Getting Around Frankfurt: RMV Tickets for New Residents

This guide is for people who have moved to Frankfurt from abroad, alone or with children, and need to work out how to pay for the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams and buses. By the end you will know which RMV tickets exist, which one fits your routine, and where to buy it without standing confused in front of a machine.

• The Deutschland-Ticket: the flat rate for regular travellers
• Annual, monthly and weekly tickets
• Day, single and group tickets for occasional trips
• Tickets for families, students, employees and other groups
• Where to buy RMV tickets
• FAQ

The Deutschland-Ticket: the flat rate for regular travellers

Frankfurt’s buses and trains belong to the RMV network, and one rule applies to all of them: you need a valid ticket before you travel. The RMV tickets page lists every option. If you plan to use public transport most days, start with the Deutschland-Ticket.

The Deutschland-Ticket is a personal season ticket that is valid across Germany. It gives the holder unlimited use of all local public transport, so in Frankfurt that means the U-Bahn, trams and buses. It also covers regional trains (RE, IRE, RB and S-Bahn) in 2nd class. That is useful when you are new and want to explore beyond the city on a weekend without working out a new fare each time.

There are a few things to know before you sign up:

• It is a subscription. RMV sells the Deutschland-Ticket only as a personal subscription ticket, not as a one-off purchase.
• It is personal. The ticket belongs to one named holder, so a partner or child cannot borrow it.
• A reduced price may apply. With the Hessenpass mobil, a pass from the state of Hesse, you can get the Deutschland-Ticket at a reduced price. RMV’s page has the eligibility details.

RMV’s page does not give prices, so check the current price on RMV’s own site before you commit.

Annual, monthly and weekly tickets

The Deutschland-Ticket is not the only season ticket. RMV also sells its own regional season tickets, and some households find these fit better, especially when a ticket needs to be shared.

Annual season tickets

RMV offers several annual options for adults:

• A named adult annual season ticket (subscription), for one person only
• A transferable adult annual season ticket (subscription), which someone else can use
• A transferable adult annual season ticket with no automatic renewal, if you would rather not be tied to a running subscription
• The Hesse senior citizen ticket, aimed at older residents
• The Schülerticket Hessen, the student flat rate for public transport in Hesse, for school pupils

A transferable ticket suits families with one shared commute, for example if one parent drives on some days and the other takes the train.

Monthly and weekly tickets

If you are still settling in, waiting for a job to start, or unsure how long you will stay in one flat, a shorter ticket avoids a long commitment. RMV sells:

• Monthly tickets for adults
• Monthly tickets for pupils and apprentices
• Weekly tickets for adults
• Weekly tickets for pupils and apprentices

A weekly ticket is handy for your first days in Frankfurt, when you are running between the Bürgeramt (local citizens’ office), flat viewings and a new bank.

Day, single and group tickets for occasional trips

Not everyone needs a season ticket. If you cycle or walk most of the time and only take the tram now and then, pay per trip. RMV lists these options:

• Single ticket: for one journey.
• Day ticket: for a day with several trips around town.
• Group day ticket: for a day out with friends or family on one ticket.
• Hessenticket: a day ticket for travel across Hesse.
• Large group ticket: for bigger parties.
• Onward travel ticket and supplementary ticket: for when the ticket you already hold does not cover the whole trip.

Group tickets work well when visitors arrive from home and you want to show them the city. Frankfurt’s events calendar on the official Frankfurt tourism site lists festivals by the river and the Christmas market, which stretches from Roßmarkt along the Zeil to Römerberg and Mainkai and this year has a children’s Christmas market for the first time. The tourism site has the current dates. For some events RMV also offers KombiTickets, where the event ticket includes travel. Check your event ticket to see whether it does.

Tickets for families, students, employees and other groups

The cheapest route is often a ticket linked to your school, university or employer, so ask before you buy anything yourself.

Children and pupils

For school-age children, look at the Schülerticket Hessen and the monthly and weekly tickets for pupils and apprentices. RMV also has a category for children’s groups, which helps nurseries, schools or parents organising a group outing. RMV’s page does not list age limits, so check the conditions for each ticket on RMV’s site before you buy.

Employees and students

• Jobticket and Deutschland-Ticket Job: tickets arranged through your employer. Ask HR whether your company offers one.
• RMV SemesterTicket and Deutschland-Ticket Semester: for university students, usually arranged through the university.
• Vocational training pass: for people in vocational training.

Other entitlements

RMV also lists free travel for passengers with severe disabilities, a Mobility Ticket for refugees, RMV tickets on Rhine ferries, tourist and leisure tickets, and the BahnCard 100 CityTicket for holders of Deutsche Bahn’s BahnCard 100. If any of these apply to you, follow the matching link on RMV’s tickets page for the conditions.

Where to buy RMV tickets

You have plenty of choice, and most of it works in English:

• RMV ticket machines at stations and stops.
• On the bus: many types of ticket can be bought from the driver.
• RMV sales offices and RMV Mobility Centres, where staff can talk you through subscriptions and discounted tickets in person.
• Agencies of the public transport companies in the network.
• The RMV-TicketShop, RMV’s online shop.
• By mobile phone, using the RMVgo app. It is the quick option for single and day tickets.

Some subscriptions use paper order forms, and RMV notes that these are only in German. If your German is not there yet, a Mobility Centre is the easier place to sort out an annual ticket.

Finally, take the ticket rules seriously. RMV has a dedicated section on travelling without a ticket or with an invalid ticket. Buy before you board and keep your ticket or phone to hand for checks.

FAQ

Can I use the Deutschland-Ticket outside Frankfurt?

Yes. It is valid throughout Germany on all local public transport and on regional trains (RE, IRE, RB and S-Bahn) in 2nd class. RMV sells it as a personal subscription, so only the named holder can use it.

Is there a cheaper way to get the Deutschland-Ticket?

The Hessenpass mobil lets eligible people get the Deutschland-Ticket at a reduced price. Your employer or university may also offer the Deutschland-Ticket Job or the Deutschland-Ticket Semester. RMV’s site has the current prices and conditions.

What ticket should my school-age child use?

RMV offers the Schülerticket Hessen, a student flat rate for public transport, plus monthly and weekly tickets for pupils and apprentices. RMV’s tickets page has the eligibility rules, including any age limits, for each one.

Can I buy a ticket without speaking German?

Yes. Ticket machines, the online TicketShop and the RMVgo app all let you buy tickets, and many tickets are sold by bus drivers. Only some subscription order forms are in German alone, and staff at an RMV Mobility Centre can help with those.

Official sources: rmv.de · frankfurt-tourismus.de

Last checked: 16 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Prices, opening hours and programmes change; the venue’s own site always has the current details.