FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about Abo-Online
General Questions about Buying Tickets
You can currently order the following tickets via Abo-Online:
- Deutschlandticket
- D-Ticket JugendBW
- Job-Ticket or Deutschlandticket - Job (requires a Job-Ticket agreement from the employer)
If your employer has a Job-Ticket agreement, this can be ordered via the company portal using the company's login details.
Firstly, go to https://abo.rnv-online.de/. You will be guided through the ordering process step by step via the menu item "Abonnement bestellen" (order subscription). First select the desired product and the start date. You will then be asked to enter your rnv login details or to log in with your existing rnv login details. Once you have confirmed your login details (your e-mail address), you can continue with the subscription ordering process. The personal data entered in the rnv login is displayed pre-filled in the order process and does not need to be re-entered. Changes are possible. For personalised season tickets, you can choose between a plastic card (chip card for D-tickets) or a digital ticket. A digital ticket is issued in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app. You will receive your ticket by mail or on your smartphone in good time before the start of the contract period after an internal check.
Firstly, go to https://abo.rnv-online.de/. You will be guided step by step through the ordering process via the menu item "Abonnement bestellen" (order subscription). First select the desired product and the start date. You will then be asked to enter your rnv login details or to log in with your existing rnv login details. A new window will now open where you can choose whether you want to order the season ticket for yourself or a minor. At this point, select "Ticket-Besteller (gesetzlicher Vertreter bei Minderjährigen)" (ticket purchaser (legal representative for minors)). Now enter the data of the subscription user under the data of the contractual partner. Your personal data entered in the rnv login will be displayed pre-filled in the order process under the data of the legal representative and do not need to be re-entered. Changes are possible. For personalised subscriptions, you can choose between a chip card or a digital ticket (from the age of 10, provided the payment method is accepted by a legal representative). A digital ticket is issued in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app. You will receive your ticket by mail or on your smartphone in good time before the start of the contract period after an internal check.
The following persons can use the D-Ticket JugendBW:
- All persons under the age of 21 who live in the Baden-Württemberg part of the VRN
- Pupils and students up to the age of 27 who attend school or university in the Baden-Württemberg part of the VRN (on presentation of proof of education)
- Trainees and volunteers up to the age of 27 who live in the Baden-Württemberg part of the VRN (on presentation of proof of training)
It is valid nationwide on local transport in 2nd class (with the exception of tourist and historical transport).
If you need to provide proof of authorisation to order or renew a season ticket, you can upload it to Abo-Online. To do this, log in to https://abo.rnv-online.de under "Abonnement Verwalten" (manage subscription) with your rnv login, select the contract for which you would like to upload proof of authorisation and add it under "Anlagen" (attachments). When uploading, make sure that the front and back of the proof of authorisation are clearly legible.
When uploading a proof of authorisation, an AI checks whether the proof matches the order data and prepares a decision.
If you do not yet have an rnv login, you will find instructions on this page on how to create one and how to add your travelcards to your area and manage them there.
You can find detailed instructions here as a PDF download:
Please check whether the document corresponds to the specified file format and the required file size. If not, please adapt the document in an editing programme beforehand.
If you use the Deutschlandticket as a chip card, your personal data will be forwarded to a service provider who is contractually bound to us under data protection law and who personalises the chip cards for rnv GmbH. This data is stored by the service provider for a maximum of four weeks and then irrevocably deleted.
There are three separate areas on the memory chip: for ticket data, personal data and usage data. As on a paper ticket, certain information is stored that identifies the holder of the Deutschlandticket in the form of a chip card (personal data) and records which season ticket has been purchased (ticket data). As a service function in terms of consumer protection, the last ten transactions with the chip card are stored in a kind of logbook (usage data).
In the case of personal tickets, the name and date of birth of the passenger are stored on the chip card in order to be able to identify the holder of the season ticket in the event of an inspection. The name is not stored in plain text, but in encrypted form. This means that the name can be assigned with the help of an ID card, for example, but cannot be read without it (example: "Max Mustermann" becomes "M1x@M8n"). A photo has been deliberately omitted in the interests of data minimisation. For this reason, holders of a Deutschlandticket must always carry their identity card or another form of photo ID with them.
