Contact & Help

You can solve many problems yourself with the online help. Simply select the relevant keyword. Or find the contact details to VRR below.

Subscription

You can find the forms for ordering, changing and cancelling tickets in our download area.

As only the transport companies in the network are responsible for selling VRR tickets, please send your ticket change or cancellation to your contractual partner or your ticket order to a transport company of your choice. You will find information about your contractual partner as a logo on the back of your subscription ticket or on your account statement. You can find the relevant contact details on our website.

Most subscription tickets in the VRR area are issued as chip cards. Customer data such as area of validity, price level, etc. are stored on the chip card and can be checked for validity by the ticket inspector or driver using a reader.

Loss/destruction

If your chip card has been destroyed or lost, you must inform the contract transport company immediately. You can find an overview of all transport companies in the VRR area on our website.

The ticket originally issued will then be blocked in the transport company's customer file. A corresponding note will also be forwarded to the VRR's central blocking list. Lost or destroyed tickets will be replaced for a fee of 10.00 euros. A fee of 20.00 euros will be charged for each additional replacement issue within the 12-month contract period.

In the event of loss or destruction of the ticket, the transport company accepts no liability for any losses incurred by the customer as a result of not being able to utilise other benefits generated by the ticket in addition to the transport service (e.g. the electronic wallet). The transport company will not reimburse these benefits.

Chip card replacement

The transport companies in the network are solely responsible for the sale of VRR tickets. The subscription contract was concluded with one of the local transport companies in the VRR area. A replacement chip card can only be issued by your contract transport company or a customer centre of this company. You will find information about your contract partner on your account statement. You can find an overview of all transport companies in the VRR area on our website.

Chip card return on cancellation of season ticket

If you cancel your travelcard, the ticket must be returned to the issuing transport company. Otherwise a fee of EUR 10.00 will be charged, as the ticket can no longer be processed for new customers. As a customer, you have recognised this condition by signing the contract.

Buy tickets

You can purchase the right ticket for the desired connection directly from the following shops:

Some ticket offers are only available via the electronic sales channel, i.e. via the Internet or in the VRR app (bus, train, bike P+R). These currently include the 10-trip ticket, the HappyHourTicket, 30-day ticket, the Flex25 and Flex35 ticket.

Ticket purchase at ticket machines

Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines around the clock. As a rule, you will find ticket machines at every major stop, especially at railway stations and public transport interchanges. Transdev ticket machines also offer local transport tickets. You will also find mobile ticket machines in some vehicles.

Please note that some vending machines dispense tickets that have already been validated, so it is not possible to buy tickets in advance. Not every type of ticket can be purchased from vending machines and the ticket ranges of the individual machines differ. As different types of machines are generally used, it is not possible to provide you with an overview of the operating methods here.

For more information on the range of tickets and how to use them, please contact the transport company operating the machine (see logo).

Vending machine defects

The company that operates the ticket machines is responsible for the machines, machine faults and refunds. You can recognise the responsible company by the company logo on the machine.

At the customer centres of the local transport companies in the VRR area, you can find out about tickets and season tickets and also buy, change or take out season tickets. You can make enquiries about timetable information or individual lines of the transport companies there in personal contact.

You can find the nearest customer centre of your local transport company in the VRR area for individual cities on our website.

Some of the ticket range is available from local sales outlets and private sales outlets, such as kiosks or lottery retailers. For ticket advice or to take out a season ticket, please contact a customer centre of your local transport company.

The addresses of sales partners can be found on the website of your local transport company.

The 10-trip ticket, HappyHourTicket, 30-day ticket, Flex25 and Flex 35 tickets are only available online. In the transport companies' online ticket shops, it is also possible to purchase and print out tickets for other people.

Tickets available via the electronic sales channel are cheaper, as less infrastructure (e.g. installation, maintenance, servicing of ticket machines) is required.

Tariff

Features of the short route

The short route is valid in the VRR for three stops from the boarding stop. Exceptions are possible for long distances between stops. In principle, the short-haul route is valid for up to 20 minutes for one journey, after which time the journey must be completed. No local rail passenger transport (SPNV) or long-distance transport lines may be used and transfers are generally excluded.

Journey planning in the short-distance fare

You can find out whether you can actually use the short-distance tariff when planning your journey online via our timetable information or in the VRR app. In case of doubt, our staff will of course also be happy to help.

Ticket offer for the short distance

You can either buy and use the single ticket and 4-trip ticket in the short-distance fare via the usual sales channels or the 10-trip ticket online.

The basis for calculating prices in the VRR network area are the fare zones, honeycombs and short journeys.

