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Study in Passau district

Landkreis Passau is a rural Bavarian district of river valleys, forest towns and thermal spas, with commuting options to Passau.

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Aerial view of Schloss Neuburg am Inn from the east
Photo: Carsten Steger (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Passau is a rural district (Landkreis) in Bavaria with 194,699 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). There is no university in Passau district itself; the nearest is University of Passau in Passau, about 6 km away. Summers average 18 °C and winters -0.4 °C, with about 908 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Passau district in numbers

Population

194,699Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

1,530.1 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

127Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

NoneWhere Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

Nearest university

University of Passau, PassauWhere Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

About 6 km away in a straight line

Average temperature

8.9 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

908 mm a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Sunshine

1,808 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

96 a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

About Passau district

Landkreis Passau lies in Lower Bavaria beside Austria. It surrounds the independent city of Passau, which is a separate administrative area; addresses described simply as “Passau” therefore need checking carefully (district background (opens in a new tab)).

The landscape ranges from the Bavarian Forest to the Danube valley and the thermal-spa country around Bad Füssing and Bad Griesbach. Rivers, woodland and spa tourism give different parts of the district quite different characters (Passauer Land tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Nearest universities

No university in Passau district itself — these are the nearest (straight-line distance).

There is no university in Landkreis Passau. The nearest university is the University of Passau in the separate city; Deggendorf offers another nearby study destination. Living in the district may reduce rent, but the university warns that regional transport is less convenient and involves costs beyond its city-bus semester ticket (university housing guidance (opens in a new tab)). Consider it if you prefer a quieter home and can make your exact commute work. Vocational alternatives include hotel, restaurant and cookery apprenticeships at Ortner’s Resort in Bad Füssing (Ortner’s careers (opens in a new tab)).

  • University of Passau

    Passau · 6 km away · 113 courses

  • Deggendorf Institute of Technology

    Deggendorf · 43 km away · 113 courses

  • Hochschule Landshut - Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften

    Landshut · 86 km away · 50 courses

  • University of Regensburg

    Regensburg · 105 km away · 200 courses

  • OTH Regensburg

    Regensburg · 105 km away · 69 courses

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Housing

Treat this as a search for private accommodation in individual towns and villages. The University of Passau describes surrounding settlements as potentially cheaper than the city, while stressing the transport trade-off (university housing guidance (opens in a new tab)). A reliable district-wide student rent benchmark or measure of availability was not established.

How to find a place

Cost of living

Potential rent savings need to be weighed against commuting costs (university housing guidance (opens in a new tab)). At the nearby University of Passau, the winter 2026/27 semester contribution is €126.90; its bus pass excludes RBO district buses (University of Passau (opens in a new tab)). VDW lists the standard Deutschlandticket at €63 per month when checked in November 2026 (VDW ticket information (opens in a new tab)). No verified district-specific total monthly student budget is available here.

Jobs & employers

Manufacturing and hospitality provide distinct employment routes: Knorr-Bremse manufactures commercial-vehicle components in Aldersbach, while Ortner’s operates a hotel, restaurants and thermal facilities in Bad Füssing (Knorr-Bremse (opens in a new tab), Ortner’s careers (opens in a new tab)). Engineering internships appear on Knorr-Bremse’s recruitment portal, while hotel service work offers another avenue to investigate; check qualifications and hours before assuming a role fits around lectures (Knorr-Bremse careers (opens in a new tab)).

