FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about fips
General Questions
With the flexible, personalised shuttle service (fips), Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH (rnv) is expanding the existing public transport network in Mannheim and Heidelberg. Fips improves connections within neighbourhoods and to the outlying districts. The electric vehicles serve as a convenient addition to rnv’s bus and train services, for example for journeys from a stop to near your home or as a direct connection on shorter routes within the neighbourhood. The service intelligently combines the journeys of several passengers with similar routes or destinations. Simply download the app, log in, book a fips ride and arrive at your destination.
fips does not operate to a fixed timetable, but instead offers the option to book a flexible journey between virtual and/or existing stops within selected urban areas. Virtual stops are points where the shuttles stop briefly for passengers to board or alight. The network of virtual stops is so densely laid out that there is usually less than 150 metres between you and the pick-up point. The aim of the service is to group together the journey requests of several passengers with similar routes or destinations, which may involve a slight detour where necessary.
Where does fips go? When does fips run?
fips operates in the Mannheim districts of Franklin, Straßenheim, Taylor, Vogelstang and Wallstadt, as well as at Käfertal railway station, from Monday to Friday from 5 am to midnight, on Saturdays from 6 am and on Sundays from 8 am.
From Monday to Sunday, fips also operates in the Gartenstadt district from 8 pm. From 10 pm, the service area is further extended to include Feudenheim.
fips operates in Heidelberg in the Ziegelhausen / Schlierbach and Emmertsgrund / Boxberg / Rohrbach Süd service areas daily from 5.00 am until 1.15 am the following day.
From 8.00 pm and at weekends, services also run to Altstadt S-Bahn station in the Ziegelhausen / Schlierbach service area and to Königstuhl.
In Mannheim, the fips service operates as a supplement to line 58 from Monday to Friday between 9.00 am and 1.30 pm, and between 6.00 pm and midnight as required, following the route of line 58 between Luzenberg and the Ölhafen industrial estate. This means that Friesenheimer Insel can be reached directly from Luzenberg until midnight. Passengers may only board and alight at the regular stops on line 58 between Luzenberg and the Ölhafen industrial estate. Bookings for “fips on Line 58” are made as usual via the fips app. After entering the relevant starting and destination stops, the “fips on Line 58” service can be selected in the app. As with fips, tickets are not sold on board the vehicle.
Stops served by “fips on Line 58”: Luzenberg, Diffenébrücke, Bastion, Weidenwörth, Einsteinstr., Max-Born-Str., HKW Nord, Werner-Heisenberg-Str., Muskatormühle, Öllager, Ölhafen, Ölhafenstr., Max-Planck-Str., BASF Friesenheimer Insel.
Booking
You need to register once to use fips. Booking is then quick and easy via the “myVRN” or “VRNflexline/fips” apps. There, you can enter your departure point and destination, as well as details of your preferred departure time, the number of passengers, tickets and accessibility requirements.
Passengers who do not use a smartphone can book fips by telephone on 0621 1077 077, provided they have registered in advance. This service is available round the clock. Further information can also be found in the section ‘People without access to a smartphone’.
In June 2026, the fips booking system was migrated to the standardised VRN-wide platform. With the decommissioning of the old system, the old fips user accounts will also be discontinued, and it will be necessary to re-register. Registration can be carried out easily and conveniently via the myVRN app or the VRNflexline/fips app. People without access to a smartphone can register at one of our mobility centres or download the registration form and return it by post.
To travel with fips, you’ll need a valid VRN ticket. If you don’t yet have a season ticket or any other ticket, you can buy a separate ticket in the myVRN app, regardless of your fips booking. When booking fips via the VRNflexline/fips app, you can either use a pre-stored ticket or purchase a ticket at the VRN straight-line fare.
In a demand-based system, due to the fixed number of vehicles and seats, it is possible that at certain times when demand is high, a journey request cannot be met within the defined service criteria. In that case, your request will be declined. You can resubmit your request at a later time.
Yes, it is possible to change the departure time within certain limits, as the shuttle’s route may change slightly due to new bookings. The arrival time is always available in the app.
You cannot add a D-Ticket to the myVRN app when booking fips. The fips booking is separate from the ticket purchase.
Important: You will need a valid VRN ticket or Deutschland-Ticket for your journey. You can purchase these from the ticket shop in the myVRN app, and they must be shown before you start your journey. Deutschland-Tickets that were not purchased via the myVRN app cannot currently be stored or displayed there. You must still show your ticket before starting your journey.
In the VRNflexline/fips app, you can add your ticket or, alternatively, travel using the VRN ‘as the crow flies’ fare.
Travelling with fips
fips stops at what are known as virtual pick-up points. These are only visible within the app. When you book a journey, the app displays the pick-up point on a map, along with walking directions from your location to the pick-up point.
