Semesterticket FAQ

Questions about the semester ticket in naveo

By when do I have to register in naveo?

From April 1st, 2025, the semester ticket will be issued as a digital ticket in the naveo app instead of on the chip card as before. ASEAG will send you a link code to your RWTH email address for registration in March. To ensure that you have a valid ticket at all times, register in naveo as early as possible – by March 31st, 2025 at the latest. The exact date has not yet been set, but we will provide information on this on our website and on our Instagram channel @astarwth. You will definitely receive the registration code in time before the semester change! Are you impatient and want to use naveo now instead of the chip card? Then you can apply for this here by February 28th. ASEAG will send you a link code for naveo a few days after your application, so that you can get started right away! Please note that your chip card will be blocked when the link code is sent.

I have switched to naveo. What do I do with my old chip card?

Please do not dispose of your chip card in your household waste!

Together with ASEAG, we will set up a box in the Mensa Academica at the info point in time for the semester change, into which you can throw your chip card.

If you have already switched to naveo, you can hand in your chip card at the AStA (Mon-Fri 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., ground floor of the Mensa Academica). Alternatively, you can send your chip card directly to the ASEAG customer center or put it in the mailbox there. ASEAG will then take care of the disposal for you.

I want to keep my chip card. Is that possible?

Yes, that is basically possible. But you have to actively apply for this. To do so, fill out the following form: https://www.asta.ac/app. To ensure that your chip card is not blocked and that you have a valid travel authorization at all times, please apply as early as possible, but no later than March 30, 2025.

Why is my ticket in naveo only valid by the end of the current month?

The exact ticket with the exact QR code that you can see right now is only valid until the end of the current month. There are technical reasons for this. At the beginning of the next month, a new QR code is automatically generated. That’s why you need an internet connection once when you open naveo at the beginning of the month so that the new QR code can be loaded. Otherwise, you can also access your ticket offline. However, you don’t have to do anything else to renew it yourself; no further verification or anything similar is necessary.

I already have a naveo account. Is that a problem?

No. If you already have an existing account in the naveo app, your Deutschlandsemesterticket will be linked to this account and you don’t have to do anything else. If you have already created another account with the link code, please contact hallo@naveo.info. Your old account can be linked to the Deutschlandsemesterticket manually. Please note that it may take a few days for the ticket to be displayed in naveo (especially over the weekend).

How do I get my semester ticket?

​Please note that in order to receive the semester ticket, your enrollment must be complete, i.e. you must have submitted all documents correctly to RWTH and paid the semester fee. In addition, you must be linked to the IdM and have access to your RWTH e-mail address. The ConnectMe coupon that you received at your private e-mail address after enrollment must have been redeemed.

From WS24/25, newly enrolled students will receive their ticket on their smartphone by default (step-by-step instructions can be found here).

However, you still have the option of using a chip card as an alternative; this must be actively applied for. The link to the form follows. If you have applied for a chip card: The chip card will be issued by ASEAG and sent to you by post (to the study address stored in RWTHonline) if the address is in Germany, the Netherlands or Belgium. In other cases, the ticket remains at the ASEAG service center and must be picked up there.

Who sends the email with the link code for registration in naveo?

The email with the link code is sent by ASEAG. The exact sender address is semesterticket=aseag.de@c.havemy.email.

I didn't receive a linking code? What now?

First check your spam folder. If the email hasn’t landed there either, look at your ID and check your age. Are you not yet 18 years old? Then you won’t receive a link code. You will continue to drive with the chip card.
If you continue to have problems, please contact naveo support by email at hallo@naveo.info.

Can I use both naveo and my existing chip card?

No, that is not possible. You have to decide on a form of use. From the summer semester, naveo will be the standard for everyone. So submit an application in good time if you want to continue using the chip card.

My name has changed. Will my name and email address in naveo be automatically updated if my name is changed in RWTHonline?

You must change your data in RWTHonline. The data stored there is automatically transmitted to ASEAG and thus also updated in naveo. Please do not update your data in naveo yourself.

What happens to my naveo account after I am exmatriculated?

Your naveo account will remain active. However, you will no longer find the Deutschlandsemesterticket Online there. You can continue to use naveo for timetable information or to purchase other tickets.
If you would like to delete your account, you can do so in naveo in the “my data” section.

