Everyday Life in Mannheim

Opening a bank account (“Girokonto”) is generally free of charge for students and there are usually no account administration fees. With your debit card, you can withdraw money from ATMs and print out bank account statements. Checks are not commonly used in Germany – almost every store accepts credit or debit cards. In regard to money transfers, you can transfer money either personally at a bank or online.

Please be aware that there are usually extra fees when you withdraw money from another bank than your own. Certain banks have formed an alliance that allows clients to take out money from any of the banks in the group without paying extra fees. For example, if you have a bank account at one of the banks in the “cash group” (Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank, or Postbank), you can take out money from any of these banks for no extra charge. You can receive more information about the existing bank alliances from your bank.

You have to bring your passport, your rental contract, your German tax ID, and your letter of acceptance from the University of Mannheim to the bank in order to open a bank account. 

Liability insurance 

We strongly recommend that our exchange students take out a liability insurance. A liability insurance offers specific protection against third party claims and covers the risks of everyday life, such as causing damages to a car through a bike accident. To a certain extent, this insurance also covers damages caused by participation in athletic activities or one’s liability in owning or renting an apartment. In some cases of former exchange students a liability insurance has proven to be very useful. If you take out a liability insurance in your home country make sure that the policy is also valid for Germany/Europe.  

Please also read the information about the liablity insurance on our website.

Homeowner's insurance 

Even though you are not the owner of your room at the student residence you could consider to take out a homeowner's insurance. Without this type of insurance your property (e.g. furniture, clothing, and electronic appliances) in your apartment or room at the student residence is not insured. A homeowner's insurance will insure your property against fire or storm damages or break-ins. There are several insurance providers this kind of insurance such as Allianz, DEVK, and HUK24. 

In comparison to other German towns, Mannheim is not an unusually expensive place to live. However, you will still probably require more money than you would at home. This will particularly be the case during the first month when you will need to buy things like tableware, textbooks, etc. Altogether you should plan on spending about €970–1.000 per month (rent with Studierendenwerk Mannheim €395–540; health insurance approx. €125, broadcasting fee €18.36, and the rest for food, clothing and leisure activities).

However, your expenses depend upon your individual lifestyle and habits.

Legal Advice

Free of charge legal advice for students can be obtained from a lawyer at the students' union. Within an initial consultation, you can ask questions concerning problems you might have with a landlady/-lord, the broadcasting fee or cell phone contract.

Office hours: Wed: 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

You can make an appointment here:

E-mail: rechtsberatungmail-asta.uni-mannheim.de

Phone: + 49 621 /400 68 256

Further information can be found here (in German only).

If you are in need of legal advice, the social counselling service of the Studierendenwerk can provide you with suggestions as to where and how you can seek legal advice at an affordable price. Moreover, the social counselling service can refer you to the appropriate offices.

Office hours:
Tue: 12.30 p.m .- 3.30 p.m.
Thu: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Bismarckstraße 10 (Mensaria am Schloss)
Entrance A – Room 04

You can make an appointment with Ms. Doris Neubauer:
Tel.: 0621 / 49072-530
E-mail: sozialberatungmail-stw-ma.de

More information about legal advice can be found here (in German only).

Legal Aid

There is a legal aid (legal representation in court proceedings) available for students who do not have enough money to pay for a lawyer and other costs in connection with a court case. The legal aid helps parties who are unable to pay for the cost of a law suit to defend their rights.

Consultation and application: 

Amtsgericht Mannheim, Rechtsantragsstelle
Schloss, west wing, Room 001, Ground floor

Registration:
Mon and Thu: 8.30 am – 10 am

More information about the prerequisites and application for legal aid can be found here (in German only).

The team of the Social Counseling and Financial Advice provides you with support and can answer questions regarding the organization of your life and your studies. They also give financial advice and answer questions regarding insurance policies. The Social Counseling Service of the Studierendenwerk is open to all students of the University of Mannheim. In case of social, financial or personal problems, you can avail yourself of the counseling services and advice in terms of social and financial benefits.

