- valid on local and regional services (excluding ICE/IC/EC) all over Germany irrespective of local fare systems, greatly simplifying travel by rail and bus
- massive price reductions for commuters, whether you have an all-year season ticket, a hvv Jobticket or a Klimaticket
- can be cancelled monthly.
- attractive extras with hvv Plus. Clients with a valid hvv Deutschlandticket who have registered for hvv Plus can get access to great benefits and take part in raffles with our partners.
hvv Deutschlandticket
General questions
With certain tickets or an additional ticket as a top-up to an existing season ticket you can take other persons along with you. You can see the rules in detail from the following table:
| Ticket/Product | Rules on taking others with you |
| 1 other person of any age and 3 children (6-14) on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays as well as on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve on the entire hvv network. |
| hvv Klimaticket S | 3 children (6-14) on the entire hvv network. |
| Top-up to a season ticket Weekend + | 1Addition to an existing season ticket for 1 month: 1 other person of any age and 3 children (6-14) on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays as well as on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve on the entire hvv network. |
N.B.:
- Children under the age of 6 always travel free of charge on hvv services.
- Public holidays differ from federal state to federal state. On hvv services, the public holidays celebrated in the federal states of Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein apply.
- Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are not public holidays, but are treated on our services as if they were Saturdays.
Yes.
The Deutschlandticket is valid countrywide on regional and local public transport services in 2nd class. It is not valid on long-distance services (ICE, IC, EC) and for journeys in 1st class. On the hvv you can use it on all buses, U- and S-Bahn rapid transit trains, regional trains and harbour ferries.
The Deutschlandticket is a subscription product which can be cancelled monthly. It is valid for the current month and can be used without any time restrictions. The subscription will be automatically renewed each month unless you cancel it by the 10th of the current month.
To do this, simply use our ticket machines (except for the AKN) by just placing your card against the card reader. Alternatively, you can use the hvv Info-App (in German) or view a detailed history of your purchases or your invoices via your meinhvv client account. This won’t cost you anything and is protected by a password.
You can make changes to your all-year season ticket subscription details, e.g. changes in the fare zones for school students, easily in your meinhvv client account. Alternatively, you can also do it in one of our hvv service centres.
What you need to do to change your method of payment depends on whether you have your Deutschlandticket in the hvv switch App or on a chipcard:
hvv switch App | Adding and/or changing a method of payment
Deleting a method of payment
Important: You can only delete a method of payment if it is not being used at that moment for the hvv Deutschlandticket (in this case, you will receive a corresponding error message). |
Chipcard | You can make changes to the chipcard in your meinhvv client account. Alternatively, if you want to change your bank details or the account holder, your client contract partner will need a new SEPA direct debit mandate with your original signature from you up to the 5th of the month before the change. |
What you need to do to change your personal data (name, address) depends on whether you have your Deutschlandticket in the hvv switch App or on a chipcard:
Address
hvv switch App | Directly in the App menu under "To profile"/Personal data. It is not possible to change your email address. |
Chipkarte | Change it in your meinhvv client account. Alternatively, just notify your client contract partner by letter, fax or email by the 5th of the month. |
Names
hvv switch App | Directly in the App menu under "To profile"/Personal data |
Chipkarte | To change your name, please come in to one of our hvv service centres and bring official proof of the change (e.g. a marriage certificate, altered personal ID card) with you . |
| hvv switch App | You can find a detailed overview of your ticket status in the hvv switch App und the menu item „Your Deutschlandticket” as well as the button “Cancel ticket”. When ou click on the button you will be shown the expiry date of your ticket in the details under “Period of validity”. |
| Chipcard | If you have your Deutschlandticket on a chipcard, cancel it under hvv.de in your meinhvv client account or directly in one of our hvv service centres. |
Please note: In order to cancel your ticket to the end of the month, you will need to apply to cancel it by the 10th of the month.
If it has been stolen
If your card has been stolen, please report it to the police. We will need the police file number in order to process the case. Then report the theft to us as soon as possible so that we can block your chipcard. This can be done in a hvv service centre or by a phone call to your client contract partner. Outside normal business hours, please call the hvv Infoline under 040/19 449. As soon as you have reported the theft, you can no longer be made liable for any misuse of the card.
If you have lost it
Report the theft to us as soon as possible so that we can block your chipcard. This can be done in a hvv service centre or by a phone call to your client contract partner. Outside normal business hours, please call the hvv Infoline under 040/19 449.
Ordering a replacement card
When you order a replacement card, the original (lost) chipcard will be automatically blocked. The new chipcard will be sent to you by post within the next 10 days.
meinhvv | in your meinhvv client account under "Contract overview" and "Replacement card"– including a temporary PDF ticket you can use immediately | € 5 |
Service centres | in a hvv service centre near you | €15 |
By phone | To your client contract partner | €15 |
Our tip:
- The replacement card will be provided free of charge for users of the complimentary hvv Deutschlandticket for school students (living in Hamburg). It can only be ordered via the meinhvv client account.
