'''Magdeburg''' is the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany with a population of 228.775.

Understand

Magdeburg used to be one of the most important medieval cities of Europe. During the Cold War era Magdeburg's population increased rapidly and the city became a socially and economically important center of the GDR. After the German reunification, however, most of the city's economy was shut down. Although Magdeburg is in a continous modernization process and its cityscape changed rapidly, it has to face the same problems like almost all cities of the same size in Eastern Germany: a decline of population due to more attractive jobs in western Germany. The division of Germany is still visible in some ways.

Nonetheless Magdeburg has become a modern city with numerous interesting sights of high importance and uniqueness, as well as many parks, which make Magdeburg the third greenest city in Germany. New shopping malls and other attractions have changed the cityscape enormously. Today Magdeburg has the largest retail area in relation to its overall area of whole Germany. Magdeburg is home of two of Germany's top ranking universities, which make it attractive to college students from all over Europe. Other scientific insitutions, like the Max-Planck-Insitut, and one of the largest sites of the Fraunhofer Institut, make Magdeburg an important city for international research.

Today's industry includes traditional and also new branches. The company "Rostfein" is one of the best coffee brands in eastern Germany, and the company "Abtshof" is known for its traditional and unique vodka production. The world's first artificial sweetener was produced in Magdeburg and is still in production. The production of wind energy is one of the newer industry branches.

Get in

Magdeburg is situated in central Germany. It is best accessible by car or train. The east-west freeway (motorway) A2 passes just to the north of Magdeburg, and the A14 passes just to the west, with exits leading into several parts of the city.

The main railway station in Magdeburg is called "Magdeburg Hauptbahnhof (Hbf)". This station has seven platforms. Trains arrive every minute. The German bullet train ICE (InterCity Express) also stops at Magdeburg.

If you travel by plane, you will most likely land in Berlin or Hannover and then use the motorway A2, or you will land in Leipzig and then use the motorway A14 or the train to get to Magdeburg, which is very convenient.

If you hitchhike or use Mitfahrzentrale (an organized hitchhiking service) along the A2, ask to be dropped off or picked up at Pfahlberg (Media Markt).

Get around

Streetcars, busses and ferries use the same tickets! Tickets for streetcars, busses and ferries are sold by the operator of the streetcar and bus services ''MVB (Magdeburger Verkehrsbetriebe)''. You can purchase tickets at box offices throughout the city (mostly in the city center), at vending machines or directly from the driver. However, tickets from the driver will be more expensive. Most box offices are closed on weekends, so keep coins for vending machines in your wallet. All tickets are valid for busses, streetcars, and ferry services, although the ferries are offered by a different operator.

Here are the MVB tickets that are relevant for most tourists:

  • Normal tickets: Ticket for 90 minutes: adults 1.60? (''Einzelkarte''), children 1.30? (''Einzelkarte ermasigt'')
  • City tickets (''Citykarte''): One-way ticket within the city center for 0.90?
  • Ticket strips (''Mehrfahrtenkarte''): four 90 minute tickets: 5.60? for adults, 4.20? for children
  • Daily tickets (''Tageskarte''): 4.10? for adults (''Tageskarte''), 2.90? for children under 15 (''Tageskarte ermasigt''), or 6.80? for a group of up to four persons (''Minigruppen-Tageskarte'').
  • There is also a day ticket that is valid from 9:00am for one person, which is 3.70? (''9-Uhr-Tageskarte''). All day tickets are vaild until 2:00am from the time of purchase.
  • Weekly tickets (''Wochenkarte''): 12.50? for one person, valid for 7 days from the time of purchase.
  • There is also an allround ticket for streetcar, busses, ferries, and S-Bahn that is valid in Magdeburg and the surrounding area. This ticket (called ''MUM-Ticket'') is available as a daily, weekly, and monthly pass. Tickets are available at the MVB box offices in the city center and at the Deutsche Bahn offices in all S-Bahn/train stations. Notice that the price of this ticket is dependent on the area that you are using. Therefore you have to tell the person at the box office where you are staying and what your farthest destination from there will be. For example, if you want to use all the area from the North to the South of Magdeburg and surroundings it will be more expensive than if you choose only to use the area North from Magdeburg.

