Contact & Help

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FAQ

Subscription

As the transport operators within the network are solely responsible for the sale of VRR tickets, please send any requests to change or cancel your ticket to your contract partner, or send your ticket order to a transport operator of your choice. You can find details of your contract partner via the logo on the back of your season ticket or on your account statement. The relevant contact details can be found on our website.

Most season tickets in the VRR area are issued as smartcards. Customer details such as the area of validity, fare category, etc. are stored on the smartcard and can be checked for validity using a reader by a ticket inspector or driver.

Loss/Damage

If your chip card has been damaged or lost, you must notify the transport operator immediately. You can find a list of all transport operators in the VRR area on our website.

The originally issued ticket will then be blocked in the transport operator’s customer database. Furthermore, a corresponding note will be forwarded to the VRR’s central block list. A replacement for lost or destroyed tickets will be issued for a fee of €10.00. A fee of €20.00 will be charged for each additional replacement issued within the 12-month contract period.

In the event of the loss or destruction of the ticket, the transport company accepts no liability for any loss incurred by the customer as a result of being unable to make use of other benefits generated by the ticket in addition to the transport service (e.g. the electronic wallet). The transport company shall not be liable for any compensation for such benefits.

Replacement of chip cards

The transport companies within the network are solely responsible for the sale of VRR tickets. The season ticket contract was concluded with one of the local transport companies in the VRR area. A replacement chip card can only be issued to you by your contracted transport company or one of its customer service centres. You will find details of your contract partner on your account statement. You can find an overview of all transport operators in the VRR area on our website.

Returning the chip card upon cancellation of the subscription

Upon cancellation of the subscription, the ticket must be returned to the issuing transport operator. Otherwise, a fee of EUR 10.00 will be charged, as the ticket can no longer be prepared for new customers. By signing the contract, you as the customer have accepted this condition.

Buy tickets

You can purchase the right ticket for your journey directly from the following shops:

Buying tickets from ticket machines

Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines around the clock. You will usually find machines at every major stop, particularly at railway stations and public transport interchanges. Transdev ticket machines also offer local transport tickets. You will also find mobile ticket machines on some vehicles.

Please note that some machines issue pre-validated tickets, so it is not possible to buy tickets in advance. Not all ticket types can be purchased from machines, and the range of tickets available varies from machine to machine. As different types of machines are generally used, we are unable to provide a general guide to how they work here.

For further information on the range of tickets and how to use the machines, please contact the relevant transport operator that runs the machine (see logo).

Vending machine malfunction

Responsibility for the machines, machine malfunctions and refunds lies with the company operating the machines. You can identify the responsible company by the company logo on the machine.

At the customer service centres of local transport operators within the VRR area, you can find out about tickets and season tickets, as well as purchase, amend or take out new ones. You can also make enquiries in person regarding timetables or specific routes operated by the transport companies.

On our website, you can find the nearest customer centre of your local transport operator in the VRR area for individual towns.

Some of the tickets are available from local sales outlets and private retailers, such as newsagents or lottery outlets. For advice on tickets or to take out a season ticket, please contact a customer service centre run by your local transport operator.

You can find the addresses of our sales partners on your local transport operator’s website.

The 10-trip ticket, Happy Hour ticket, 30-day ticket, Flex25 and Flex 35 tickets are only available online. In the transport companies’ online ticket shops, you can also purchase and print tickets for other people.

Tickets available via electronic channels are cheaper, as they require less infrastructure (e.g. installation, maintenance and upkeep of ticket machines). 

Rate

Fare zones and grids form the basis for calculating fares within the VRR network.

A fare zone usually covers one town or several small towns/municipalities and consists of one or more zones. Fares are calculated based on area rather than distance. Each route within the VRR area is assigned a fare tier; there are fare tiers A, B and C.

Determining fare categories for single journeys or TimeTickets

For a single journey, e.g. when using a Single Ticket, the journey distance is calculated in each direction from the current departure stop. Return or circular journeys are not possible; a new ticket is required for this. You can obtain fare information for your journey via our timetable enquiry service.

With a ZeitTicket, you select a fare zone of your choice with fare category A, which then serves as the starting point for all subsequent journeys. Fare category A covers a city or district area within which you can then travel unlimitedly. In the cities of Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen and Wuppertal, which each consist of two fare zones, the ticket is valid throughout the city. In addition, fare level A also applies in some cases to journeys across two neighbouring zones in different fare zones (2-zone connection). 

