Moving soon - Cologne or Bonn? International Schools?

Welcome on Expat.com shaigill

I hope that other members will bring their input to your various queries soon.

Wish you good luck
Regards

I don't know much about that area, but I'll offer some advice for looking for a place to live.
Remember that public transit is very widely used especially if you will not have a car. You said you would rather be close to school than work, but check that you can get to your work easily on transit if you don't have a car.
Look at neighborhoods with good local infrastructure such as bakeries, grocery stores and restaurants. A good mix of types of people around as well as playgrounds should show a family friendly area. I prefer much more urban areas rather than a village setting.

Hope you can find a place. I really liked Bonn on the one time I spent a weekend there.

Hi,
Just noticed you post. If you are still considering schools and housing locations here is a bit of what we have learned. We just moved to Germany in Jan 2011.

Our two children attend the Bonn International School (ages 4 and 7). We love the school and the family/parent connections have been incredibly helpful with getting to know the area etc. We looked at other international schools around Köln but loved BIS. The academic program is outstanding.

We looked at neighborhoods in South Köln- Roderkircken was a favorite of ours. Great downtown, and right on the river, it is also right off the 555 which connects Köln and Bonn. We almost settled on a house there. Other co-workers like Bornheim which is just south of us.

We picked the town of Brühl to live. It is between Köln and Bonn. It is a small city with lots to offer in art, music, outdoor activities. We found a great house with a big yard/garden, we can walk to the grocery store, train station, playground, and the highway is 1k away. The commute to BIS is 30 min without traffic. When it snowed a 1/2 inch last week the communte was an hour. The school is incredible so the morning communte time is still worth it for us. Most families who attend Bonn live closer to the school but they complain about city traffic. There are a few families that attend BIS that live in Köln.   

We can make it into downtown Köln-Dom area in about 20 mins right up the 555. However, there is a bit of traffic heading into the city in the morning.

My husband works in Bergish Gladbach which is east of Koln so his communte is 25-30min without traffic, with traffic it is 45.

We can get to both cities easily on the train. Bonn-Köln connection on the RE or RB is about 20mins, there is also a local train 16 or 18 that you can take.  We have 1 car right now, but to save communting time we will buy a second car eventually.

Best of luck in house hunting and school shopping, so far we are really enjoying the area.

Agnes