St. Gallen for newcomers: the Abbey District neighbourhoods and everyday life between Rosenberg and Freudenberg

Today's city was created in 1918 through a municipal merger: villages and hamlets of the former municipalities of Straubenzell and Tablat joined the old city, including Bruggen, Heiligkreuz, Lachen, Neudorf, Notkersegg, Riethüsli, Rotmonten, St. Fiden, St. Georgen and Winkeln. Today St. Gallen is divided into the city districts of Centrum, Ost and West, with numerous statistical neighbourhoods.

The old town with the Abbey District lies in the Steinach valley. Rotmonten lies on the Rosenberg to the north, St. Georgen and Riethüsli to the south on the Freudenberg, where the Drei Weieren ponds are a popular recreation area. Winkeln and Bruggen form the west of the city. Which location suits you depends on your commute, school and how steep the streets are.

We deliberately do not give reliable current rent figures here. Because of the University of St. Gallen (HSG), demand for flat-share rooms and studios is high, especially at the start of semester – search early and stay flexible when choosing a neighbourhood. For registration you need your tenancy agreement or a confirmation from your host.

St. Gallen is home to the headquarters of companies and institutions including Helvetia insurance, the social insurance institution, Raiffeisen Switzerland and St. Galler Kantonalbank. Besides the HSG, there is the University of Teacher Education, the University of Applied Sciences and the School of Design. We support you with the move into your new flat.

Anyone planning a move naturally wants to know what to expect. As a rule: the more rooms, the more work. For a 1-room flat prices start from €375, for 2 rooms from €615. A 3-room flat costs from €884, a 4-room flat from €1,289. For a house or villa there is no flat-rate price scheme – here we draw up an individual quote. For a long-distance move we charge from €3.85 per kilometre. Arrange a free survey now to receive a binding quote.

The moving price depends mainly on the volume of your household goods and the distance between your old and new home – the route is charged from €3.85/km. The floor, whether there is a lift and whether a parking restriction zone is needed also affect the price. Additional services such as furniture assembly or a shared load can also influence the final price.

A move to Switzerland needs planning: the route, breaks, the border crossing and customs papers. We come from Berlin-Moabit and organise long-distance moves within Germany and abroad. Destinations with their own page are in the locations overview, and more under long-distance moves.

The City of St. Gallen writes: "A move within, into or out of the city must be reported within 14 days." The responsible office is the population services in the town hall (9001 St. Gallen), which keeps the residents' register. The counter is open Monday to Wednesday from 8.30 to 12.00 and 13.30 to 17.00, Thursday from 12.30 to 18.00 and Friday from 12.30 to 16.30. You can reach the office by phone on +41 71 224 44 00.

• Documents: tenancy agreement or a confirmation from your host; certificate of origin (Heimatschein) for each adult with Swiss citizenship; for foreign nationals, the foreign national's permit and a travel document from their home country; family record book for married persons with children under 18; current health insurance card or basic insurance policy.
• Deregistration: according to the city, you must deregister from your previous municipality of residence before registering in St. Gallen. If you are moving from Germany, also clarify German deregistration with your local registration office (Bürgeramt).
• Online: eUmzugCH requires, among other things, an AHV number, a tenancy agreement or housing certificate and a credit card for fees.
• Fees and moving from abroad: foreign nationals pay fees at the counter, the amount of which the page does not state; for moves from abroad, the city refers you to information sheets from the St. Gallen migration office.

Check the list before your appointment so that you only have to go to the counter once. Our information on international moves gives an overview of the whole process.

According to the city, anyone living in St. Gallen must take out health insurance within three months. The health insurance checking office is located in the town hall (tel. +41 71 224 53 57, [email protected]). When registering, bring your current insurance card or policy.

For childcare, the city lists nurseries for children from three months, day care for schoolchildren and a lunch club for upper secondary pupils. Information is available from the day-care office at Wassergasse 23 (tel. +41 71 224 56 15, [email protected]).

On parking during the move: to keep public parking spaces free for a private move, according to the city you inform the city police in advance; parking signs can be ordered there for a fee on 071 224 62 00. You apply for extended blue zone permits online at parkingpay.ch or at the city police counter (Vadianstrasse 57, Mon to Fri 8.00 to 12.00).

• Waste disposal: Entsorgung St. Gallen organises household and green waste collection as well as recycling. You can reach the waste advice service on +41 71 224 50 50 (Mon to Fri, 8.30 to 11.30 and 13.30 to 16.30).

For the region, also read our article Living in Schaffhausen and the notes on a parking restriction for your move.