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.
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).
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:
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.
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
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).
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!
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
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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.
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