- This is how you can set up a meinhvv client account, e.g for your own subscription ticket or another one (in German) which you are paying for, e.g. for children under 16 )?
- Outside normal business hours, please call our hvv Infoline under 040/19 449. Please have your client number ready at hand when you do this. You can find this in the contract documents which were sent to you together with your chipcard.
There may be different reasons why your card has been blocked. Please get in touch with your client contract partner.
Clients with all-year season tickets or hvv Jobtickets who can prove by means of a doctor’s certificate or a certificate from a hospital or a health insurance that they were unable to travel for more than 21 consecutive days will receive a refund of the fare money for those days.
- Your certificate must cover the entire period concerned.
- It must additionally include an indication explaining why it was not possible for you to use public transport.
You can hand in this certificate in any of our service centres.
You can find your client contract partner by looking in your contract documents or – if you don’t have your all-year season ticket in the hvv switch App – on your chipcard. Depending on whether the first digit of your ten-digit client number is 1, 2 or 9, you can see the right person to speak to from the following overview:
| Client number starting with "19" | Client number starting with "6" | Client number starting with "9" |
| hvv Deutschlandticket | hvv Jobticket | School students |
hvv Kundenservice Phone: Telefax: | The right person to speak to for your hvv Jobticket is your employer. | The right person to speak to is your school. |
Yes. The social discount from the City of Hamburg is also planned to be used with the hvv Deutschlandticket. If you are entitled to receive the social discount, you can get the hvv Deutschlandticket for € 19. The hvv Deutschlandticket with the social discount is only available as a chipcard (you can order it online or in a service centre). We recommend ordering it online - it's more convenient; you can then present your entitlement form (the form for the social discount is also available at hvv.de) in the service centre later.
The social discount of 30 euros can also be used with the new reduced-price monthly season ticket for the entire hvv network (€ 69), which then gives you full mobility over the entire hvv network for € 39 a month.
No, the ticket is not transferable.
The hvv Deutschlandticket is restricted to one person and is only valid in combination with some form of photo ID. Children aged 6 to 14 should also have a photo ID with them when they travel (e.g. a school student card, an identity card, a child’s ID, a health insurance card). A copy of such a card may also be carried.
Children under 6 travel free of charge as before.
No, the hvv Deutschlandticket is only valid in 2nd class. To travel in 1st class carriages on the hvv, you need to buy an additional upgrade ticket for 1st class. This costs € 2.70 for a single journey in hvv fare rings A-F or € 49.00 on the entire hvv network as a monthly upgrade.
The 1st class upgrade ticket bought on the hvv is only valid on hvv services. Additional options to use the 1st class may be available in the various regional public transport associations.
Bicycles can only be taken on board free of charge in the hvv on rapid transit trains (U-Bahn, S-Bahn, AKN) as well as on many bus lines Mon – Fri before 6 am, 9 am – 4 pm and from 6 pm, on weekends and public holidays all day, as well as at any time on the harbour ferries (Lines 61–75). There is a reasonably priced day bicycle ticket for €3.50 to take a bike on RB/RE trains in hvv fare rings A – F.
The day bicycle ticket you buy on the hvv is only valid to take a bike on board regional trains in hvv fare rings A-F.
There are different rules concerning taking your dog with you outside the hvv. There are no countrywide rules about taking along dogs on the Deutschlandticket.
The electronic verifiability on the hvv is guaranteed. In addition, it will be ensured that your right to travel will be accepted all over Germany.
hvv services are being constantly expanded, independently of the hvv Deutschlandticket.
Buying the ticket
Do you want to buy a digital ticket in the App and pay via PayPal, credit card or debit card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express)?
Order your Deutschlandticket in the hvv switch App (for iOS und Android).
You are entitled to reduced-price tickets or want it on a chipcard instead of a smartphone?
No problem – order here now online and pay by SEPA direct debit.
Do you have any further questions? You can find all you need to know about the reduced-price hvv Deutschlandticket here.
If you buy the Deutschlandticket on your smartphone via the switch App, you can travel from the date of validity of the ticket.
If you buy your hvv Deutschlandticket online on a chipcard, the earliest date you can choose as start date is 10 working days from the date you bought it. After you order the hvv Deutschlandticket online, your chipcard will be sent to you by post.
No.
