Best Places to Live in Ingolstadt
If you are planning to move to Ingolstadt, it might be confusing to start your search
because of the competitive apartment market and rising prices.
Your choice of location in this city might depend on your place of work, budget, and
social needs (family-friendly, with a lot of sport-opportunities, well-connected with
public transport, etc.) This article will help you get an overview of every region in
Ingolstadt, and all their pros and cons.
Ingolstadt is popular as a place to live among students, employees of the Auto
Industry, and those who work in much smaller villages around this historical hotspot.
Three bustling cities — Munich, Nürnberg, and Augsburg are all just a train ride away
from Ingolstadt. This makes it a good place to live a quiet life while quickly accessing
the big-city life on the weekends.
The city is an employment hub for the Auto Industry. With Audi in the heart of the city,
BMW about an hour away and numerous service providers spread out in the region,
Ingolstadt boasts a lively ex-pat community. The city also has a university and a
constant influx of students from both in and outside of Germany. This keeps the
international scene lively.
The choice of a good place to live depends on what you are looking for. A starting
point is deciding whether you want to live in the North of the river Donau (Danube) or
the south.
The North of the Donau is the Industrial area close to many places of work, while the
south is quieter and family-friendly. It is also more expensive to live in the North of
Donau because it is closer to work and city life.
Districts to the north are Mitte, West, Nordwest and Nordost, Mailing, Etting,
Oberhaunstadt, and Friedrichshofen.
1. Mitte
Best for: Students, young couples, and city-life lovers.
Mitte literally translates to “The middle”. This is the most active part of Ingolstadt,
where you can easily reach the city center, the University, and the shopping streets
on foot.
The north, where the most industry is located, can be reached by bike, bus, or with
the many electric scooters spread over the district. Mitte is home to the famous old
city and several museums and landmarks in Ingolstadt.
Although this part of town can be expensive, it is not impossible for students to find
affordable and subsidized accommodation. It is usual for a beginner in town to find a
shared apartment in Mitte to meet new people while also enjoying the old-city
atmosphere close to bars and clubs.
Mitte also is close to the North railway station, the inter-city bus station, and hosts the
central bus station from where buses depart to all regions of Ingolstadt. Though it might be difficult to find a good parking place on a regular basis,
In Mitte, you are easily mobile with your bicycle.
2. Nordwest and Nordost
Best for: Employees of Engineering firms in the North, students, and small families.
The largest employers of Ingolstadt are in this region: Audi, Continental, Stadtwerke,
or their several daughter companies and their associates. These areas also offer
many modern and semi-modern apartments for small families.
It is easy to reach the city center from the North by bike or bus. These regions are
equally far from the two epicenters for shopping and dining — The Westpark shopping
mall and the city center. Though the city center is the more attractive part of town,
you might like Westpark more in winter for indoor shopping, movies, and dining.
You don’t have to worry about living far from the main railway station, because North
has its own railway station, in addition to the long-distance bus station. With this, you
are flexible while traveling long-distance.
3. Friedrichshofen
Best for: Quiet family life while living close to work, easy access to Westpark
Shopping mall and multiple Fitness studios.
Friedrichshofen is close to the city hospital, and Westpark Mall. It is also well-
connected to many places of work in Ingolstadt. If you are looking for a quiet, family-
friendly place to live while not living too far from work, this is a place for you.
It is also easy to reach nearby mini-cities like Gaimersheim, Neuburg an der Donau,
and Eichstätt, if you are traveling by car. Friedrichshofen is quiet, has many large
green spaces for children to engage in play. The famous summer hotspot of
Ingolstadt— Baggersee lake, located in Mitte, is also easily reachable from
Friedrichshofen. This is a popular grilling and socializing area in summer.
Many residential quarters make this a family-friendly place. though it is on the pricier
side of town because it is a sweet spot where you can have it all.
4. Oberhaunstadt
Best for: People working in the region.
Oberhaunstadt is the last district towards the north-east of Ingolstadt. It is very close
to Ingolstadt village, a popular shopping district best reached by car though it is also
connected by a bus starting from the central bus station.
A second industry district is around Ingolstadt village with many companies in
research, retail, and sales. If you work here, Oberhaunstadt may be an ideal place for
you to live. The Ingolstadt village attracts shoppers from as far as Munich. It is an
outlet center, one of the main attractions of Ingolstadt. Here one can shop for big
brands at discounted prices. The village sees a high footfall especially during time for
Christmas presents.
Not many places of cultural importance are in Oberhaunstadt. Since Ingolstadt is a
small city, the rest of the city is easy to reach from here, especially with a car.
Living South of Donau
South of the river Danube is a more family-friendly and relatively inexpensive part of
Ingolstadt. Brückenkopf, Münchnerstrasse, Ringsee, Kothau, Zuchering, and Hagau
are popular places to live in the south.
In the first three districts, you are still well connected to the city center of Ingolstadt,
while with the latter two, you are farther away.
5. Brückenkopf
Best for: Students and young people new to the city
If you are a student and do not manage to live in the “Mitte”, Brückenkopf might be
your second best option. It is the most active part of the south and is just a bridge
crossing away from the city center.
Brückenkopf has the most famous park of the city, the Klenzepark, and also some
popular Museums and restaurants of the town. The Donau flows right through the
middle of this area. The river bank is always full of activity, and has some concerts
and events nearly every evening in Summer.
6. Ringsee, Münchnerstrasse, and Kothau
Best for: People working in the area or in a city to the south of Ingolstadt
Living in Ringsee and Kothau feels closer to nature and quieter compared to living in
the North of the city. Homes are slightly cheaper while still maintaining a good public
transport connection to the city center.
Münchnerstrasse is a district named after the main street that runs through Ingolstadt
and connects the city to the highway to Münich. If you live to the south of Ingolstadt,
you have the advantage of living a couple of minutes closer to the big city of Munich.
It could save you a significant portion of time if you work in a city south of Ingolstadt
or directly in Munich.
The Auwaldsee is a quiet lake located close to these districts where you could go for
an evening of grilling or Jogging (Which are both favorite German free-time
activities).
In addition to these, there are many little lakes around this region where you can
enjoy a nice swim in the summer. They are all reachable with the bicycle with well
paved and maintained bike-paths.
To the south of the Auwaldsee is a second Industry district with many car
showrooms, fast-food chains, and mini shopping malls. The famous Audi Sports Park
football stadium is also in this region.
7. Zuchering
Best for: Families and a quiet life in nature
Zuchering is among the quietest places to live in Ingolstadt. With not many places of
importance or landmarks, it is more suitable for families. Students should prefer the
more well-connected and active parts of Ingolstadt.
Zuchering is in close proximity to some small lakes in the vicinity, cozy eateries,
playgrounds for kids, and a mini-forest protected forest area called Zucheringer Wald
ideal for a quiet evening.
That is a general overview of the different parts of Ingolstadt. Expect to find a
traditional German Bavarian Village when you move into this mini-metropolitan.
With its location, it is an ideal place for you to run away to the Alps for a long
weekend or drive to the numerous lakes and mountain peaks for a hike on a regular
weekend. It might not be the bustling city of activity like Munich or Berlin, but
Ingolstadt is self-sufficient and a handsome little town.
If you are moving from a village looking for a more active life, or away from a big city
but not yet ready for a sleepy village, it is an ideal destination.
