27 Sep

Ticket for the Winter Semester 2023/24

Table of contents:

What is the current status?

The TU Berlin student parliament decided on 8 June 2023 not to extend the semester ticket at the current conditions, as the offer of the Verkehrsverbund Berlin Brandenburg (VBB) does not justify a solidarity model. Solidarity model means that all students must pay for a ticket regardless of use. Negotiations on timely alternatives, such as the Berlin 19 Euro Ticket for students or inclusion in the Berlin 9 Euro Social Ticket failed for the winter semester.

The student parliaments of the HTW and the UdK made a similar decision, also deciding to end the semester ticket.

More detailed information below or here: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/artikel/ende-des-semestertickets/ .

From 1 October 2023 at midnight, the electronic ticket of your student card will become invalid. [1]

You will have to find your own ticket for the winter semester 2023/2024.

[1] – § 1 para. 2 sentence 2 of the semester ticket contract. Excerpt:

“In addition, the semester ticket is valid from 00:00 on the last calendar day of the previous semester and until 24:00 on the first calendar day of the following semester.” (translated from German)

We are aware that this situation entails additional costs for some students and are continuing to work on a better solution for the coming summer semester. This decision was not only made at the TU Berlin, but by several universities in Berlin. In recent weeks, various student bodies across Germany have also cancelled the ticket for the winter semester. Especially since various legal opinions came to the conclusion that a semester ticket requires at least a 40% savings effect on a comparable ticket and the transport associations have not lifted a finger to maintain this quota.

In this text, we would like to remind you of your options and give you a brief insight into the current state of negotiations.

You can do this now

Due to the discontinuation of the semester ticket, the semester fee has been reduced to 113.09 euros. However, you must buy a ticket in order to use public transport. However, there is no longer an obligation to purchase a ticket.

The ticket that stands out in terms of price and performance is the 49-Euro-Ticket (Deutschland-Ticket). There are currently several options for purchase, which we would like to list here.

Some order options take longer and can only be used until the 20th day of the previous month.

A distinction is also made between an online ticket in the app and the Fahrcard.

Online: In an app

For as of now or as of October 2023

As an electronic ticket (Fahrcard)

For as of now or as of October 2023

You can get your ticket relatively quickly at the SBahn customer centre at Berlin main station.
What you need:

  • An identity card or passport
  • Bank card or an official document with your IBAN on it
  • Your address

In our experience everything is in German

For from November 2023

Theoretically, there is also the possibility to buy only for the areas Berlin ABC, AB, BC. However, with prices of 114 euros per month for ABC, these are not comparable.

Jobticket

If you, like most students, work for a wage, ask your employer about the possibility of getting the Jobticket. If your employer has offered this to everyone so far, except for student assistants (SHK), contact your works council or staff council. Since the semester ticket used to be cheaper than the job ticket and this has only changed this semester, many employers do not even realise that SHKs could also use the job ticket. In many cases, however, a ticket should not be a problem as the costs borne by the employer are quite low.

The TU Berlin also offers a job ticket for student assistants. However, this must also be ordered by the 20th day of the previous month. You can find more information here: https://www.tu.berlin/abt2-t/services/services-a-z/firmenticket

Negotiations Berlin Tickets*

The future of the Sozialticket in Berlin is uncertain and the 9-Euro-Ticket is expected to expire on 1 January 2024. However, the state of Berlin has publicly announced the goal of a 29-euro Berlin ticket possibly valid nationwide from 1 January 2024. Whether there will be a cheaper student ticket, with or without a semester ticket binding, has not yet been decided. We as AStA are still in talks with various stakeholders in order to get a sensible offer for the student body of the TU Berlin. The SPD resolution is currently in favour of a 19-Euro student ticket. At this point, it can help to write emails to SPD members of the Berlin House of Representatives and ask them to finally implement the SPD resolution.
* – means 19-Euro-Studiticket, Sozialticket and Berlin Ticket.

Negotiations Semesterticket

The VBB has not yet approached us with an adjusted offer. But there are still talks at the federal level about a nationwide semester ticket costing 29.40 euros. However, these have been put on hold in the budget negotiations. At the moment, however, the FDP is blocking the financing. Whether such a ticket will be introduced is therefore still open. However, the use of the Deutschlandticket by students costs the federal government more than it would cost to subsidise the semester tickets.

As you can see, the situation for next year remains uncertain. We will inform you as soon as possible should one or more of these options become more concrete. Don’t get caught without a ticket and help us to keep up the pressure on the politicians.

Soli Action

In addition, there is a 9 Euro fund, where people get paid for driving without a ticket and are thus also saved from a prison sentence. People who participate in the fund pay 9 euros a month.

You can find all the information at: https://9eurofonds.de/