Living in Jena: Housing Districts & Registration
Jena for New Residents
Jena: The Saale Valley, the University and the Optics Industry
Settling in, not just moving
With a good 109,000 inhabitants, Jena is the second-largest city in Thuringia after Erfurt. The city lies on the Saale between shell-limestone slopes; a striking feature is the Jenzig, whose limestone ridge glows red in the evening sun. The Friedrich Schiller University was founded in 1558 and, with a good 17,000 students, is the largest in Thuringia; there is also the Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule, and in total around 21,300 people study in Jena. Since the 19th century Jena has been a centre of optics around Carl Zeiss and Schott – the city promotes itself as the City of Light (Lichtstadt). Its landmark is the JenTower, the tallest high-rise in Germany when it was completed in 1972.
For newcomers, the first tasks are an appointment at the citizens' services office, flat-hunting and sorting out the route to university or work. Trams and buses in the city are run by Jenaer Nahverkehr GmbH; a joint fare applies in the network with Erfurt and Weimar. We are a moving company from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21), not from Jena. The route from Berlin – around 259 km via the A9 and A4 – is described on our page Moving Berlin – Jena. We also handle moves from Jena back to Berlin. By lorry we expect about 3.5 hours for the route including a break, so loading and unloading can usually be done on the same day.
Moving to Jena: Request a Fixed Price After a Survey
After a survey, liability under the German Commercial Code (HGB)
Whether from Erfurt, Leipzig or Berlin: we discuss the size of your flat, the floor and access – in an old building in the city centre just as in a prefab block in Lobeda or Winzerla – and after the survey we give you a binding fixed price. Your belongings are covered under the HGB. Call us on 01625978461 for advice with no obligation. On request we include the parking restriction zone, packing materials and furniture assembly in the fixed price.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
What We Clarify Before Your Move to Jena
Slopes, prefab blocks, parking
We come from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and are not a Jena business. That is why we ask detailed questions before moving day: how can the lorry reach the building – in the city centre, on the slopes or in the prefab estates in the south? Is there a lift, how wide is the staircase, is a parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone) needed? Your belongings are covered under the HGB (§ 451e: €620 per m³), and additional insurance is available on request. We give you the price after the survey as a fixed price – whether a student room, an old-building flat or a house. For longer routes, read Long-distance moves.
Packing Service
Office Move
Senior Move
Furniture Transport
Six Steps After Moving In to Jena
From citizens' services to the bonus: these are the tasks for new residents in Jena. We plan the transport with a fixed price; with this list you keep track of the deadlines.
Register within two weeks
Check the bonus
Apply for halls
Use the tram
Budget for the deposit
Re-register your car
Shared Load to Jena
Jena
for Newcomers
When moving to Jena, flat-hunting, district and the registration deadline play a central role. Demand for flats is high because of the many students, so early planning pays off. According to Wikipedia, one large landlord among others is the Carl Zeiss housing cooperative with around 7,500 flats. On request we take care of the parking restriction zone, furniture assembly and – if the flat is not yet free – storage.
Choosing a district
Organising moving day
Businesses and special cases
Frequently Asked Questions from Newcomers in Jena
30 Districts: Where Newcomers Live in Jena
Under its main statute, Jena is divided into 30 districts, many of them former villages with their own district council. At the centre lies Jena-Zentrum with the market square and the JenTower, to the north Jena-Nord, to the west Jena-West. On the other side of the Saale lies Wenigenjena, where archaeologists found the city's oldest cemetery.
In the south, the new Lobeda-West estate was built from 1965 using prefabricated panels; there are also Neulobeda, Winzerla and Lobeda's old town with its market square, town hall and castle. On the outskirts are districts such as Zwätzen, Burgau, Ammerbach or Göschwitz. Where you live determines your tram line, station and carrying distance on moving day – we plan vehicle and team to suit the address. When searching, it is worth looking at the district council pages that the city publishes.
Working, Studying and Leisure in Jena
After 1990 Jena transformed itself from an industrial centre into a centre of education and science. Companies with their headquarters in Jena include Jenoptik, Carl Zeiss Meditec and Intershop; there are also Schott, Analytik Jena, Jena-Optronik and many small optics and biotechnology firms around the university and the Hochschule. In 2008 Jena received the title City of Science. We do not quote specific rents because we have no reliable current source.