It is not possible to get a Deutschlandticket without a payment medium on which the price can be drawn (e.g. a bank account or a credit card), since the ticket may only be issued all over Germany according to the stipulations from the Government as an all-year season ticket. However the hvv is offering new, reduced-price weekly and monthly tickets. These can be bought in hvv service centres, at ticket machines and of course also online and are valid on the entire hvv network. The weekly ticket costs 29 euros and the monthly ticket 69 euros. The social discount of 30 euros is also applicable to the new monthly ticket, so that you can then get full mobility on the entire hvv network for 39 euros a month.
Customers who want to get their Deutschlandticket on their smartphone can currently only do this in the hvv switch App. This is a very good fit for the new Deutschlandticket as regards its structure and background system. At the same time the hvv switch App also offers complementary mobility options.
You can buy an upgrade ticket 1st class for a single journey (in fare rings A-F) for €2.70 or a monthly 1st class upgrade to your season ticket for €49 in the hvv switch App or at ticket machines and in the service centres. These are then valid on the entire hvv network for the calendar month in which they are bought. They will not be automatically renewed and need to be bought again if you need them.
A 1st class upgrade ticket is only needed for journeys in the regional trains RE/RB.
Additional tickets as top-up to your season ticket to take 1 other person and 3 children ( 6-14) along with you at weekends (Weekend+) for €15 as well as top-up tickets for travel in 1st class (€49 for a monthly upgrade or €2.70 for a single journey) can be bought in the hvv switch App or at ticket machines and in the service centres. This is then valid on the entire hvv network for the calendar month in which it is bought. It will not be automatically renewed and needs to be bought again if you need it.
That is stipulated by the Federal Government. In the hvv you also have the option to get the hvv Deutschlandticket on a digital chipcard which will be delivered to you by post. We recommend you to use the hvv switch App however for your hvv Deutschlandticket, since it is much easier to use. Further information on alternative uses of the wallet.
Passengers who don’t have a smartphone or internet access can buy the hvv Deutschlandticket in a service centre.
Yes. Single or day tickets, the weekly season ticket and the monthly season ticket for the entire hvv network can be bought just as before in the hvv Online Shop, in the hvv switch-App, in the hvv App as well as at ticket machines.
Reduced-price tickets
Yes. Apprentices/trainees as well as those entitled to the social discount can get reduced-price tickets.
The hvv offers special tickets for all school students in regular primary or secondary education at a public school. The type of ticket offered, the price and the rules on its use depend on where you live.
Unfortunately it is not possible to get the hvv Deutschlandticket unless you have a bank account, since it is a condition stipulated for the ticket all over Germany that it should be issued as a subscription product. If you do not have a bank account of your own, the account of another person may be used.
There are however new, reduced-price weekly and monthly tickets on the hvv which you can get without needing to have a bank account. These are available in hvv service centres, at ticket machines and of course also online. The weekly ticket costs 29.00 €, the monthly ticket 69.00 €. Both season tickets are valid on the entire hvv network and cost less than the weekly and monthly season tickets available previously just for the Hamburg AB fare rings. To compare: a monthly season ticket for Hamburg AB previously cost 118.20 €, one for the entire hvv network 262.00 €.
The social discount of 30 euros also applies to the monthly season ticket, so that you can then get full mobility on the entire hvv network for 39.00 € a month.
At the moment it is not yet possible to take the social discount of the City of Hamburg into account if you buy the Deutschlandticket in the hvv switch App. In order to get a discounted Deutschlandticket, you need to cancel the subscription in the hvv switch App and order a new one online or in a hvv service centre. In any case you need to show your proof of entitlement for the social discount in the service centre.
A retroactive refund for a ticket you have already used in the hvv switch App is unfortunately not possible.
About the hvv switch-App
To run the hvv switch App you need at least iOS 15 or Android 8.0 and higher.
After you have successfully registered, the App will help you navigate the buying process and will ask necessary prerequisites such as e.g. your full name and the means of payment you wish to use (PayPal or credit card. This is why you should confirm your email address within 7 days.
If you have a mobility budget (this is offered by employees and companies which are participants), you can of course claim for this in the hvv switch App.
There are instructions on how to register for hvv switch on the hvv switch-Website (in German). We will need your email address for the first-time registration. You need to confirm this within 7 days.
Your ticket is valid from the date you choose. The countdown which runs for 90 seconds directly after the purchase clearly signals in a ticket inspection whether the ticket was purchased before you entered the area where you have to have a ticket.
Yes. As soon as your hvv Deutschlandticket has been loaded in the hvv switch it will be displayed at all times whether you are on- or offline. Further information on alternative uses of the wallet.
You can recognize a modern debit card by the MasterCard or Visa logo on the card - older Maestro cards with the red and blue logo are not storable.
No.
No, that is not possible. The App needs to be online.