Contact: Ms. Doris Neubauer
Email: sozialberatungmail-stw-ma.de
Phone: 00 49 621 / 49072 – 530

If you are interesting in pursuing a career in Germany after graduation, the Career Service department of the university provides many resources and contacts for you:

Career Services Department for new graduates

Job portal of the Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit)

Job offers for qualified professionals – “Make it in Germany"

Job market “Professionals for Baden-Württemberg”

Job offers in the University of Mannheim

Job Center Student Union “AStA”

Offers by the School of Social Sciences

Job portal of the School of Humanities

Job board of the School of Law

Absolventa

Berufsstart

Jobeinstieg

Important: Please check if your residence permit in Germany allows you to carry out any form of employment! The respective Foreigners’ Registration Office (“Ausländerbehörde”) can assist you with this. A residence permit usually allows employment of up to 120 full days or 240 half-days per year in addition to any student jobs on campus

450€ jobs (mini-job)

A “450€ job” or “mini-job” is a minor employment job. You are allowed to earn up to €450 per month without having to pay social security contributions or income taxes. You are allowed to have more than one mini-job at a time; however, the total income of all mini-jobs combined may not exceed the limit of €450 per month.

More information about 450€ jobs can be found here (in German only): JOBMENSA

Student assistant jobs

The various research institutes, faculties, and the administration of the University of Mannheim offer positions for students as research or student assistants (“HiWis”) on a contractual basis. Working hours can range from 10 to 40 hours per month. While you make money in any job, working as a HiWi gives you the opportunity to gain an insight into certain fields of research.

For more information, please see the following website:

Uni job board – student assistant jobs

Working student / student employee

It is also possible for students to work certain hours parallel to your studies as a student employee (“Werkstudentin/Werkstudent”). Many companies such as Siemens, BASF, and SAP offer such job opportunities, and it would be best for you to refer to the various job portals of the respective companies for more information.

Student employee job portal by the School of Humanities | Berufsstart | Jobscout24

An internship is a great opportunity for you to familiarize yourself with the German labor market and to gain working experience. The following links will be very useful if you are interested in completing an internship.

Most of the websites below are in German, so please contact the International Office if you need assistance.

Career Service of the University of Mannheim

Internship Portal of the School of Business

Internship Portal of the School of Humanities

Internship Portal for the School of Social Sciences 

Internship Portal of the Student Union (AStA) 

Internships within the University

eFinancialCareers

Praktikum.de

Job market of the Federal Employment Agency

An internship could be counted as part of your studies and, hence, the internship hours will not count into the 120 full days and 240 half-days per year. This is the case if: 

• it is a mandatory internship according to study or examination regulations of your home institution or
• you have a confirmation that the internship is required to successfully complete/verifibly necessary to your education

As the study and examination regulations of your home institution are relevant for your degree course, the confirmation on the above needs to be issued by your home institution.

News (paper & online)

Are you interested in the daily happenings and would like to improve your German skills all at the same time? 

The Deutsche Welle is the German public international broadcaster. Here you can find daily news in 30 languages, as well as a large segment focused on learning German. There you will also find “Deutsch aktuell”, a site that provides news vocabulary in German, and publishes a slowly spoken news broadcast in German (so, that learners of German may understand the content better).

Local Newspaper

The local newspaper in Mannheim is called „Mannheimer Morgen“ and is printed Monday through Saturday.

Nationwide newspapers and journals 

Daily Newspapers

Süddeutsche Zeitung | Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung  | Handelsblatt | Die Welt | taz – die Tageszeitung

Weekly Newspapers

Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung | Die Zeit

News Magazines
The following magazines are circulated weekly; these magazines feature articles on political, economic, and cultural happenings:

Der Spiegel | Focus  | Stern

Broadcasting in Germany

If you have registered a place of residence in Germany, you have to pay a monthly broadcasting license fee. This finances public broadcasting. You can find information on the license fee in your To Dos after Enrollment.

