Constantly flexible with the Deutschland-Ticket as an upgrade of the student semester ticket: How THWS students use their tickets - and how to get it.
Published by 18 June 2024
The Deutschland-Ticket is a success story of local public transport (ÖPNV) in Germany. Since its implementation in May 2023, the entire ÖPNV in Germany has been available for 49 euros a month. The platforms were packed with people - around 11 million people alone bought tickets in the first seven weeks after the launch. Since the winter semester 2023, Bavarian students, trainees and those completing a voluntary social year (FSJ) have been eligible to buy the Deutschland-Ticket at a reduced price. Already in October 2023, the WVV registered more than 18,000 purchases of reduced tickets for the Main-Franconian transport district. At the Würzburg location, the ticket is available for 15 euros a month, at the Schweinfurt location for 22.42 euros a month.
THWS students use the reduced ticket frequently
"Before the Deutschland-Ticket I also used public transport, but I had to buy a ticket every time," says Emily Baltes. Thanks to the Deutschland-Ticket, there is no need anymore. The 23-year-old studies the master's in Specialized Translation with Media Translation at THWS. She does not really commute, however, her mobility behaviour has still changed due to the ticket. "I often use the ticket to go to my parents' and back again," she says. She also talks about trips to her grandma's or to Stuttgart, for which she has also used the Deutschland-Ticket recently. Emily now always filters for local and regional transport in the DB-app. Because due to her semester ticket upgrade, she can simply board these trains.
According to the transport association Nahverkehr Mainfranken GmbH (NVM), about 1,600 THWS students in addition to Emily got their Deutschland-Ticket upgrade via the association's website (as of: December 2023). According to the Würzburger Versorgungs- und Verkehrs GmbH (WVV), about 50,000 upgrade tickets were offered by the company alone (until January 2024). These sales include multiple purchases and all higher education institutions in Würzburg.
Carina Schmidt also bought the ticket. She is a student in the THWS bachelor's degree programme Healthcare Management. Thanks to the Deutschland-Ticket she would go home more often. "Due to the fact that you are not bound to specific trains and can basically take a train anytime, I am actually really happy to use this offer," the 24-year-old says. What's more, you do not even have to pull the semester ticket out of your wallet if you already have your mobile phone with the digital Deutschland-Ticket handy. "I have been doing this for the entire semester," says Carina.
The Deutschland-Ticket is benefiting the environment and the purse even more
Getting from her hometown to Würzburg takes Carina twice as long by train as it does by car. However, the reduced price means that it is definitely cheaper. 15 euros for a whole month of driving back and forth - by car, you would spend that amount for the petrol of one drive alone.
"I personally choose the train more often with the D-Ticket than I would otherwise," Emily admits. The Deutschland-Ticket encouraged people to prefer public transport over cars. This is because public transport is usually cheaper with the Deutschland-Ticket. "I also visit my siblings, go on city trips or to concerts," lists Carina - everything by train or bus. That way, the Deutschland-Ticket not only benefits the environment but also the purse.
The Deutschland-Ticket causes high demand
With the Deutschland-Ticket you can take regional and local public transport to travel in a flexible, quick, and cheap way. This is what many people seem to think as regional trains are in high demand. "I have also experienced that the high demand can be a major , disadvantage," says Carina. "This is often the reason for delays or train cancellations."
For Emily, however, the situation on the trains remained relatively the same. After all, there had already been train cancellations or overcrowded trains before. The bottom line is that both agree: Even if this was a small disadvantage, you could definitely save a lot of money with the ticket, says Carina.
How THWS students can get their Deutschland-Ticket upgrade
"Only one click is needed", says Carina imitating one tap on her phone. That is how easily she could extend her Deutschland-Ticket subscription every month. The upgrade can be purchased from the local transport authority. In Würzburg, this is the Verkehrsverbund Mainfranken. The tickets can be bought off WVV or via the NVM website. In Schweinfurt, you can also go directly to the municipal utilities' website.
Emily and Carina got the ticket upgrade via the WVV app. "I had watched a tutorial beforehand just to be sure," Emily remembers. "But it was easier than I thought." Carina also only had to upload her enrolment certificate to the app once: "It only took me two minutes."
Why prices for the Deutschland-Ticket differ at the two THWS locations
The prices for the Deutschland-Ticket differ at the two THWS locations Würzburg and Schweinfurt. But the Deutschland-Ticket makes up for a major disadvantage of the semester ticket. Namely, that the semester ticket cannot be used for journeys between Würzburg and Schweinfurt. "I can travel almost as far as Fulda to visit my grandma, but not to Schweinfurt," says Emily about her semester ticket. With the Deutschland-Ticket you could at least do so at the moment.
The reason for this is that Würzburg and Schweinfurt are located in different transport districts. This is also why Schweinfurt students must pay more for the same upgrade. The ticket price for all students is 29 euros. According to the NVM, 1/6 of the monthly semester fee would be deducted from the ticket price. As the semester fees are different in Würzburg and Schweinfurt, this results in different residual amounts. According to the NVM, the districts of Würzburg and Schweinfurt, among others, are to form a joint Main-Franconian transport association in the future. A standardised semester ticket for both locations is also planned for 2025 - which would then also mean that the Deutschland-Ticket upgrade would cost the same for students in Würzburg and Schweinfurt.
The Deutschland-Ticket is available until the end of 2024
At the moment, many are wondering how long the Deutschland-Ticket will be offered in its current form as it is only guaranteed until the end of 2024. Emily would think it a great pity if the Deutschland-Ticket was discontinued: "Because it uncomplicates everything."
