During Your Stay

For long distance journeys, you can use the main train station in the centre of Passau. You can travel to the surrounding region, the Bavarian Forest and other parts of Germany by train. Connections can be looked up at www.bahn.de.

However, within Passau, the only available public transport are the buses. The central bus station is the ZOB ('Zentraler Omnibus Bahnhof'), where most routes start or end. The ZOB is located right at the Nibelungenplatz and therefore just a few minutes away from the Nikolakloster or Philosophicum. The ZOB is the main stop for all bus routes throughout the city.

Other important bus stops are:

• Train station
• University (Augustinerstrasse – University – Wörthstrasse – Römerplatz)
• Hospital
• 'Rathaus' (Town Hall)

Here you can find the bus plan.

To study, research and work in Germany you must be sufficiently insured. At the university itself, there is no free medical facility for members. In the city however, you can find a wide range of doctors, as well as a large hospital. The hospital of Passau is located in direct proximity to campus at Innstrasse 76.

If you need a doctor during the day, you usually visit a general practitioner in town. You can find all doctors in the phone book under the letter A or on the internet. Should an acute emergency occur at night or on weekends, please proceed to the hospital of Passau or dial the emergency number 112.

The City of Passau always has an up-to-date list with doctors that are in charge in case of emergency on its website.

We are happy to help you find an English-speaking doctor. Check out our Welcome Guide for a list of doctors with international language skills or feel free to contact us.

For more information on Medical Issues please consult our Welcome Guide.

The emergency number for police, fire brigade and emergency services (including ambulances) is 112. There is an addition­al number, 110, to call the police. These numbers apply nationwide and can be di­alled free of charge from any landline or mobile phone.

Generally, if you have a health issue, you should first consult a general practitioner ('Hausarzt'). Only call an ambulance in emergencies.

For more information on Medical Issues please consult our Welcome Guide.

Taxation & Tax Return

In Germany, you are required to pay tax­es on your gross income if you live and work here for more than six months. The way you do this depends on whether you are an employee or self-employed. If you are employed by the University of Passau, you will receive your net income trans­ferred to your bank account. Income tax, pension insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance, long-term care insurance, payroll tax, solidarity sur­charge and church tax (if applicable) will automatically be deducted from the gross salary and be paid to the tax office every month. An explanation of sal­ary components can be found in the document Understanding your payslip.

Every year, an income tax return must be presented to the tax office (“annual adjustment of wage tax”). Filing a tax re­turn allows you to declare any expenses against tax and you may receive money back from the tax office. Since the Ger­man tax system is complicated, it is worth paying an income tax association ('Lohn­steuerverein') or a tax consultant to help you complete your tax return. Your local tax office is also obliged to provide infor­mation.

The level of taxation depends on the size of your gross income (progressive tax) and your family status or whether you have a second form of income. Here you can check out the different tax classes.

Should you be categorized in the wrong tax bracket ('Steuerklasse'), contact the 'Finanzamt' in person and the tax bracket will be changed directly. Changing your tax bracket is not retroactive, which means that the change will not be effective until the next month or even the month after, depending on the date of your application to change the tax bracket.

Read more: https://www.research-in-germany.org/en/plan-your-stay/finances/tax.html

More information:

https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/Web/EN/Issues/Taxation/taxation.html   
https://www.euraxess.de/germany/information-assistance/taxation

Taxation calculator:  www.bmf-steuerrechner.de (only available in German)

Church Tax

If you are a member of the Catholic or Protestant Church, you have to pay church tax in Germany. Members of the Jewish community pay the culture tax ('Kultursteuer'), which corresponds to church tax. There is no tax for members of other religions.