You can find an overview of the fare system and the areas of validity in the brochure ‘Fare Overview’ (8.35 MB – PDF). 

A fare zone usually covers a city or several small towns/municipalities and consists of one or more zones. Fares are calculated on the basis of area rather than distance. Each route within the VRR area is assigned a fare tier; there are fare tiers A, B and C.

Determining fare categories for single journeys or TimeTickets

For a single journey, e.g. when using a Single Ticket, the journey distance is calculated in each direction from the current departure stop. Return or circular journeys are not possible; a new ticket is required for this. As a rule, the neighbouring town can be reached using price tier B. You can obtain fare information for your journey via our timetable enquiry service.

With a ZeitTicket, you select a central fare zone of your choice under fare category B, which then serves as the starting point for all subsequent journeys. Fare category B generally covers the surrounding neighbouring fare zones, within which you can then travel unlimitedly. This applies only to fare zones connected by public transport.

You can find an overview of the areas covered by fare category B in the ‘Tariff at a Glance’ brochure (8.35 MB – PDF) on pages 6 to 17. 

A fare zone usually covers a city or several small towns/municipalities and consists of one or more zones. Fares are calculated on the basis of area rather than distance. Each route within the VRR area is assigned a fare tier; there are fare tiers A, B and C.

Determining fare categories for single journeys or TimeTickets

For a single journey, e.g. when using a Single Ticket, the journey distance is calculated in each direction from the current departure stop. Return or circular journeys are not possible; a new ticket is required for this. You can obtain fare information for your journey via our timetable enquiry service.

For a TimeTicket in price category C, the fare zone covers the entire VRR network area. Return or round-trip journeys are also covered by the TimeTicket.

You can find an overview of the fare system and the areas of validity in the brochure ‘Fares at a Glance’ (8.35 MB – PDF). 

The integrated transport area is divided into fare zones and grids. A fare zone usually covers a city or several small towns/municipalities and consists of one or more grids. If you wish to purchase a VRR season ticket, you must choose a zone of validity.

You can find an overview of the various options from page 6 of our fare brochure (8.35 MB – PDF).

As a general rule, fare category A applies to journeys within a single fare zone, and fare category B applies to journeys into an adjacent fare zone.

The fare zones within the VRR are further subdivided into zones, similar to the districts of a city. There are also journeys that constitute a so-called ‘2-zone’ connection. This means that the starting point and destination are in different (neighbouring) fare zones within two zones that lie directly adjacent to one another. Fare category A applies to such journeys.

Detailed zone maps for the fare zones are only produced by the local transport operators. You can find out which stop is in which fare zone, for example, in the timetable books for the respective city. Here, the fare zone or fare cell is also listed behind each stop in the stop directory.

For individual journeys, you can also look up zones or fare zones via the timetable enquiry service: enter your journey details, request a connection, then click on the fare category (e.g. “A”) and you will be shown the zones for your desired journey. The first two digits of the zone number indicate the corresponding fare zone.

2-zone journey as a time ticket

You can also have a Time Ticket issued for a 2-zone connection in price category A. These two zones are entered on the ticket as the area of validity. However, journeys are then only possible within these zones using your ticket, not across the entire associated fare zones.

Extension with an additional ticket

If you wish to travel beyond the validity area of your ticket within the VRR area, you will need one VRR ZusatzTicket per journey (return journey = two ZusatzTickets).

The VRR fare allows cross-border journeys to the Netherlands, specifically to Venlo, Nijmegen, Arnhem, Zevenaar, 's-Heerenberg and Millingen. VRR tickets in the relevant fare category apply. Holders of a severe disability pass may only use this within the Federal Republic of Germany – and therefore only as far as the final stop within the VRR network. A VRR ticket in the relevant fare category (e.g. fare category A from Nettetal-Kaldenkirchen) can then be used as a connecting ticket.

When using monthly tickets, the VRR ZusatzTicket is required unless the ticket’s validity extends into the Netherlands.

However, the VRR fare applies only on transport operated by VRR transport companies – Dutch transport services cannot be used with VRR tickets.

Specifically, the VRR fare applies on the RE 13, 929 and SB 42 lines to Venlo, bus route 60 to Millingen, bus route 91 to 's-Heerenberg, the SB 58 express bus route to Nijmegen and on the RE 19 line to Zevenaar and Arnhem. In Arnhem, there are so-called OV-Chipkaart-poortjes, electronic access gates that control entry to and exit from the station.

