Solothurn for newcomers: old town Vorstadt and Weststadt on the Aare

The old town north of the Aare largely took on its present form between the 16th and 18th centuries; the Hauptgasse leads in a gentle curve from the Stalden to St. Ursus Cathedral. The number eleven runs through the town, from the eleven guilds of the past to the flights of steps of the cathedral. If you live here, you have cafés and the market on your doorstep, but must reckon with driving bans and little parking space. South of the Aare lies the Vorstadt, connected to the old town by the Wengi bridge.

In the west, the Weststadt was built from the 1970s under the "Brühl development plan", with the Riedmatt blocks, the town's first high-rise buildings. In the 20th century, districts such as Dilitsch, Obere Steingruben, St. Kathrinen and the Südstadt also grew. Which location suits you depends on your car, commute and school – if in doubt, it is worth viewing at different times of day.

We deliberately do not give reliable current rent figures here; compare offers yourself. As the cantonal capital, Solothurn offers jobs in administration; the Bürgerspital Solothurn serves the town and canton as a hospital with extended basic care and, according to Wikipedia, employs around 1,200 people. Solothurn is also where Ascom's company history began in 1922. Schools include the Kantonsschule, the commercial vocational school, the GIBS, the School of Education of the FHNW and the Health and Social Care Education Centre.

In your free time, the Solothurn Film Festival, the Literature Days, Solothurn Classics and the carnival beckon. Around five kilometres north lies the local mountain, the Weissenstein, reachable since 2014 by gondola from Oberdorf. According to the city, Bern is 37 minutes away, Basel 49 and Zurich 54 minutes – a quiet alternative to the big city for commuters.

We believe in fair and honest prices. We move a 1-room flat from €369, a 2-room flat from €579, a 3-room flat from €879 and a 4-room flat from €1,309. For a house or villa you receive an individual quote tailored to your needs. For long-distance moves we charge from €4.25 per kilometre. Arrange a free survey today.

• Volume of the goods transported
• Distance (from €4.25/km)
• Floor without a lift
• Parking restriction zone

Further cost items are furniture assembly and a shared load.

Here you will find an overview of our most important services.

1. Home removal: moves for families and individuals. Home removal
2. Furniture transport: for individual pieces of furniture. Furniture transport
3. House clearance: fast clearance of flats. House clearance
4. Shared load: an affordable transport solution. Shared load
5. Company move: professional office moves. Company move
6. Move with assembly: everything set up and ready. Move with assembly

We come from Berlin-Moabit and handle moves within Germany and abroad at a fixed price after a survey. Via the locations overview you will find destinations with their own page. Details of our long-distance moves are also available online.

According to the City of Solothurn, anyone moving to Solothurn registers within 14 days of moving in, online via eUmzug (fully available to Swiss and EU/EFTA nationals) or in person at the residents' services, Baselstrasse 7. For Swiss nationals, the city lists these documents:

• completed registration form and passport or ID
• proof of health insurance
• proof of custody for children under 18
• proof of tenancy or sub-tenancy confirmation, signed by landlord and tenant

Foreign nationals additionally need their passport and foreign national's permit or an assurance from the cantonal police or an employment contract, plus the family record book if married or the divorce decree if divorced. Further fees apply for the foreign national's permit; the city does not state the amounts. Deregistering in writing costs 30 francs.

Solothurn lies at 439 metres above sea level, and the town covers 629 hectares; according to the city, the region offers 500 kilometres of connected cycle routes, and the Weissenstein reaches 1,280 metres. The city also issues certificates, certifications and address information.

According to the city profile, Solothurn had 16,893 inhabitants on 31 December 2025, 3,879 of them foreign nationals. The city gives journey times of 33 minutes to Neuchâtel, 37 to Bern, 49 to Basel and 54 to Zurich. For commuters heading to Bern, it is worth taking a look at Living in Bern.

For moves, the old town is demanding. The city states a night-time driving ban from 19.00 to 6.00 in the old town and parts of the Vorstadt, and according to the city large parts of the town centre can only be entered with a special permit between 11.30 and 19.00. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Gurzelngasse, Marktplatz and Hauptgasse area is closed to vehicles from 6.00 to 13.30. So plan your approach and a parking restriction zone early.

Under the P-23 parking concept, previously unmanaged streets are being converted into blue zones district by district from east to west. Without a card you may park there for 1 to 1.5 hours. According to the city, the blue zone parking card costs 240 francs per year for residents, 360 francs for commuters and 480 francs for business vehicles.

In the old town, two underground collection points are available for fee-paying rubbish bags: on the Nordring by the Burristurm and in the Löwengasse. Glass, tinplate, aluminium and textiles go to collection points such as Ritterquai, Schützenmatt or Dornacherplatz. The city provides the waste collection calendar online.

In addition, a monthly Monday market closes further streets from 6.00 to 18.00. Access and parking permits can be found in the city's online services.

Going beyond the national border is also feasible: everything about the process and formalities is in the article Long-distance move to Switzerland.