Moving to Cottbus: Costs Process & Districts
Destination: Cottbus
Moving to Cottbus: Branitz Park, Spree and Ostsee
explained in brief
With around 95,000 inhabitants, Cottbus (Lower Sorbian: Chóśebuz) is the second-largest city in Brandenburg after Potsdam and the centre of Lower Lusatia. The city lies on the Spree, not far from the Spreewald; Prince Pückler's Branitz Park and the State Theatre are its best-known addresses. The flooded Cottbus-Nord opencast mine has become the Cottbuser Ostsee, Germany's largest artificial lake by surface area. Anyone planning a move to Cottbus benefits from the short route from Berlin – but the parking restriction and registration still need lead time, because the city requires the parking restriction application at least 14 days in advance.
We come from Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and drive our lorry around 132 km via the A13 and A15 to Cottbus; that is roughly two hours including a break. Loading in Berlin and unloading in Cottbus are therefore usually possible on the same day. Whether you are moving from Berlin to Lusatia or from Cottbus back to Berlin: we quote the fixed price after a survey. The route is described in detail on the page Moving Berlin – Cottbus. If you are only taking a few pieces of furniture, a part load (Beiladung) is often cheaper.
Your move to Cottbus at a fixed price – enquire now
Predictable from packing to set-up
Call us on 01625978461 and arrange a survey for your move to Cottbus. We take into account the size of your home, the floor, access, the route of around 132 km and any part-load requests, and then quote you a fixed price. Places with their own pages can be found under Locations.
Offers available individually, depending on effort, scheduling and the scope of services required.
Our part of your move to Cottbus
From Moabit to Lusatia – often in a single day
We have no branch in Cottbus; instead we come by lorry from Berlin-Moabit. That is why we ask about access, floor and stairwell in advance – whether it is an older building on the Altmarkt, a flat in Sachsendorf-Madlow or a house in Branitz. We apply in good time for the parking restriction outside the new address, following the city's requirements. We quote the fixed price after the survey; for your household goods we are liable under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre. For your private move we coordinate the date with the handover of your flat.
Packing service
Office move
Senior moves
Furniture transport
Six points for Cottbus
We quote the fixed price for your move to Cottbus after the survey – with packing, transport over around 132 km, parking restriction and assembly listed as separate items. That way you can see in advance what you are paying for. Extras such as piano transport or storage are only added if you book them.
One day, two addresses
Access sorted
Parking zone in good time
Planned backwards
Storage to bridge a gap
Ready to settle in
Save with a part load
For smaller volumes or single items, a part load (Beiladung) to Cottbus can be cheaper: your goods share the load space with other consignments on the same route. In return you need a little flexibility on the delivery day; whether a run towards Cottbus is coming up, we will tell you after your enquiry.
Your
move, our craft
A move to Cottbus is short but still needs planning: which district suits you, when must the parking restriction be applied for at the local road traffic authority (Untere Straßenverkehrsbehörde), where is a parking ban currently in force and how does registration at the citizens' service work? This guide introduces districts from the city centre via Sandow and Ströbitz to Sachsendorf-Madlow, explains the parking restriction and the obligation to register and describes the roughly 132 km journey from Berlin via the A13 and A15. Costs and part loads are covered too. That way you are prepared before the first box is packed.
Planning safely and calmly
Furniture, boxes, carrying routes
Costs, timing and special cases
Frequently asked questions about moving to Cottbus
Districts at a glance: where is it good to live?
Sachsendorf-Madlow in the south is a large housing estate made up mainly of P2-type prefabricated blocks, built on the land of the incorporated villages of Sachsendorf and Madlow; many flats have been refurbished. Ströbitz in the west is quieter, with detached houses and short distances to the city centre. If you are looking for an urban feel, you will find historic older buildings, cafés and the State Theatre around the Altmarkt.
Branitz, with Prince Pückler's park, is a green residential area, and Sandow east of the Spree is close to the centre. Schmellwitz in the north is characterised by prefabricated blocks, the Spremberger Vorstadt south of the old town by residential buildings from the 1950s. For the move, the address is what matters most: an older building without a lift on the Altmarkt needs different planning from a house in Branitz.
