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 Logo | |
 North Rhine-Westphalia with the VRR's field highlighted in red | |
| Abbreviation | VRR |
|---|---|
| Named after | riversRhine andRuhr |
| Formation | VRR GmbH: January 1, 1980; 45 years ago (1980-01-01) ZV VRR: January 1, 1996; 29 years ago (1996-01-01) VRR AöR: September 28, 2004; 20 years ago (2004-09-28) |
| Dissolved | VRR GmbH: September 2006; 18 years ago (2006-09) |
| Type | Statutory corporation |
| Legal status | “Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts” |
| Headquarters | Augustastr. 1 45879 Gelsenkirchen Germany |
Region | Ruhr,Lower Rhine region, parts of theRhine-Ruhr |
| Oliver Wittke | |
| Subsidiaries | •Zweckverband Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (ZV VRR) •Nahverkehrs-Zweckverband Niederrhein (ZV NVN) •ZV VRR Eigenbetrieb Fahrzeuge und Infrastruktur (ZV VRR FaIn-EB) |
| Website | www.vrr.de |
TheVerkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (German:[fɐˈkeːɐ̯sfɐˌbʊntˌʁaɪ̯nˈʁuːɐ̯]), abbreviatedVRR, is apublic transport association (Verkehrsverbund) in theGerman state ofNorth Rhine-Westphalia. It covers large parts of theRuhr area, theLower Rhine region includingDüsseldorf and theRhine-Ruhrconurbation. It was founded on 1 January 1980, and is Europe’s largest public Transport association, covering an area of some 7,305 km2 (2,820 sq mi)[1] with more than 8.1 million inhabitants,[2] spanning as far asDorsten in the north,Dortmund in the east,Langenfeld in the south, and theDutch border in the west and northwest.
The VRR is tasked with coordinating public transport in its area. This means the following:[3][4][5][6]
A total of 26 cities and districts form the special purpose associationsZweckverband Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (ZV VRR) andNahverkehrs-Zweckverband Niederrhein (ZV NVN). Both special purpose associations form theVerkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr AöR (VRR AöR) which cooperates with further transport companies additionally.[7]
The member cities and districts of theZweckverband Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr are:
The member districts of theNahverkehrs-Zweckverband Niederrhein are:
The municipal and district councils send representatives to the two special purpose associations’ councils, which in turn elect the main decision making corporations, the administrative council of the VRR, and other committees. The administrative council elects the administrative board of the VRR, currently Oliver Wittke who also is their speaker.[3][8]
In addition, there are departments within the VRR dealing with different matters, such as marketing or law. TwoLand institutions are located within the VRR structure:Kompetenzcenter Digitalisierung NRW (KCD)[9] andKompetenzcenter Sicherheit (KCS).[10]
Through theZV VRR Eigenbetrieb Fahrzeuge und Infrastruktur (ZV VRR FaIn-EB), the VRR also buys and/or owns therolling stock for some, but not all, of its PSO rail operations.[3]
These above mentioned cities’ and districts’ and other associated transport companies thus operate under the VRR fare scheme:[11]
The following rail companies operate S-Bahn or regional train services in the VRR area and accept VRR tickets:[11]
Additionally, there are several districts and cities outside the area of VRR which tariff applies for, but only while travelling with a transport vehicle from/to the area of VRR. Unless specified separately, this regulation counts for all lines.[12]
With the introduction of the VRR in 1980 a new line numbering system for all bus, tram andStadtbahn (underground) lines in the VRR area was introduced. The VRR has been divided into ten three-digit numbering sheme regions, the first digit in the line number representing that numbering sheme Region (key number). The last two digits form the individual line number.[2] These are the existing key numbers:
Stadtbahn lines are identified with the prefix “U” followed by the key number and a one-digit identifiers.Wuppertal's suspension railway line is officially line 60, but because it does not run underground, the prefixU is not used.
After the integration of the formerVerkehrsgemeinschaft Niederrhein (VGN) area consisting ofKleve andWesel, route numbers were unchanged, i.e. representing no key number.[2]
The VRR sells tickets based on three different fare levels which are represented by their three letters A, B and C. Its area is divided into fare zones (German:Tarifgebiet). Each fare zone consists of at least two subzones (German:Wabe). The zones’ numbering sheme consists of a two-digit fare zone number and a one-digit subzone number.[13]
Fare level A is valid either:
The following cities are summed up intoone fare zone each:
Fare level B is valid for journeys whose start and destination are separated by at most one other fare zone.[14]
Fare level C applies for all other journeys in the area the VRR operates in.
People younger than fifteen years pay lower fares. The VRR sells tickets for one single journey or for four consecutive journeys respectively. Tickets for 24 hours are also avaiable. If the transportation of a bicycle is desired, the traveller has to buy aFahrradTicket, valid for 24 hours. Before travelling, those tickets must be validated by nearbystamp boxes. The monthly ticket is calledTicket2000. The social discount variant is namedSozialTicket, only valid in the district of residence. To expand the area of a monthly ticket temporarily, a socalledZusatzTicket is needed per journey.[15][16]
The digital variant with a check-in system is calledeezy VRR.[17]
Furthermore, the VRR's transport association companies offer the nation-wideDeutschlandticket.
Media related toVerkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr at Wikimedia Commons
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