You can find out how to travel to Venlo with a VRR ticket here: How to travel to Venlo with a VRR ticket | Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association

For all journeys within Venlo operated exclusively by Arriva, the transport company that runs the city’s public transport network, the Dutch fare structure continues to apply.

Passengers travelling throughout North Rhine-Westphalia are offered the EinfachWeiterTicket. This flat-rate ticket allows holders of season tickets, such as monthly or JobTickets, to extend the validity of their own ticket. 

The “EWT” costs €8.20 for adults for a single journey in 2nd class; children pay half price (€4.10). The price for 1st class is €12.30 and €6.20 respectively. Whether travelling from Aachen to Münster or from Cologne to Paderborn, adult passengers pay just €8.20 or €12.30 per journey with the “EWT”. As the “EWT” has been extended to cover the whole of North Rhine-Westphalia, the AnschlussTicket NRW is no longer required. It has therefore been discontinued.

Unused Single Tickets (including partially used multi-journey tickets) purchased in advance, 4-trip, 24-hour and 48-hour tickets, supplementary tickets and cycle tickets in accordance with the fare structure as at 1 January 2024 is possible at the selling transport operator until 31 December 2027, subject to payment of the difference in euros. The difference arising from the exchange will be rounded up to the nearest 5-cent amount for accounting purposes. There is no processing fee.

 

Transitional arrangements for tickets under the fare structure valid from 1 January 2025 to 28 February 2025

Departure rules

Cash fare

The last possible date for purchasing the tickets that are being discontinued (48-hour ticket, Happy Hour ticket, 10-trip ticket, 4-hour ticket, 4-trip add-on ticket, 4-trip digital ticket) or in the price categories that are being discontinued (K, A1, A2, C) is 28 February 2025. If purchased in advance, they may be used for travel until the end of service on 31 December 2025. Customers will be offered a refund or an exchange for the tickets.

Season tickets

Season tickets (Ticket1000, YoungTicketPlus, BärenTicket) could be purchased up to and including 28 February 2025, but also expired on 28 February 2025 or at the end of service on that day. 30-day tickets and FlexTickets (Flex25, Flex35, FlexSozial). The tickets could be used until 28 February 2025 or until the end of service. Single tickets for the Flex25, Flex35, FlexSozial and bicycle tickets in the Flex25 could still be purchased throughout February and also expired on 28 February 2025.

Exchange policy

Exchanges are available for tickets purchased in advance but not used (including partially used multi-journey passes), 4-trip tickets in price categories that are being discontinued and 10-trip tickets based on the fare structure valid from 1 January 2025 to 28 February 2025 for other tickets or other price categories in accordance with the current fare structure is possible at the selling transport operator until 29 February 2028, subject to payment of the difference in euros. The difference in price upon exchange will be rounded up to the nearest 5-cent amount. There is no processing fee.

The VRR’s pricing system is based on the division of the transport network into fare zones and grids. A fare zone generally covers the area of a city or several small towns and municipalities. Each fare zone, in turn, is made up of one or more grids, which generally correspond in size to a district or a small municipality. 

When calculating the price for a single journey within the VRR, the fare tier system is based on origin-destination relationships. The number of kilometres travelled, for example, plays no direct role in this.

Our major fare reform came into effect on 1 March 2025, making travel by bus and train even easier. 

Passenger rights

The relevant transport operator is solely responsible for processing refund claims under the Mobility Guarantee.

Please use the online portal/tool or submit the refund application (658 KB - PDF) to the relevant transport operator within 14 days. You can also contact one of this company’s customer service centres.

Please also note the further information on the Mobility Guarantee: https://www.mobil.nrw/fahren/mobigarantie.html.

In addition to the guaranteed refund policy, some transport operators within the Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association offer their customers an additional, voluntary service – the Punctuality Promise.

If you arrive at your destination more than 10 minutes late when travelling on the buses and trains of participating transport operators, you can make a claim under the Punctuality Promise. You will be reimbursed the price of a VRR Single Ticket in price category A (€3.30). This is subject to the condition that you used a VRR ticket for the journey in question, regardless of whether it was a Single Ticket, a 4-Trip Ticket or a season ticket.

Claiming your refund

If the vehicle reached your destination stop more than 10 minutes later than stated in the timetable information, please report this delay via an online portal within three working days. Alternatively, you can also report the incident via the Bus & Train Helpline, 0800 6 / 50 40 30 (free of charge from all German networks) or in person at a customer centre of the transport company.

