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Travel and Transport
Siegen is the district town of the Siegen-Wittgenstein district in the southeast 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 city since 2012. Thanks to its location and good transport connections, Siegen invites you to visit many beautiful destinations in the surrounding area.
Train, Bus and Bicycle
Siegen's transport system consists of a well-developed road network, public transport by train, buses, and taxis. At it’s center is Siegen's main railway station, also known as "Siegen ZOB" (Zentraler Omnibus-Bahnhof, i. e. central bus station).
Bus Network
Siegen's local public transport is run by the Verkehrsbetriebe Westfalen Süd (VWS) and covers the entire Siegen city area. Part of the VWS route network is the city bus network Siegen, which connects the outer parts of Siegen with Siegen’s city center (Siegen ZOB) by running 20 city bus lines (C). In addition, the “UniExpress” lines (UX) provide a faster journey to the university campuses during the semester, and the city bus "Hübbelbummler" (H) runs between the upper town and Siegen ZOB. All regional lines abbreviated with "R" are part of the regional network. The night bus lines (N), express bus lines (SB), local bus lines (L), taxi bus lines (all towns) and school bus lines (A) also cover extra-urban regions.
Traveling by Bike
Cycling is a common and
popular means of transport in Germany. In most German
cities, there are cycle paths on which it is safe to cycle.
Further information on cycling and what to consider when
using this environmentally friendly means of transport can
be found on this website.
In Siegen you have the possibility to rent E-Bikes und
E-Cargobikes via the app Velocity. You can drop them off at
one of the 30 stations in the region (there are stations at
the AR- and EN-Campus). For further information regarding
the rental system and prices look at the website of
velocity Siegerland.
Traveling by Car
If you want to drive by car in Germany, the first thing to do is check whether your driving licence is valid in Germany. When using non-German driving licences, there are some special regulations to be observed. These regulations differ depending on whether the licence was issued in an EU or EEA (European Economic Area) state or a third country, which is neither part of the EU nor the European Economic Area.
Third Countries
For driving licences from a country that is not a member of the EU or the EEA, certain rules must be observed. For short stays, the foreign driving licence may be used without time restrictions. If no international driving licence is available, a certified German translation should be carried (this does not apply to driving licences from the following states: Andorra, Hong Kong, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Switzerland and Senegal).
As soon as you get officially registered in Germany, the foreign driving licence may only be used in Germany for a maximum of six months. During this time, a German driving licence must be applied for. Depending on the state in which the driving licence was issued, passing a theoretical and practical driving test is sometimes required. Find further information on the states this requirement (partly) applies to
here.
If you are staying in Germany for a maximum of twelve months, the period can be extended from six to twelve months (only in exceptional cases).
More information on how to convert your driving licence as well as the responsible contact persons can be found here.
EU/EEA States
A driving licence acquired in an EU or EEA country can readily be used in Germany (if it is still valid). A translation of the driving licence is not necessary. However, the driving licence can also be converted into a German driving licence, e.g. upon expiry of the foreign driving licence or earlier upon presentation of the following documents: ID, confirmation of registration from the Residents' Registration Office, photograph and the original foreign driving licence. When a German driving licence is issued, the foreign driving licence will be retained and returned to the original issuing office. This does not apply to commuters who live abroad and at the same time work or are employed in Germany.
More information on how to convert your driving licence as well as the responsible contact persons can be found here.