LEIPZIG - GETTING AROUND
The city center is not that large and most attractions are in a walkable distance from one another. The city of Leipzig is spread out but is compensated by a good transportation system.
By Public Transportation
Leipzig is well known for its extensive public transportation
system, with the Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (LVB) operating the local bus and
tram network. Most
lines run every 10 minutes during the day and at least hourly at night. A
single-trip ticket costs around €2.40. A full day bus and tram ticket, valid
until 4am the next morning, costs about €6.00; a day ticket for 2 - 5 people
traveling together costs around €8.90 - €17.60. A weekly pass costs around
€21.10. After 8pm, you must enter buses through the driver`s door and
show/purchase your ticket.
The
tram network is structured like a star with a circle in the center. Tram lines
generally lead from the outskirts into the city, which they half-circle on the
ring, and continue to someplace else in the outskirts. Bus lines provide
additional direct connections that often do not touch the center.
Trains
(S-Bahn) are crossing the city center in north-south direction though the city
tunnel, connecting Hauptbahnhof and Bayerischer Bahnhof via underground
stations at Markt and at Wilhelm-Leuschner Platz. From both ends of the tunnel
lines branch off into several directions towards Leipzig suburbs like
Connewitz, Stötteritz, Thekla, fair area and Miltitzer Allee and beyond. Please
note that the city tunnel provides fast connections north - south, but is not
of great help in the east - west direction.
Tickets: LVB
is part of the regional integrated transport network MDV.
Tickets to nearby towns and cities are available at LVB ticket offices and
vending machines. They are valid for all participating means of transportation.
The fares quoted above are for MDV fare zone 110, which is more or less
identical with the city. A single-trip ticket includes transfers to other
lines. You have to complete your trip within one hour. Tickets can be purchased
at vending machines, bus drivers, one of the LVB service offices and some
tobacco, stationery, or press shops.
Stamp
your ticket after boarding the first bus or tram on your itinerary, or on the
platform when using a train. Day and week tickets are valid until 4am the next
day after their validity has ended.
Night Bus Network: Regular services operate until around midnight. A
network of Nightliner bus lines take you around at night. All Nightliner buses
start from Hauptbahnhof at 1:11am, 2:22am, and 3:33am. They service most parts
of the main tram network, but on different routes. Each line makes a loop,
returning to Hauptbahnhof at the end. Check the blue network plans at stops or
inside trams.
Most
of the city of Leipzig is a designated low-emission zone (Umweltzone).
Cars operating within city limits must comply with strict emission standards
and have a special green sticker (Feinstaubplakette). If you enter the
city without the sticker, or with a yellow or red sticker, you risk being
fined.
Leipzig
suffers from the same traffic problems as all cities of its size. Access to the
city center is restricted, so don`t plan to go anywhere inside the inner ring
of main streets. If you still like to use a car within the city, be prepared to
pay a fee for parking around the center. Car parks are available at
Hauptbahnhof, Augustusplatz, Burgplatz, and several other locations. A parking
guidance system is installed on the main streets. Around the inner ring, signs
point you to the different car parks and display the current number of unused
parking spots. Signs are color-coded, each color representing a car park
location. Since the city center is pretty compact, for most purposes it won`t
matter much where you leave your car. When you visit the Gewandhaus or the
opera, the car park underneath Augustusplatz is the most convenient option with
exits to both buildings.
Plenty of taxis are available. They wait for customers in various designated locations around the city. You can also wave a taxi on the street if its sign is lit up. Pubs, restaurants and hotels will be happy to do that for you if you are their customer. Taxis can be expensive; they typically start at about €3.50, and each kilometer increases at about €2.50. Expect a fare of €15-20 for a trip from the outskirts to the center or vice versa.
By Bicycle
The city`s transportation infrastructure is fantastic, with a
traffic layout that has been specifically designed to be friendly to cyclists
making it a great way to get around the city.
Leipzig has a wide network of rivers and channels and almost
all of them have a bike track on at least one bank. Since these bike paths
often run beneath the street level, they form a bike highway system in Leipzig.
The bike paths on street level are also abundant, but slower, because of the
many street crossings. Leipzig has a bike sharing system from nextbike, an
international public bike sharing company that was actually founded in Leipzig.
Nextbike`s bicycle
rental stations in Leipzig is a co-op effort on the part of the Leipzig
Transport Authority (LVB). Many nextbike stations can be found in the vicinity
of LVB stops in Leipzig. Visit www.nextbike.de
for an overview of exactly where available rental bicycles are located.
The Environmental Zone was established with the
aim of improving the air quality as well as the health of residents living
within the zone.
Within
Leipzig`s environmental zone, only vehicles with a green emissions sticker
(emissions group 4) are permitted to operate. Make sure to check with the your
car rental company about obtaining a sticker, or you can visit www.umwelt-plakette.de
to learn more.