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Check regional buses through VDW, especially the return journey after evening classes (VDW (opens in a new tab)). On the published RB46 timetable, Fürstenzell–Passau Hbf takes approximately 23–25 minutes and Pocking–Passau Hbf approximately 48–54 minutes; these are station-to-station times, before reaching campus (Südostbayernbahn timetable (opens in a new tab)). Check construction notices before travelling (Südostbayernbahn updates (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers ordinary local and regional public transport in second class (VDW ticket information (opens in a new tab)). The university’s semester pass alone does not cover RBO district buses (University of Passau (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Linz Airport (Austria)

An airport option for the Passau area; university guidance describes onward travel via a shuttle to Hörsching station and trains through Wels to Passau. Munich Airport is another option. Compare the full connection from your particular district town (University of Passau travel guidance (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Fürstenzell (2 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

-0.4 °C

68 mm rain a month

2.2 h sun a day

Spring

9.1 °C

69 mm rain a month

6.1 h sun a day

Summer

18 °C

97 mm rain a month

7.8 h sun a day

Autumn

8.7 °C

69 mm rain a month

3.7 h sun a day

Expect cold, frequently frosty winters and a gradual spring warm-up. Summer offers longer evenings for outdoor plans, but also substantial rainfall, so keep waterproof clothing handy. Autumn brings cooler, shorter days. Thermal baths in Bad Füssing and Bad Griesbach offer an indoor alternative to outdoor excursions (Passauer Land tourism (opens in a new tab)); Advent brings Hauzenberg's quarry Christmas market (Granitweihnacht (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Local cultural life includes concerts, cabaret, castle events and outdoor cinema: the district tourism office highlights programmes in Ortenburg, Hauzenberg, Vilshofen and other communities (local cultural programmes (opens in a new tab)). For a student, this suggests an evening life organised around particular venues and events; check the calendar and journey home rather than assuming a walkable university nightlife scene.

Granite-working heritage is especially visible around Hauzenberg, while Aldersbach links brewery culture with its former monastery (Hauzenberg (opens in a new tab), Aldersbach brewery (opens in a new tab)).

Plan to use German for everyday life outside campus, and ask employers or landlords directly whether they can communicate in English. As a practical learning target, aim for conversational German around B1 and keep improving; this is advice, not a local eligibility rule. Bavarian dialect can take extra getting used to, even for someone who understands standard German, as an international researcher describes in a University of Passau profile (University of Passau (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Vilshofen an der Donau beside the river

    Vilshofen an der Donau beside the river

  • Panorama of Hauzenberg with Raßreuth in the foreground and Staffelberg to the left

    Panorama of Hauzenberg with Raßreuth in the foreground and Staffelberg to the left

Student experiences

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Studying in Passau district: FAQ

Is Landkreis Passau a good place to live as a student?

It can suit students who prefer a quieter home and have a workable commute. The University of Passau notes that nearby towns and villages may have cheaper rents, but less convenient public transport (university housing guidance (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Landkreis Passau?

There is no university in the district. The nearest is the University of Passau in the separate city of Passau; the city and Landkreis are different administrative areas (district background (opens in a new tab)).

How can I commute from Landkreis Passau to the University of Passau?

The route depends on your town: Fürstenzell and Pocking have RB46 trains to Passau Hbf, while other journeys require regional buses. Use the rail and VDW planners, and include the onward journey from the station to campus (Südostbayernbahn timetables (opens in a new tab), VDW (opens in a new tab)).

Does the University of Passau semester ticket cover Landkreis buses?

It covers VBP city buses, with the Oberhaus bus excluded, but does not cover RBO district buses. A separate regional ticket may therefore be necessary (University of Passau (opens in a new tab)).

Is Landkreis Passau expensive for students?

There is no verified district-wide student rent figure in this guide. Compare the total cost of each property, including transport: VDW lists the standard Deutschlandticket at €63 monthly when checked in November 2026 (VDW (opens in a new tab)).

What jobs can students find in Landkreis Passau?

Options to investigate include part-time hotel breakfast and buffet service in Bad Füssing and engineering internships in Aldersbach. Ortner’s Resort and Knorr-Bremse publish these opportunities on their recruitment pages; check experience requirements and hours individually (Ortner’s (opens in a new tab), Knorr-Bremse (opens in a new tab)).

More guides

Sources & photo credits

Last updated November 2026. Population and area: Destatis. Weather: Deutscher Wetterdienst. Universities and courses: our catalogue. Everything else was researched from the sources below and checked — how we research these guides.

Sources

Photo credits

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