Mobility in Siegen
Siegen is the district town of the Siegen-Wittgenstein district in the south-east of the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. With a population of just over 100,000, Siegen is considered a large city and has officially been a university town since 2012. Thanks to its location and good connections, Siegen invites you to visit numerous beautiful destinations in the surrounding area. You can find more information here. If you want to drive a car in Germany, you should first check whether you have a valid driving license in Germany. When using non-German driving licenses, there are some special regulations to be observed, depending on where the driving license to be used was obtained.
Traveling by Car
If you want to drive a car in Germany, you should first check whether you have a driver's license that is valid in Germany.
People who hold a driver’s license from a country that is not part of the EU or the EEA must follow certain rules.
For short-term stays, the foreign driver’s license may be used without any time restrictions. If you do not have an international driver’s license, you should carry a certified German translation with you (this does not apply to driver’s licenses from the following countries: Andorra, Hong Kong, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Switzerland, and Senegal).
If you register a residence in Germany, you may use your foreign driver’s license for up to six months. During this time, you must apply for a German driver’s license. Depending on the country where the driver’s license was issued, you may be required to take a written and practical driving test. You can check here to see for which countries this does not apply or applies only under certain conditions.
If you plan to stay in Germany for up to twelve months, the six-month period may be extended to twelve months in exceptional cases.
You can find information on license conversion and the relevant contact persons here.
People who obtained their driver’s license in an EU or EEA country may use it in Germany (provided it is still valid). A translation of the driver’s license is not required.
However, the driver’s license can also be converted into a German driver’s license, e.g., upon expiration of the foreign driver’s license or even before that, by submitting the following documents:
- Identification document
- Confirmation of registration from the Residents’ Registration Office
- A photo and the original foreign driver’s license.
If a German driver’s license is issued, the foreign driver’s license will be retained and returned to the issuing authority. This does not apply to commuters who reside abroad but are employed in Germany.
You can find information on the conversion process and the relevant contact persons here.
Train, Bus, and Bicycle
Options for Getting Around Without a Car
With theDeutschlandticket for€63 per month, you can use all public transportation here and throughout Germany (excluding ICE and IC trains). The ticket can be purchased from various transit agencies or directly from Deutsche Bahn (see here). Please note that to purchase the ticket from Deutsche Bahn, you’ll need a bank account with an IBAN and BIC, and it must be SEPA-compliant. Alternatively, you can purchase the ticket using a credit card or PayPal through this transit agency and its app. Enrolled doctoral students automatically receive a Germany Semester Ticket. Further information on activation for doctoral students can be found here.
From Siegen Central Station, you can reach many nearby major cities in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse—including Cologne, Dortmund, and Frankfurt—in under two hours by train. In addition to Siegen Central Station, trains also stop at the branch stations Weidenau, Geisweid, Eiserfeld, and Niederschelden.
Local public transportation in Siegen is operated by Verkehrsbetriebe Westfalen Süd (vws) and covers the entire city of Siegen. Part of the vws route network is the Siegen CityBus network, which connects the outlying areas of Siegen with the Siegen Central Bus Station (ZOB) via 20 CityBus routes (C). In addition, there are the UniExpress lines (UX), which provide a faster route to the university campuses, as well as the “Hübbelbummler” (H) city bus, which runs between the Upper Town and the central bus station (ZOB). All regional routes, abbreviated with an “R,” are part of the regional network. Also serving areas outside the city are the night bus routes (N), express bus routes (SB), local bus routes (L), taxi bus routes (all towns), and school bus routes (A).
Cycling is a common and popular mode of transportation in Germany. Most German cities have bike paths that allow for safe cycling. Further information about cycling and what to keep in mind when using this eco-friendly mode of transportation can be found on this website.
In Siegen, you can rent e-bikes and e-cargo bikes via the “Velocity” app and return them to one of the 30 stations (stations are located, among other places, on the AR and EN campuses). For more information on the rental system and pricing options, visit Velocity Siegerland.
FlixBus and FlixTrain offer an affordable and flexible travel option for long-distance travel in Germany and throughout Europe. In Siegen, there is a direct FlixBus stop located at Koblenzer Str. 45, 57072 Siegen. It is a more affordable alternative to trains and planes and also serves smaller towns. There are currently no direct FlixTrain connections from Siegen. However, you can purchase a combined ticket that allows you to first take the regional train to Cologne (RE9) and then continue your journey on FlixTrain from there. For more information and/or to make reservations, visit the FlixBus and FlixTrain websites.