Can the QR code from naveo also be loaded into the Apple / Google Wallet?

No. The QR code can only be used in the naveo app.

Can I use my semester ticket in the DB Navigator instead of in naveo?

No. The QR code can only be used in the naveo app.

I am not yet 18 years old. Can I also use naveo?

Unfortunately not. We can only offer you the Deutschlandsemester ticket online via naveo if you are older than 18 years. You will receive a chip card from ASEAG and can use this. The day after you turned 18, you’ll receive a link code from ASEAG to use naveo

Do I have to pay attention to anything when being checked on a bus or train?

Always make sure that your phone has enough power. You can display the QR code even without an active internet connection. However, the code changes every month. So it’s best to load the ticket every time before you get on the bus or train. Every few months, naveo gets an update. Then you may have to log in again to show your ticket. You need your user name and password for this. So save yourself the stress of having to do this during a ticket inspection.
If you are unable to show the QR code, just send an email to ticketvergessen@aseag.de.

What else can naveo do?

With naveo you don’t just have your ticket with you. naveo offers you detailed timetable information and travel times in real time. Do you need a ticket for your companion? You can also easily buy that through naveo.

I have a problem with naveo. Where can I report it?

If you have any problems or questions, please contact naveo support. You can reach them by phone at 0241 1688-3000 or by email at hallo@naveo.info.

Questions about the semester ticket on the chipcard

What do I have to consider with the address? Will the semester ticket also be mailed to an address outside of Germany?

From WS24/25, the semester ticket for frshmen will be issued on the smartphone via the naveo app as standard. For this purpose, you will receive a link code to your RWTH e-mail address after you have enrolled. See “How do I get my semester ticket?”.

If you have applied to use a chip card instead of the app, the following applies to postal delivery:
The ticket will be mailed by ASEAG to the semester address stored in RWTHonline. If there is no semester address stored in RWTHonline, the ticket will be mailed to the home address stored in RWTHonline. However, the ticket will only be mailed if the address is in Germany, the Netherlands or Belgium. In other cases, the ticket remains at the ASEAG service center and must be picked up there.

Please make sure to keep your address in RWTHonline up to date, otherwise no new semester ticket can be sent to you if, for example, your old one has expired.

When will I receive my semester ticket?

​Please note that in order to receive the semester ticket, your enrollment must be complete, i.e. you must have submitted all documents correctly to RWTH and paid the semester fee. In addition, you must be linked to the IdM and have access to your RWTH e-mail address. The ConnectMe coupon that you received at your private e-mail address after enrollment must have been redeemed.

From WS24/25, newly enrolled students will receive their ticket on their smartphone by default (step-by-step instructions can be found here).

Please note that your semester ticket is only valid from the beginning of the semester (01.10. or 01.04.), even if you receive it before then. 

However, the option of using a chip card as an alternative remains, but this must be actively applied for. The link to the form follows.

If you have applied for a chip card:
If you have enrolled up to 30 days before the start of the semester, you will receive your ticket at the latest two weeks before the start of the semester. If you enroll not later than ten days before the start of the semester, ASEAG will mail you your ticket no later than three days before the start of the semester. If you register later than ten days before the start of the semester or after the start of the semester, you can expect to receive your ticket within five to seven days. If this does not happen, please contact ASEAG directly – either by e-mail (semesterticket@aseag.de) or directly at their service center.

Can the semester ticket also be picked up in person?

From WS24/25, the semester ticket for frshmen will be issued on the smartphone via the naveo app as standard. For this purpose, you will receive a link code to your RWTH e-mail address after you have enrolled. See “How do I get my semester ticket?”.

If you have applied to use a chip card instead of the app, it is in general neither possible to pick the chip card up in persono. Only if your semester ticket could not be delivered due to a wrong address or other reasons and therefore ends up as a mail return at ASEAG, the ticket can be picked up on site at the ASEAG service center.

My chip card has expired. What can I do?

