Living in Gotha: Registering on Ekhofplatz Villages, Daily Life
Arriving in Gotha
Gotha: Residence Town Between Erfurt, Eisenach and the Thuringian Forest
– the first few weeks
With 45,904 inhabitants (31 December 2025), Gotha is the fifth-largest city in Thuringia and the administrative seat of the district of Gotha. For centuries it was the residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and later of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; above the town towers Friedenstein Palace with the Ekhof Theatre, regarded as the first stage with a permanent ensemble. In 1820 Ernst-Wilhelm Arnoldi founded the German insurance industry here with the Gothaer insurance company, and in 1785 the map publisher Justus Perthes was established. For newcomers, daily life begins at the Bürgerbüro (citizens' office) in the Neues Rathaus on Ekhofplatz.
Today, work comes mainly from industrial companies: Schmitz Cargobull builds lorry semi-trailers in the Gotha-Ost commercial area with around 800 staff, Gothaer Fahrzeugtechnik makes crane mast tips, and there is also a ZF gearbox plant and the Gothaer brewery. Gotha is also home to the Thuringian University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration. ICE trains between Dresden and Frankfurt stop at the station, and the A 4 has two junctions. We do not give specific rents. We handle the transport from Berlin as a home removal.
Your Move to Gotha – Survey First, Then Plan
Predictable from the first box to assembly
Call us on 01625978461 if you are moving to Gotha. After a survey, we give you a fixed price for the route of around 328 km; your belongings are covered under the HGB, and additional insurance is available for valuables. The route via the A9 and A4 is described on the page Moving Berlin – Gotha.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
Transport by us, paperwork by you
Who does what
We have no branch in Gotha: the lorry sets off from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and drives around 328 km via the A9 and A4. Beforehand we ask about the floor, lift and access – whether in the city centre, Siebleben or Sundhausen. On request, we apply in good time to the responsible authority for the parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone) outside your new address. We give you the fixed price after the survey; liability is under § 451e HGB (€620 per m³). You take care of registering at the Bürgerbüro in the Neues Rathaus, Ekhofplatz 24, yourself – within two weeks of moving in. Tips on booking an appointment can be found in the article Booking an appointment at the Bürgeramt.
Packing Service
Furniture assembly
Storage
Parking restriction
After Moving In to Gotha
The removal van is empty – now the settling in begins. Newcomers to Gotha should take care of these six points in the first few weeks; we handle transport, assembly and the parking restriction, while the visits to the authorities are up to you.
Registration within two weeks
Landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
Choose a district or village
Use the tram
Register your moving day
Re-register your car
Only One Room to Move to Gotha?
If you come to Gotha for training at the University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration, you rarely need a whole lorry. With a shared load, your belongings use free load space on a trip heading for Gotha. We agree collection in Berlin and delivery in advance; this trip is also covered under the HGB.
New
in Gotha: Daily Life
Anyone moving to Gotha has quite a lot to do in the first few weeks: registering at the Bürgerbüro in the Neues Rathaus within two weeks, the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung), resident parking if needed, and nursery or school places. For moving day itself, the city has a separate appointment category under road traffic. Then there is the choice between the city centre around the palace and Hauptmarkt and villages such as Siebleben or Sundhausen. If you live without a car, you use the tram and the Thuringian Forest Railway; if you commute, look at the ICE and Regional Express services at the station. This guide brings together the most important steps for the first few weeks – with information from the city.
Paperwork and deadlines
Flat and neighbourhood
Organising everyday life
Frequently Asked Questions About Living in Gotha
Districts and Villages: How Gotha Is Divided
According to the city, Gotha is divided into seven districts, plus four villages with their own village council. The city centre lies around Hauptmarkt, the Historic Town Hall and Friedenstein Palace, surrounded by the palace park. The Flutgraben channel flows through the city from south to north, and the Wiegwasser in Gotha-Nord.
The largest village is Siebleben in the south-east, with 5,180 inhabitants, part of Gotha since 1922; this is also where the Mönchspark with its hunting lodge is located. Sundhausen in the west has belonged to the city since 1974, Boilstädt and Uelleben in the south since 1994. Bufleben, which is sometimes mentioned, is in fact a separate neighbouring municipality. We do not give specific rents because we have no reliable source.
