From the winter semester 2024/25, the Deutschland-Semesterticket will replace the previous VRN Semesterticket plus Westpfalz as the student body's semester ticket. The Deutschland-Semesterticket is designed as a solidarity model. This means that all enrolled regular students and enrolled doctoral students are obliged to purchase the ticket. In line with the previous VRN semester ticket, various groups of people are also exempt from the obligation to purchase the Deutschland-Semesterticket. Under certain conditions, it is also possible to be exempted from the obligation to purchase the ticket and to receive a refund of the semester ticket fee.

The Deutschland-Semesterticket is generally valid nationwide on all means of public transport, i.e. on buses, trams, city and subway trains as well as S-Bahn, regional trains and regional express trains in 2nd class and in most cases also on ferries.

The ticket is not valid on long-distance services (e.g. IC, EC, ICE, but also RE lines operated by DB Fernverkehr AG) or with private providers.

All on-campus students are obliged to subscribe.

The Deutschland-Semesterticket can be purchased 20 days before the start of the period of validity. The period of validity corresponds to the respective semester (summer semester: April to September; winter semester: October to March). The ticket is available either in digital form for smartphones or as a classic ticket in chip card format.

As an alternative to the myVRN app, the Deutschland-Semesterticket is also available as a chip card from the Kaiserslautern mobility centre and from the rnv mobility centres in Ludwigshafen, Mannheim and Heidelberg. A separate proof of eligibility from the university must be presented for this. Important: The ticket can be used either via the app or as a chip card. If using the chip card, the ticket will be deactivated in the app.

The subscription authorisation is now available from the Student-Service-Center.

The following are not entitled to the Deutschland-Semesterticket

• guest students,
• secondary students who are entitled to a Deutschland-Semesterticket at their home university,
• distance learning students and
• persons who are enrolled as early students.

Accordingly, these persons are exempt from paying the semester ticket fee.

The following persons can be exempted from the obligation to purchase and may receive a refund:

• disabled students and doctoral candidates who are entitled to transport in accordance with SGB IX and can prove that they are in possession of the supplementary sheet to their severely disabled person's pass and the corresponding token,
• students and doctoral candidates on leave of absence for the respective semester of leave,
• students and doctoral candidates who can prove that they are spending a semester abroad for a minimum period of three months in the semester in which they are required to take leave (Outgoing Students//Exchange Programme),
• students and doctoral candidates who can prove that they are studying or doing their doctorate at RPTU for less than three months in the semester for which they are required to take leave (Incoming Students//Exchange Programme),
• students and doctoral candidates who can prove that they are in receipt of a network ticket at another university in Germany,
• students and doctoral candidates who fall under the provisions of Section 67 (4) sentences 1 and 2 of the HochSchG, in particular within the framework of university alliances and cooperations, provided that the cooperation agreement contains an exemption from purchasing a semester ticket.

In the event of an exemption and contribution refund, the right to purchase and use the Germany Semester Ticket automatically ends or expires.

Reimbursement

The application for reimbursement of the Deutschland-Semesterticket cost in case of exemption can be found here. The reimbursement will be processed through the university.

The costs amount to 60 per cent of the current Deutschlandticket price of 49 euros (29.40 euros) per month or 176.40 euros per semester.

VRN, as the contractual partner, must inform the student body at least eight months before a price increase. The student body then has three months to deal with the price increase. It must then either cancel the contract or adjust the semester ticket fee in its contribution regulations.

It is now known that the price of the Deutschland-Ticket will increase by 9 euros to 58 euros from 01.01.2025. This means that the Deutschland-Semesterticket will also become more expensive. The price will rise to 34.80 euros per month or 208.80 euros per semester. However, as the information about the price increase was only communicated in October 2024, a price adjustment can only take place on 01.10.2024, i.e. for the winter semester 25/26.

As an alternative to the myVRN app, the Deutschland-Semesterticket is also available as a chip card from the Kaiserslautern mobility centre and from rnv mobility centres in Ludwigshafen, Mannheim or Heidelberg. A separate proof of entitlement from the university is therefore necessary. Important: The ticket can be used either via the app or as a chip card. If using the chip card, the ticket will be deactivated in the app.

The entitlement can now be requested at the Student Service Center.

From October 1, 2024, the student ID card will no longer be valid as a travel pass.

The ticket stored in the myVRN app or the app alternative in conjunction with a valid ID card will be considered as a travel authorization or travel ticket.

The Deutschland-Semesterticket is not transferable.

It is not possible to take additional persons with you free of charge.

The conditions for taking bicycles depend on the tranport association in which you are travelling. They have their own conditions for taking bicycles with them. Details on the regulations within the VRN area can be found here. Free of charge a bicycle transport in the VRN association is on weekdays before 6 a.m. and from 9 a.m. as well as all day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Bicycle transport is regulated individually in the vehicles of the transport companies participating in the transport association (check the link for details).

As the Deutschland-Semesterticket is a ticket for local public transport, a semester ticket linked to this ticket would generally not allow the use of long-distance train connections such as IC/ICE. Only in very few cases do the public transport authorities have contracts with DB Fernverkehr AG of Deutsche Bahn AG that make such use possible. The student body could negotiate an independent contract with DB Fernverkehr for the use of long-distance transportation. However, this would certainly involve considerable additional costs, which would be far higher than the costs for a Deutschland-Semesterticket or the Deutschland-Ticket.

The semester ticket is designed as a solidarity model. Whether the ticket is used or not is irrelevant with regard to the purchase and contribution obligation. The contribution regulations provide for exceptions to the purchase obligation and options for reimbursement of the semester ticket contribution.