Public TV Programs

The two major nationwide public broadcasting programs are Das Erste (ARD) and ZDF. Other stations within the public broadcasting system are:

• arte (European cultural channel in 6 languages),
• 3sat (joint program of the German-speaking area / DACH),
• Phoenix (program on political and social issues from ARD & ZDF),
• the regional broadcaster of the ARD in Baden-Württemberg is SWR.

Radio stations

Here you will find a selection of radio stations (of the region) and the corresponding frequencies:

Deutschland­funk (national) | bigFM (87.8) |  DASDING (91.5) | SWR3 (99.9) | Sunshine live (106.1) | Radio Regenbogen (102.8) | Rockland Radio (93.2)

If you want to send a postcard, letter or parcel, etc., you can find an overview of the several stores of the Deutsche Post in Mannheim here.

You can buy stamps at the post office at the counter or at a stamp machine. But you can also buy stamps online.

The prices for shipping larger parcels and packages by DHL can be found here.

For international students, it makes sense to buy a German SIM card, as you pay a lot more for calls and text messages within Germany with a foreign SIM card.

German mobile phone providers usually offer two forms of payment: You can either sign up for a contract or buy a prepaid SIM card.

The contract duration for a mobile phone contract in Germany is usually two years. You pay a monthly fee for a fixed amount of units for calls to landlines and mobile phones, text messages and data. You will be charged extra for any units used above this limit. The monthly fee will be automatically deducted from your German bank account. Some providers also offer student deals. However, before signing a contract, you should read the terms and conditions carefully.

If you do not want to sign up for a contract, you can buy a prepaid SIM card, which usually comes with some starting credit. After using up the credit, you can simply top-up your card. You can do this online, via phone, at the phone provider’s store and in most supermarkets and drug stores.

These are some useful tips when signing up for a contract or purchasing a prepaid card:

• How much do the monthly plans cost?
• Is there any starting credit provided?
• How expensive are calls to mobiles, to landlines (local and abroad), text messages and data usage?
• How long is the contract duration?
• Do you get a free phone or do you need to buy a new one?
• Does it come with a Micro SIM card?

The three biggest mobile phone providers in Germany are:

T-Mobile  | Vodafone | O2

There are different possibilities for setting up internet in your apartment. If you are living in a shared apartment, installing DSL with Wi-Fi might be the best possibility, as you can divide the monthly costs between all occupants. If you are living alone or would like to have internet access on your computer outside your apartment, a USB laptop stick (“Surfstick”) might be the better option for you.

DSL / Wi-Fi

In order to set up Wi-Fi in your apartment, you have to make a contract with an internet provider of your choice (e.g. Telekom). You then have to install a wireless router in your apartment, which you can purchase directly from the provider.

You can find some current DSL internet tariffs for students on the following website: DSL tariffs (in German only)

Possible precaution against illegal downloads: In a shared apartment, you could make a contract with your flat mates, in which you agree that every tenant is liable for any damage caused by him. Otherwise, the owner of the internet/phone connection could be prosecuted. (see also: illegal downloads)

“Surfsticks” / USB laptop sticks

You can also purchase a USB laptop stick for mobile internet from different providers. The big advantage of a USB laptop stick is that it is wireless and can be used anywhere. You simply plug it into your computer and it connects with the internet.

You can find some current mobile internet tariffs for students on the following website: Surfstick tariffs (in German only)

Please note: No matter which option you choose, before signing a contract you should always be aware of any connection fees, monthly fees, whether there is a data limit or minimum contract duration and what the exact cancellation period is.

VRN JugendticketBW/VRN Youth-TicketBW

Since 1 March 2023, the state-wide valid “JugendticketBW“ exists. For €365 a year, students under 27 can use public transport all over Baden-Württemberg and the entire VRN area.

Trips to Heidelberg, Speyer, Worms, Kaiserslautern, Würzburg, Wissembourg in France and even Stuttgart, Freiburg, Ulm, Tübingen and Constance are included if you travel on regional trains.

The ticket and its costs

The VRN JugendticketBW is a personal, non-transferable annual ticket that can be purchased by students of the University of Mannheim under the age of 27. The ticket costs €365 a year.

Students over 27 can still purchase the semester ticket.

