Life in Bamberg - northern Bavaria (Franken)

[SEAGYPZY 0]

I am being considered for a job in Bamberg and I am interested in the general cost of renting a house or apartment there. Is there transportation from Bamberg city into the base? I have heard that the parking situation for cars is difficult because of the beautiful but narrow historic roadways there. Has anyone had any experience with the public transportation system in Bamberg? I would appreciate any and all assistance.

[Gator Fan 0]

Congratulations, Bamberg is a beautiful city. I cannot comment on the cost of housing in the city but I do know that the out lying areas are very affordable. There are numerous public transportation options to the post using a great bus system or even utilizing the bike trails would be an option. Parking downtown is difficult however if you are communting to the army post there is plenty of parking there.

[SEAGYPZY 0]

Thank you, GatorFan! I just wondered whether to bring my not-so-reliable car with me or just wait until I have been in Bamberg for awhile and see if I really need one at all. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I get this job-Bamberg looks like a wonderful city.

[Gator Fan 0]

I wouldn't bother with a car that isn't very reliable if you are planning to take a position with the Army or DOD. There are plenty of cars to be had very cheaply as the Army has a very high attrition rate at present in the Bamberg/Vilseck area. The cars are usually reliable and only have to pass the USAEUR inspection and not more stringent German system.

 

Good Luck!

[AnthonyDoesEurope 165]

Bamberg is basically on a Bus system, no trams, U-bahns, S-bahns. There are buses that run between the center of town (the ZOB) and the base every 10 minutes, until night.

 

Apartments are much cheaper there, as is the beer, which is significantly better than the swill here that they call beer.

 

3 years ago, I was looking into apartments, and a 3-room (1 master bedroom, 1 small bedroom, living room, separate kitchen) furnished was about 600 euros.

 

Besides having the military base, I thought they shut it down, Bamberg is a university city. You can tell with school is about to start by the rush to find apartments. And the week between Christmas and New Years is totally dead there.

 

I had a great time living there, and came to Munich mainly because I needed a job to continue living in Germany. Not a lot of work for foreigners there, but Bosch employs a lot of people.

 

Have fun.

[Small Town Boy 6,671]

You like beer? Around 15% of all the breweries in the world are within 30 miles of Bamberg

 

Bamberg Beer Guide

[garlof 0]

For flats etc look here:

 

http://www.meinestadt.de/bamberg/home

 

I just had a look and a flat between 40 and 60 qm is between 300 and 400 Euro.

 

Fantastic city and if I remember correctly the cheapest place to study in Bayern (gives you an indication off the general living costs) - fantastic Alt Stadt, Dom, countryside etc etc.

 

If you a Beer fan as already mentioned this is heaven - check out the Beer Gardens and Beer Kellers (Breweries and Beer Gardens built into the side of hills)

 

Also check out the Irish pub in the Sand str for the drunken Americans

 

If you have an offer to work in Bamberg take it

 

I personally would love to lbut Jobs aren't exactly plentiful <_<

[SEAGYPZY 0]

Thanks for all the informative posts! I love this forum. I was told this weekend that I do have the job and I am really looking forward to moving to Bamberg. Packing up boxes and reciting with my "Yes, you can speak German" cd's :-).

[Small Town Boy 6,671]

Congratulations on getting the job. Should you ever choose to arrange a Toytown meetup there, I will reluctantly agree to come...

 

Incidentally, don't make the same mistake as the moderator who described Bamberg as being in "Northern Bavaria". Bamberg is in Franconia (Franken), and people from there get a hernia every time they hear themselves described as Bavarian. The description may be geographically true, but culturally it couldn't be more wrong. The Donau (Danube) is the imaginary border between Franken/Bayern, or (as the Bavarians see it), civilisation and the Prussians.

[SEAGYPZY 0]

Thanks, Smalltownboy...That is one less mistake I will make when I get there... I have been reading a book on German culture and it says we Americans smile way too much...is that true?? Would love to share a beer with any of my new friends on this forum B)

[Small Town Boy 6,671]

Are you reading When in Germany...? I disagree intensely with a lot of things he says in there, but he is right about the smiling. Germans consider the Americans to be rather superficial -- all that needless happiness and meaningless "Have a nice day"s. But I guess around Bamberg they're used to it.

