, Augsburg's night life is a lot cheaper than in Munich or other big cities.
- Elfer (coming from Moritzplatz, you go down a Maxstraße and then turn left into Wintergasse; Elfer is on the right side (on the other side, there is the Römisches Museum)). Called "Eleven", if there is a football (soccer) game going on in Germany and you want to see it with locals in a typical German sports bar, this is the place in Augsburg to go. It can get very crowded here so if you like sitting you better show up early (at least 30 minutes before the game).
- 🌍 City Club, Konrad-Adenauer-Allee 9, 86150 Augsburg (Tram: Königsplatz), kontakt@cityclub.name. Alternative, berlin like techno club and cafe. Occasional theater performances.]
- Beim Weissen Lamm, Ludwigstr. 23 (near the theater). Cafe by day, pub and sometimes even a club by night. Living-room atmosphere with retro mismatched chairs and sofas salvaged from somewhere. Red walls and wallpaper. Nice music, good drinks. On the opposite side of the street are Panda Club and Soho Stage.
- 🌍 Kantine (Königsplatz). electronic music and concert venue
- 🌍 Kesselhaus (boiler house), Riedingerstraße 26 i, 86153 Augsburg, ☏ +49 8214 555550, info@kesselhaus.eu. Large dance music club in an impressive industrial location with international DJ lineups.
- 🌍 Rockfabrik (a bit outside of the center, take tram 4 (from Königsplatz/Moritzplatz) direction "Augsburg Nord", get off "Bärenwirt" and walk right over the bridge). Huge club, very popular amongst the youth. Many of them even come from Munich or Ulm just to go to this club. Unfortunately this also means they already drank a lot a beer in the regional trains, so there are many drunk people here that might cause some trouble. But the club itself is nice: It plays rock music and has several dancefloors and bars. A very funny fact is that this once was a Rockfabrik (English: skirt factory), and now it is a Rockfabrik (meaning: rock music factory).
- Touch (very central at Maxstraße, walk down from Moritzplatz - it is on the left side). This club is very popular amongst students.
- Augsburg has a fairly good gay scene, one gay bar in particular is OKI's.
Sleep
Budget
Augsburg has some cheap places to stay. One is the Jugendherberge the other is a private hostel
- Übernacht Hostel, Karlstraße 4 (near the town hall), ☏ +49 821 45542828.
- Jugendherberge.
Mid-range
- 🌍 Holiday Inn Express, Nagahama-Allee 77. Modern furnished, but some style casualties. Free internet (if you ask). Basic but good and adequate breakfast. Limited parking. 3 min to shopping mall, 15-min walk to city hall.
Splurge
- 🌍 Steigenberger, Maximilianstraße 40, ☏ +49 821 5036-0.
- 🌍 Dorint An der Kongresshalle, Imhofstraße 12, ☏ +49 821 5974-0, info.augsburg@dorint.com. from €94.40 per room/night.
Stay safe
Augsburg is very safe; in 2017, it was ranked as the second safest German city with over 200,000 inhabitants. Virtually all crimes are domestic violence (which are quite rare), drug abuse, or alcohol-fueled fights at a bar. Augsburg also tends to be pretty safe at night. Don't be afraid to use the small and poorly lit alleys in the historic district, since these are beautiful especially after dark!