Students at the University of Mannheim can also obtain the VRN JugendticketBW as a half-year ticket in cash sales at the customer centers/mobility centers for a transitional period (including Fall Semester 2023/Spring Semester 2024).

Validity

The VRN JugendticketBW is valid in all public transport buses and trams in Baden-Württemberg and the entire VRN area (in West Palatinate also on school days starting from 2 p.m.), but not in long-distance buses or trains (e.g., IC, EC, ICE of Deutsche Bahn AG). Included in the VRN area is the usage of the so-called Call Cab (Ruftaxi).

The VRN JugendticketBW is valid at all times during the day. It cannot be transferred, and users cannot take somebody with them for free. The ticket is only valid in second class and cannot be updated to first class.

Details of validity

How to purchase the ticket

You can purchase the ticket
– with the order form online or via post
– as a subscription in the shops of rnv and DB
– as a subscription in the customer service centers of DB
– as an online ticket in the app VRN-Ticket (DB)

Download order form

I already have a valid student ticket

For students at the University of Mannheim that have bought a semester ticket in the past few months and will still own it by 1 March 2023, there is the following possibility:
DB and rnv VRN semester tickets purchased in the past few months (up to the start of validity on February 1st) are valid from March 1st as a VRN JugendticketBW until the end of the respective validity, at the latest until 7/31/2023.

VRN connecting semester tickets that have already been purchased will be refunded on a pro-rata basis by the transportation companies that sell them. For VRN connection semester tickets purchased from Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH, please contact the rnv. For subsequent semester tickets purchased from DB, please contact  DB.

Semester ticket

For students over 27, the semester ticket is still the best option. With the semester ticket, you can travel on local public transportation and on regional Deutsche Bahn trains within the VRN network (Verkehrsbund Rhein-Neckar) for the whole semester at a current cost of €185.

Trips to Heidelberg, Speyer, Worms, Kaiserslautern, Würzburg and even Wissembourg in France are included if you travel on regional trains.

The ticket and the costs

The semester ticket is a personal, non-transferrable ticket. All students at the University of Mannheim can purchase the discounted semester ticket.

The ticket currently costs €185 per semester.

Validity

The ticket is valid in the whole area of the VRN network with the exception of the Western Palatinate network. You can travel on buses, trams and local trains (but not on intercity express – ICE – trains). The ticket is only valid in combination with your student ID, and you have to show it to the ticket inspector when asked.

Selling points

The semester ticket can be purchased at several different selling points:

• At the RNV-Kundenzentrum in N1: Please show them a certificate of study (Studienbescheinigung) from the University, which you received during your enrollment or which you can print at one of the terminals. You can find the opening hours here.
• At the counter of the Deutsche Bahn inside the central train station. You also have to show a certificate of study (Studienbescheinigung) from the University.
• New: You can now buy the semester ticket online and print it out yourself (German only).

Further information regarding the semester ticket can be found here.

Evening and weekend regulation

Students who do not have a Semesterticket or VRN JugendticketBW can travel free of charge on public transport throughout the VRN area on weekdays from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following day as well as entirely on weekends and on public holidays. This requires the ecUM imprint at the self-service terminals.

The Deutschlandticket is available as of 1 May 2023. The ticket is valid for short-range public transportation throughout Germany and costs EUR 49 per month. The subscription can be canceled on a monthly basis. Information on the new ticket can be found on the VRN website: www.vrn.de/deutschlandticket (in German).

Students who would like to buy the Deutschlandticket should consider the following:

• Students at higher education institutions with semester tickets pay a base fare for their ticket including or excluding evening and weekend services. Upgrades, i.e., a deduction of the base fare from the price of the Deutschlandticket are not possible.
• Students who have already bought a semester ticket or extension semester ticket: If you change to the Deutschlandticket, your semester ticket can only be reimbursed provided the general regulations on return and reimbursement according to section 10 (3) of VRN’s conditions of carriage (VRN Beförderungsbedingungen) are met. According to the regulations, until you return your semester ticket and per day of use, two five-way tickets in tariff zone 2 (extension semester ticket: two single tickets in tariff zone 5) are deducted from the price of the semester ticket. Only the difference amount is reimbursed.
• Students with a VRN JugendticketBW: You can change to the Deutschlandticket even before the end of the first year of the contract at no extra charge. If you change back from the Deutschlandticket to the VRN JugendticketBW, the contract term for the VRN JugendticketBW recommences.