Jobs, education and quality of life in Cottbus
Cottbus is both a university city and a business location: the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg and the Medical University of Lusatia – Carl Thiem, founded in 2024, shape education and healthcare. Deutsche Bahn operates a rolling-stock maintenance works in Cottbus, which was extended with a second hall in 2024. The energy industry, with LEAG, continues to shape the region, while the structural change in Lusatia is bringing new jobs.
We do not quote specific rents – they depend heavily on location and condition; compared with Berlin, Cottbus is considered affordable. Short distances and plenty of green space such as Branitz Park and the new Cottbuser Ostsee add to the quality of life. Culture is provided by the State Theatre, the Stadthalle and numerous sports clubs, and the Spreewald with its waterways is close by.
What your move really costs
- 1 room: from €349
- 2 rooms: from €584
- 3 rooms: from €899
- 4 rooms: from €1,299
- House/villa: individual quote
- Long-distance move: from €3.90/km
Not sure what to expect? Arrange a survey – free of charge and without obligation.
What goes into the moving price?
The price takes into account the volume, the distance (from €3.90/km), the floor and whether there is a lift. Any parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone) needed is also factored in. Additional options such as furniture assembly and a part load are also available.
Moving service – what we do for you
Our services cover every aspect of your move.
- Move with assembly: dismantling, transporting and reassembling furniture. Move with assembly
- Furniture transport: getting single items safely to their destination. Furniture transport
- Private move: a complete service for your private move. Private move
- Part load: an affordable ride for your furniture. Part load
- House clearance: fast clearance of house, flat or cellar. House clearance
- Business move: efficient moves for companies. Business move
More destinations from Berlin-Moabit
We plan moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21) for private and business customers. In the locations overview you will find places with their own pages, and details on long routes under Long-distance moves. For single pieces of furniture or small volumes, it is worth taking a look at the part load.
Applying for a parking restriction in Cottbus: local road traffic authority and deadlines
A moving parking restriction in Cottbus is set up by the local road traffic authority (Untere Straßenverkehrsbehörde, Berliner Straße 6, 03046 Cottbus, email [email protected]). The city lists this as the service “Parkplatzabsperrung für Umzug, Halteverbotszone Einrichtung” (parking space closure for a move, setting up a parking restriction zone). According to the Brandenburg service portal (legal basis § 45 (6) StVO), you apply for the permit at least 14 days before the move begins. Once granted, the parking restriction must be marked with the prescribed traffic signs no later than three to four days before it starts.
The application should include:
- name and address of the applicant
- reason, location and area of the closure
- duration of the closure
- a site plan or sketch
The fee depends on the extent of the restriction and the use of road or pavement (special use fees); costs for the traffic signs may be added. The portal does not give specific amounts. You can ask the city whether the signs can be borrowed. As the parking restriction may only be signposted after approval, the moving date should be fixed before you submit the application. We measure the length required with you during the survey; a sketch of the closed-off area makes the authority's review easier.
You can read how the application works step by step in our guide to the parking restriction zone. On request, we take care of it through our parking restriction zone service, so that date, length and signs match your moving day.
Ströbitz and Sachsendorf-Madlow: parking ban, change of address and citizens' service
Currently important for Ströbitz: according to the City of Cottbus, parking on the east side of Sachsendorfer Straße has been prohibited since 6 January 2025, because heavy and abnormal loads are running for the construction of the railway works. The city expects this to last until the end of 2026. Before every appointment we check the current situation at your address, whether in Ströbitz, Sachsendorf-Madlow or elsewhere in Cottbus.
After moving in, the nationwide obligation to register applies: under § 17 of the Federal Registration Act (BMG), you register with the registration authority within two weeks of moving in. According to the city, the Cottbus citizens' service works mainly with appointments that you can book online. On Tuesdays from 13.00 to 18.00 you can visit without an appointment, but the city warns of long waiting times and recommends booking in advance.
When moving into larger residential complexes, we clarify lift, loading route and stairwell in advance. You can also have single pieces of furniture transported as a part load.
Whether in Ströbitz, Sachsendorf-Madlow or the rest of the city: we agree the parking restriction, approach and loading route with you in advance so that the van can stand as close to the house as possible on moving day. You book appointments for the citizens' service at tv.cottbus.de.
More on moves in Cottbus can be found under Moving in Cottbus, and information for newcomers in the article Living in Cottbus.
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