The ticket purchased is also stored, i.e. what type of ticket it is, for which fare zones it is valid and for how long. Each time the ticket is checked, the system checks whether the travel authorisation is valid and whether the transmitted data record has not been tampered with.
The chip card stores in a logbook when the chip card is held up to a control device (so-called transactions) - for example on the bus or during a mobile ticket inspection. Only the ten most recent transactions are ever stored. This usage data consists of the time, location and type of transaction, the terminal number, the ticket/product number, the line number and the journey number. The control device sends the data record to the rnv GmbH eTicket background system. There it is checked whether a sales data record also exists for the eTicket being checked. This enables us to check for possible misuse such as manipulation, duplicates or double registrations with a chip card. This control data is stored exclusively on the passenger's eTicket.
Registration and Login
You have two options for registering for Abo-Online.
- To order a new subscription, use the menu item "Abonnement bestellen" (order subscription). During the ordering process, you will be asked to register or enter your rnv login details.
- If you already have a season ticket, log in under the menu item "Abo verwalten" (manage subscription). Enter your rnv login details here. If you do not yet have rnv login details, you can enter them by clicking on "rnv-Login erstellen" (create rnv login). After you have entered your personal data, you will receive a confirmation link by e-mail. After confirmation, you can log in with your rnv login details under "Abonnement verwalten" (manage subscription). You can then view your contracts or add them manually.
Personal data is collected for the provision of the subscription and is used by rnv GmbH and its service providers for the billing of journeys made. Subscriptions are personalised with full name (first name and surname), customer number and date of birth. This is important data to ensure that only the person named on the ticket is using the season ticket in the event of a ticket inspection. Only the transferable annual ticket Jedermann has no personalised data on the ticket, as it can be used by anyone in possession of this ticket. The allocation of rnv login data is relevant here in order to be able to clearly assign subscriptions to a person. The e-mail address assigned in the rnv login serves as a security and identification feature. A clear assignment is particularly important for personalised subscriptions that are used as mobile phone tickets. A central login makes it easier for our customers to use all online media of rnv GmbH (Abo-Online, online shop and rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app) to their full extent by entering their personal data once.
In order to give you the option of displaying your season ticket as a digital ticket in the Handy Ticket app, rnv GmbH must ensure that this is only made available to you. Your e-mail address serves as a security and identification feature. Please make sure that you use a personalised e-mail address that only you have access to when assigning the rnv login data.
Until now, it was not mandatory to provide an e-mail address. Especially for existing subscriptions, it must be ensured that a clearly assignable and correct e-mail address is stored. This is the only way you can make full use of all the services offered by rnv GmbH, such as the option of having your personalised subscription issued as a mobile phone ticket. If you decide to do this, you do not have to register additionally in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app, but can use your rnv login for this purpose.
Please check your spam folder first to see if the e-mail has arrived there. You will only receive the access data if you have previously activated the link in your confirmation e-mail. This link loses its validity after three days for security reasons.
If you have not received the e-mail or have deleted it, you can also unlock your account by resetting your password. To do this, simply click on "Passwort vergessen?" (forgot your password?) when logging in and follow the steps indicated.
If you have forgotten your password, use the "Passwort vergessen?" (forgot your password?) field when logging in and follow the next steps.
To change your e-mail address, you must first create a new rnv login with the new e-mail address. You can then select the "Abonnement hinzufügen" (add subscription) function via the "Abonnement verwalten" (manage subscription) menu item. Here you can create your existing subscription and assign it to your new e-mail address.
During the ordering process, we will verify your enquiry by means of an SMS request. To do this, you will be asked to enter your mobile phone number under SMS authentication in the order process in Abo-Online. After receiving the confirmation code via SMS, enter it in the order process.
If the SMS does not arrive on your mobile device, please check that the mobile phone number you entered is correct in the first step. If the error is there, start the order process again and correct the data you have entered. If the mobile phone number has been entered correctly and the SMS still does not arrive, use the "SMS erneut senden" (resend SMS) button. If the SMS does not arrive again, please contact our customer service via our contact form. Please note that it may take a few minutes for the SMS to be sent. Do not refresh the page in your browser until you receive the code via SMS.