A fare zone usually comprises a city or several small towns/municipalities and is made up of one or more honeycombs. The price calculation is not based on distance, but on area. Each connection within the VRR area is assigned a price level; in addition to the short distance, there are price levels A, B, C and D.

Price level calculation for individual journeys or ZeitTickets

For a single journey, e.g. when using a single ticket, the distance travelled in each direction from the current departure stop is calculated. Return or round trips are not possible; a new ticket is required for this. You can obtain price information for your connection from our journey planner.

With a ZeitTicket, you specify a fare zone of your choice with price level A, which then serves as the starting point for all subsequent journeys. Price level A covers a city or district area in 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 entire city. In addition, price level A is sometimes also valid for journeys in two neighbouring honeycombs of different fare zones (2-honeycomb relationship). A distinction is made between price levels A1, A2 and A3 for season tickets and single tickets - depending on the expansion stage of the public network.

  • Price level A1 is valid in the smaller towns and municipalities

  • Price level A2 is valid in one of the following 11 larger cities with a well-developed public transport network: Duisburg, Gelsenkirchen, Hagen, Herne, Krefeld, Mönchengladbach, Mülheim, Neuss/Kaarst, Oberhausen, Remscheid, Solingen

  • Price level A3 applies in one of the following cities with a particularly dense and high-quality local transport network: Bochum, Dortmund, Essen, Düsseldorf and Wuppertal

You can see in which cities fare levels A1, A2 or A3 apply in the diagram above.

An overview of the fare system and the areas of validity can be found in the brochure Tariff at a glance (8.35 MB - PDF).

The basis for calculating prices in the VRR network area are the fare zones, honeycombs and short journeys. A fare zone usually comprises a city or several small towns/municipalities and is made up of one or more honeycombs. The price calculation is not based on distance, but on area. Each connection within the VRR area is assigned a price level; in addition to the short distance, there are price levels A, B, C and D.

Price level calculation for individual journeys or ZeitTickets

For a single journey, e.g. when using a single ticket, the distance travelled in each direction from the current departure stop is calculated. Return or round trips are not possible; a new ticket is required for this. As a rule, the respective neighbouring city can be reached with price level B. You can obtain price information for your connection from our timetable information service.

With a ZeitTicket, you specify a central fare zone of your choice for price level B, which then serves as the starting point for all further journeys. As a rule, price level B includes the surrounding neighbouring fare zones, in which you can then make unlimited journeys. This only applies to fare zones that are connected to each other.

You can find an overview of the areas of validity of price level B in the brochure Fare at a glance (8.35 MB - PDF) from page 8 to 19.

The basis for calculating prices (also for price level C) in the VRR network area are the fare zones, honeycombs and short journeys. A fare zone usually comprises a city or several small towns/municipalities and is made up of one or more honeycombs. The price calculation is not based on distance, but on area. Each connection within the VRR area is assigned a price level; in addition to the short distance, there are price levels A, B, C and D.

Price level calculation for individual journeys or ZeitTickets

For a single journey, e.g. when using a single ticket, the distance travelled in each direction from the current departure stop is calculated. Return or round trips are not possible; a new ticket is required for this. Price level C covers medium journeys: It is valid in two neighbouring so-called central fare zones (corresponding to a city or several smaller towns and municipalities) and generally in all adjacent fare zones - sometimes even beyond. You can obtain price information for your connection from our journey planner.

With a ZeitTicket, you specify a region of your choice for price level C, which then serves as the starting point for all further journeys. Price level C usually includes the surrounding neighbouring fare zones, in which you can then travel without restriction. Round trips or return journeys are also covered by the ZeitTicket. Further information on price level C can be found in the Fare at a glance brochure.

An overview of the areas of validity (regions) of price level C can be found in the brochure Tariff at a glance (8.35 MB - PDF) from page 20 to 29.

The basis for calculating prices in the VRR network area are the fare zones, honeycombs and short journeys. A fare zone usually comprises a city or several small towns/municipalities and is made up of one or more honeycombs. The price calculation is not based on distance, but on area. Each connection within the VRR area is assigned a price level; in addition to the short distance, there are price levels A, B, C and D. With price level D, journeys can be made throughout the entire VRR area.

Price level determination for individual journeys or ZeitTickets

For a single journey, e.g. when using a single ticket, the distance travelled in each direction from the current starting stop is calculated. Return or round trips are not possible; a new ticket is required for this. You can obtain price information for your connection from our journey planner.

With a ZeitTicket of price level D, the fare zone extends to the entire VRR network area. Round trips or return journeys are also covered by the ZeitTicket.