You have three months from the date of reporting to collect your refund. You can collect this at a customer centre of the transport company. To do so, please present the VRR ticket used for the journey in question and, if necessary, an official photo ID (identity card, passport, driving licence). Tickets from other transport associations and long-distance tickets from Deutsche Bahn AG are excluded from the refund. Refunds without a ticket are not possible.

The “Punctuality Promise” scheme is a voluntary service offered by the participating transport companies to their customers without any legal obligation.

The following companies within the VRR currently offer the Punctuality Promise:

Through their connection guarantee, some transport operators assure their passengers that the connections between two services listed in the timetable (which may be limited to certain journeys) will be maintained. The guaranteed connections are often marked with a symbol in the individual timetables. If a connection is not maintained, different guarantee entitlements apply depending on the operator, such as the provision and payment of a taxi journey free of charge.

This service is not offered across the entire VRR network, and transport operators are free to determine the terms of the guarantee.

The VRR applies the standardised national passenger rights (852 KB - PDF) in the event of cancellations, delays and missed connections in relation to the operating railway company. These regulations apply in addition to the usual statutory provisions and supplement them.

Compensation

Customers with a ticket for single journeys (both local and long-distance), such as the EinzelTicket and 4erTicket, will be reimbursed 25 per cent of the fare for each journey (for a delay of 60 to 119 minutes) or 50 per cent of the fare (for a delay of 120 minutes or more).

For a ZeitTicket, such as weekly and monthly tickets for local and long-distance travel, a flat-rate compensation is paid for a delay of 60 minutes or more: €1.50 for a journey in 2nd class; €2.25 for a journey in 1st class. For time-based tickets, a maximum of 25 per cent of the actual fare paid will be reimbursed. Compensation payments of less than €4.00 will not be paid out.

Deadlines

For Zeittickets, claims should be submitted collectively at the end of the month. For paper tickets, you can submit claims immediately.

Claims

In principle, claims arising from statutory passenger rights must be made against the transport operator responsible for the disruption.

Form and further information

The passenger rights form (117 KB – PDF), which you can use to make a claim, is also available at the offices or ticket offices of the railway companies.

You also have the option of claiming your compensation online via your customer account on bahn.de and in the DB Navigator.

All about the trip

In principle, every passenger is required to be able to produce a valid ticket for the journey. Otherwise, they may be charged an increased fare (EBE) of 60 euros during checks, payable to the transport operator. Passengers who are in possession of a valid personal ticket but are unable to present it during a check will pay a lower fee upon subsequent presentation of the ticket at the transport operator’s customer centre. 

If you consider the demand for an EBE to be unjustified, the responsibility and decision regarding this lie with the transport operator that issued the EBE to you. Please contact the relevant transport operator directly to clarify the matter. You will find the company’s logo on the receipt issued to you during the inspection.

Every year, German local transport companies lose around 250 million euros in fare revenue due to passengers travelling without a ticket, funds which are urgently needed for the maintenance and expansion of public transport. 

Some transport operators require passengers to board at the front of their buses – in some cases only during certain times of day.

This means that all passengers must board at the front and purchase or present a valid ticket (exceptions apply for passengers with reduced mobility). Electronic tickets such as smart cards, mobile and online tickets must be held against the marked area on the driver’s payment counter. The ticket is scanned and an LED indicates the result of the check. For paper tickets, photo ID must be presented for verification.

The electronic boarding control system enables the transport operator to identify invalid tickets immediately upon boarding and remove them from circulation. Lost or stolen smart cards cannot therefore be misused.

Targeted checks are carried out with an increased number of ticket inspectors accompanied by police officers to ensure that all passengers are checked without exception. These measures complement the usual checks. Ultimately, both forms of inspection serve to reduce the number of people travelling without a valid ticket. The financial losses resulting from this are not insignificant and have to be subsidised by other passengers.

In some cases, individual transport operators even inform their passengers in advance via their respective websites.

Services generally finish at 3 a.m. the following day. Please use the timetable enquiry service to plan your journey.

The VRR does not operate its own lost property office and cannot assist you directly with your search.

If you have lost something on board a vehicle (e.g. an umbrella, jacket, wallet or similar), there is a chance that the item you are looking for is at the lost property office of the transport company operating the route you used. Please therefore contact the relevant transport company directly. You can find an overview of transport companies in the VRR area on our website. 