The mobile phone number cannot be changed during the ordering process. If you enter an incorrect mobile phone number, cancel the order process and correct the data by re-entering it. Once you have successfully completed the order process, you can change the mobile phone data under the "Abo verwalten" (manage subscription) menu item in Abo-Online if necessary.
Payment
Payment for ticket subscriptions is made exclusively by direct debit.
Subscription fees are collected on the 1st working day of the month.
You can change your bank details under the menu item "Abonnement verwalten" (manage subscription). To do this, select the relevant contract and click on "ändern" (change). If you have several contracts, the change is made automatically for each additional contract, provided there is a joint payer customer number (in this case you will see all the corresponding contracts in your customer account). If you have not previously paid the subscription yourself, you can only change the bank details using the corresponding form, which you should fill in and then upload.
Changes to bank details can be made up to and including the 23rd of a month for the following month. After this date, we can no longer guarantee the change for the following month. The reason for this is the different monthly submission deadlines at the banks for SEPA direct debits.
Digital tickets in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app
Yes, the prerequisite for this is the use of our Abo-Online portal. You can order your subscription at abo.rnv-online.de. Select your desired subscription and follow the order process. When ordering, you can specify the issue in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app for each personalised season ticket. To do this, click on “Ich möchte mein Jahresabonnement als digitales Ticket nutzen” (I would like to use my annual season ticket as a digital ticket).
You need a smartphone with the iOS or Android operating system to issue a season ticket in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app. You can download the app from the relevant store.
The travelcard will be displayed in the app shortly before it becomes valid. Please note that the travelcard must be updated monthly as a digital ticket. To do this, establish an internet connection once a month. After successful updating, you will see your ticket for the following month. This ticket is automatically activated on the first of the month and is only valid from then on. The ticket from the previous month is automatically deactivated and can still be viewed for 5 days under "abgelaufene Tickets" (expired tickets).
Yes, you can switch online at any time with an existing and personalised subscription. Go to https://abo.rnv-online.de/ and click on the menu item "Abo verwalten" (manage subscription). Log in with your rnv login details or re-assign them once. Once you have successfully assigned your contracts to your login details, you can view them and change the issuing medium to "Handy Ticket app". You will be asked whether you would like to use the e-mail address from the rnv login data or a different e-mail address. Then download the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app from the Appstore and log in with the e-mail address provided. Please note that you must enter the exact e-mail address you have entered here to register in the app. This is case-sensitive. Otherwise the subscription will not be displayed. You will then receive an e-mail with further information about the required app. The issue in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app is currently possible for iOS and Android devices. As soon as your subscription is displayed in the app, your previous chip card is automatically deactivated and can no longer be used for journeys.
Please note that children and young people between the ages of 10 and 16 can only switch their chip card to the mobile phone ticket via their legal representative and their rnv login. The mobile phone ticket can be displayed for children and young people aged 10 and over via their own rnv login.
To add your existing subscription, you will need your customer number, your date of birth and the last five digits of the IBAN from which your subscription fee will be debited. If you do not know the IBAN, you can request a so-called replacement code in the input mask. This will be sent to you by post within the next few days to the address stored in your subscription. As soon as you receive the replacement code, go back to the menu item "Abo verwalten" (manage subscription) and "Abonnement hinzufügen" (add subscription). Here you can now enter the replacement code instead of the IBAN. When using the replacement code, please note the validity period sent to you. The replacement code is also only valid in combination with your personal customer number and date of birth.
You can order the Deutschlandticket and the D-Ticket JugendBW retroactively for the current month up to and including the 10th of the month. You can check at any time in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app under "Tickets" to see whether it is already available to you. Even if you receive your mobile phone ticket before the validity period, it will only serve as your travel authorisation from the start of the validity period.
If you change your ticket subscription to a mobile phone ticket, you will be able to see and use it within the next 24 hours in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app under "Tickets".
No. A ticket subscription is only issued on one medium.
For security reasons, the subscription must be regularly updated as a mobile phone ticket in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app.
Your mobile phone ticket is not bound to your smartphone. Download the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app to your new device and log in with your rnv login details. You will find your ticket under the menu item "Tickets".
