Germany’s university student Semesterticket (Deutschlandsemesterticket): What it is and how it works

This guide is about the student transport ticket in Germany and contains specific information relevant to students going the University of Kiel/Christian Albrecht Universität (CAU) in Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein, but also applies to universities in Lübeck and Flensburg. General information applies throughout Germany. For the full list and area of validity, see this page: https://asta.uni-kiel.de/en/semesterticket/geltungsbereich/.

What is the Semesterticket (now known as the Deutschlandsemesterticket)?

The Semesterticket is a transportation ticket issued to tertiary students in Germany that allows students to use the public transportation system for free. Not all universities have this, but most of them do.

Previously the ticket was called the Semesterticket. Since the last season (2024-2025), it is now known as the Deutschland-Semesterticket.

It is only valid for the ticket holder, and your ticket will have your photo and name on it. Previously it was valid only in the issued area. During the 9€ ticket period in 2022, it allowed you to travel across the entire country on regional and local trains. Now, the student Semesterticket is valid across the entire country on participating public transport services, usually public buses, ferries, trams, and trains. Ferries from Kiel to the island of Sylt, and private services like Flixbus and Flixtrain are not included. For trains, it is only valid in second class and on local and regional trains, ie, not the red and white fast ICE trains. No bookings are required. Read this guide for more information about the train system in Germany.

Who issues the ticket?

The transportation body that governs and issues the ticket will be different for each area. For example, for students in Schleswig-Holstein (Kiel, Lübeck and Flensburg), it is the NAH.SH, Nahverkehr Schleswig-Holstein (Local Transport Schleswig-Holstein), but for students in Hamburg, it’s the HVV, Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (Hamburg Transport Association). It is only issued to participating universities, but most universities have it, and is included in your semester fee.

How do you get a Semesterticket/Deutschlandsemesterticket?

The Deutschlandsemesterticket (previously the Semesterticket) is only issued to participating universities and schools, your school will tell you if they have this, most do.

In order to get the ticket, you have to re-order it every semester. To do this, first, you need to pay your semester fee, which covers the cost of the ticket, to the university. While tuition is free in public universities in Germany, each semester, students still have to pay a few hundred (around 200-300 Euros in Kiel 2022, a price increase is coming for the winter semester, 2026) Euros. This confirms your enrolment by covering administration fees, and the cost of the Semesterticket. You cannot get a Semesterticket without it. You have to upload a photo of yourself which is used as the background of your digital ticket, and add the verification code you receive upon paying your semester fee in the smartphone app as part of the process.

The Semesterticket is actually just a discounted multi-travel ticket for students. Anyone can get a multi-travel ticket, it’s just that the student one is cheaper and allows unlimited travel during your studies. After your application is approved, your ticket will be activated. Your digital ticket can be activated remotely online, all you need to do is download the app onto a smart phone.

How do you use the Deutschlandsemesterticket (previously called the Semesterticket)?

Most students use the digital one by downloading the NSH transportation app on their smartphone and logging in. The app will have your personal ticket on it, plus other transportation functions, namely checking local buses and trains (regional and non-regional) timetables within Schleswig-Holstein. Different states/cities have their own service/website/app, but since the trains run nationally, the trains timetables can be seen in all of them. You can also buy your tickets in the apps.

If you want, you can request a paper one. You will have to carry this ticket with you whenever you use public transport.

The actual semester ticket is the page in the app with your photo and date on it. To use the actual tickets: on a bus, simply show the driver the ticket page in your app as you board, or the paper ticket if you use that. On a train, do the same when a ticket inspector comes to check the tickets.

Ticket areas of validity

The area of validity and services of validity can vary, for students going to Kiel, Lübeck, or Flensburg, check out the details here: https://asta.uni-kiel.de/en/semesterticket/geltungsbereich/. Generally, it is valid across the entire country (previously it was only valid in the state it was issued), but there are some services that it is not valid on.

There is a detailed set of rules that tells you about the areas of validity, you can check this on the NSH website. But in general: For students at the university of Kiel, Flensburg, and Lübeck, can travel for free within Kiel, Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein (including to Lübeck and to Sylt), to Hamburg, to Hamburg airport, and within Hamburg, on buses, local trains (RE (regional) and RB bahns), underground metros (U-bahn), overland trains (S-Bahns), are all free. Within Kiel, you can also use the local ferries for free too (note: this does not include the overnight commercial cruises to other countries, such as Sweden or Norway that departs from Kiel).

Important Note!

The Semesterticket is not valid on long distance and private and commercial transport providers like ICE trains, Flixbus, and the airport Kielius buses, which travels between Hamburg airport and Kiel. If you are a student and coming to Kiel for the first time and already activated your digital Semesterticket, you can use public transport to get to Kiel from Hamburg Airport for free.