    Night schedules for streetcars and busses apply from 9:00pm and go until 4:45am Monday-Friday, 6:30am on Saturdays, and 12:00 noon on Sundays. Only 3 streetcar lines and 3 bus lines are in service during this time. The streetcar night lines have the numbers 92,94, and 95. The night bus lines are 91, 93, and 96. If you need to get out of the city center at night, you might get a streetcar or bus line every three to 50 minutes (depending on the stop you are at). If you plan to go downtown at night, you should check schedules before you go, since not all outer parts are served at night. The best choice to get around in the city at night is using the taxi, rather than waiting for the next streetcar or bus. S-Bahn service at night is limited. Trains usually run every hour.

    By streetcar (tram)

    Using the streetcar is probably the easiest way for tourists to get around, since most stops are located near busy places or main attractions. Magdeburg has 10 streetcar lines plus the additional line number 15, which is used in times of heavy traffic, or for special events. Waiting times for the streetcars vary widely and depend on location, time, and day. Within the city center you will rarely wait more than five minutes for the next streetcar (even on Sundays), however at stops that serve only one or two lines you may have to wait up to ten minutes, or even twenty minutes on Saturdays and Sundays. You will find timetables at every stop. Within the city center electronic timetables are used. Night schedules are different.

    By bus

    Busses serve all areas of the city. Busses usually run every 20 minutes. The 11 bus line numbers are 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 69, 71, and 73. Busses 41-44 only operate in times of heavy traffic or for special events. You will find timetables are every stop. Night schedules are different.

    By ferry

    There are two ferry services that cross the river Elbe. One is the ''Fahre Westerhusen'' and the other one is the ''Fahre Buckau''. Ferry services are offered from March to October, Tuesdays-Sundays 10:00am to 6:00pm. Other river services are listed in the freetime section.

    By taxi

    Most taxis are operated by the ''Taxi-Genossenschaft Magdeburg eG''. When you are in town call 737373 to request a taxi at any time.

    By S-Bahn

    There is one ''S-Bahn'' line that crosses Magdeburg. The S-Bahn is part of the Deutsche Bahn Network and is therefore operated by the Deutsche Bahn (DB). S-Bahn train stations are shown as a white S on a green filled circle. Trains are running every 30 Minutes. Night schedules are different. The S-Bahn is a good choice if you want to get into the city from the suburbs and if you need to get out of the city. S-Bahn stations are often connected to DB train stations.

    The ''Magdeburger Ring'' (road ''B71'') crosses Magdeburg and is the most important road. It is like an "innercity highway". In order to get into another part of the town quickly you may use the B71 and get off at the exit you want. Using the B71 might be better if you want to avoid traffic lights and long ways through the city.

    ''S-Bahn'' tickets are available at any S-Bahn station, most likely at the Magdeburg main station (''Hauptbahnhof''). S-Bahn tickets are sold by the ''Deutsche Bahn'' and not by the MVB

    See

    Churches

    The Gothic '''cathedral of St. Maurice and St Catherine''', known as the ''Magdeburger Dom'', is possibly the most well-known sight in the city. It was built on the remains of a roman cathedral from 1209 to 1520. The romanesque Abbey '''Kloster unser lieben Frauen''' (Cloister Our Dear Woman), founded in the 11th century, is one of the most important romanesque buildings in Germany. Today it is, amongst other things, home to an art gallery. Also worth seeing is St. John's Church ('''Johanniskirche'''), recently rebuilt as a multipurpose space after being severely damaged in WWII.

    Other important buildings

    In the Elbauenpark the so-called Millennium Tower attracts many visitors. There is an exhibition on nature and history of humanity inside. In the city centre near the Kloster Unser Lieben Frauen and the cathedral is the '''Green Citadel''', a house designed by the famous architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

    Museums

  • '''Kulturhistorisches Museum''', Otto-von-Guericke-Strasse, home to the famous statue '''Magdeburger Reiter'''
  • Do

    Bike

    Magdeburg is one of the greenest cities in Europe and the second greenest city in Germany. Riding your bike in Magdeburg is a perfect freetime activity. Since most of the streets have cycle tracks on the sides you will not have any problems with taking your bike into the city. Streetcars, busses, ferries, and ''S-Bahn'' trains allow you to take your bike with you, however, you may have to purchase an extra ticket for your bike.

