Moving-in

Moving in comes with a few practical steps. From picking up furniture and electronics (new or second-hand) to learning local rules like quiet hours, knowing where to shop and what to expect makes the process easier.

Before You Start: Housing & Furniture

Most student dorms in Linz and Upper Austria come half-furnished, usually with a bed, desk, chair, and storage space. In these cases, you won’t need to purchase much additional furniture. If you decide to add more or to rent a private apartment or move into an unfurnished place, it’s highly recommended to look for second-hand furniture instead of buying new, expensive items. Popular options include online marketplaces (e.g. willhaben.at), student marketplace groups, and flea markets, where you can find affordable and good-quality furniture.

Tips:

Ask if you can purchase furniture directly from the previous tenant when moving into a private apartment.
Look out for students leaving dorms at the end of the summer semester — they often sell their furniture cheaply.

Furniture Shopping Options

New Furniture - Budget-Friendly:

IKEA Linz-Haid -MOST POPULAR-
Location: Haid Center, 4061 Haid (near Linz)
Transport: Public transport + shuttle, or delivery service
Student Perks: Sometimes special student discounts
Planning Studio: IKEA Linz Planning Studio for room planning

Other Furniture Stores:

XXXLutz: Multiple locations, large selection
Möbelix: Budget furniture chain
Kik: Budget friendly home appliances and home goods
Leiner: Higher-end furniture and home goods

Electronics & Appliances:

MediaMarkt
- Locations: Linz, Wels, plus smaller towns
- Good for: Kitchen appliances, electronics, small furniture
- Student offers: Regular student discounts
Saturn
- Electronics and home appliances
- Similar to MediaMarkt
Hartlauer

- Austrian chain for electronics and household items

Second-Hand Options:

Willhaben.at
- Austria's largest second-hand marketplace
- Tips:
  - - Search by location (Linz, Wels, etc.)
    - Contact sellers quickly - good items go fast
    - Negotiate prices politely
    - Check the "Verschenken" (free items) section
    - Large items usually need to be picked up, smaller ones can be delivered by mail.
Facebook Marketplace:
- Good selection, especially in student cities
- Join local Facebook groups like "Linz Students" or "FH OÖ Students"
Shpock
- Mobile app for local second-hand shopping
- Good for smaller items
Local Flea Markets (Flohmarkt):
- Linz: Regular markets at Hauptplatz
- Weekend markets: Check local newspapers

Living Rules

Official Quiet Hours (Ruhezeiten):

Nighttime: 22:00 - 06:00 (10 PM - 6 AM)
Sunday & Holidays: All day quiet respect
Midday: 12:00 - 14:00 (varies by building)

Apartment Living Rules:

No loud music/TV during quiet hours
Washing machines: Usually not after 22:00
Shower/bath: Keep it reasonable during night hours
Hallways: Keep noise to a minimum
Parties: Inform neighbors in advance, end by 22:00 on weekdays

Consequences of Violations:

Warnings from the landlord
Complaints to police (in extreme cases)
Possible eviction for repeated violations
Fines for disturbing the peace

Recycling in Austria

Daily sorting

Keep five streams at home: paper, glass (clear and colored separately), bio (kitchen/garden), residual, and the yellow bin/bag for plastic and metal packaging.
Empty and lightly rinse packaging, separate lids/films, and flatten cardboard; avoid bagging recyclables unless using official yellow bags.
Never put batteries, electronics, lamps, or chemicals in household bins; take them to a collection center or store drop-off points.

Deposit return

What has a deposit: single‑use PET bottles and aluminum cans from 0.1–3 L with the official logo are worth €0.25 each.
How to return: bring items empty, uncrushed, with label/barcode visible to supermarkets or return machines for an immediate refund.
Transition note: In 2025, some items without the logo may still be on shelves; only logo-marked containers carry a deposit.

Special items

Take batteries, small e‑waste, and lamps to store collection points or municipal collection centers; never in the yellow, glass, or paper bins.
For hazardous waste, bulky items, and large electronics, use city collection centers; Linz lists four centers and offers a free bulky pick‑up by appointment.

Linz notes

Linz: metal packaging now goes with plastics in the yellow bin/bag; use the city leaflet for “what goes where,” drop‑off locations, and bulky pick‑up.
City of Linz guidance: separate glass, paper, metal/plastic, and bio at home; only the rest goes to residual waste.

Find local info

For exact bin colors, pickup days, or waste-room rules in a building, follow municipal/association instructions for the place of residence.
Students on the JKU Linz campus: plastics, beverage cartons, and cans are collected together; follow campus bin labels in shared spaces.

Pro Tips:

Bring basics from home - bedding, personal items (shipping furniture is expensive)
Make friends quickly - they can help with furniture transport and recommendations
Learn key German phrases for dealing with landlords and officials
Keep receipts for everything - you may need them for insurance or deposits
Take photos of the apartment's condition when moving in
Be patient with bureaucracy - things take time in Austria
Join student groups on Facebook for ongoing advice and deals
Respect quiet hours from day one - good relationships with neighbors are crucial
Plan for furniture delivery - it can take weeks during busy periods

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