The chip cards have a maximum validity period of five years. Therefore, they are replaced on a regular basis. If students are still eligible, they will automatically receive a new chip card by mail. ASEAG will send the new chip card about two weeks before the old one expires, so that continuous mobility can be guaranteed. For this reason, please keep your address in RWTHonline up to date!
If you do not receive a new chip card in time, e.g. because your address is not stored correctly in RWTHonline, it will probably end up as a mail return at ASEAG. In this case you can pick up your new chip card at the ASEAG service center. There is no fee for this.

More information and information about the next chip card exchange can be found on the RWTH website: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/cms/root/Die-RWTH/Mobilitaet/Semesterticket/~omxh/FAQ-eTicket/

The old chip card can be disposed of: simply cut up the card as small as possible, make all legible personal data – such as name and customer number – unrecognizable, and hand it in at a collection point for electrical equipment (chip cards are considered electrical equipment by law). Alternatively, the chip card can be sent to the ASEAG service center. ASEAG will then take care of the disposal for you.

ASEAG, as the transport company, is responsible for issuing and mailing out the tickets. The AStA has nothing to do with this. We are “only” the students’ representative body. Therefore, we cannot tell you if your ticket has already been mailed out by ASEAG. Please send such requests directly to ASEAG at semesterticket@aseag.de.

Does the chip card have an expiration date?

Yes, the chip cards generally have a maximum validity of five years. You can see how long your semester ticket is valid by the imprint on the ticket in the form month/year. Example: If the imprint says 7/22, the chip card is valid until the end of July 2022.
Students who are still eligible will automatically receive a new ticket by mail (to the semester address stored in RWTHonline), if their ticket has expired. It should be noted that the new ticket can only be used once the old one has expired. In the above example, the old semester ticket would have to be used until 31.07. and from 01.08. the new ticket has to be used.

The old ticket can then be disposed of: simply cut up the card as small as possible, make all legible personal data – such as name and customer number – unrecognizable and hand it in at a collection point for electrical equipment (chip cards are considered electrical equipment by law). Alternatively, the chip card can be sent to the ASEAG service center. ASEAG will then take care of the disposal for you.

Please note that the ticket is of course no longer valid after you have been exmatriculated – even if it would still be valid according to the imprint.

I have lost my chip card, what can I do?

You can get a new chip card issued at the ASEAG service center upon presentation of a valid certificate of study. However, a fee is payable in accordance with the AVV tariff regulations (document is only available in german)

What can be the reasons that I have not yet received my semester ticket?

Possible reasons that you have not received the ticket yet could be:

  • Your enrollment is not yet complete. For example because of missing documents. ALL documents must have been submitted to RWTH completely, also e.g. the proof of health insurance.
  • You have not yet paid your semester fee
  • You have not yet linked to the IdM or do not have access to your RWTH e-mail address. You will receive this when you have redeemed the ConnectMe coupon that you received at your private e-mail address after enrolling.

Additionally, if you have applied to use the chip card instead of the app:

  • Your address stored in RWTHonline is wrong
  • Your address is outside of Germany, the Netherlands or Belgium. In this case, the ticket will not be mailed to you directly, but remains at the ASEAG service center and can be picked up there.
  • You changed your address (in RWTHonline) after the ticket was already produced by ASEAG, so ASEAG mailed it to your old address and the ticket could not be delivered. In this case, the ticket has been returned as a mail return to ASEAG and you can pick it up at the ASEAG service center.

General questions about the semester ticket

How is the price of the semester ticket formed?

The price for the Deutschlandsemesterticket is linked to a price of 60% of the Deutschlandticket. The semester ticket is based on a solidarity model, which means that all students pay the same amount – regardless of how often they use the ticket. The semester ticket therefore has to be cheaper than the normal Deutschlandticket. The “discount” of 40% is a politically set price that the AStA or the student bodies have not (co-)determined. This means that the price of the Deutschlandsemesterticket is determined solely by politicians / the state and national government and not in a negotiation between the AStA and ASEAG and AVV, as it was with the former AVV semester ticket.

What is the area of validity for the semester ticket?

The semester ticket entitles you to any number of journeys on all bus and train lines (RE/RB/S trains, buses, trams, light rail and subway trains) within the tariff area of validity of the Deutschlandticket. In the AVV, this also includes the cross-border lines to Vaals (lines 25, 33 & 350), Kelmis Bruch (line 24), Kerkrade (line 34), Avantis industrial estate (line 74) and Sittard (line SB 3). You can find more information on cross-border transport in the FAQ on the AVV website.

