RMV-Semesterticket

The semester ticket is printed on the CampusCard and is automatically paid for with the semester fees upon enrollment or re-registration. With this ticket, you can use all regional trains, S-Bahn (commuter trains), U-Bahn (subway), trams, and buses in the entire area covered by the Rhein-MainVerkehrsverbund (RMV) network.

The ticket is a personal time pass and is non-transferable. Unfortunately, the carryover rules for adult time passes do not apply.

The semester ticket is valid one month before the actual semester begins: during the summer semester, you can make unlimited trips from March 1st to September 30th, and during the winter semester, from September 1st to March 31st.

"In an effort to address the social and economic concerns of students and ensure the mobility of students using environmentally friendly transportation, RMV and the AStA enter into the following agreement: [...]" states the preamble of the contract between AStA and RMV.

The semester ticket operates on the principle of solidarity – everyone must pay the amount as part of their enrollment or re-registration, making it significantly more affordable compared to regular individual time passes.

Even for those of you who use the ticket infrequently, there is a price advantage over purchasing single tickets, even with limited use.

Especially when you already have the ticket in hand, the barrier to using public transportation becomes much lower. Reducing this barrier is another important reason for the semester ticket. Riding the tram is more convenient when you don't have to worry about fares and don't need to dig for change for every trip.

The price of the semester ticket is based on the average annual price increase of the RMV's Apprentice Ticket and costs:

• Starting from the summer semester 2018: €123.39
• Starting from the summer semester 2020: €125.22
• Starting from the summer semester 2022: €128.99
• Starting from the summer semester 2023: €135.23

These costs are automatically included in the semester fee upon enrollment/re-registration.

The valid and validated student ID (CampusCard) with the note "RMV Semester Ticket" and a valid identity card (or an International Student ID, driver's license, or something else with a photo) serve as the ticket.

International students, whose passport is significantly more important due to the visa information recorded therein than a relatively easy-to-replace identity card for Germans, have the option to apply for a customer card from the RMV (e.g., HEAG office at Luisenplatz). This card will then be recognized as sufficient identification.

If you happen to forget either of these, it is considered "fare evasion," and the standard fine of €60 is applicable. However, it's not as dire as it may sound, as you technically have a valid ticket. You can still provide proof within 7 days to the transportation company where you were checked. In this case, there is an additional €7 processing fee.

Within the RMV (Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund) region, all buses, trams, U-Bahn (subway), S-Bahn (commuter trains), and local trains (Regionalbahn, StadtExpress, RegionalExpress) are generally accessible. Additional charges may apply for special services provided by transportation companies, such as night buses in Frankfurt or the AIRLiner by HEAG.

Transitional Areas: The semester ticket is valid throughout the entire RMV network. However, since the RMV network ends just south of Darmstadt, an additional agreement has been made with the Rhein-Neckar Transport Association (VRN), which extends the coverage to a transitional area up to Weinheim (fare zones 45, 46, 47, 4810, 4830, 4850, 4870, 67).

To the north, the semester ticket allows for travel in the transitional area of the North Hessian Transport Association (NVV), specifically covering fare zones 80 to 89, as well as fare zones 8510 and 8530.

This means that the entire transitional fare zone of the NVV can now be accessed with the student ID at no extra cost. For journeys beyond the boundaries of the RMV coverage area, RMV connection tickets can be purchased at the boundary.

For those who regularly travel beyond the coverage area of the RMV semester ticket, it may be more cost-effective to upgrade the semester ticket to a Germany Ticket.

Students with a semester ticket, like all other passengers, are entitled to avail themselves of passenger rights in railway transport. To do so, a reimbursement request must be filled out, which is available on the RMV website or at RMV Mobility Centers. Below, we briefly summarize the most important passenger rights.

Carriage of Children

Children under 5 years of age (inclusive) can be carried on the semester ticket.

Entitlement to Compensation

When traveling by train with the semester ticket, passengers can receive a refund of €1.50 if the train is delayed at the destination by at least one hour. However, refunds are only paid for claims totaling €4 or more. Compensation claims can be aggregated within the validity period of the ticket.

Use of Another Train

If there is an expected delay of 20 minutes at the destination, passengers are allowed to use a longdistance train (IC, EC, ICE) that does not require reservations. To do so, a separate individual ticket for long-distance travel must be purchased first. The costs of the journey can then be claimed later.

Use of Alternative Means of Transportation

If it is expected that the train will be delayed by more than 60 minutes with a scheduled arrival time between 0:00 and 5:00 a.m., taxi costs of up to a maximum of €80 can be claimed. This rule also applies if the last scheduled train of the day will not reach the destination before midnight. However, any alternative offers provided (e.g., emergency bus services) should be used first.

10-Minute Guarantee

For U-Bahn (subway), trams, and buses in the city of Frankfurt, the city and district of Offenbach, the city of Darmstadt, and the Darmstadt-Dieburg district, passengers are entitled to a refund of 50 cents per trip for delays exceeding 10 minutes. After 9:00 p.m., taxi costs of up to €15 can be chosen instead. It is important to note that the 10-minute guarantee is a voluntary service, so delays due to force majeure (e.g., strikes, adverse weather) are exempt from reimbursement. The application for a refund can be made online.

Information and Forms for Passenger Rights

Further information and forms are available online or at RMV Mobility Centers.

• www.fahrgastrechte.info
• Passenger Rights with RMV

Even if you are enrolled for only a few days in the new semester, submit your thesis, and then promptly leave the RMV area, according to the contract with RMV, deregistration (exmatriculation) is not a valid reason for a refund of the semester ticket. In this case, we recommend applying for a leave of absence (Urlaubssemester), which is possible if "re-registration is due to a colloquium or an academic achievement after submitting the thesis," and subsequently submitting an RMV refund request citing "leave of absence."

Neither the AStA nor RMV have legal or technical control over the issuance of student IDs, and any delays in this regard are not the responsibility of either the AStA or RMV. If someone has not received their new ID card in time for the start of the semester, they should please contact the university's Student Service Center (SSC).