If you have left something behind on the station premises or in a Deutsche Bahn AG vehicle, please contact the following address via the link below: DB Regio NRW AG Lost Property Office

You can find the online form here

Summary

  • Public transport can be used free of charge upon application
  • Eligibility cards and tokens are issued by local social security offices
  • Further information: oepnv-info.de

Eligibility

  • People with severe disabilities with a degree of disability of at least 50% and with the codes Bl (blind), aG (exceptionally mobility-impaired), G (mobility-impaired), Gl (deaf) or H (helpless)
  • Persons with severe war injuries and persons with the codes VB and EB who were entitled to free travel on 1 October 1979, provided that the degree of disability or reduction in earning capacity is at least 70%.
  • Eligibility card and token required

Validity

Nationwide on local transport within the transport associations and in 2nd-class local trains. Holders of a severely disabled person’s pass may only use it within the Federal Republic of Germany – and thus only as far as the final stop within the VRR. A VRR ticket in the relevant fare category (e.g. fare category A from Nettetal-Kaldenkirchen) can then be used as a connecting ticket to Venlo in the Netherlands 

Validity period

  • Ticket: either 6 or 12 months
  • Pass: usually 5 years

Price (as of 2025)

For people with a degree of disability of 60 to 80: €53 for 6 months, €104 for 12 months

The following groups of people receive a token valid for 12 months free of charge:

  • People with severe disabilities with the "Bl" designation
  • People with severe disabilities with the "H" designation
  • People receiving unemployment benefit (benefits to secure a livelihood under SGB II)
  • People receiving income support or basic income support in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity under SGB XII (social assistance)
  • People receiving benefits under SGB VIII (child and youth welfare) or Sections 27a or 27d of the Federal Constitution
  • People with severe war injuries and those with the "VB" or "EB" designation who, due to the consequences of their injuries, have been entitled to free travel on public transport since at least 1 October 1979.

Additional benefits

Free travel for one accompanying person if the entry “B” or “BN” is present and one of the following notes has not been deleted: “The entitlement to bring an accompanying person has been verified” or “The need for constant accompaniment has been verified”.

Mobility guarantee

Delays of 20 minutes or more:

  • Reimbursement of taxi costs
    • Up to €30.00 between 5.00 am and 7.59 pm
    • Up to €60.00 between 8.00 pm and 4.59 am
  • Reimbursement of long-distance travel tickets

Extension

  • Bicycle transport with a FahrradTicket

VRR transport services available

Integrated transport services: buses, trolleybuses, trams, underground trains, the Wuppertal suspension railway, the H-Bahn in Dortmund, the SkyTrain at Düsseldorf Airport, all trains without a surcharge (RE, RB, S-Bahn) in 2nd class. 

Special symbols

Bl (blind), H (helpless), G (significantly mobility-impaired), aG (exceptionally mobility-impaired), Gl (deaf)

Refund of the token

If the token is still valid for at least three full calendar months, it can be returned to the benefits office.

Carry-on

Below you will find the regulations regarding the carriage of bicycles in the VRR area:

  1.  A bicycle is a wheeled vehicle powered by muscle power. This includes both insurance-exempt and insurance-compulsory ‘fast’ wheeled vehicles with electric pedal assistance (so-called pedelecs and e-bikes). All other motorised vehicles, in particular those with internal combustion engines, are not considered bicycles under these conditions of carriage; they are generally excluded from transport on public transport.
  2. On local rail services (SPNV), the carriage of bicycles as defined in paragraph 1, sentence 1, and equivalent cycling vehicles as defined in paragraph 1, sentence 2, is generally permitted only in designated storage areas (e.g. multi-purpose compartments). For services without designated storage areas, the provisions of paragraph 3 apply.
  3. On public road passenger transport (ÖSPV), only single-track bicycles powered by muscle power as defined in paragraph 1, sentences 1 and 2 may be carried, provided that space permits. Designs whose dimensions exceed the standard bicycle size (e.g. tandems, recumbent bicycles, tricycles), as well as bicycles with internal combustion engines, are generally excluded from carriage on public road-based passenger transport. Notwithstanding this, ÖSPV companies may, on a goodwill basis, also allow severely disabled persons holding a pass in accordance with Section 69 of Book IX of the Social Code to carry all other types of bicycle referred to in paragraph 1, sentences 1 and 2, provided that space permits.
  4. Bicycles are generally only carried if available capacity and space permit. If a vehicle’s designated bicycle spaces are occupied, no further passengers with bicycles may board. Passengers with reduced mobility (e.g. wheelchair users or those with pushchairs) have priority over cyclists. The decision as to whether space is still available is at the discretion of the staff. There is no entitlement to the carriage of bicycles.
  5. Each passenger may only bring one bicycle and must load and unload it themselves. Children up to and including the age of 6 who wish to bring a bicycle must be accompanied by an adult. Folding or collapsible bicycles, which are commercially available and fully folded or collapsed to the smallest possible size, count as hand luggage. Separately used child trailers are treated in the same way as a pushchair.
  6. Passengers are obliged to secure their bicycle in such a way that it does not pose a risk to safety or order within the vehicle. In particular, passengers must ensure that other passengers are not endangered or soiled and that their bicycle does not cause any damage to the vehicle. Passengers are liable for any damage caused.
  7. Depending on the region, there may be restrictions on operating hours; passengers can find the exact times in the information or notices provided by the local transport operators. 

