Important note for the current Corona situation

Students who have not yet been able to validate their thoska for the summer semester 2020 are requested to identify themselves by using their student ID card (thoska) valid until 31 March 2020 and a certificate of study valid for the summer semester 2020. This regulation is initially valid until 30 september 2020.

Semester Ticket

Important note for the current Corona situation
Students who have not yet been able to validate their thoska for the summer semester 2020 are requested to identify themselves by using their student ID card (thoska) valid until 31 March 2020 and a certificate of study valid for the summer semester 2020. This regulation is initially valid until 30 september 2020.

You will receive the semester ticket automatically after you have paid the semester contribution fees at your university ( see: The Studentenwerk Thüringen's rules regarding semester fees and Change of the rules regarding semester fees for the winter semester 2020-21).

For all universities, the semester ticket contains your train ticket, which means that you receive an inexpensive arrangement with the Deutsche Bahn for regional transportation. The train ticket is not valid in long distance trains. In regional trains, you can take bicycles with you without needing to pay any additional charge as long as the train capacity allows it.
Whoever lives outside of Thüringen, will have to pay for the trip from their home town to the first train station in Thüringen themselves, but as of that station their Thüringen wide train ticket (thoska or other Student Identification card in Thüringen) can be used as a valid ticket.
valid range semester ticket
At several universities (Erfurt, Gera, Jena, Nordhausen and Weimar), you also receive additional discounts for local and inter-city public transportation as well as a regional public transportation ticket.
Additionaly the semester ticket includes for students of the Study Academie Gera, the University of Erfurt, the of Erfurt, the FSU Jena, the BU Weimar and the HfM Weimar the VMT ticket (Verkehrsgemeinschaft Mittelthüringen) - Special conditions for Carsharing users.
The semester ticket is also valid for the following regional transportation:
Abellio Rail
Erfurter Bahn
Südthüringen Bahn
Vogtlandbahn
The semester ticket is not valid for the following regional transportation:
Cantus-Bahn
Oberweißbacher Berg- und Schwarzatalbahn
Harzer Schmalspurbahn (HSB)

Overview of semester tickets at individual institute locations:

Eisenach: Bahnticket
Erfurt: Bahnticket, EVAG-Ticket, VMT-Ticket
Gera: Bahnticket, Ticket des Geraer Verkehrsbetriebes, VMT-Ticket
Ilmenau: Bahnticket
Jena: Bahnticket, Ticket des Jenaer Nahverkehrs, VMT-Ticket
Nordhausen: Bahnticket, Ticket der Verkehrsbetriebe Nordhausen
Schmalkalden: Bahnticket
Weimar: Bahnticket, Ticket der Stadtwirtschaft Weimar, VMT-Ticket

Conditions of carriage

IC - Trains between Gera and Erfurt can be used as regional trains

Since December 2018, three Intercity trains have been connecting Gera via Jena, Weimar and Erfurt with Kassel and the Ruhr area, thus integrating the Thuringian towns again into DB's long-distance network. Between Gera and Erfurt, the IC trains stop in Hermsdorf-Klosterlausnitz, Stadtroda, Jena-Göschwitz, Jena West and Weimar and replace here the regional express trains (RE 1 Göttingen – Glauchau).

In addition, the Free State of Thuringia has concluded an agreement with DB Fernverkehr on the recognition of local tariffs for long-distance rail passenger services, i.e. the Intercity trains in the Gera-Erfurt section can also be used with tickets for local transport or the Mittelthüringen Transport Authority (VMT). Therefore, the Thuringia semester ticket and the Thuringia plus semester ticket are also valid here.

Please note:

For journeys beyond the section Gera - Weimar - Erfurt, tickets for IC trains are required.

When you plan a trip beyond Erfurt and use one of these IC trains, you MUST pay the missing ticket price for the transition to IC. The thoska card is only valid as far as Erfurt in IC trains, and from Erfurt again in regional trains.

In general, bicycles can be taken on IC trains. According to the regulations in the Free State of Thuringia, the transport is also free of charge here, but a storage position reservation for the bike is necessary in advance which is subject to a charge and currently costs 4.50 euro.

Accompanying children

On trains (Deutsche Bahn and private companies):

The holder of a Thuringian semester ticket can travel with any number of children up to an including 14 years old. Children aged between 6 and 14 must travel with a children's ID or be included on the DB family ticket. Further information here.

On public transport (trams and buses):

Children under 8 years may travel for free when accompanied by an adult until their first day of school. After this, children up to and including 14 years may purchase the children's one-way ticket (Kinder-Einzelfahrt), children's one-way BahnCard ticket (Kinder-Einzelfahrt BahnCard), and the children's 4-journey ticket (Kinder-4-Fahrtenkarte). School children may also purchase the school and apprenticeship weekly ticket (Schüler-Azubi-Wochenkarte), the school and apprenticeship monthly ticket (Schüler-Azubi-Monatskarte) and the school and apprenticeship subscription (Abo Schüler/Azubi).

Ticket:

As a semester ticket, the current student identification card at the respective university (thoska card or other Student Identification card in Thüringen) combined with a valid photo identification card= your transport ticket. The semester ticket is not transferable and another person is not allowed to travel with you under your semester ticket. Unauthorized changes in the entries on the student identification card will make your transport ticket invalid! The student will then be treated as a passenger without a valid ticket. When the cards are laminated, cut, erased, pasted, overwritten or wrapped in foil which cannot be removed, we consider them to have had unauthorized changes made to them . Certificates of study are not recognized as transportation tickets.

Tips Regarding the thoska card

When you show your thoska as a valid student identity card, make sure to check beforehand that the validity date on your thoska has not yet expired and is still easily legible. Otherwise, you will be considered as a passenger without a valid ticket and will have to pay a charge of 60.00 €. Please make sure, for this reason, to validize your thoska in one of the respective validation terminals and ensure that your card remains intact, updated and is easily legible.

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