Ulm is a wonderful city — great culture, strong job market, excellent transport links. But if you have a family and you are tired of paying Ulm prices for a flat when what you really want is a house with a garden and a quieter street, you are not alone. More and more families are making the move from Ulm to the surrounding towns, and Herbrechtingen is quickly becoming one of the most popular choices.
We put together this guide to help you understand exactly what life in Herbrechtingen looks like — from schools and shopping to commute times and housing options — so you can decide whether it is the right move for your family.
Where Is Herbrechtingen and How Far Is It from Ulm?
Herbrechtingen is a town of around 13,000 people in the Landkreis Heidenheim, Baden-Württemberg. It sits roughly 40 kilometres east of Ulm, right on the edge of the Swabian Alb — one of Germany’s most beautiful natural landscapes.
By car, the A7 motorway gets you from Herbrechtingen to Ulm in around 30–35 minutes outside of rush hour. By train, the Brenzbahn (RS5 regional line) connects Herbrechtingen to Ulm Hauptbahnhof in approximately 42 minutes — a perfectly manageable commute that lets you read, work, or simply relax on the way in.
| Commute Times from Herbrechtingen:Ulm Hbf — 42 min by train / 30 min by carHeidenheim an der Brenz — 5 min by train / 8 min by carAalen — 31 min by trainStuttgart — approx. 75 min by car via A8 |
Schools in Herbrechtingen — What Are the Options?
For families with children, schools are always the top question. Herbrechtingen covers all major school types:
- Buigen-Gymnasium — full secondary school through to Abitur (A-levels). Well-regarded locally.
- Bibrisschule — comprehensive school (Gemeinschaftsschule) covering primary through to Sekundarstufe I.
- Wartbergschule — primary school.
- Pistorius-Schule — specialist school with additional learning support.
- Multiple Kindergärten — several options within walking distance of most residential areas.
There is also a music school (Musikschule) in town, and the larger city of Heidenheim — just 8 minutes away — adds further options including additional Gymnasien and vocational schools.
Shopping and Day-to-Day Life
One concern people often have about moving out of a city is losing access to everyday conveniences. Herbrechtingen handles this well. You will find REWE, EDEKA, Lidl, Müller (health and beauty), an Aral petrol station and a range of local shops all within a short drive or walk of the main residential areas.
For larger shopping trips, Heidenheim an der Brenz (8 km) offers a full retail centre, and Ulm’s city centre — with its extensive pedestrian shopping zone — remains within easy reach on the RS5 line. You genuinely get the best of both worlds: small-town convenience and city access when you want it.
Nature and Leisure — One of Herbrechtingen’s Biggest Advantages
This is where Herbrechtingen really stands out. The town is right on the edge of the Swabian Alb — a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of Germany’s finest natural areas. Hiking, cycling and climbing are all on the doorstep.
The Eselsburger Tal — a spectacular rocky gorge carved by the Brenz river — begins literally at the edge of town. It is one of the most beautiful short walks in Baden-Württemberg and it is free, accessible, and five minutes from your front door.
For families with younger children, the Jurawell leisure pool in Herbrechtingen offers indoor and outdoor swimming, water slides and wellness facilities — open year-round and just 1.8 km from the main residential areas.
Housing in Herbrechtingen — What Can You Get?
This is usually the moment people realise how different the value proposition is compared to Ulm. In Ulm, a 120 m² family flat can cost €1,800–2,400 per month in cold rent. In Herbrechtingen, you can rent a brand-new, four-room terraced house with a private garden, two parking spaces and KfW-40 energy efficiency for significantly less.
One of the newest developments in the town is the Riverside Wohnpark — 48 modern terraced houses to rent, each offering 120 m² of living space across three floors. Built to KfW-40 energy standard with a fitted kitchen, photovoltaic panels, glassfibre broadband and EV charging pre-installation, these homes represent the current benchmark for quality rental housing in the region. If you are considering a terraced house for rent in Herbrechtingen, it is worth requesting a free exposé directly from the development.
What About Employers? Is the Job Market Realistic?
Herbrechtingen is ideally positioned for several major regional employers. Along the RS5 Brenzbahn corridor, you have access to TDK Electronics, Paul Hartmann AG, Voith GmbH, Wieland Werke and the Universitätsklinikum Ulm — all reachable by train without needing a car.
For anyone working in Ulm — whether at the university, one of the city’s many tech companies, or the Bundeswehr — the 42-minute train journey is a comfortable and sustainable option. Many commuters use the time to work on laptops or simply decompress after a long day.
Is Herbrechtingen the Right Move for Your Family?
It depends on your priorities — but for families who want space, nature, good schools and a lower cost of living without cutting themselves off from city life, Herbrechtingen makes a very strong case.
The honest trade-offs: you will not have Ulm’s restaurant scene on your doorstep, and you will need a car (or the train) for city evenings. But what you gain — a house with a garden, clean air, hiking trails, a safe community and a meaningful reduction in monthly housing costs — is hard to match anywhere this close to a major city.
For current availability of modern family homes to rent in the area, visit riverside-herbrechtingen.de.