An overview of the fare system and the areas of validity can be found in the brochure Tariff at a glance (8.35 MB - PDF).

The network area can be divided into fare zones and honeycombs. A fare zone usually comprises a city or several small towns/municipalities and is made up of one or more honeycombs. If you would like to purchase a VRR season ticket, you must decide on an area of validity and specify the corresponding central fare zone for price levels B and C. From 2018, 19 regions can be selected in price level C.

You can find an overview of the different constellations from page 8 of our fare brochure (8.35 MB - PDF).

In principle, price level A applies for journeys within a fare zone and price level B for journeys to a neighbouring fare zone.

The fare zones in the VRR are further subdivided into honeycombs, comparable to the neighbourhoods of a city. There are also journeys that represent a so-called 2-honeycomb relationship. This means that the starting point and destination are located in different (neighbouring) fare zones in two directly adjacent honeycombs. Price level A applies to such journeys.

Detailed honeycomb maps of the fare zones are only produced by the local transport companies. Information on which stop is in which fare zone can be found in the timetable books of the respective city, for example. Here, the fare zone or fare honeycomb is also listed after each stop in the list of stops.

For individual journeys, you can also call up honeycombs or fare zones via the journey planner: Enter the journey connection, request a connection, then click on the fare level (e.g. "A") and you will receive the honeycombs for the desired journey. The first two digits of the honeycomb number indicate the corresponding fare zone.

2-comb relationship as a season ticket

You can also have a ZeitTicket issued for a 2-honeycomb journey at fare levels A1, A2 or A3. These two honeycombs are entered on the ticket as the area of validity. However, you can then only travel within these honeycombs with your ticket, not in the entire associated fare zones.

Extension with an additional ticket

If you would like to travel within the VRR area beyond the area of validity of your ticket, you will need a VRR ZusatzTicket for each journey (outward and return journey = two ZusatzTickets).

Cross-border journeys to the Netherlands to Venlo, Nijmegen, Arnhem, Zevenaar, 's-Heerenberg and Millingen are possible with the VRR fare. VRR tickets in the respective price category are valid. Holders of a disabled person's pass can only use it to travel within the Federal Republic of Germany - and therefore only to the last station within the VRR. A VRR ticket of the required price level (e.g. price level A from Nettetal-Kaldenkirchen) can then be used as a connecting ticket.

When using monthly tickets, the VRR supplementary ticket is required if the area of validity does not extend to the Netherlands.

However, the VRR fare is only valid on public transport operated by VRR transport companies - no Dutch public transport can be used with VRR tickets.

Specifically, the VRR fare applies on the RE 13 and 929 lines to Venlo, bus line 60 to Millingen, bus line 91 to 's-Heerenberg, the SB 58 express bus line to Nijmegen and on the RE 19 line to Zevenaar and Arnhem. In Arnhem there are so-called OV-Chipkaart-poortjes, electronic access barriers that regulate entering and leaving the station.

You can find out how to get to Venlo with a VRR ticket here: How to get to Venlo with a VRR ticket | Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr

For all journeys within Venlo that are made exclusively with the transport company Arriva, which operates the city transport in Venlo, the Dutch fare still applies.

Since 1 January 2021, the EinfachWeiterTicket has been available to passengers throughout North Rhine-Westphalia, allowing holders of season tickets, such as monthly tickets or JobTickets, to extend the area of validity of their own ticket. Previously, this extension applied to the area of the respective neighbouring network; since 1 January 2021, the extension has applied to the whole of NRW.

The "EWT" costs €7.20 for adults for a single journey in 2nd class, children pay half price (€3.60). The price for 1st class is 10.80 euros and 5.40 euros respectively. Whether travelling from Aachen to Münster or from Cologne to Paderborn, adult passengers only pay 7.20 or 10.80 euros per journey with the "EWT". The extension of the "EWT" to the whole of NRW means that the AnschlussTicket NRW is no longer needed. It has therefore been abolished.

Single tickets, 4, 24 and 48-hour tickets, additional tickets and bicycle tickets purchased in advance but not used (including partially used multiple-journey tickets) in accordance with the fare status on 1 January 2023 can be exchanged by paying the difference in euros to the selling transport company by 31 December 2026. The difference in exchange will be commercially rounded to a full 5 cent amount. There is no processing fee.

The VRR fare system is based on the division of the network area, which is made up of three elements: fare zones, honeycombs and short-distance routes. A fare zone usually comprises the area of a city or several small towns and municipalities. Each fare zone, in turn, is made up of one or more honeycombs, which generally correspond in area to a city district or a small municipality. The offer is supplemented by a short distance for the local area.