    A very nice way to explore the idyllic nature in and around Magdeburg is using the ''Elberadweg''. This cycle path leads you all the way along the river Elbe and invites you to explore the unique biosphere reserve around Magdeburg. The cycle path's symbol is a white e on a blue ground. Signs guide you along the path and show you directions and distances to other towns, villages, and attractions. Many restaurants and beer gardens are right next to the river, as well as some nice hotels, playgrounds and parks. The web site for the Elberadweg is www.elberadweg.de (partly in English).

    River cruises

    There are several different river cruises offered by the ''Magdeburger Weise Flotte GmbH''. Here are some of the offers:

  • '''Panoramafahrt''': A 1.5 hour cruise along the skyline of Magdeburg. Starts and ends at the mooring ''Petriforder''. Adults 8?, children 4?
  • '''Grose Acht''': A cruise along the biggest waterway cross of Europe. Starts and ends at the mooring ''Petriforder''. Adults 19.90?, children 12?
  • '''Kleine Acht''': A cruise along the biggest waterway cross of Europe. Starts and ends at the mooring ''Rothensee''. Adults 14?, children 8?
  • '''Trogbruckenuberfahrt''': A small cruise over the waterway cross. Starts and end at the mooring ''Rothensee''. Adults 5?, children 3?
  • '''Kaffeefahrt''': River cruise from the city center out to the town ''Schonebeck''. Starts and ends at the mooring ''Petriforder''. Adults 12?, children 6?
  • '''Fahrt in den Abend''': Rivercruise in the evening. Starts and ends at the mooring ''Petriforder''. 15? for everyone
  • Times and current special prices can be found directly at the moorings or in the tourist information center (Ernst-Reuter Allee 12, phone: 0391/19433). Tickets can be purchased on board. Reservations are not necessary most of the time if you come early enough. If you want to reserve tickets, contact the tourist information center in the city center (address and phone above)! Also contact the tourist information center for day-trip offers!

    Buy

    There are numerous shopping malls all over the city. In the center you have Karstadt, which used to be a mall during the cold war and is therefore the oldest of the city with its building still representing socialist architecture. After the reunification the city center got several new malls like the Allee Center, the Ulrichshaus and the City Carre. You will also find numerous stores (as well as bars and cafes) along the ''Breite Weg'', which used to be one of the largest shopping streets in Europe before WWII and has now regained most of its popularity with modern architecture.

    Some malls were also established in the suburbs of Magdeburg like the Elbe-Park, Flora-Park, Borde-Park and Pfahlberg. You'll find pretty much all kinds of goods at any of the named places.

    For the most part stores are open from 8am to 20pm (22pm in some cases) from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays only the large malls open until 20pm, smaller stores are open until 12pm or 18pm. On Sundays stores are usually closed apart from stations and petrol stations.

    To buy clothing visit Alle Center

    Eat

    Drink

    Cocktailbar & Eventlounge '''''ONE'''''

    ----

    Leiterstrase 1 39104 Magdeburg

    Telefon: +49 (0)391. 5 44 35-93 Telefax: +49 (0)391. 5 44 35-94

    one-md@web.de

    http://www.one-md.de

    Very modern and attractive bar with karaoke every sunday and monday and an open-stage event once every month.

    Sleep

    For anybody coming and going, the "Zimmervermittlung" of the TouristInformationMagdeburg (TIM) should be the first adress. Their Telephone number is 0391/5404904 and their email info@magdeburg-tourist.de.

    There is an International Youth Hostel at Leiterstr, directly behind the Maritim hotel.

    Maritim Hotel Otto-von-Guericke-Str. 87 39104 Magdeburg Tel. +49 (0) 391 5949-0 Fax +49 (0) 391 5949-990 info.mag@maritim.de

    http://www.maritim.de/typo3/index.php?id=696

    Hotel Stadtfeld Maxim-Gorki-Strase 31/ 37 39108 Magdeburg Tel. +49(0)391 506660 Fax +49(9)391 5066699 hotelstadtfeld@web.de

    http://www.hotelstadtfeld.de

    Get out

  • Halberstadt — with a church playing a musical piece that's scheduled to end in the year 2640