The Deutsche Bahn (abbreviated DB) operates a large part of the rail traffic in Germany. The offer consists of long-distance and regional public transport, as well as car and bike sharing.

There are different train categories. You can use some of them with the semester ticket, others only with a separate ticket booking.

Trains that you can use with a semester ticket (within the ticket's area of ​​validity) at no extra charge:

• S-Bahn (marked with S)
• Regional trains (marked with RE, RB or regional names, e.g. süwex).

If you do not have a semester ticket, you can buy a ticket for regional public transport via the DB app or at the ticket machine in the train station.

Trains for which you definitely need to book a ticket:

• Eurocity (EC)
• InterCity (IC)
• InterCity Express (ICE)
• train à grande vitesse (TGV).

You can book these long-distance trains on the DB website or in the DB app. At larger (main) train stations there is usually a so-called DB Reisezentrum, which you can visit if you want to make, cancel or rebook, or if there are problems with a booking.

In any case, you will need a valid ticket before boarding a train.

Traveling without a ticket

Using public transport (or any other train) without a valid ticket is illegal. If you cannot present a valid ticket during the ticket inspection, you will have to pay a fine of at least € 40. You should therefore always remember to buy and validate a ticket before you start your journey

Special offers from DB

You can find out which ticket is suitable for your trip in the DB's offer advisor (available in German only).

Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket (Across-the-country-ticket)

With the Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket, a group of up to five people can travel on all regional trains in Germany during the weekend. The ticket is valid on Saturday or Sunday from midnight until 3 am the following day. The ticket is also valid for all buses, trams and metro systems in the cities, but not for the faster trains, i.e. the EC, IC and ICE. The ticket costs 40 € for the first passenger when buying it online or at the ticket machines. Tickets for any additional passengers cost 4 € extra each.

Länderticket (Regional Day Ticket)

With the Länderticket, you can travel alone or in a group in all regional trains within a federal state for a whole day. The ticket is valid from 9am to 3 am the following day on weekdays and from midnight to 3 am the following day on Fridays and on weekends. The ticket costs from 22 € for the first passenger and a further 3 € for any additional passenger.

Bahncard

You can get discounts on all train connections with the Bahncard (between 25 and 50%). However, please remember to cancel the card 6 weeks before its expiry date, or else it will be renewed automatically for another year.

Sparpreis (Saver fare)

The earlier you book a ticket, the cheaper the ticket will be. However, please note: If you book a "Saver Fare” ticket, you will have to take  the stated train connection and you will not be able to change your travel plans at short notice.

Long distance buses provide an affordable alternative to other means of transportation. Especially between larger cities and airports, you can find numerous long distance bus connections. At your destination, you can also connect with regional and long distance transportation. Most long distance buses offer air conditioning, comfortable seats, restroom, modern security equipment and wi-fi. You can also often buy snacks and drinks in the bus. So there is nothing more to prevent you from your spontaneous weekend trip! Have a good journey!

On the following website, you can find a list of long distance bus connections from and to Mannheim:

Busradar

Here you can look for your individual long distance bus connection and for the best offer:

comparison of means of transport 

Are you interested in going on a short trip during the weekend? Here is a list of some airports near Mannheim:
 

Frankfurt International Airport is the largest airport in Germany. It is located about 80 km north of Mannheim. From here you can fly to many cities all over the world. You can reach the airport by train, long-distance bus or car.

Frankfurt Hahn Airport is a smaller airport in Rhineland-Palatinate, located about 100 km northwest of Mannheim. It is where many budget airlines, such as Ryanair, fly from. You can reach the airport by long-distance bus or car.