When calculating the price of a single journey within the VRR, the price level system is based on source-destination relations. The number of kilometres travelled, for example, does not play a direct role here.

Passenger rights

The respective operating transport company is responsible for processing applications for reimbursement under the mobility guarantee.

Please use the online portal/tool or submit the refund application (658 KB - PDF) to the responsible transport company within 14 days. You can also contact a customer centre of this company.

If the bus or train is more than 20 minutes late at the departure stop (except in the following cases: strike, severe weather, forces of nature, bomb threat, bomb disposal), you can use a taxi, another long-distance train (ICE, IC or EC) or sharing services (e.g. car/bike/e-scooter sharing, on-demand transport) to reach your destination. The costs you incur when using a taxi will be reimbursed up to the maximum limits: 60 euros for BärenTicket and Ticket2000 users around the clock, all other ticket holders will be reimbursed a maximum of 30 euros until 7.59 pm and 60 euros after 8 pm. Long-distance tickets will be refunded in full.

Please also note the further information on the mobility guarantee.

In addition to the guaranteed refund regulations, some transport companies in 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 on the buses and trains of the participating transport companies, you can take advantage of the punctuality promise. You will be reimbursed the price of a VRR single ticket in price level A (2.90 euros). The prerequisite is the use of a VRR ticket for the journey in question, regardless of whether it is a single ticket, 4-seater ticket or season ticket.

Notification of the claim

If the vehicle has reached your destination stop more than 10 minutes later than stated in the timetable information, please report this delay within three working days via an Internet portal. Alternatively, you can also report the case via the Smart Number for Bus & Rail, 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 will receive it at a customer centre of the transport company. Please present the VRR ticket used for the journey in question and, if applicable, an official photo ID (identity card, passport, driving licence). Tickets from other federations and long-distance tickets from Deutsche Bahn AG are excluded from reimbursement. Refunds without a ticket are not possible.

The "Punctuality Promise" campaign is a voluntary service provided by the participating transport companies to their customers without any legal obligation.

The following companies in the VRR currently offer the punctuality promise:

With the connection guarantee, some transport companies assure their passengers that the connections between two lines stated in the timetable (possibly limited to certain journeys) will be kept. The guaranteed connections are often marked with a symbol in the individual timetables. If the connection is not made, different guarantee claims apply depending on the company, such as the provision and execution of a taxi journey free of charge.

This service is not offered VRR-wide and the transport companies are free to organise the guarantee as they wish.

The VRR has standardised nationwide passenger rights (852 KB - PDF) in the event of cancellations, delays and missed connections vis-à-vis the transporting railway company. These regulations apply in addition to the usual statutory provisions and supplement them.

Compensation

Customers with a ticket for individual journeys (both local and long-distance), such as 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).

With a ZeitTicket, such as weekly and monthly tickets for local and long-distance transport, a lump sum is paid as compensation for a delay of 60 minutes or more: 1.50 euros for a journey in 2nd class; 2.25 euros for a journey in 1st class. In the case of ZeitTickets, a maximum of 25 per cent of the price actually paid will be compensated. Compensation payments of less than 4.00 euros will not be paid.

Deadlines

For season tickets, the application should be submitted collectively after the end of the month. For cash tickets, you can submit claims immediately.

Notification of entitlement

In principle, claims arising from statutory passenger rights must be asserted against the transport company responsible.

Form and further information

You can also obtain the passenger rights form (117 KB - PDF), which you can use to assert your claims, from the offices or sales outlets of the railway companies.

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

All about the journey

In principle, every passenger must be able to show a valid ticket for the journey. Passengers who are in possession of a valid personal ticket but are unable to show it during the inspection will pay a lower charge if they subsequently present the ticket at the transport company's customer centre.

If you consider the request for an EBE to be unfounded, the transport company that issued you with the EBE is responsible for making the decision. Please contact the responsible transport company 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 people travelling without a ticket, which is urgently needed to maintain and expand local public transport.

Some transport companies stipulate controlled front boarding when using their buses - possibly only during certain periods.

This means that all passengers must board at the front and purchase or show a valid ticket (exceptions apply for passengers with reduced mobility). Electronic tickets such as chip cards, mobile phone and online tickets must be held up to the marked field on the driver's payment desk. The ticket is read and a light-emitting diode shows the verification result. In the case of personal tickets, a photo ID must be held ready for legitimisation.

The electronic boarding control system enables the transport company to recognise blocked tickets immediately upon boarding and remove them from circulation. This means that lost or stolen chip cards cannot be misused.

