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Transportation

Public Transport Services

Cottbus and Senftenberg are part of the Berlin-Brandenburg Transport Association (VBB). Because of this, it is very easy to travel back and forth to Berlin.

In addition to the wider transportation network, there is a well-developed public transport system of city and intercity buses in Cottbus and Senftenberg, as well as trams in Cottbus. Thus, all important and interesting destinations in Cottbus, Senftenberg and the surrounding areas are easily accessible by public transport. Furthermore, the cities are relatively compact and the streets are both flat and pedestrian friendly, meaning that almost everything can be reached safely on foot or by bike.  

The various timetables for the urban and regional transportation can be found online:

Biking

The cities of Cottbus and Senftenberg are a paradise for cyclists because of their network of well-developed bike paths. In fact, many BTU employees bike to work each day. It is a great alternative to using public transportation or a car and is one of the best ways to explore the surrounding countryside.

Deutsche Bahn

Deutsche Bahn connects all cities, both large and small, with their expansive network of local, regional and long-distance routes. If you plan to travel a lot by train, it may be worth it for you to buy a ‘Bahncard’. Depending on which card you buy, you are given a 25% to 50% discount on all rail travel for an entire year. Additionally, Deutsche Bahn offers various special fares based on when and where you are travelling (e.g. saver price, regional tickets, or a day ticket for all of Germany), so it is very helpful to check online and see what offers are currently available.

Before you board a train, you should have already bought a ticket; otherwise, it can get very expensive. Anyone who does not have a valid ticket for bus or train travel is deemed a ‘fare dodger’ and must pay a penalty.
   www.bahn.de

Deutschland-Ticket, Semester Ticket and Job Ticket

Deutschland-Ticket

With the Deutschland-Ticket (€ 63/month), you can use all local public transport (except express trains such as ICE and IC) throughout Germany. This is a subscription that is automatically renewed. Further information can be found on the Deutsche Bahn website: https://int.bahn.de/en/offers/regional/deutschland-ticket.

Semester Ticket

As an enrolled doctoral student, you pay a contribution towards the so-called Germany semester ticket with your semester fee. It has the same validity as the Germany ticket. Further information can be found on the Student Council (StuRa) website: https://www.stura-btu.de/en/topics/semesterticket.

Job Ticket

As an employee of BTU, you have the option of purchasing the Deutschland-Ticket as a job ticket. It has the same validity as the Deutschland-Ticket. If you opt for the job ticket, you will receive a discount of more than 25% off the total price. Further information can be found on the BTU intranet page (access only possible with a BTU account for employees): https://www.b-tu.de/intern/ratgeber/personal/jobticket.

Long-distance busses

For the past few years, there is now the possibility to travel with one of the long-distance bus lines to many of Europe’s larger cities. Although a journey by bus typically takes longer than a train ride, it is often cheaper. If you would like more information concerning bus connections from Cottbus, please visit:
 www.fernbusse.de.

Taxi

Taxis are relatively expensive in Germany and thus, are often only used in special circumstances, for example, if you are travelling with heavy luggage or at night when the buses are not running. All prices are determined according to the tariff schedule, which is calculated off of a fixed basic price pluskilometres travelled.