What is a transport association (Verkehrsverbund)?

A transport association (Verkehrsverbund) coordinates public transport in and around a city. It usually involves several different companies (e.g. the different operators of S-Bahn, U-Bahn, bus and tram networks) operating under the same integrated system to ensure:

A single fare system
A standardised range of tickets recognised by all transport companies
Coordinated timetables

In practice, this means that your ticket for the tram is also valid on the bus and the S-Bahn. It does not, however, usually extend to long-distance modes of transport such as trains and coaches.

Public transport networks in Germany

Listed below are the contact details for the transport associations in the largest cities in Germany. Through the websites you can access route maps, timetables, fare details and even buy tickets.

Although most have websites in English, in general, the information provided by the German websites tends to be much more comprehensive.

Berlin - Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB)

The VBB is the transport association that operates in Berlin and Brandenburg. It operates common ticketing across the region's multiple regional rail lines, S-Bahns, U-Bahns, trams, buses and ferries. More famous local operators such as the BVG in Berlin, S-Bahn Berlin and the VBBR are all part of the VBB.

Cologne - Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS)

The VRS is the public transport association that covers the cities of Cologne and Bonn, alongside many other areas of North-Rhine Westphalia. VRS tickets can be used across the whole network. Local operators such as the KVB in Cologne, the RVK and the SWB in Bonn, are all part of the same association.

Düsseldorf - Rhein-Ruhr Verkehrsbund (VRR)

The public transport association that covers Düsseldorf is the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR). Its network extends across the Ruhr, Lower Rhine and Rhine-Ruhr regions, making it the largest public transport association in Europe. With one ticket, you could make it from Dortmund in the east to the Dutch border in the west. It also covers major cities like Bochum, Duisburg, Essen, Mönchengladback, Oberhausen and Wuppertal.

In Düsseldorf, the local transport provider is the Rheinbahn, while Flughafen Düsseldorf operates its own services to and from the airport.

Frankfurt - Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV)

The RMV is the transport association that covers Frankfurt am Main, along with Darmstadt, Wiesbaden and large parts of southern, central and eastern Hesse, as well as the city of Mainz in Rhineland-Palatinate. In Frankfurt, public transport is organised by the local company the VGF.

Hamburg - Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV)

The Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV) provides public transport to not only Hamburg but also large parts of the neighbouring states of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. Its member companies include the Hamburger Hochbahn, the VHH, the AKN, HADAG and KVG.

Munich - Münchner Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund (MVV)

Munich is served by the Münchner Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund (MVV), which also covers much of the surrounding area, including Rosenheim, Miesbach, Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen, Landsberg am Lech and Weilheim-Schongau. Garmisch-Partenkirchen also joined the MVV in 2026, and Mühldorf am Inn and Landshut are expected to follow in the future.