Priority checks are carried out with an increased deployment of ticket inspectors accompanied by the police in order to ensure a complete check of all passengers. These measures are a supplement to the usual checks. Ultimately, both forms of control serve to reduce the number of people travelling without a valid ticket. The losses caused by this are not insignificant and must be co-financed by the other passengers.

In some cases, the individual transport companies even inform their passengers in advance on the individual websites.

The closing time is generally 3 a.m. on the following day. Please use the timetable information to plan your journey.

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

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

If you have forgotten something on the station premises or in a Deutsche Bahn AG vehicle, please contact the following address using the following link: Lost property office DB Regio NRW AG

You can find the online form here

Summary

  • Public transport can be used free of charge on application
  • Authorisation cards and tokens are issued by local pension offices
  • Further information: oepnv-info.de

Eligibility

  • Severely disabled persons with a degree of disability of at least 50 and with the following disability marks: Bl (blind), aG (exceptionally disabled), G (disabled), Gl (deaf) or H (helpless)
  • Severely war-disabled persons and persons with the VB and EB marks who were entitled to free travel on 1 October 1979, provided the degree of disability or reduction in earning capacity is at least 70%.
  • Authorisation card and token required

Validity

Nationwide on local transport within the transport associations and on 2nd class local trains. Holders of a disabled person's pass can only use it to travel within the Federal Republic of Germany - and therefore only to the last stop within the VRR. A VRR ticket of the required price level (e.g. price level A from Nettetal-Kaldenkirchen) can then be used as a connecting ticket to Venlo in the Netherlands

Period of validity

  • Token: either 6 or 12 months
  • Authorisation card: usually 5 years

Price (as of 2021)

For people with a degree of disability from 60 to 80: 46 euros for 6 months, 91 euros for 12 months

The following group of people receive a token free of charge for 12 months

  • Severely disabled people with the "Bl" sign
  • Severely disabled people with the mark "H"
  • People who receive unemployment benefit (benefits to secure their livelihood in accordance with SGB II)
  • People who receive assistance with living expenses or basic security in old age and in the event of reduced earning capacity in accordance with SGB XII (social welfare)
  • Persons who receive benefits in accordance with SGB VIII (child and youth welfare) or §§ 27a or 27d BVG
  • Severely war-disabled persons and persons with the mark "VB" or "EB" who have been entitled to free public transport since at least 1 October 1979 due to the consequences of their injury.

Additional benefits

Free carriage of an accompanying person if the entry "B" or "BN" is present and one of the following endorsements has not been deleted: "The authorisation to carry an accompanying person is proven" or "The need for permanent accompaniment is proven".

Mobility guarantee

Delays of 20 minutes or more:

  • Reimbursement of taxi costs
    • Up to 30.00 euros between 5 a.m. and 7.59 p.m.
    • Up to 60.00 euros between 8 p.m. and 4.59 a.m.
  • Reimbursement of long-distance tickets

Extension

  • Bicycle carriage with FahrradTicket
  • Use of 1st carriage class not possible even with additional ticket

Usable VRR means of transport

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

Signs

Bl (blind), H (helpless), G (severely disabled), aG (exceptionally disabled), Gl (deaf)

Reimbursement of the token

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

Takeaway

Below you will find the regulations for bicycle transport in the VRR area:

  1. A bicycle is a muscle-powered wheeled vehicle. Both insurance-free and insurable "fast" cycle vehicles with electric pedal assistance (so-called pedelecs and e-bikes) have the same status. All other motorised vehicles, especially those with an internal combustion engine, are not bicycles according to these conditions of carriage; they are generally excluded from public transport.
  2. In local rail passenger transport, bicycles within the meaning of paragraph 1, sentence 1 and equivalent wheeled vehicles within the meaning of paragraph 1, sentence 2 are generally only permitted in the designated parking areas (e.g. multi-purpose compartments). For vehicles without designated parking areas, the provisions of paragraph 3 apply.
  3. In public road passenger transport, only muscle-powered single-track bicycles within the meaning of paragraph 1, sentence 1 and sentence 2 may be carried, provided that the available space permits this. Constructions whose dimensions exceed the usual bicycle dimensions (e.g. tandems, recumbents, tricycles) and bicycles with internal combustion engines are generally excluded from carriage on public transport. Notwithstanding this, the public transport companies also allow severely disabled persons with ID cards in accordance with Section 69 of the German Social Security Code IX to take all other types of bicycles in paragraph 1, sentences 1 and 2 on a goodwill basis, provided that the spatial conditions permit this.
  4. Bicycles are generally only transported if the available capacity and the space situation permit this. If the designated bicycle parking spaces of a vehicle are occupied, additional passengers with bicycles can no longer board the vehicle. Persons with restricted mobility (e.g. wheelchair users or persons with pushchairs) have priority over cyclists. It is up to the staff to decide whether there is still space available. There is no entitlement to the carriage of bicycles.
  5. Each passenger may only take one bicycle and must load and unload it themselves. Children up to and including the age of 6 who wish to take a bicycle with them must be accompanied by an adult. Folding or collapsible bicycles that are commercially available and completely folded or collapsed to the smallest possible packing size count as hand luggage. Separately used child trailers are treated in the same way as pushchairs.
  6. Passengers are obliged to secure their bicycles in such a way that they do not pose a risk to safety or order in the vehicle. In particular, the passenger must ensure that other passengers are not endangered or soiled and that the bicycle does not cause any damage to the vehicle. The passenger is liable for any damage caused.
  7. Depending on the region, there may be restrictions on the times of use; passengers can find the exact times in the information or notices of the local transport companies.