If you have purchased a VRR ticket, you may travel with your dog (or dogs) free of charge at any time within the relevant area of validity.

Please note that dogs are only permitted on board if this does not jeopardise the safety and order of the service and does not cause a nuisance to other passengers. Dogs must always be supervised by a suitable person. They must be kept on a short lead, and dogs that may pose a risk to fellow passengers must also wear a muzzle. They must not be placed on seats. Guide dogs accompanying a blind person are, of course, always permitted on board.

Other animals may only be carried in suitable containers, which must also not block any seats.

DeutschlandTicket

No passengers allowed.

SchokoTicket/DeutschlandTicket School

No passengers allowed.

Ticket2000

The Ticket2000 is valid as a travel pass within the extended zone of fare category D throughout the entire VRR network area from 7.00 pm on Mondays to Fridays, and all day until the end of service on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, as well as on 24 December and 31 December of each year, for up to five people. Including the holder, a maximum of two people may be over 14 years of age.

VRR Semester Ticket

From 7.00 pm Monday to Friday, all day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, as well as on 24 December and 31 December of each year until the end of service, the holder of a semester ticket may carry one person free of charge throughout the entire network area. Please note: The ticket’s validity for the holder remains limited to the North or South region.

Germany Semester Ticket 

No passengers permitted. 

Social Ticket

Monday to Friday from 7.00 pm, as well as on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and on 24 and 31 December all day within the registered area of validity: up to three children under the age of 15 may travel free of charge.

Germany Social Ticket

No passengers allowed.

DeutschlandTicket Job

No passengers permitted.

Prams can be carried on VRR services free of charge at any time.

Children under the age of six travel free of charge. Children under the age of seven who are not yet attending school also travel free of charge until they start school (in North Rhine-Westphalia, the school year always begins on 1 August each year). Reduced fares apply to children aged between six and 14.

In March 2017, the carriage of e-scooters on public buses was regulated by a nationwide decree issued in March 2017.

In principle, this decree stipulates that the carriage of e-scooters must be permitted provided that certain requirements regarding the e-scooters, public buses and e-scooter users are met. 

For example, a severely disabled person’s pass marked with the letter ‘G’ is required for transport. You can obtain detailed information on transport directly from your local transport operator.

You can find the full decree of 15 March 2017 on the website of the Federal Association for People with Physical and Multiple Disabilities (BVKM).

Click here for further information on accessibility.

There is no charge for carrying a wheelchair within the VRR area.

Below is an extract from the General Conditions of Carriage regarding the carriage of items:

  1. Passengers may carry items provided that this does not jeopardise the safety and order of the service. Other passengers must not be endangered or inconvenienced by the items being carried. Passengers must stow and supervise their items accordingly. Items must not block a passenger’s own seat. Passengers are liable for any damage caused by the items they carry. 
  2. The following are excluded from carriage: hazardous substances and dangerous objects, in particular
    • explosive, highly flammable, radioactive, foul-smelling or corrosive substances,
    • unpackaged or unprotected items that could injure passengers
    • objects that protrude beyond the carriage boundaries.
  3. Staff shall decide on a case-by-case basis whether items are permitted for carriage and where they are to be stowed. If staff suspect that a piece of luggage or cargo contains dangerous substances, they may request information about the contents from the passenger. If the passenger refuses to provide this information, the item of luggage shall be excluded from carriage.
  4. Staff must make every effort to ensure that pushchairs and wheelchair users can be accommodated. However, staff reserve the right to make the final decision regarding transport options and stowage. 
  5. There is no entitlement to the carriage of items.

Accessibility

Accessibility makes it easier or even possible for people with reduced mobility – such as those with physical or visual impairments, as well as passengers with heavy luggage or older people – to use public transport. Accessibility must be ensured at all levels of the public transport system – i.e. passengerinformation, infrastructure such as bus and train platforms, and within vehicles – in order to offer genuine added value.

