Information about the semester ticket
The semester ticket allows you to travel free of charge on local public transport (not ICE/IC) throughout NRW. In addition, RWTH students can use certain lines in the South Limburg area with the semester ticket. You can find all important information about the semester ticket here and in our FAQ. If you have any questions, please contact us by mail.
Area of application
The semester ticket entitles you to any number of journeys on all bus and train lines within the tariff area of the Aachener Verkehrsverbund (AVV). This also includes the cross-border lines to Vaals (lines 25 & 33), Kelmis (line 24) and Kerkrade (line 34).
In addition, the semester ticket entitles the holder to use RE/RB/S trains, buses, streetcars, city trains and subways throughout NRW, which may be used with regional transport association tickets.
Excluded from this are the route sections Bad Laasphe – Marburg (Lahn), Rudersdorf (Siegen) – Haiger, Rudersdorf (Siegen) – Warburg (Westf), Niederdresselndorf – Haiger.
Scope in the Netherlands
Students of RWTH can use the following local transport in South Limburg with the semester ticket.
- RE 18 Aachen – Maastricht
- RS 18 Heerlen – Maastricht / Maastricht-Randwyck
- RS 15 Heerlen – Landgraaf
- RS 12 Maastricht – Maastricht-Randwyck
In addition, the semester ticket is valid on cross-border bus lines:
- 21 Aachen – Hoensbroek,
- 27 Herzogenrath – Parkstad-Stadion
- 43 Vaals – Simpelveld – Heerlen – Hoensbroek
- 44 Aachen – Heerlen
- 350 Aachen – Maastricht
- 723 Übach-Palenberg – Mondo Verde
Weiterhin gilt das Ticket in allen Bussen und Bahnen in der Tarifzone 6600 Heerlen (Stadt)
Transport ticket
Within the AVV area, the ticket is valid as a ticket; only the BlueCard is required for legitimation. For the rest of the area of validity (NRW and the Netherlands), the ticket must be presented together with an official photo ID or international student ID. The travel authorization is valid for the entire semester – even during the lecture-free period.
Bicycle transport
For the bicycle transport you need an appropriate additional ticket for the network in which you are traveling. In some transport associations, there are blackout periods for the transport of bicycles. In the AVV, bicycles can only be taken along if the bus driver gives his “OK”. If you are planning to travel by bike throughout NRW, we recommend the FahrradTicket NRW from DB.
Important for first semester students
The ticket is only valid from the official start of the semester, i.e. from October 1 or April 1. Please keep this in mind if you are traveling to or in Aachen before then. For everything before the start of the semester, you will either have to get individual tickets or you can buy the Deutschlandticket.
Loss of the semester ticket
If the ticket is lost, the ASEAG Service Point will issue a new pass for a fee.
Reimbursement of the mobility contribution
If you would spend a certain amount of time abroad, are exmatriculated or cannot spend this amount due to social hardship or cannot use the ticket because you are not in the area of validity for a longer period of time, you can apply for a refund of the mobility fee.
You can find more information about the refund of the mobility fee here.
Connection ticket
For journeys with Deutsche Bahn AG that go beyond the area of validity, a connecting ticket can be purchased from DB in accordance with the general DB tariff.
However, if the further route is completely within a transport association, this is not always possible in the transport association at the ticket machine and is difficult at the ticket office of other stations. A connecting ticket according to the DB tariff is often refused there on the grounds that it is “within a transport association”. Since the train conductors on the trains no longer sell tickets, the connecting ticket according to the DB tariff must be purchased before the journey begins in Aachen. The same procedure is recommended for the return journey to Aachen. It is best to buy a connecting ticket at the DB tariff when you arrive in Aachen.
Of course you can also buy a ticket for the additional journey at the station when changing trains or on your return journey. However, please remember to do so before you start your journey. Composite tickets are neither sold on trains nor can they be purchased there. The ticket must be valid from the last station in the “base” area. Therefore, you cannot use the semester ticket to travel beyond the limits of the area of validity.
If you have any questions about the semester ticket, you can look it up in our FAQ or contact semesterticket@asta.rwth-aachen.de if your question is not answered in the FAQ.