The reason may be that your internet connection is too weak so that the booking process cannot be correctly completed. The Deutschlandticket can only be displayed in the hvv switch App if you have a smartphone with at least iOS 15 or Android 8.0 or higher. Depending on your device, the update is sometimes not automatic. Please check that your hvv switch App is up to date. If everything is up to date, close the hvv switch App and open it again, then your ticket will be displayed in your profile under “Your Deutschlandticket“. If the problem persists, please contact the hvv switch customer service.
No. Use is only permitted to the person who registered in the hvv switch App.
At the moment it is not yet possible to take the social discount of the City of Hamburg into account if you buy the Deutschlandticket in the hvv switch App. In order to get a discounted Deutschlandticket, you need to cancel the subscription in the hvv switch App and order a new one online or in a hvv service centre. In any case you need to show your proof of entitlement for the social discount in the service centre.
A retroactive refund for a ticket you have already used in the hvv switch App is unfortunately not possible.
What you need to do to change your method of payment depends on whether you have your Deutschlandticket in the hvv switch App or on a chipcard:
hvv switch App | Adding and/or changing a method of payment
Deleting a method of payment
Important: You can only delete a method of payment if it is not being used at that moment for the hvv Deutschlandticket (in this case, you will receive a corresponding error message). |
Chipcard | You can make changes to the chipcard in your meinhvv client account. Alternatively, if you want to change your bank details or the account holder, your client contract partner will need a new SEPA direct debit mandate with your original signature from you up to the 5th of the month before the change. |
What you need to do to change your personal data (name, address) depends on whether you have your Deutschlandticket in the hvv switch App or on a chipcard:
Address
hvv switch App | Directly in the App menu under "To profile"/Personal data. It is not possible to change your email address. |
Chipkarte | Change it in your meinhvv client account. Alternatively, just notify your client contract partner by letter, fax or email by the 5th of the month. |
Names
hvv switch App | Directly in the App menu under "To profile"/Personal data |
Chipkarte | To change your name, please come in to one of our hvv service centres and bring official proof of the change (e.g. a marriage certificate, altered personal ID card) with you . |
We are offering all hvv Card all-year season ticket holders who have Hamburger Hochbahn AG as their client contract partner the option to transfer their valid hvv Deutschlandticket from their chipcard to the hvv switch App.
For this transfer, you will need a switch code and your customer number (this begins with 19 and you can find it on the hvv Card). If you are one of the customers entitled to this offer, you will have received a letter containing this switch code and describing in detail all the further steps necessary.
Once your hvv Deutschlandticket has been transferred to the hvv switch App, your all-year season ticket subscription on the hvv chipcard will be automatically cancelled. The card then becomes invalid and your digital hvv Deutschlandticket is valid in the hvv switch App from that point onwards.
Customers receiving the social discount or all other reductions which require an entitlement form can continue to use their hvv Card. Holders of the hvv Deutschlandticket as a job ticket can continue to use their mobile ticket in the electronic wallet.
If you are not receiving the social discount or any other reductions and you want to change to the switch App, but do not have the switch code, please get in touch with Customer service and give your customer number.
We want to offer you the simplest route possible to your hvv Deutschlandticket. And that is exactly what you get with the hvv switch App: fast, uncomplicated access to your favoured mobility option- including the hvv Deutschlandticket.
When the hvv App was developed, it was intended to be used purely for classic local public transport services, with the main functions being timetable info and ticket purchase. Today, mobility is far more diversified: besides bus and rail, you can use car sharing, e-scooters, ride sharing and further options in and around Hamburg. The goal of the hvv switch App is to reflect this diversity and to give you one central, easy-to-use access to your favoured mobility option.
Yes, you can add the Deutschlandticket as well as other tickets you can book via the hvv switch App to your wallet. When you buy the ticket, just activate the function "Add to ..." by clicking on it.
- Android: the monthly update of the hvv Deutschlandticket will happen automatically.
- iOs: the update function needs to be switched on in the ticket details in the Apple wallet app so that your Deutschlandticket is automatically updated for the new month.
To the hvv switch Customer Service. They are reachable via E-Mail.
Ticket inspections
Just show them your hvv Deutschlandticket in the hvv switch App or on your chipcard (in that case together with a currently valid photo ID). They will check the ticket on the chipcard with an electronic verification device.
If you are an all-year season ticket holder but are unable to show your hvv Deutschlandticket (e.g., your mobile battery is flat or you have forgotten your chipcard), just tell them what the problem is. They will issue you with a payment demand for a penalty fare of € 60. If you can show your ticket later (before the deadline set out in the conditions of carriage) you only need to pay a handling fee of € 7.
The electronic verifiability on the hvv is guaranteed. In addition, it will be ensured that your right to travel will be accepted all over Germany.
The digital hvv Deutschlandticket will be checked electronically as normal.
If there are problems with a hvv Deutschlandticket which was not purchased from the hvv, please get in touch with the public transport association which you bought the Deutschlandticket from.