Airport Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden is a smaller airport in Baden-Württemberg, located about 80 km south of Mannheim. Budget airlines such as Germanwings and Ryanair fly to several European cities from here. You can reach the airport by long-distance bus or car.

Stuttgart Airport is one of the bigger airports in Germany. It is located about 100 km southeast of Mannheim. You can reach the airport by train, long-distance bus or car.

Germans not only love their cars, but they also love their bikes. A highly developed infrastructure of bicycle paths is the foundation for this enthusiasm. With a bike you can visit friends, do grocery shopping, explore nature, or get home regardless of tram or bus timetables.

Would you like to purchase a bicycle but don't know where to go? If so, the following links to websites and bicycle shops that sell used bicycles should be of help:

Mannheim

1. Radhof Neckarstadt
   This bicycle shop operated by a Non-Profit-Organisation in Mannheim Neckarstadt offers second hand bikes from 50 Euro onwards. They repair bikes, but you can also use their space to repair your bike on your own or with some help.
2. Mannheimer Gebrauchtradmärkte
   Different flea markets for bikes take place in Mannheim several times each year. The dates of the markets can be found on the website.
3. Basement Bikes
   This bicycle shop offers second hand bikes, a repair services and a DIY-Workshop once a week.

Internet

Furthermore, there are plenty of sales available online through various websites such as:

1. eBay „small ads“ (in German)
   In contrast to eBay, you do not have to buy your bike through an auctioning process at eBay “small ads”. Moreover, you can limit your search for bikes to Mannheim and the surrounding area.
2. Quoka (in German)

Bike Rentals 

VRNextbike

VRNextbike is a common bike rental system, which is available in Mannheim, Ludwigshafen Heidelberg and Speyer. The first 30 minutes are free of charge for students of the University of Mannheim. All following 30 miuntes are charged with €1. A whole day (24 h) costs €9, one week is €29 and a whole month is 49 €. You can find further information about the prices here.

Before using the bikes, you have to register. Please use your University of Mannheim email address that you have received after your enrollment. Otherwise, you are unable to get the first 30 miuntes free of charge.
You can do this either online, at the electronical terminals, via app or via the hotline (+49 30 69205046).

If you want to rent a bike, you can directly enter the bike’s registration number at the terminal, via the app or through the hotline. To return the bike, simply put it into one of the bicycle racks of one of the VRNextbike stations and confirm the return of the bike at the electronical terminal, via the app or through the hotline.

Taxis are rather expensive in Germany but can be quite useful – especially in case you need to get home at night after the trams and buses have stopped running. There are several taxi firms in Mannheim. You can give them a call anytime and they will come and pick you up wherever you are.

The number of the Taxi-Zentrale Mannheim is 0621/ 44 40 44.

To get the contact details of other taxi companies, please check www.gelbeseiten.de.

Women Night Taxi

The “Women Night Taxi” is a service offered by the city of Mannheim that provides safe and secure transportation for women at night. The service is available from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and includes a discount of 6 € on the taxi fare.

Please make sure to mention, when you order the taxi, that you wish to use the Women Night Taxi service, called “FrauenNachtTaxi” in German.

Who can use the Women Night Taxi?
Every female person from the age of 14 is eligible to use this service. Kindly note that you cannot use the Women Night Taxi discount if you are in company of a male person.
However, in order to use the service you do not need to be a resident of the city of Mannheim but your pick-up location has to be within the city limit of Mannheim.

When are Women Night Taxis available?

You can use the Woman Night Taxi service every day (including weekends and public holidays) from 10 p.m. to 6 p.m.

How can you arrange for a Women Night Taxi?

To make use of the service, you can either call a participating taxi company or get into a taxi that is waiting in the streets. You can recognize a participating taxi company by the label “Ich bin ein Frauentaxi.” Even if there is no such label visible, you can still inquire if the fare is offered. When you get into the taxi immediately state you wish to use the Women Night Taxi fare.

Where does the Women Night Taxi go to?

Although the Women Night Taxi ride has to start within the city limit of Mannheim, the destination can be located outside of Mannheim.

How much do you have to pay?

You pay the price shown on the taximeter minus 6 €. At your request, the taxi driver can accompany you to your entrance door.

