Car Sharing
Cambio is a German car-sharing company that in exchange for a one-time registration fee and a monthly administration charge (3€) gives you the opportunity to conveniently rent a car whenever you want at very affordable rates. (Information about the rates can be found on the Cambio Web site.) To use Cambio, you need a valid ID or passport and must demonstrate that you have been in possession of a driver’s license for at least two years. Foreign students who do not have a German driver’s license must present an international driver’s license or a valid driver’s license from their home country along with a German translation. Foreign students who have a German driver’s license but have had it for less than two years must demonstrate that they possessed a driver’s license in their home country for more than two years.
StadtteilAuto Car Sharing GmbH
Brief- und Besucheradresse:
Alexanderstr. 69-71
52062 Aachen
Hours: Mondays – Fridays 9:00am to 1:00pm, Tuesdays to Thursdays 2:00pm to 4:00pm.
Telephone: (49) 241 4091190
Fax: (49) 241 4091199
Email: Aachen@cambioCar.com
Owning Your Own Car
- Registration / Notice of Departure
- Resident parking permit
If you have your own car in Aachen and there are no free parking places near your flat, you can apply for a resident parking permit, which allows you to park in your neighbourhood as long as you want without paying meter fees. To obtain a resident parking permit, your primary place of residence must be Aachen, though your car be registered elsewhere. A resident parking permit costs 30€ a year. It is issued by the municipal administration of Aachen. You can apply directly at their offices:
Verwaltungsgebäude Bahnhofsplatz
Bahnhofsplatz
52064 Aachen
Telephone: (49) 241 4322873
or online.
If you want to take a car from your home country with you to Germany, or if you want to buy your own car here, it is absolutely necessary that you have appropriate insurance. The two main types of car insurance in Germany are liability insurance and physical damage insurance. In addition, there are passenger personal accident insurance and legal insurance.
- Liability Insurance
All vehicles in Germany are required to have liability insurance.. If you cause a traffic accident, your liability insurance will cover the damage incurred by the other party. It will not cover damage that your own car incurs.
Partial and Complete Physical Damage Insurance
Physical damage insurance in Germany is optional. It covers damage caused to your own car. Partial physical damage insurance covers damage resulting from
- break-in
- fire, explosion
- storm, hail, lightening, flood
- broken windshields
- collisions with wild animals
- marten damage
In addition to the above, complete physical damage insurance includes damage resulting from:
- self-incurred accidents or damage caused by an unidentified party
- vandalism
You can find detailed information about the different types of insurance and their costs at any auto insurance company, such as ADAC.