Passenger information

You can find out which stops on RE, RB or S-Bahn lines within the network have barrier-free access to the platform by consulting the respective route maps for the RE, RB and S-Bahn lines. These provide information on all platforms that can be reached via lifts or ramps. In addition, you can view a map of the area around your stop or use the Deutsche Bahn AG station informationservice. The map shows the exact locations of the lifts to the respective platforms. Furthermore, any disruption to lifts at railway stations, as well as to many lifts and escalators at tram and underground stations, is displayed as a text message alongside each journey information.

Infrastructure

Accessibility of the infrastructure is enhanced not only by escalators, lifts and ramps, but also by level access to vehicles, where bus or train platforms are aligned with the vehicle’s boarding height. Within the VRR area, there are various projects aimed at improving the accessibility of the infrastructure.

Vehicles

On numerous rail lines within the VRR, vehicles are in use that allow level access at many platforms or are equipped with boarding aids, so that even significant differences in height can be overcome. The needs of passengers with reduced mobility are also taken into account in the design of the train interiors. For example, all newer trains offer a spacious multi-purpose compartment as well as visual and audio passenger information. In regional transport, disabled-friendly toilets are also available on most services.

As public road-based passenger transport (ÖSPV) is planned and organised by individual local transport companies, you can obtain more detailed information on which buses or trams etc. are suitable for passengers with reduced mobility from the transport company operating the route you are using.

Further information on this topic can be found on the mobility portal for passengers with reduced mobility.

A Regional Express (RE) is a local train designed to provide fast connections between the city centres of major cities and to link regions to the long-distance rail network. 

The RE in Germany evolved from the former Eilzug (express train) and the RegionalSchnellBahn; it runs with longer intervals between stops than the Regionalbahn (RB), has a higher passenger capacity and covers longer distances. It also travels faster, with an average speed of 70 to 90 km/h.

You can use our timetable enquiry service to check journey connections and current departure times. Information on the accessibility of stations can be found on the Deutsche Bahn AG website. 

Like the Regional Express (RE), the Regional Train (RB) is a local train that stops much more frequently. On most routes, the RB serves all stations and stops. In urban areas, for example, if an S-Bahn runs in parallel, the RB often only serves stops with high passenger volumes. 

You can use our timetable enquiry service to check journey connections and current departure times.

The S-Bahn is an urban rapid transit system that is classified as a railway both technically and legally. S-Bahn services operate as part of the local rail network and provide intra-city connections.

You can use our timetable enquiry service to check journey connections and current departure times.

Safety

Prevention

muTiger Foundation

The Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association and the Kötter Group founded the muTiger Foundation in the summer of 2011. Through the broadest possible social alliance, the partners aim to demonstrate shared responsibility and encourage citizens to show moral courage, without, however, promoting false heroism.

The focus is on training courses that provide interested citizens with specific guidance on how to behave correctly. The courses, for participants aged 16 and over, are divided into two parts, each lasting four hours. The first covers the most important first aid measures, whilst the second focuses on practical training in how to behave in critical situations, ranging from calmly assessing a situation and making an emergency call correctly to protecting a potential victim. Participants learn to show moral courage without putting themselves or others in unnecessary danger. Upon successful completion of the courses, participants receive free event-specific insurance cover for accidents, liability and legal protection, as well as personal contacts who offer psychological counselling and support following a crisis situation.

If you are interested in the civil courage training courses, please feel free to contact the muTiger Foundation.

Behaviour in an emergency

Behaving correctly in dangerous situations means being there for one another, not being afraid and getting help in an emergency. To do this, dial the police emergency number 110, which is always available to you.

Stay calm during the emergency call and answer the following questions briefly and precisely:

  • Who is calling?
  • What has happened?
  • Where did it happen?
  • When did it happen?
  • How many people are involved?
  • How many people were injured?
  • Please wait for further enquiries!!!

Preservation of evidence

In order to be able to assert civil and criminal claims, it is often advisable to secure video camera recordings. To do so, please contact the relevant transport operator as soon as possible, as recordings may not be stored indefinitely for data protection reasons (usually a maximum of 72 hours) and are therefore no longer available for investigative or evidential purposes.

After an incident

Victim protection: Victim protection refers to legal provisions designed to strengthen the position of the injured party or witness in criminal proceedings. This is made possible by granting specific rights of participation (the right to attend the main hearing, the right to access case files, as well as notification and information obligations) and through a wide range of protective rights and measures.