Shopping Hours

If you are used to shop at all hours, you will have to change your shopping behavior in Germany. In general, supermarkets in Germany are closed on Sundays. From Monday – Saturday, most bigger stores are open until 8 pm. An exception is Rewe in N1, which is open until midnight.

On public holidays, stores are also closed, but public holidays vary from state to state in Germany. For example, 6 January (Epiphany) is a holiday in Baden-Württemberg, so the stores in Mannheim will be closed. However, since it is not a public holiday in Rheinland-Pfalz, the stores in Ludwigshafen will be open. In urgent shortages, you can always buy products at the gas station or the central station (usually at a higher price than in supermarkets).

You can also save money by buying groceries at the large discount supermarkets such as Aldi, Lidl and Netto. You should also keep any eye on their weekly specials and compare prices carefully. In this way, you can save some money.

VAT

In contrast to other countries the price on the product is the one you pay. The VAT is already added and is 19% in Germany.

Characteristics

Deposit on cans and bottles

You have to pay a deposit on every can or bottle in Germany (between 0.02 and 0.25 €). You will find automated machines that scan each bottle and determine the deposit value in every supermarket. Therefore, it makes sense to bring the empty bottles back to the supermarket.

Shopping carts

If you want to use a shopping cart, you should always have a 1 € coin with you. You put the coin into the cart as a deposit, which you get back after returning the cart.

Fruit and vegetables

In some supermarkets you have to weigh your fruit and vegetables on your own, while in other shops they will be weighed at the checkout. Please do not touch every single fruit. It is also not allowed to taste them.

Shopping bags

You do not get shopping bags free of charge in German supermarkets. You have to buy them at the checkout. Instead of paying for a new bag every time you go shopping, you should bring your own reusable shopping bag with you.

Some cultural advice

Please don't be bewildered by the German cashiers. In some stores they are very fast. Besides, they will not bag up your groceries for you; this is something you have to do on your own.

Supermarkets

• Rewe, Edeka/CAP, smaller local supermarkets
• Discounters: Aldi, Lidl, Penny, Netto
• Larger stores with a larger assortment of household appliances: Kaufland, real
• Organic shops: Denns, Alnatura, basic
• Drugstores: dm, Rossmann

Tip: Compare the weekly specials of the markets and shop seasonally to save money.

International grocery stores in Mannheim

• Asian food: go asia supermarket
• Russian and Polish food: Mix Markt (Konzertstr. 25, 68169 Mannheim)
• Spanish and Italian foods: G5, 5

Weekly markets

Fruit and vegetables from the region as well as other fresh regional products can be bought at the weekly market. You can find detailed information about the Mannheim weekly markets here. In addition to the markets listed here, there are also district markets.

• Main market on Marktplatz (G1), Tuesday and Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Mannheim Central Station (Willy-Brandt-Platz), Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Kapuzinerplanken organic market, Friday 12: 00–19: 00

A cozy environment is important when living in a foreign country. Bare walls, dull furniture, and empty window-sills are often characteristic for rooms in student housing and new apartments. This atmosphere does not invite the tenant to relax, learn, and overcome the culture shock they may be experiencing. This is why we have put together a list of stores where you can buy furniture and decorations for your room.

Below you find a list with stores that sell new but also second-hand furniture. There is a store for every budget.

In stores such as Woolworth or Kaufhof you can find household items such as pot sets, hand-held blenders, plates, cups and other small furniture items. Oftentimes, you can also find small furniture in these stores. In furniture stores such as Ikea or mömax you can find small furniture, but also other useful household items. Other furniture stores such as Dänisches Bettenlager offer cheap mattresses, blankets, bed-linen, and pillows.

Second-hand furniture and household items

In Mannheim, there are a number of second-hand stores (such as Fairkauf or Markthaus) that offer u

Building supplies stores

Typical German building supplies store chains are: Hornbach, Praktiker, Max Bahr, and Bauhaus. They offer anything you need for diy projects, but also shelfs or lamps. You can find out via the internet which store is closest to your home.