Aarau for newcomers: city office districts and everyday life
Guide for newcomers
Aarau: cantonal capital between the Jura and the Aare
The first few weeks
Aarau is the capital of the canton of Aargau and lies on the right bank of the Aare, around 38 km west of Zurich and 39 km south-east of Basel. At the beginning of 2026 just under 23,000 people lived here; since the merger with Rohr in 2010, this district has also been part of the city. The city is divided into 17 districts: from the old town with its baroque gabled houses and the large Telli housing estate, home to around one eighth of the population, to the Torfeld Süd development area. Schachen, Gönhard and Zelgli also have their own school centres.
Anyone moving to Aarau benefits from short distances: Aarau station lies on the east-west line between Zurich and Bern and offers direct connections to Zurich, Basel, Bern and Lucerne; it is one of the busiest stations in Switzerland. More than half of the people who work in Aarau commute in from outside. In the first few weeks, what counts is registering at the city office (Stadtbüro), finding a flat and – if you are moving from Germany – Form 18.44 for customs. Our private move service plans the transport from Berlin to fit your move-in date.
A fixed price for your move from Berlin to Aarau
After a survey, liability under the German Commercial Code (HGB)
We are based in Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and travel to Switzerland; Aarau is around 844 km away. We give you the fixed price after the survey; your belongings are covered under the HGB, and additional insurance is available. Call us on 01625978461 or find out more about our private move.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
Your move from Berlin to Aarau
Customs, access, assembly
A move to Aarau needs preparation: the old town is closed to through traffic and can only be entered via Schlossplatz and Laurenzentorgasse; outside the goods delivery times you need a day permit from the city police. In the Telli residential blocks we clarify the lift reservation, and at the border Form 18.44. We give you the fixed price after the survey; we are liable for your belongings under the HGB. We are based in Berlin; destinations with their own pages can be found under Locations.
Packing Service
Office Move
Senior Move
Furniture Transport
Six steps for newcomers
From customs to number plates: these points belong on your list when moving to Aarau. The information comes from the City of Aarau and the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG); check opening hours and fees before visiting the authorities, as they may change.
Form 18.44
Register at the city office
Re-register your car
Check old-town access
Parking card via app
Dogs and waste disposal
Part loads – the clever solution
Aarau
for newcomers
In this guide you will find out which district suits your everyday life and which formalities apply when moving here – from registering at the city office to number plates. According to Wikipedia, the largest employer is the cantonal administration, followed by healthcare with the Kantonsspital Aarau and the Hirslanden clinic. Culture such as the Aargauer Kunsthaus and the Naturama is also summarised. If you are moving from Germany, find out more about long-distance moves to Aarau.
Choosing a neighbourhood
Customs and moving day
Costs, timing and special cases
Frequently asked questions about living in Aarau
Working and studying in Aarau
Aarau is a city of administration and services: according to Wikipedia, by far the largest employer is the cantonal administration, with several thousand employees in Behmen, Buchenhof and the Telli tower block. The second pillar is healthcare, with the Kantonsspital Aarau, the largest hospital in the canton with around 4,600 employees, and the Hirslanden Klinik Aarau.
Education has a long tradition: the Alte Kantonsschule, opened in 1802, where Albert Einstein took his Matura, is regarded as the oldest non-church grammar school in Switzerland; there is also the Neue Kantonsschule and vocational schools. The University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland has its headquarters in nearby Windisch.
Quality of life and leisure on the Aare
Its location on the Aare shapes the feel of the city: two narrow islands, the Schacheninsel and the Zurlindeninsel, divide the river into two arms, and paths along the banks invite you to go for a walk. The old town with its baroque gabled houses, the Oberer Turm and the Schlössli is ideal for strolling; every Saturday morning there is a vegetable market on the Graben.
Culturally, Aarau scores with the Aargauer Kunsthaus, whose extension was designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the Naturama natural history museum, the Bühne Aarau theatre in the Alte Reithalle and the KiFF cultural centre. For families there are five school centres and several kindergartens, with separate school buildings in the Rohr district.