[iain 141]

I hope around bamburg they smile more than usual anyway. I would if I lived up there. The beer is some of the best in germany. good luck with it all.

[dolfan 33]

Bamberg is a great town. I am a contractor with the military in Wurzburg (an hour away) and I go to Bamberg about once a month. I have this great book that tells about alot of the Breweries in the area, anfd there are alot. It also has several biking routes that take you too numerous breweries/Biergartens along the way. When you get here give me a holler.

[klein1 1]

@SEAGYPZY,

 

We live about 25 mins away in a little town called Forchheim . Also lovely, but not as lovely as Bamberg. If I should ever move anywhere else here in Franconia, it would be Bamberg.

 

As you have heard, the region is renowned for its beer.

PS: We have the annual Annafest happening at the moment here in Forchheim.

If you make it to Bamberg by the last week in August, you can also attend the Sandkirchweh

 

 

 

 

Important events in Bamberg’s calendar are the "Sandkirchweih", (in late August), a fair in front of the backdrop of the former fishermen’s settlement "Klein Venedig" ("Little Venice") and the Calderon Festival (June/July), which takes place is the "Alte Hofhaltung". Both events draw many visitors from near and far.

 

 

In town,you will ALWAYS her American accents!!! Bamberg, fortunately also has an English cinema.

 

However, besides the beer, you will probably need some basic info to stat off with when you get ther.

 

There is a little shop in the centre of town on the Grüner markt called Hübscher Buch & medienhaus, and they also sell some English books.

 

I found one ther called "Bamberg for Newcomers & Old Friends" - A guide to the Town by Karin Dengler- Schreiber. Its aguide to the town and alsohas some useful info in the back of the municipal offices opening times, post taxis, etc, etc. Other shops in the area might actually have it as well. The book also has a street map of the inner city.

 

So good luck, and enjoy Bamberg

[SEAGYPZY 0]

Hi, my employer says I will be to Bamberg in 8-12 weeks. It sounds like a wonderful job. The Carolina summers are hotter than Hades, so it will be nice to have four seasons for a change. I know nothing about beer but I am willing to learn I am trying to find that newcomer Bamberg book online. I was reading the "When in Germany..." book but I can see where there might be some generalizations going on. Thanks for the info on the bookstore and cinemas. I am a little worried about how I am going to get my luggage, cat and chihuahua from Frankfurt to Bamberg.

[klein1 1]

I think a good option to condiser is taking the train. Costs between 36 & 41 Euro depending on which train.

 

You can actually take the train directly from the airport, to Bamberg station. The journey lasts between 2.5 - 3.5 hours, depending on what kind of train you take. You will have to change at WÜrzburg, though

 

Deutsche Bahn allows dogs.

 

You can check here.

 

Some of the other TT-ers could probably make suggestions re cheap flights from Frankfurt to Nurnburg, which is your closest airport. Don't know what the regulations are re pets on flights though, as I don't have any.

[SEAGYPZY 0]

Thank you! I am also thinking of bringing my macaw with me. I have had her since she was a baby (she is 7 now) but I am not sure, with the bird flu, if I am going to be able to do this. I would have the additional problem of finding someone to rent to me with a bird. She hasn't been outdoors, so there is no chance of infection.

[Hutcho 2,226]

You're asking for trouble with all those pets, thats for sure..

[SEAGYPZY 0]

Probably so..I should have been a vet instead of a nurse :ph34r:

[Small Town Boy 6,671]

The train from the airport is definitely the best bet. It's certainly going to be quite a hassle with all those pets though. You can leave luggage at the airport (there are lockers that cost around €5 per day), so you might want to leave some stuff there and go pick it up another day. This is most cheaply done on a Saturday or Sunday, when you can use the Schönes Wochenende Ticket. This can only be used on the slower trains, though.