The State Government of North Rhine-Westphalia pursues a victim-oriented justice policy. A dedicated website informs victims about their rights and the support services available to them.

Electronic criminal complaint

A criminal complaint is a report of facts which, in the complainant’s opinion, warrant criminal prosecution. The complaint prompts an investigation into whether preliminary proceedings should be initiated. It obliges the investigating authorities to investigate. A complaint can be lodged with the public prosecutor’s office, the police, the local court or electronically.

On board trains

To ensure safety on trains, both on-board staff (e.g. ticket inspectors) and specially trained security staff and response teams are deployed. A 100% on-board staff coverage rate is already in place across a wide area and will be guaranteed on all routes in the near future.

Since February 2017, as part of a one-year pilot project, so-called enforcement teams – recognisable by their bright yellow vests – have been supplementing the regular staff on selected train routes within the VRR. These enforcement teams can react flexibly and quickly when regular staff or passengers need support in tricky situations. In doing so, they effectively enforce the right of access.

At stops

To improve passengers’ sense of safety, the VRR has been deploying more staff at stops and stations for several years. In addition, during new construction or refurbishment, bright passenger shelters that are visible from all sides wherever possible are being built, and mirrors are being installed to make ‘dark corners’ visible. Furthermore, CCTV cameras and emergency call points are being installed at many stations and tram stops.

Video surveillance systems are used in railway stations, transport hubs and public transport vehicles to enhance passengers’ sense of security and help prevent crime. They are also designed to assist the police in prosecuting thieves and violent offenders. Alongside the vital role played by staff at stations and on vehicles, the use of video cameras is another indispensable element in improving safety on public transport and is therefore being continuously expanded.

All new vehicles introduced in the VRR area for regional rail services since 2006 are already equipped with video cameras.

For many years now, the Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association has been catering to its youngest passengers with a range of road safety education programmes. Given the ever-increasing volume of traffic, particularly in urban areas, the challenges associated with safe and independent mobility are growing. This makes it all the more important for young people to be able to find their way around and to be aware of the dangers of everyday traffic.

The topic is also specifically addressed through films, brochures and other downloadsfor pupils, parents, teachers/educators and local authorities.

Means of transport

The following public transport services may be used with a VRR ticket within the relevant area of the VRR zone:

Local public transport

  • Buses
  • Trams
  • Underground / light rail
  • Wuppertal Suspension Railway
  • SkyTrain in Düsseldorf
  • H-Bahn in Dortmund
  • TaxiBus
  • Express city buses
  • CityExpress
  • CityLine
  • XBus

Rail transport (2nd class)

  • Trains with no surcharge
  • Suburban trains (S)
  • Regional trains (RB)
  • RegionalExpress (RE)

In addition to local services, long-distance trains (IC/EC, ICE) operated by Deutsche Bahn AG also run within the VRR area.

Using DB AG’s IC/EC trains with VRR tickets

 

Holders of the Ticket2000 can use InterCity and EuroCity trains within the VRR network upon payment of an IC/EC surcharge.

For the Ticket2000, the use of IC/EC trains with a supplement also applies in the extended area of validity via ZusatzTickets.

Surcharges (including for season tickets) are only available from DB sales outlets (including travel agencies with a DB licence).

You can use our timetable enquiry service to check journey connections and current departure times.

The shared taxi service (AST) operates in rural areas and urban suburbs, departing from an AST stop at fixed times. You are free to choose your destination within the service area, so you can be dropped off right at your front door. However, the taxi will only start the journey if a request is made; in other words, you must call the AST control centre to give your destination at least 30 minutes before the journey begins. The fare is only slightly higher than that of a bus ticket. AST tickets are valid only for AST journeys.

Important information for your journey

Journeys by the Call-and-Collect Taxi are marked in the timetable information. There you will also find the telephone number to book the Call-and-Collect Taxi.
For further information, please contact your local transport company or a customer centre.

The reduced fare applies to

  • People with severe disabilities who are entitled to free travel within the VRR, as well as their accompanying persons
  • Holders of valid VRR season tickets, including semester tickets
  • Holders of holiday passes
  • Children aged between 6 and under 15
  • Items of luggage that occupy a seat

Contact form

Your contact to VRR customer management

Dear passenger,

Due to the current situation, the processing of letters and e-mails is taking longer than usual. If possible, please address your enquiries and applications relating to season tickets or the NRW mobility guarantee directly to your contracted transport company (operating transport company, for season tickets see back of ticket or account statement).

You can find an overview of all transport companies here.

Best regards,

Your VRR team

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