Transparent prices for your move
With us you always know where you stand: we move a 1-room flat from as little as €375, for 2 rooms costs start at €609, while a 3-room move is possible from €905. If you live in a 4-room flat, you pay from €1,324, and for a house or villa we draw up an individual quote. We also charge fairly for long-distance moves – from just €4.10/km. Arrange a free survey now to find out your personal price.
Calculating your move
The cost of your move is based on the volume, the distance (from €4.10/km) and structural conditions such as the floor and lift. If a parking restriction zone is needed, this is also included in the price. Additional options are furniture assembly and a shared load.
How we support you in your move
We offer tailor-made solutions for every moving situation – private as well as business.
- Clearance Fast and clean household liquidation.
- Move with assembly All-round carefree package with assembly service.
- Home move Professional support with the change of flat.
- Furniture transport Single-furniture transport with specialist staff.
- Company move So your business can work again quickly.
- Part load Affordable transport through grouped loads.
From Berlin to Aarau – and back
We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and travel to Switzerland; Aarau is around 844 km away. The route and customs are described on the page Moving Berlin – Aarau. Further destinations are shown in the locations overview, and long routes on the long-distance moves page.
Aarau's districts at a glance: 17 districts, five city areas
The City of Aarau is divided into 17 districts: Hungerberg, Binzenhof, Altstadt, Telli, Ausserfeld, Scheibenschachen, Goldern, Damm, Hinterdorf, Gönhard, Innenstadt, Siebenmatten, Torfeld Süd, Rössligut, Zelgli, Schachen and Torfeld Nord. According to the city, together they form five city areas: Aare-Nord, Aarau-Süd, Zentrum, Telli and Aarau-Rohr. The city publishes a profile of each district (as of 2021) on aarau.ch.
If you are moving into the old town, you need to consider access: the old town is closed to motorised through traffic, and according to the city vehicles may only enter it via Schlossplatz and Laurenzentorgasse (with a few exceptions); parking in the zone is not allowed. If you want to move outside the goods delivery times, the Aarau city police will issue the necessary day permit. To reach the town hall, the city recommends the Flösserplatz car park; in the Flösserplatz multi-storey car park, one hour (1 to 5 hours) costs CHF 2.00 Monday to Saturday from 7 am to 7 pm.
The station with its bus station was rebuilt in 2010. According to the city, there are direct connections within the city quadrangle of Zurich, Basel, Bern and Lucerne. The city sells parking cards digitally via the Parkingpay app; residents pay CHF 5 per day, CHF 10 per week, CHF 30 per month or CHF 300 per year. The city's "EuseWerkhof" waste app reminds you of waste collection dates. How we plan moves in Aarau is explained in the moving guide for Aarau.
Registering in Aarau: eUmzug, the city office and customs when moving here
From another municipality in Aargau, according to the City of Aarau, you deregister and register online via eumzug.swiss. Foreign nationals moving from outside the canton deregister with their previous municipality and come to the city office with their passport or ID, residence permit, tenancy agreement, birth certificate, marriage certificate if applicable and the deregistration confirmation. The city does not state a deadline on this page.
The city office is in the town hall, Rathausgasse 1, 5000 Aarau (tel. 062 843 46 21, [email protected]). It is open Monday to Wednesday and Friday from 8.00 to 11.30 and 14.00 to 17.00, Thursday from 8.00 to 11.30 and 14.00 to 19.00, and on the first and third Saturday of the month from 8.00 to 11.30.
If you are moving from Germany, you take your household goods across the border. The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) names moving your residence to Switzerland as the most important condition for duty-free import. The items must also have been in personal use for at least six months and continue to be used afterwards. At the border you present Form 18.44 (household removal goods). A preliminary check is possible if the dossier arrives at least two working days before crossing the border. Information is available from the customs information service on +41 58 467 15 15. If you bring a dog, according to the city you pay an annual dog tax of CHF 120 and register the animal via the online counter. More on customs: Moving to Switzerland: customs formalities.
Related Articles