When you book, you will be allocated a fips vehicle; you can view the registration number and vehicle number of your vehicle in the app. The vehicle number is clearly displayed on the outside of the vehicles. Please ensure you arrive at the pick-up point on time, as fips vehicles are rarely able to wait for you.
Please check the map view in the app again to see if your current location matches the specified pick-up point. Pick-up points are specified precisely on one side of the road and in one direction of travel. The app also provides walking directions to the pick-up point. Check the specified and, if applicable, updated arrival time of your vehicle. A few minutes before collection, you can also track your vehicle live on the map.
The fips driver can contact you by phone using the call function if they cannot find you at the pick-up point. Please bear in mind that we cannot do this for every pick-up, but only when traffic conditions and current demand allow. If you do end up taking longer than expected, you can also cancel your journey via the app.
Yes, just as in passenger cars, seat belts must be worn in fips vehicles.
Hand luggage may be carried and stowed in the passenger compartment provided that this does not jeopardise safety or the smooth running of the service, and does not endanger or inconvenience other passengers. Larger items of luggage may be carried in the boot, subject to their size, weight and the availability of space in the vehicle. There is no entitlement to carriage. The fips driver will always decide on the spot whether items are permitted for carriage and where they should be stowed.
Small animals may generally be carried in suitable transport crates, subject to the same rules as for luggage. As with luggage, this must not jeopardise the safety and order of the service, nor endanger or inconvenience other passengers. There is no entitlement to carriage. The fips driver will always decide on the spot whether the animals are permitted on board and where they should be accommodated.
Dogs that cannot be housed and transported in a portable carrier (see ‘Carrying small animals’) are not permitted.
Guide dogs in accordance with SGB IX are always permitted; to arrange this, select ‘Guide and assistance dogs’ under ‘Travel options’ when booking.
Not necessarily. The aim of fips is to combine the journey requests of several passengers with similar routes and destinations, which may mean that individual passengers have to accept a slight detour.
Accessibility at fips
When booking a journey, you can select various accessibility options. If you have any suggestions for improvement or comments regarding accessibility, please feel free to contact us via one of our usual channels or by email at fips(at)rnv-online.de.
Your children are, of course, welcome to travel with you. Unlike on the bus, on the fips children up to the age of twelve who are shorter than 150 cm are required to use a child seat. Child seats are available on board for children from approximately 100 cm in height. Please select the appropriate option for each passenger when booking:
“Child seat”: For children from 100 cm
“Booster seat”: For children from 125 cm
“Pram”: If you are travelling with a pram, you can also select this option. The fips drivers will be happy to help you stow the pram.
Passengers with reduced mobility can select the ‘Rollator’ accessibility option for the relevant passenger when booking. fips drivers will assist with getting on and off the vehicle and with stowing away walking aids or similar items. Please note that passengers must be able to get on and off the vehicle unaided, as our drivers are unable to carry passengers off the vehicle.
For people in wheelchairs, see the separate answer below.
It is not possible to register a severe disability card with an accompanying person in the myVRN app.
In the VRNflexline/fips app, people with a severe disability card can select this as the ‘Severe disability with token’ option for the relevant passenger when booking. A disability with a degree of disability (GdB) of 50 or above is classified as a severe disability, and a card is issued which, in combination with a token, serves as a ticket; in the case of a registered accompanying person, this also applies to them.
People with visual impairments and blind people can select the “Guide and Assistance Dogs” accessibility option for the relevant passenger when booking.
fips drivers will assist passengers in locating the vehicle and with getting on and off. By selecting this option, passengers can book travel with a guide dog or assistance dog.
Even for people who are unable to use a smartphone, a one-off registration is required before the telephone booking service can be used. You can complete the registration at one of our mobility centres or download the registration form and return it by post or email.
Please note that the range of functions available via telephone booking is limited compared to using the app.
Adapted vehicles are available for wheelchair users. To arrange this, please select the ‘Wheelchair’ option for the relevant passenger when booking. Your booking will then be automatically allocated to a suitable vehicle. fips drivers will assist you with getting on and off the vehicle. Passengers with a folding wheelchair who are able to take a seat in the vehicle unaided may also select the “Walking frame” option.
- Height: Interior 144 cm
- Width: Ramp 77 cm
- Length inside the vehicle whilst driving: 140 cm
- Incline:
- Interior approx. 5°
- Ramp approx. 9°
- Max. weight (wheelchair + person): 350 kg
The total weight that can be transported must not exceed 350 kilograms. Due to their length, electric scooters are generally excluded from carriage. Furthermore, not all wheelchairs can be carried. This includes wheelchairs with bulky attachments, such as operating aids or detachable motorised aids. To date, it has not been possible to transport the latter safely.