Please note: With the semester ticket you cannot travel with ICE, IC, EC, Thalys and other long-distance trains. It is also not possible to travel in 1st class. You always have to buy an extra ticket for this. Exceptions are also possible here. We will inform you explicitly when long-distance trains are released for the semester ticket on certain routes.

In addition, students of RWTH, FH and KatHo Aachen can use their semester ticket on all Arriva busses and trains in South Limburg (Netherlands). An overview can be found here: https://www.asta.rwth-aachen.de/en/information-about-the-semesterticket/#limburg

Who is responsible for issuing the semester ticket?

ASEAG, as the transport company, is responsible for issuing and mailing out the tickets (either way if you use the naveo app or a chip card). AStA has nothing to do with this. We are “only” the students’ representative body. Therefore, we cannot tell you if your ticket has already been mailed out by ASEAG. Please note the information under “What could be the reasons why I have not yet received a semester ticket?”. If that doesn’t help, please contact ASEAG directly via e-mail (semesterticket@aseag.de) or on site at the ASEAG service center.

Is the semester ticket also valid in Belgium?

With the semester ticket you can only use line 24 to Kelmis Bruch in Belgium. Otherwise, the semester ticket is not valid in Belgium.

Is it allowed to travel with another person or a bike for free?

The carriage of another person or a bicycle is not included in the semester ticket.

If you are planning NRW-wide trips by bike, we recommend the DB FahrradTicket NRW for day trips. For regular trips, it is better to buy the NRWupgrade Fahrrad. The upgrade allows you to take your bike with you throughout NRW and on a few additional routes.

Is it possible to travel 1st class with the semester ticket?

It is not possible to travel 1st class with the semester ticket. If you still want to use it, you can use the NRWupgrade 1st class for NRW-wide journeys. This is valid throughout NRW and on a few additional routes outside NRW.

Can I get a refund of the mobility fee if I do not use the ticket?

No, that is in general not possible, because the semester ticket is a solidary financed ticket. It is only so much cheaper than other tickets because everyone pays the same amount – regardless of how much the individual person uses the ticket. However, you can get the mobility fee refunded in special cases, e.g. due to a semester abroad or social hardship. See https://www.asta.rwth-aachen.de/en/semester-ticket/

Can I use the semester ticket even if I am on leave of absence?

Yes, you can use your ticket normally – unless you have had the mobility fee refunded due to your leave of absence (see “Can I use the semester ticket even if I have had the mobility fee refunded? “)

Can I use the semester ticket even if I have had the mobility fee refunded?

No, if your mobility fee has been refunded, e.g. due to a leave of absence, a stay abroad, etc., your ticket is not valid in the semester for which the refund was granted. It will then only be valid again at the beginning of the following semester (01.10. or 01.04.).
This does not apply in the case of a refund due to social hardship. In this case you can use your ticket normally.

What happens if I exmatriculate before the end of the semester? Is my ticket then still valid until the end of the semester?

No, the validity of the ticket expires upon exmatriculation. If you have been exmatriculated more than one month before the end of the semester, you can request a partial refund of the mobility fee (see https://www.asta.rwth-aachen.de/en/semester-ticket/)

I was caught without a ticket, what can I do?

If you have a valid semester ticket but were unable to show your ticket at a ticket inspection, e.g. because your battery was empty or you lost or forgot your chip card, you must first pay an increased fare (EBE (=”Erhöhtes Beförderungsentgelt”), ‘penalty for fare evasion’, €60). However, you can prove your valid ticket afterwards. You can do this either online or at a local customer centre, depending on which company checked you. Then you often only have to pay a processing fee of around €7. You can also find all the information on the receipt you received from the ticket inspector. If you have forgotten your chip card, you can ask ASEAG for a confirmation of validity. Whether this is recognised depends on the company that issued the EBE.

Here you will find a list of ways to ‘re-validate’ your ticket within the Aachen region:

Helpful links for the semester ticket

Contact

The reimbursement of the mobility fee is done according to the social regulations of the student body of RWTH Aachen University. If you have any questions regarding the reimbursement, please send an email to semesterticket@rwth-aachen.de.