Referat Mobilität

The issue at hand is determining the maximum price for expanding the coverage area of the Semesterticket. In two separate votes, the options are €10 and €20, respectively.

Current coverage area: City Würzburg and counties Würzburg, Main-Spessart and Kitzingen
Possible new coverage area: additionally city Schweinfurt and counties Schweinfurt, Bad Kissingen, Haßberge and Röhn-Grabfeld.

In January 2025, the transport association (VVM) that was then responsible for the city of Würzburg was replaced by a new transport association (NVM), which covers a significantly larger area. Because tickets were expanded to cover this new, larger area in this context, discussions have been ongoing since then regarding whether the Semesterticket should also have an expanded area of validity. In addition, there is a desire for a single Semesterticket for the two university locations within the transport association's area, Würzburg and Schweinfurt.

Since the NVM had not submitted an offer by the deadline for the student referendum, we have proposed two realistic price options based on student housing data and usage figures from the traffic survey. Of course, we are committed to finding the most affordable solution possible.

In each of the two referendums, you can vote for or against a price cap for an extension. In the student referendum “Semesterticket: Extension of Coverage – 1,” you can either approve or reject the extension of coverage at a maximum price of €10 per semester. In the student referendum “Semesterticket: Expansion of Coverage – 2,” you can give us the option to accept a price increase of up to €20 if an agreement on a price of up to €10 per semester cannot be reached. In both cases, we will of course advocate for the most affordable solution possible.

There would be a one-time price increase to expand the coverage area. This price will remain in effect for subsequent semesters. In addition, there may be further price increases in subsequent years due to regular fare increases.

Regular fare increases are a normal part of pricing trends in public transportation. Due to generally rising labor costs, fuel prices, and expenses for vehicle repairs and new purchases, the average cost per kilometer traveled changes. These costs are then passed on to the various fare systems, leading to higher fares.

€108.00 for the summer semester of 2026 and €110.10 for the winter semester of 2026/27.

In 2009 and 2014, the coverage area of the Semesterticket was already expanded to include the counties of Kitzingen and Main-Spessart. Both expansions were relatively inexpensive (approximately €0.50 per semester each). As part of a comprehensive traffic count and survey, the NVM collected data on usage patterns throughout its entire coverage area in 2022–2023. One finding of the survey was that students use public transport in the districts of Kitzingen and Main-Spessart — particularly on rail routes — more frequently than previously assumed. The transportation companies have therefore negotiated a price increase in accordance with an expert recommendation. Since the only alternative would have been to cancel the Semesterticket, the Mobility Department, in consultation with the Student Parliament, decided to approve the price increase.

If neither of the student referendums is approved, the Mobility Department will oppose a paid extension of the coverage area during negotiations regarding the Semesterticket. The continuation of the Semesterticket in general is not up for a vote.

The Semesterticket operates on a solidarity-based model: this means that all students pay the same amount—regardless of how frequently they use public transportation. As a result, the Semesterticket provides a high degree of reliability for transportation companies, as they can count on substantial revenue from the Semesterticket every semester. This reliability ensures that the ticket can be offered at an affordable price to all students.

According to a court ruling, the price of a solidarity ticket, such as the Semesterticket, may not exceed 60% of the price of the Deutschlandticket. Since we are eligible for the Bavarian Discount Ticket, the NVM would likely have to offer us such a ticket at a very low price, which is not in the interest of the transportation companies.

Under such a model, students who have not previously purchased a Deutschlandticket on a regular basis but would still like to continue using public transportation within the current coverage area would have to pay more. Furthermore, the future of the Deutschlandticket is subject to political decisions and is therefore significantly more uncertain than that of the Semesterticket. Another major advantage of the Semesterticket is the contractually guaranteed services, such as the assurance of a specific frequency on bus routes toward Hubland. Furthermore, with the Semesterticket, we have a basis with the transportation companies that allows us to have a say in the design of bus routes and their schedules.

Initially, people in the newly incorporated areas would be able to use public transportation without having to purchase an additional ticket. This is particularly relevant for people who come from these counties, but also for students who need to complete internships there. In addition, the connection between the two THWS campuses would finally be covered by the Semesterticket.

The newly added areas are quite far from Würzburg, which means that many students would likely have to pay a higher price for the Semesterticket without regularly using the added services.

Then you must approve the resolution “Semesterticket: Expansion of Coverage – 1” and reject the resolution “Semesterticket: Expansion of Coverage – 2.”

Then you must agree to both resolutions: “Semesterticket: Expansion of Coverage – 1” and “Semesterticket: Expansion of Coverage – 2.”

Then you must reject both resolutions “Semesterticket: Expansion of Coverage – 1” and “Semesterticket: Expansion of Coverage – 2.”

Each student pays the semester fee to the Studentenwerk every semester; it consists of the Studentenwerk fee and the fee for the Semesterticket.