If a majority of students in the ballot vote in favor of introducing the discounted Deutschlandticket as a semester ticket, all on-campus students are obliged to purchase it.

• Guest students and secondary students within the meaning of the relevant Hochschulgesetz,
• Students who are exclusively enrolled in an evening, online or distance learning course without compulsory attendance ("distance learning students"),
• Students who are entitled to transportation in accordance with SGB IX and can prove that they are in possession of the supplementary sheet to their disabled person's ID card and the corresponding token,
• Students on part-time degree studies who spend most of their time working rather than studying,
• Students who can prove that they are taking a semester of leave or a semester abroad.

The costs amount to 60 percent of the current Deutschlandticket price of 49 euros (29.40 euros) per month or 177.60 euros per semester.

We are aware of the additional costs for a D-Semesterticket compared to the current VRN-Semesterticket. Our survey conducted in January and February shows that a simple majority of participants (just under 39 percent) would find a price of up to 60 percent of the Deutschlandticket price of 49 euros acceptable, while a total of just under 42 percent believe that a price of 40 or 50 percent of the price is already the limit. This makes it clear to us that opinions differ on the price. If the D-Semesterticket is introduced, we will keep a very close eye on price developments. Price increases that significantly exceed the annual increases of the VRN-Semesterticket could call into question the continuation of a D-Semesterticket and lead to the next ballot vote on changes to the semester ticket.

A refund will be possible:

• for students who spend at least three months of the semester abroad due to their studies,
• for students who are enrolled at two universities with compulsory semester tickets,
• for students who are entitled to transportation in accordance with SGB IX and who can prove that they are in possession of the supplementary sheet to the severely disabled person's ID card and the corresponding token (the exception to the obligation to purchase is not covered by the university) and
• for students on leave of absence.

The contract for a D-Semesterticket is concluded for an unlimited period of time.

The contract for a D-Semesterticket replaces the previously valid VRN-Semesterticket contract. When the contract for the D-Semesterticket is terminated, the VRN-Semesterticket contract becomes active again, taking into account the tariff changes that have been implemented by then. At present, a sample contract only provides for reactivation until the summer semester of 2025. We are committed to ensuring that this applies indefinitely.

The contract for the D-Semesterticket can be terminated with six months' notice to the end of each semester.

In the event of a price increase, the contractual partner has a special right of termination of three months before the start of the semester in which the price increase comes into force.

We will pay very close attention to its price developments. Price increases that significantly exceed the annual increases of the VRN-Semesterticket could call into question the continuation of the D-Semesterticket and lead to the next ballot vote on changes to the semester ticket.

The D-Semesterticket is not transferable.

It is not possible to take additional persons with you free of charge.

The D-Semesterticket is issued as a personalized digital ticket via the VRN.

The D-Semesterticket is generally valid nationwide on all means of public transport, i.e. on buses, trams, city and subway trains as well as S-Bahn, regional trains and regional express trains in 2nd class and in most cases also on ferries.

The ticket is not valid on long-distance services (e.g. IC, EC, ICE, but also RE lines operated by DB Fernverkehr AG) or with private providers.

As the D-Semesterticket is a ticket for local public transport, a semester ticket linked to this ticket would generally not allow the use of long-distance train connections such as IC/ICE. Only in very few cases do the public transport authorities have contracts with DB Fernverkehr AG of Deutsche Bahn AG that make such use possible. The student body could negotiate an independent contract with DB Fernverkehr for the use of long-distance transportation. However, this would certainly involve considerable additional costs, which would be far higher than the costs for a D-Semesterticket or the D-Ticket.

In der Vergangenheit hatten die Studierenden im Rahmen einer Urabstimmung das jetzige Semesterticket beschlossen. Die Urabstimmung ist das höchste beschlussfassende Organ der Studierendenschaft. Eine solche Entscheidung kann nicht einfach, beispielsweise durch Studierendenparlament oder Allgemeinen Studierendenausschuss, revidiert werden. Für Änderungen am bestehenden Modell bedarf es einer erneuten Urabstimmung darüber, wie dies nun der Fall ist. Es steht allen Studierenden frei sich innerhalb der Studierendenschaft für ihre Bedarfe einzusetzen und am Ende eine Urabstimmung zu initiieren, in der über die freie Wahl eines Semestertickets

"I always walk or cycle to campus." That's your point! There are few arguments in favor of a ticket.

If, on the other hand, you are traveling by car for some reason, look at it this way:

You save yourself a lot of trouble on campus looking for a parking space (a few thousand more vehicles on campus every day certainly doesn't make life any easier), costs for a parking system (which you may not even be able to use every day) and possibly longer walks because there may not even be a parking space on campus or in the close area.

The fact that you are not traveling outside the VRN zone may well apply to you. But many students feel differently every day. They regularly commute to Kaiserslautern from the Saarland or Rhineland-Palatinate regions outside the VRN zone. Depending on the area, they use a comparatively expensive connecting ticket costing more than 200 euros per semester or expensive multiple, weekly or monthly tickets, or perhaps switch directly to a car for cost reasons. For students whose home towns are a few hours' drive from Kaiserslautern, a semester ticket outside the VRN zone may also be of interest, for example for family visits. Especially on medium-length routes, journeys on long-distance trains are only marginally faster and additional expenditure on IC/ICE compared to an existing and paid ticket is therefore not economical.

In order for these students to come to Kaiserslautern, they end up having to pay significantly more or have completely different expenses with a car or end up rarely or not at all using the VRN-Semesterticket. The option of upgrading the semester ticket to the Deutschlandticket also costs significantly more for these students.