Life in Krems
Krems – the city of our University of Applied Sciences
Krems is the 5th biggest city in Lower Austria with 25.000 inhabitants. It is well known for being a city of culture, schools and universities. The city is on the northern shore of the Danube and is crossed by the river Krems, that is giving it its name. Being located on the river, the city is popular for trips and hikes. It also generates cold temperatures and fog in the months of autumn and winter.
Krems is surrounded by vineyards and sets the eastern end of the famous wine area “Wachau”, which is also known for the delicious apricots. The city is around 70 km away from Vienna and is therefore perfectly situated for short trips to the federal capital for shopping, concerts and sightseeing.
Accommodation
Krems is providing various opportunities of accommodation for students. For students that register Krems as their main residence, there is a fantastic welcome package by the city of Krems.
Flats and shared apartments at student-friendly prices can found for example on www.willhaben.at or www.stik.at. In addition, there are several groups on Social Media, where flat mates can be searched and found .
Those who live in an aided flat (e.g. flat by companionship) and have their main residence in Krems, have the opportunity to apply for a living aid at the Office of the Federal Government of Lower Austria.
Transport
The bicycle riders can get a cheap bike e.g. on www.willhaben.at and other pages. Moreover, there is a bike flea market at the “Dreifaltigkeitsplatz” in the city center in the months until December – every first Saturday of the month in the morning.
For using the public transport in Krems it is best to get informed at the local train station about the different tickets and routes. Generally there are city buses in Krems operating from Monday until Saturday. They have various tours within the city and to the neighboring towns. Details can be found at the bus stations or the train station. There are no buses operating at night!
These are a few of the taxis available in Krems:
Rittner Taxi Krems: +43 2732 208
Gaby’s Taxi: +43 2732 776 61
Taxi Fries: +43 2732 858 83
In the course of bigger events (e.g. clubbings or in the Altstadt on the weekends) there are usually taxis waiting, that are available also without prior call.
Leisure time
To get a drink after a hard day at university, you will be well served at the Kremser Altstadtlokale (QStall, Quba, XO Lounge etc.). If you want to treat yourself to culinary delights, it’s best to visit one of Harry’s restaurants (2Stein, Schmid’s, Poldi Fitzka, Filmbar, Denkbar).
Good wine and regional food can be found in the traditional restaurants called “Heurigen” in and around Krems (e.g. Heuriger Müllner at Stadtgraben). They are only open for certain weeks – so make sure to check the calendar.
Krems is also well equipped when it comes to movies. The “Kino im Kesselhaus” is located directly on the main campus and shows movies in the original version and often combines them with music events or discussions. The newest movies from Hollywood can be found at Cinemaplexx at the Gewerbepark. The respective programmes can be found online or at the locations itself.
The various festivals and other events in and around Krems are another great tip to visit all around the year. The Wachauer Marillenfest, many “Kellergassenfeste” and Christmas markets in the Winter.
Shopping
There are several super markets and drugstores in Krems. The opening hours are regularly from 7:00 to 19:00, from Monday until Saturday. If anything is needed at night or on Sundays, the shops at the gas stations are always a popular option. Especially Hofer, Penny and Lidl are offering cheap prices. Super markets like Billa, Spar or Merkur have regular prices.
It is recommended to buy sanitary articles in dedicated drugstores like Bipa, Müller or dm, as they offer far greater selection and most of the time offers are better than in super markets.
Clothes can also be found everywhere in Krems. Mostly the pedestrian zone (around 10 min from the main campus) has many stores to offer. There are also shopping centers like Bühl Center or Mariandl or the Gewerbepark in the East of Krems, which is rather hard to reach with public transport.
Office supplies, laptops, printers and other electric articles can be found at MediaMarkt or Libro at the Bühl Center or at Pagro in the Wienerstraße.
Krems also has furniture shops like Leiner, Möbelix, XXXLutz or Dänisches Bettenlager. They are located at the Bühl Center and Mariandl or in the Gewerbepark.
Building materials and wall paint are especially available at Obi or Hornbach at Gewerbepark.
Medical Care
In case of accidents or injuries that require medical assistance, help can be found at the Hospital Krems (Mitterweg 10). When going to the hospital it is recommended to always have the eCard (insurance card) as wall as a valid ID with photo.
In case you want to consult a doctor, e.g. if you are having a bad cold, please don’t forget to bring your insurance card as well as a valid ID. A list of doctors in Krems can be found here.
For people who do not speak German, it will make sense to bring a German-speaker with them, to enhance the communication.