For leisure there is the Paradiespark on the Saale, the Botanical Garden, the German Optical Museum, the Schott GlasMuseum, the Imaginata and hiking trails up the limestone slopes. FC Carl Zeiss Jena plays at the Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld. Stations include Jena Paradies, Jena West and Jena-Göschwitz; this is where the Saale railway and the Mid-Germany line cross. With regional trains you can reach Weimar, Erfurt, Gera and Naumburg directly, among others. Stadtwerke Energie Jena-Pößneck supplies electricity, gas and district heating – sign up with them or another provider in good time.
What a Move to Jena Costs
Planning a long-distance move? Then we calculate from €4.25/km. For a house or villa you receive an individual quote. For flats: 4-room flat from €1,324, 3-room flat from €889, 2-room flat from €605 and 1-room flat from just €375. Get advice now with a free survey.
What the price depends on
The main cost drivers include the volume of the goods, the route (from €4.25/km), the number of floors and whether a lift is available. A parking restriction zone is also recommended for a smooth process. We additionally offer furniture assembly and shared load.
Services around moving in
Expertise for Every Part of Your Move
You can book these services individually for your move to Jena.
- Move with assembly – Move with assembly: from dismantling to reassembly.
- Furniture transport – Furniture transport: for bulky or fragile goods.
- Company relocation – Company relocation: business moves without downtime.
- House clearance – House clearance: for household dissolutions and more.
- Home removal – Home removal: tailored to you.
- Shared load – Shared load: for smaller volumes.
From Berlin to the Saale – and Everywhere Else
We come from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and carry out moves throughout Germany. All destinations are listed in the overview of destinations; for longer routes, read Long-distance moves.
Registering in Jena: Citizens' Services on Engelplatz and the Main-Residence Bonus
According to the City of Jena, anyone moving to Jena must register with citizens' services within two weeks of moving in. Citizens' services are located at Engelplatz 1; for registering in person you need an appointment, which you can book online at tevis-bs.jena.de or by phone on 03641 49-3800. Opening hours are Monday 8:30–13:00, Tuesday 8:30–18:00, Wednesday 9:00–13:00, Thursday 8:30–16:00 and Friday 8:30–13:00; there are additional appointments on some Saturdays.
You must bring a valid identity document and the landlord confirmation. The city makes it clear: “The tenancy agreement alone is not enough.” Owners who move in themselves submit a self-declaration together with proof of ownership. For minor children, single or unmarried parents need proof of custody. If you want the address in your vehicle registration document changed, bring the registration certificate part I and the valid roadworthiness test certificate.
Online, you can register a main residence via the federal service, provided you have the online ID function and an NFC-enabled device; the procedure currently only works for moves within Germany. You register a secondary residence via an online form of the city. According to the city, students and trainees who newly register their main residence in Jena can receive a main-residence bonus of up to 120 euros. You will find further planning in our moving guide for Jena.
Living in Jena: Districts, Student Halls and Deposit
According to the city, Jena is divided into 30 districts. At the centre lies Jena-Zentrum, to the north Jena-Nord, to the west Jena-West and to the south-west Jena-Süd; in the south-east you will find Lobeda-Altstadt and Neulobeda, and in the south Winzerla. Each district has a district council, whose meetings and members the city publishes on a separate page. You can find the city page under Moves in Jena.
For students, the Studierendenwerk Thüringen is the first port of call: according to the city, it offers over 3000 places in halls of residence at more than 30 locations in Jena. Halls are often the cheapest option because utilities are included in the rent, and they are frequently furnished. Demand is high, so apply early. The Studierendenwerk explains how the application works on its housing page. For the transport, our student move can help.
For a rented flat: the City of Jena gives two to three months' cold rent as the range for the deposit, with two being usual in Jena. It is generally paid in full when the tenancy begins; payment in instalments is only possible with the landlord's consent. After you move out, it should be repaid with interest if there is no damage or outstanding claim; the landlord typically has three to six months to do so. With cooperative flats you acquire shares, which according to the city are refunded within one financial year after you move out.
Related Articles