Semester ticket
Semester ticket
Free travel through Berlin and germany wide
The Semester Ticket (also called “Studi-Ticket” or “Semtix”) is a ticket that is valid for one semester in the fare zone Berlin ABC in local public transport of the VBB (i.e. underground and suburban railway, buses, trams, ferries and regional trains, excluding excursion and special lines) for students.
The introduction of the semester ticket is provided for by the Berlin Higher Education Act and is negotiated between the AStA and the Berlin-Brandenburg Transport Association VBB.
Students of the HWR Berlin acquire the semester ticket automatically by paying the semester fee when registering or re-registering, even if they do not wish to use the services offered. Most HWR students voted in favor of the semester ticket in a ballot. It is therefore a solidarity model.
The semester ticket fee is due upon enrolment and with each re-registration.
The semester ticket is only valid together with the identity card and is therefore not transferable: With the Semtix you can use the entire transport network within the VBB (ABC tariff area) and during the entire semester.
Since the semester ticket is a solidarity model and it can only work if most of the students pay into the system, an exemption from the contribution is only in one of the 6 following exemption reasons possible, which you will find here:
**Important Information About the New Digital Semester Ticket**
With the newly signed semester ticket contract, the previous Berlin ABC ticket has been replaced with the Germany-wide semester ticket. However, there are some changes to note:
- The ticket is available exclusively in digital form. The print on the back of the student ID card is no longer valid
- You can access the ticket here. Log in with your Moodle credentials to view your ticket as a QR code and optionally save it in a digital wallet
- The ticket is only valid in conjunction with an official photo ID
- Dogs travel free with you in the VBB fare zone, and children under 6 years old can travel beyond this zone for free as well
- The inclusion of bicycles is no longer part of the ticket. As compensation, the AStA has negotiated special conditions with Nextbike for HWR students. In the future, you can use Nextbike’s bike-sharing service for free! Detailed information will be available at the beginning of the summer semester.
For more information, click here
Reasons for Exemption According to the Germany semester ticket contract
In the following cases, a refund of the semester ticket fee for full, unused months can be granted:
- For students who, due to their studies, an internship semester, a semester abroad, or while working on their thesis, spend at least three consecutive months of the respective semester outside the validity area of the Germany-wide semester ticket
- For students who are enrolled at two universities with a Germany-wide semester ticket, a refund can be granted at one university
- For students who are demonstrably enrolled more than one month after the start of the semester, are deregistered during the semester, withdraw their enrollment, are retroactively granted a leave of absence during the semester, or who demonstrably become so seriously ill during the semester that they would be entitled to a leave of absence
- For students who cannot use public transport due to their disability. Temporary disabilities that also exclude the use of public transport for the semester are included. The conditions must be proven by a medical certificate.
Furthermore, the non-use of the Germany-wide semester ticket does not entitle the holder to a refund of the transport fee.
The proofs for the above-mentioned exemption reasons must be submitted and verified by the students at the AStA Social Office no later than four weeks after the start of lectures for the current semester.
IMPORTANT INFO: Please do not send CampusCards to us by mail!
Students not eligible for the Germany-wide semester ticket
The following students are not eligible to receive the semester ticket according to the Germany-wide semester ticket agreement:
- Auditors and second-degree students as defined by the relevant higher education law
- Students enrolled exclusively in evening, online, or distance learning programs without mandatory attendance (“distance learners”)
- Students in part-time and further education programs
- Students who are demonstrably on a sabbatical or studying abroad semester
- Students who are not members of the student body