Economy

Saarbrücken is the economic centre of the region. With its more than 15.000 business enterprises, the state capital of the Saarland is the economic heart of the area and has become an important point of reference for the Saar-Lor-Lux region. Many industrial corporations and service providers are headquartered in the state capital. The successful economy of the area is built on a highly skilled workforce.

Fotolia – Berliner Promenade - Tom Gundelwein / Fotolia

As a business location Saarbrücken offers its approximately 180.000 inhabitants many advantages:

Excellent Travel Connections

Saarbrücken is easy to reach from different motorways linked to the European road network. In addition, the InterCityExpress (ICE) train service from Frankfurt to Paris via Saarbrücken makes travelling to these cities both quick and simple. Saarbrücken International Airport and the River Saar, which was transformed into a navigation channel for larger vessels, complement the various travel options.

Administrative Centre

The local administration, federal state government, regional corporation headquarters and ministries are all located in Saarbrücken. The compact nature of the town minimises walking distances to the town hall, approval authorities and other facilities and constitutes a locational advantage for companies in Saarbrücken.

Renowned Research Institutes

The DFKI – German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence, the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering, the Fraunhofer Institute for Non-Destructive Testing, the INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, the Competence Centre for Computer Sciences, the Max Planck Institute for Computer Sciences, the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems, the VISU – Virtual Saar University and many more provide innovation made in Saarbrücken.

First-Class Education

7 universities with around 24.000 students, 46 vocational colleges, 86 primary and secondary schools and 131 children‘s day care centres offer students, pupils and children over 66.500 different courses and make Saarbrücken a primary location for education. Bilingual institutions such as the German-French secondary school and the German-French university ensure the town stands out from the rest. 50 institutes of education guarantee lifelong learning.

Saarbrücken - City of Surprises

More than 1.000 stores and boutiques offer visitors the ultimate shopping sensation. The shopping experience will be made even better by 2009 as a brand new shopping centre with a retail floor space of over 25.000 sq. m. is set to open its doors to the public. Well known events such as the Old Town Festival, the Saar Spectacle, the Max Ophüls Film Festival, the Perspectives Theatre Festival as well as various museums, theatres and a vibrant scene of artists make culture more accessible to all.

High Quality of Life

Saarbrücken is nestled in a lush green forest and features many types of valuable community green spaces such as the Franco-German Garden and the Staden Park which create a oasis of nature in the heart of a great city. This makes the town the perfect place to relax and unwind.

A European Market without Barriers

To “think European” has long since become a reality in Saarbrücken. Actively participating in inter-regional networks means joining forces and strengthening the competitiveness of the area‘s transnational centre. The Eurozone Saarbrücken-Forbach service and business park provides tailor-made solutions for innovative technology-oriented companies and ensures easy access to the French and German market. The town network QuattroPole, a strategic alliance between Luxembourg, Metz, Saarbrücken and Trier, and the Eurodistrict SaarMoselle both share the same guiding principles and will pave the way for the future of our bicultural region.