The VS Council of the Hochschule der Medien decided on February 5, 2025, not to introduce the nationwide semester ticket under the full solidarity model. Despite the initial approval for its introduction in March 2024, further negotiations revealed that implementation under the given conditions was not feasible. The decision is based on two key factors: significant organizational challenges and economic considerations that make the model unattractive for many students.
In this article, we explain the background of the decision, the key arguments, and our stance on student mobility. We call for a sustainable solution at the state or federal level that does not place the responsibility for such a ticket solely on student bodies.
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Background
At the end of 2023, the constituted student bodies in Baden-Württemberg received an offer from the state to introduce a nationwide semester ticket. This model is based on the Deutschlandticket and stipulates that students would pay 60% of the regular ticket price. A key difference from the existing Jugendticket BW is that the new semester ticket has no age restriction, making it available to all students regardless of age.
However, the ticket was only to be offered under the full solidarity model. This means that all students at a university would be required to pay the ticket price, regardless of whether they wanted to use it or not. There was no option for individual selection or exemption.
Against this backdrop, it was the responsibility of the constituted student bodies to decide whether to accept or reject this model.
The Initial Decision of the VS Council
After an intensive discussion phase, the VS Council decided on March 25, 2024, to introduce the nationwide semester ticket under the full solidarity model. The goal was to enable all students to use public transport at a reduced rate, particularly those over 26 years old who previously had no alternative to the regular Deutschlandticket. Younger students could have benefited from a slightly reduced price compared to the Jugendticket BW.
Detailed information on the background and decision-making process can be found in our comprehensive article, which we published following the decision.
However, the introduction of the ticket was contingent on contractual negotiations with SSB. If an agreement had been reached, the ticket would have been mandatory for all students starting from the summer semester of 2025. Therefore, the VS board, with the support of the networking team, engaged in negotiations with SSB, the Hochschule der Medien, and the student services organization over the past year to implement the ticket in accordance with the VS Council’s decision.
Reassessment of the Situation
As negotiations progressed, it became clear that implementing the semester ticket under the given conditions was not feasible. As a result, the VS Council decided in its 113th session on February 3, 2025, to discontinue the ticket’s introduction and cease related efforts. This decision was based on two key findings:
1. Organizational Challenges
The contract conditions stipulated that the entire administration of the semester ticket would fall under the responsibility of the VS. This would have included maintaining and managing student data, processing refund requests, and handling financial transactions. The significant administrative burden would have been unmanageable under current conditions.
The VS operates primarily on a voluntary basis, with full-time students whose availability naturally fluctuates. A long-term project like the semester ticket would have required continuous and reliable supervision—a challenge that cannot be met within the existing structure.
Discussions with the student services organization also revealed that due to their already high administrative workload, they were unable to provide additional support. Furthermore, there was no possibility of cooperation with other student bodies in the region, as the VS of HdM was the only student organization at a public higher education institution in Baden-Württemberg that had supported the introduction of the ticket.
Therefore, implementing the semester ticket would have resulted in an administrative burden that could not be managed either internally or with external support.
2. Economic Viability
In addition to organizational hurdles, the increased ticket price also played a role in reassessing the ticket’s feasibility. At the time of the initial decision in March 2024, the price was €176.40 per semester. However, due to the adjustment of the Deutschlandticket in January 2024, this amount increased to €208. While the increased cost was not the sole reason for rejecting the ticket, it contributed to the overall assessment.
Conclusion and Outlook
As the VS, we strongly support the idea of a comprehensive, affordable, and age-independent mobility solution for students. We find it problematic that students over 27 years old currently have no discounted alternative to the regular Deutschlandticket, even though financial challenges in this group are just as relevant.
At the same time, we believe that the responsibility for introducing and managing a nationwide semester ticket should not fall on student bodies. The decision to transfer this responsibility to us without providing the necessary structural or administrative support is unacceptable. The organization and administration of such a ticket require administrative structures that exceed the capacities of voluntary student committees.
We strongly condemn the fact that student bodies in Baden-Württemberg were forced into this responsibility, rather than a central and sustainable solution being created at the state or federal level. Such a ticket can only function sustainably and effectively if responsibility lies where it belongs: with the relevant public transport associations and political decision-makers—not with students themselves.
Despite this decision, we will continue to advocate for a fair and sustainable mobility solution for all students. We call on the state to develop a future-proof solution that does not burden students but instead relieves them financially.
A Big Thank You
We would like to thank everyone who participated in discussions, surveys, and events over the past months. Your feedback and input were essential in reaching an informed decision.
We also thank the university administration for supporting us in the negotiations. We greatly appreciated the time invested and the collaboration.
For more information on the background and details of the decision, we invite you to view the comprehensive documentation on our website. Together, we are working to make student mobility sustainable and fair for all.