If you have purchased a VRR ticket, you can take your dog (or several dogs) with you free of charge at any time within the respective area of validity.

Please note that you are only permitted to take a dog with you if this does not jeopardise the safety and order of the service and does not inconvenience other passengers. Dogs must always be supervised by a suitable person. They must be kept on a short lead and dogs that could endanger fellow passengers must also wear a muzzle. They may not be accommodated on seats. Guide dogs accompanying a blind person are, of course, always authorised for carriage.

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

SchokoTicket

No passenger transport possible.

CompanyTicket

The FirmenTicket is valid as a travel authorisation for up to five persons within the respective original area of validity Monday to Friday from 7 p.m., on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays as well as on 24 December and 31 December of each year all day until closing time. Including the holder, a maximum of two persons may be over 14 years of age.

Ticket2000

The Ticket2000 is valid as a travel authorisation in the extended area of validity of price level D in the entire VRR network area Monday to Friday from 7 p.m., on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays as well as on 24 December and 31 December of each year all day until closing time for up to five persons. Including the holder, a maximum of two persons may be over the age of 14.

BärenTicket

With the BärenTicket, the holder may take one additional person and up to three children with them from 7.00 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays. This regulation also applies on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays as well as all day on 24 December and 31 December of each year.

YoungTicketPLUS

Holders of the YoungTicketPlus can take one additional person with them free of charge from Monday to Friday from 7.00 p.m. and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays as well as on 24 December and 31 December of each year all day until closing time.

VRR semester ticket

On Mondays to Fridays from 7.00 p.m., on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays as well as on 24 December and 31 December of each year, the holder of a semester ticket can take one person with them free of charge within the entire network area. Note: However, the area of validity of the ticket for the holder remains limited to the North or South region.

SemesterTicket NRW

No passenger transport possible. The only exception is the free transport of children under the age of six in accordance with the applicable fare regulations of the transport associations in NRW.

SozialTicket, Ticket1000

Monday to Friday from 7 p.m. as well as Saturday, Sunday, public holidays and all day on 24 and 31 December in the registered area of validity: carriage of a maximum of three children under the age of 15.

Transporting a pushchair on the VRR is always free of charge.

Children under the age of six travel free of charge. Children under the age of 7 who do not yet attend school are also transported free of charge until they start school (in North Rhine-Westphalia, the school year always begins on 1 August of each year). Reduced ticket prices apply for children aged six to 14.

In March 2017, the transport of e-scooters on public buses was regulated by a standardised federal decree from March 2017.

In principle, the transport of e-scooters is to be guaranteed in accordance with this decree if corresponding requirements for e-scooters, buses and users of e-scooters are met.

For example, a severely disabled person's pass with the "G" mark is required for transport. You can obtain detailed information on transport directly from your local transport company.

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

Click here for more information on the topic of accessibility.

Carrying a wheelchair in the VRR area is free of charge.

Below you will find an extract from the General Conditions of Carriage regarding the carriage of objects:

  1. Passengers may take items with them if this does not jeopardise the safety and order of the service. Other passengers must also not be endangered or inconvenienced by the items carried. Passengers must store and supervise their items accordingly. The items must not block their own seat. Passengers are liable for any damage caused by the items they carry.
  2. Dangerous substances and dangerous objects are excluded from carriage, in particular
    • explosive, highly flammable, radioactive, foul-smelling or corrosive substances,
    • unpackaged or unprotected objects that could injure passengers
    • objects that protrude beyond the perimeter of the carriage.
  3. Staff shall decide on a case-by-case basis whether objects are to be accepted for carriage and where they are to be placed. If staff suspect that a piece of luggage or freight contains dangerous substances, they may request information from the passenger about the contents. If the passenger refuses to provide information, the item of luggage will be excluded from carriage.
  4. Staff must make every effort to ensure that pushchairs and wheelchair users can be carried. The staff reserve the right to make the final decision regarding the possibility of transport and accommodation.
  5. There is no entitlement to the carriage of items.

