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Voykit pocket guide · Germany
Aue
Skip Aue unless you follow FC Erzgebirge Aue or want a quiet base for hiking in the Saxon Ore Mountains: half a day is enough for the town itself.
Aue is a small mining town in the Saxon Ore Mountains, known for its Cold War uranium mining past and its football club. The town centre is compact, with a local history museum and a small zoo. Most visitors use it as a stopover or base for exploring the surrounding Ore Mountains, not as a destination itself.
- Country
- Germany
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (cold, short days)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Card acceptance has improved but some bakeries, bars and small restaurants are still cash only.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–120 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telekom, Vodafone and O2 are the networks; Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect and congstar resell them cheaply in supermarkets and electronics shops.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US devices need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Round up or add 5–10%; say the total you want to pay as you hand over money or card.; Bar and café: Round up to the nearest euro.; Taxi: Round up by €1–2.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night, optional.; Free walking tour: €10–15 per person.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Restaurants usually sell bottled water; fizzy (mit Kohlensäure) is the default, ask for 'still' or 'ohne'.
- Toilets
- Station toilets cost €0.50–1.50 (Rail&Fresh WC); restaurant toilets are for customers; the 'WC' at motorway rest stops takes coins and gives a voucher.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €2.50–4.00 |
| Beer (0.5 L) | €3.00–4.50 |
| Meal at a restaurant | €10–18 |
| Museum entry (Stadtmuseum) | €4.00 |
| Zoo der Minis entry | check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DRS · Dresden Airport
- About 1.5 h by car or train via Chemnitz
- LEJ · Leipzig/Halle Airport
- About 1.5–2 h by car or train
Typical fares
- Train Aue → Chemnitz
- about €8, about 30 min (check)
- Bus Aue → Oberwiesenthal
- about €5, about 30 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Aue is walkable: the centre is about 1 km (0.6 mi) across. Buses connect to nearby towns; a car is useful for exploring the Ore Mountains.Aue is walkable: the centre is about 0.6 mi (1 km) across. Buses connect to nearby towns; a car is useful for exploring the Ore Mountains.
See and do
Known for
- FC Erzgebirge Aue football club
- Zoo der Minis (small-animal zoo)
- Cold War uranium mining history (SDAG Wismut)
- Gateway to the Saxon Ore Mountains
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oberwiesenthal | Bus or car, about 30 min | About 1 h |
| Johanngeorgenstadt | Bus or car, about 20 min | About 45 min |
| Chemnitz | Train, about 30 min | About 1 h |
| Zwickau | Train, about 20 min | About 45 min |
Sleep
- Town centre (Altmarkt area)
- Walkable to the museum, zoo and train station.
- Outskirts / Ore Mountains villages
- Better for hiking access; car needed.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Guten TagGOO-ten tahk |
| Thank you | DankeDAHN-keh |
| How much does it cost? | Wie viel kostet das?vee feel KOS-tet dahs |
| Where is the train station? | Wo ist der Bahnhof?voh ist dair BAHN-hohf |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; 'Guten Tag' or 'Hallo'; avoid: Hugs with people you have just met
- Names: Herr / Frau plus surname until invited to use first names; avoid: Using 'du' with officials or older strangers
- Punctuality: Arrive on time for tours, dinners and appointments; avoid: Being more than 5–10 minutes late without a message
- Queues and rules: Follow signs, wait at red lights, sort rubbish; avoid: Walking in cycle lanes
- Conversation: Direct and factual; people say what they mean; avoid: Taking directness as rudeness, or joking about the Nazi era
- Home visit: Bring flowers (odd number, not red roses) or wine; shoes off if the hosts do; avoid: Arriving early
- Paying: Say the total including tip as you pay; avoid: Leaving coins on the table and walking off
Scams and watch-outs
- Train station is a 10-min walk from the centre; check connections to Chemnitz or Zwickau.
- Zoo der Minis and museum have limited hours: check before visiting.
- Many shops and restaurants close on Sundays and public holidays.
Aue is a safe small town. The usual risks are winter ice on pavements and limited late-night transport.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Aue yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- FC Erzgebirge Aue football club
- Zoo der Minis (small-animal zoo)
- Cold War uranium mining history (SDAG Wismut)
- Gateway to the Saxon Ore Mountains
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Aue town council: www.aue-badschlema.de
- Wikivoyage: Aue, revision 5239998 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5239998
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/aue). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.