Yes, go to https://abo.rnv-online.de/ and click on the menu item "Abonnement verwalten" (manage subscription). Log in with your rnv login details. Here you can view your contracts, update your address if necessary and change the issuing medium to the chip card. Please note that a lead time of one week is required for the dispatch of the chip card. Your mobile phone ticket will remain valid for this period. You will be charged 10 euros for the change. Once you have received your chip card, your existing mobile phone ticket will automatically become invalid.
Questions about visibility in the app
Step 1: After ordering tickets in Abo-Online, download the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app from the Appstore.
Step 2: Open the app and click on "Tickets".
Step 3: Click on the person symbol at the top right.
Step 4: Click on "E-mail" and enter your rnv login details. If you have not yet entered your rnv login details, you can do so here. Select the menu item "Tickets". All current tickets or subscriptions are displayed there.
Yes, under the menu item "Tickets" you can see all the tickets or subscriptions assigned to you.
No. As soon as the mobile phone ticket has been updated or generated once a month, it is available to you even without an Internet connection.
Before starting your journey, you should ensure that you have a valid travel authorisation and that you have it with you. In the event of an inspection, an increased fare will be issued for all persons who were unable to present a valid travel authorisation at the time of the inspection. Customers with an existing and personalised ticket subscription can present this travel authorisation at one of our mobility centres within one week and only pay a processing fee. This does not apply to customers with a transferable ticket subscription. In this case, the increased fare must be paid in full.
Manage Subscription
You can use Abo-Online to manage all your season tickets purchased from rnv. If you have taken out a season ticket with another transport company, please contact the provider directly.
You can view and manage your subscription at https://abo.rnv-online.de/ under the menu item "Abonnement verwalten" (manage subscription) and in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app. To do this, log in with your rnv login details or assign them once again. If you have existing rnv login data, you will see your contracts listed. You can then view and manage each contract. When you log in for the first time, you must first add your contracts manually by entering additional data. Once you have successfully assigned your contracts to your login data, you can view and manage your contracts.
Our customer service or our mobility advisors in one of our mobility centres will also be happy to help you with this.
If you want to add an existing subscription, you will need your customer number, your date of birth and your IBAN. If you do not know the IBAN from which the subscription amount will be debited, you can request a so-called replacement code. This will be sent to you by post to the address stored in your subscription. You can enter the replacement code in the corresponding field instead of the IBAN. Please note that this can only be redeemed within the specified validity period in combination with your customer number and date of birth.
Deactivation of rnv Login/Cancellation of a Ticket Subscription
Please note that if you deactivate your user data, you will no longer be able to use any access to our online services, such as Abo-Online, the online shop and the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app. Tickets that are still valid will then no longer be accessible to you. If you use a personalised ticket subscription in the rnv/VRN Handy Ticket app, you must change the issuing medium and apply for a chip card (lead time: 1 week). Your subscription contract continues to exist even without rnv login data and requires separate cancellation. All further information on this can be found in the VRN fare regulations.
Would you like to deactivate your subscription or do you have further questions? Then please contact our customer service team using the contact form. When deactivating your login data, an internal check is required first. Please provide your first and last name, e-mail address and date of birth. Your data will then be anonymised.
The ticket subscription can be cancelled at the end of each calendar month. Cancellation must be declared by the 10th of the month.
Please note any minimum contract periods for your ticket subscription (e.g. D-Ticket JugendBW). If the ticket subscription contract is cancelled before the end of the first 12 months for reasons for which the transport company is not responsible, the difference between the monthly subscription price and the price of a corresponding monthly ticket for the previous period will be charged up to a maximum of the annual ticket price. After expiry of the 12-month period, no additional charge will be made. The passenger is at liberty to provide evidence of lower expenses.
All information on this can be found in the VRN fare regulations.
#HD4mobility - Project of the City of Heidelberg
Customers with their primary residence in Heidelberg who fulfil certain requirements receive subsidies for the D-Ticket JugendBW and the Deutschlandticket through this project of the City of Heidelberg.
Where can I find more information?
Further information on the offers and conditions for ticket subscriptions can be found in the VRN fare regulations and VRN conditions of carriage.