Accessibility

Accessibility simplifies or enables the use of public transport for people with limited mobility, such as people with physical and visual impairments, but also passengers with heavy luggage or older people. Accessibility must be guaranteed at all levels of the overall public transport system - i.e. passenger information, infrastructure such as bus and train platforms and vehicles - in order to offer real added value.

Passenger information

You can find out which stops on RE, RB or S-Bahn lines in the network area have barrier-free access to the platform using the respective route maps for the RE, RB and S-Bahn lines. These give you information about all platforms that can be reached via lifts or ramps. In addition, you can call up a map of the area around your stop or use the stop information provided by Deutsche Bahn AG. The map shows the exact locations of the lifts to the respective platforms. In addition, the malfunction of lifts in stations and of many lifts and escalators in city and underground stations is displayed as a text message with every journey planner.

Infrastructure

Not only escalators, lifts and ramps contribute to the accessibility of the infrastructure, but also level access to vehicles, where the bus or train platform is aligned with the boarding height of the vehicle. There are various projects in the VRR area with the aim of improving the accessibility of the infrastructure.

Vehicles

On numerous railway lines in the VRR, vehicles are used that allow ground-level boarding at many platforms or are equipped with boarding aids so that larger height differences can also be overcome. The needs of passengers with reduced mobility are also taken into account when it comes to the equipment inside the train. For example, all newer trains offer a spacious multi-purpose compartment as well as visual and acoustic passenger information. In regional transport, toilets suitable for the disabled are also predominantly offered.

As public road passenger transport (ÖSPV) is planned and organised by the 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 that operates the line you are using.

Further information on this topic can be found in the mobility portal for disabled travellers.

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

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

You can use our timetable information service to check connections and current departure times. Information on the accessibility of stops can be found at Deutsche Bahn AG.

The Regionalbahn (RB), like the Regionalexpress (RE), is a local train that stops far more frequently in comparison. The RB serves all stations and stops on most routes. If, for example, an S-Bahn runs in parallel in urban centres, the RB often only serves the stops with high passenger volumes.

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

The S-Bahn is an urban rapid transit railway that is technically and legally classified as a railway. S-Bahns operate as part of the local rail passenger transport system and offer inner-city connections.

You can use our timetable information service to enquire about connections and current departure times.

Security

Prevention

MuTiger Foundation

Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr and the Kötter Group founded the muTiger Foundation in summer 2011. With the broadest possible social alliance, the partners want to document joint responsibility and encourage citizens to show civil courage without promoting false heroism.

The focus is on training courses in which interested citizens are given concrete instructions on correct behaviour. The courses, for participants aged 16 and over, are divided into two parts and last four hours each. The first covers the most important first aid measures, while the second provides practical training in behaviour in dangerous situations, ranging from calmly assessing a situation and correctly making an emergency call to protecting a potential victim. Participants learn to show civil courage without putting themselves or others in unnecessary danger. After successfully completing the courses, participants receive free event-related insurance cover in the areas of accident, liability and legal protection as well as personal contacts who offer psychological counselling and support after a crisis situation.

If you are interested in the civil courage qualification courses, you are welcome to contact the muTiger Foundation.

Behaviour in an emergency

Correct behaviour in dangerous situations means being there for each other, not being afraid and calling for help in an emergency. To do this, dial the police emergency number 110, which is always available for you.

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

  • Who is reporting?
  • What has happened?
  • Where did it happen?
  • When did it happen?
  • How many people involved?
  • How many injured persons?
  • Waiting for questions!!!

In November 2016, the transport companies and associations in NRW launched the civil courage campaign "You always have a choice: 110". The aim of the campaign is to sensitise passengers, drivers and service staff to conspicuous behaviour and to provide specific tips on how to behave.

Preservation of evidence

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

After an incident

Victim protection: Victim protection is understood to mean legal regulations to strengthen the position of the injured party or witness in criminal proceedings. This is made possible by recognising their own participation rights (rights to be present at the main hearing, information rights through access to files as well as notifications and information obligations) and through a variety of protective rights and measures.