Work, Transport and Leisure in Gotha
The largest companies include Schmitz Cargobull with its plant for lorry semi-trailers in the Gotha-Ost commercial area (around 800 staff), Gothaer Fahrzeugtechnik (about 400), the ZF gearbox plant and the Gothaer brewery. The Gothaer insurance company was founded here but is now based in Cologne. Gotha is also home to the Thuringian University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration.
Lines from four directions meet at the station; on the Thuringian Railway, ICE trains from Dresden to Frankfurt stop every two hours. The A 4 has the Gotha-Boxberg and Gotha junctions, and Erfurt-Weimar Airport is about 15 km to the east. For leisure, there is the palace park, the six-hectare zoo on the Kleiner Seeberg and, with the Thuringian Forest Railway, the Thuringian Forest.
Prices for your move
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 room | from €349 |
| 2 rooms | from €605 |
| 3 rooms | from €884 |
| 4 rooms | from €1,309 |
| House/villa | individual quote |
| Long-distance move | from €3.80/km |
All prices are guide prices. For an exact calculation, use our free survey.
Volume, distance, floor
Your moving price is made up of several components: the amount of household goods, the kilometres driven (from €3.80/km), the floor and whether a lift can be used. A parking restriction zone may also be needed. We are happy to add furniture assembly or a shared load to your move.
Services around the move
From planning to the last box – our services at a glance.
- Part load – transport cleverly combined.
- Home move – your move into the new flat, worry-free.
- Furniture transport – fast and safe transport.
- Clearance – clearing of flats, cellars and attics.
- Company move – your office moves without standstill.
- Move with assembly – furniture take-down and set-up included.
Route and return trip
We come from Berlin-Moabit; it is around 328 km to Gotha via the A9 and A4, and the lorry takes about 4.5 hours including a break. The route is described on the page Moving Berlin – Gotha, other destinations in the locations overview. The return trip to Berlin is also possible.
Registering in Gotha: the Bürgerbüro in the Neues Rathaus
Under § 17 of the Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz), you register with the registration authority within two weeks of moving in. In Gotha, this is the Bürgerbüro department of the city administration in the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall), Ekhofplatz 24, 99867 Gotha. You can reach the Bürgerbüro by phone on 03621 222-402 or 03621 222-405.
Opening hours according to the City of Gotha:
- Monday and Friday 9 am to 2 pm
- Tuesday and Thursday 9 am to 6 pm
- Wednesday 9 am to 12 noon
- every first Friday of the month until 6 pm
You book appointments via the city's online appointment system. There, the services listed for the Bürgerbüro include resident parking, passports and identity cards. The certificate of registration is available without an appointment. According to the city, it costs €8. The appointment page does not say whether an appointment is needed for registration itself. So call the Bürgerbüro in advance.
Registration requires the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). Under § 19 of the Federal Registration Act, your landlord must cooperate. The Bürgerbüro is wheelchair-accessible and has a lift.
Of interest for moving day: under the “road traffic” category, the appointment system explicitly lists matters such as building works, moving house and driving in the pedestrian zone. General tips can be found in the article Booking an appointment at the Bürgeramt.
Gotha's Villages and the Residence Town Around Friedenstein Palace
According to the city, Gotha has four villages with their own village council, and the city is also divided into seven districts. The villages at a glance:
- Siebleben in the south-east, with 5,180 inhabitants and 12.76 km², is the largest village and has belonged to Gotha since 1922.
- Sundhausen in the west has 1,435 inhabitants (part of Gotha since 1974).
- Boilstädt in the south-west has 867 inhabitants, Uelleben in the south 727 inhabitants. Both have belonged to Gotha since 1994.
The village mayors represent the interests of their village on the city council and are invited to its meetings. According to the city, the village councils advise on local matters, including the use of funds for culture, sport and social affairs. Questions about the villages are answered by the city administration on 03621 222-246 or [email protected].
The city centre is home to the Historic Town Hall at Hauptmarkt 1 and Friedenstein Palace (Schlossplatz 1). The Friedenstein Palace Foundation lists the historic rooms with the Kunstkammer (cabinet of curiosities), the Ducal Museum, natural history, the Ekhof Theatre and the palace park. The museums are open Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays from 10 am to 5 pm.
How the locations differ is explained in the Gotha guide. More about moving to the city can be found on the page Moving to Gotha.
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