The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia pursues a victim-orientated justice policy. A special website informs victims about their rights and the respective offers of help.

Electronic criminal complaint

A criminal complaint is the notification of facts which, in the opinion of the complainant, give rise to criminal prosecution. The report is a suggestion to check whether an investigation should be initiated. It obliges the investigating authorities to investigate. A report can be submitted to the public prosecutor's office, the police, the local court or electronically.

In vehicles

In order to guarantee safety on the trains, train attendants (e.g. inspectors) as well as specially trained security personnel and security teams are deployed. A one hundred per cent train attendant quota is already guaranteed across the board and will also be guaranteed on all lines in the near future.

Since February 2017, so-called "security stand-by teams", recognisable by their bright yellow waistcoats, have been supplementing regular staff on selected train routes in the VRR as part of a one-year pilot project. These stand-by teams can react flexibly and quickly if regular staff or passengers need support in tricky situations. In doing so, they effectively enforce domiciliary rights.

At stops

To improve passengers' sense of security, VRR has been deploying more staff at stops and stations for several years. In addition, bright passenger shelters that can be seen from all sides as far as possible are being built and mirrors that make "dark corners" visible are being installed during new builds or conversions. Video cameras and emergency call systems are also used at many railway stations and light rail stops.

Video systems are used in railway stations, stations and public transport vehicles to increase passengers' sense of security and help prevent criminal offences. They are also intended to support the police in the prosecution of thieves and violent offenders. In addition to the very important deployment of personnel in railway stations, stations and vehicles, the use of video cameras is another irreplaceable component for increasing security in public transport and is therefore being continuously expanded.

All new vehicles deployed in the VRR area from 2006 onwards are already equipped with video cameras.

The Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr has been dedicated to its youngest passengers for many years with various traffic education programmes. In view of the constantly increasing volume of traffic, especially in cities, the challenges to safe and independent mobility are growing. This makes orientation and knowledge of the dangers of everyday traffic all the more important.

The topic is also dealt with specifically in the form of films, brochures and other downloads for pupils, parents, teachers/educators and local authorities.

Means of transport

The following public transport services may be used with a VRR ticket in the respective area of validity within the VRR area:

Public transport

  • buses
  • Trams
  • Underground trains / light rail
  • Suspension railway in Wuppertal
  • SkyTrain in Düsseldorf
  • H-Bahn in Dortmund
  • TaxiBus
  • CityFastBuses
  • CityExpress
  • CityLine
  • XBus

Rail transport (2nd carriage class)

  • Surcharge-free trains
  • S-Bahn trains (S)
  • Regional trains (RB)
  • RegionalExpress (RE)

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

Use of DB AG IC/EC trains with VRR tickets

Holders of the following valid VRR season tickets can use InterCity and EuroCity trains in the VRR network area against payment of an IC/EC surcharge:

  • Ticket2000 and Ticket1000 as a monthly ticket, monthly season ticket, 9 o'clock monthly ticket and 9 o'clock monthly season ticket
  • FirmenTicket as FirmenTicket 100/100 model, FirmenTicket discount model
  • BärenTicket

For the above-mentioned season tickets, the use of IC/EC trains also applies with a surcharge in the extended area of validity with additional tickets.

Surcharges (also for subscriptions) are only available from DB sales offices (including travel agencies with a DB licence).

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

The AnrufSammelTaxi (AST) departs from an AST stop in rural areas and urban suburbs at fixed journey times. The destination can be freely selected within a service area. This means that you can be driven to your front door. However, the taxi will only start the journey if a demand is reported, i.e. you must inform the AST centre of your destination by telephone at least 30 minutes before the start of the journey. The price is only slightly higher than that of a bus ticket. AST tickets are only valid for AST journeys.

Important information for your journey

Journeys with the AnrufSammelTaxi are labelled in the timetable information. There you will also find the telephone number to order the AnrufSammelTaxi.
For further information, please contact your local transport company or a customer centre.

The reduced fare applies to

  • Severely disabled persons entitled to free transport in the VRR and their accompanying persons
  • Holders of valid VRR season tickets including semester tickets
  • Holders of holiday tickets
  • Children between 6 and under 15 years of age
  • Luggage that occupies a seat

Contact to VRR

Your contact to VRR customer management

Dear passenger,

Due to the current situation, the processing of letters (VRR, Augustastraße 1, 45879 Gelsenkirchen)  and e-mails (info@vrr.de) 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.

Otherwise you can contact the VRR customer management via info@vrr.de, via the purple chatbox or simply call the service telephone 0800 6/ 50 40 30.

Best regards,

Your VRR team