Three things you can do with your student ID!

If you’re not sure yet what the student ID exactly is and how to get it, you can read our article about not only the student ID but also the Athena Card, another card that has plenty of uses at the university. If you’ve received your student ID for the upcoming semester, then you are on the right track to living your life at its fullest here at TU Darmstadt. Here’s a more detailed breakdown on three fun things you can do with your student ID:

1. Using the public transport to travel

Printed on the back of your student ID is one of the most invaluable resources a student can have: your semester ticket. From commuting to your campus to traveling around Hessen, with this ticket, you can explore this region with buses, trams, and trains. The map of the area where the semester ticket is valid and further information on it can be found on AStA’s website on the semester ticket. It’s important to remember that you cannot use IC, EC, or ICE trains with the semester ticket, so you will have to buy a separate ticket to use them.

Are you in need of some travel ideas? Here are some cities within the semester ticket’s operational area that you can visit:

• Frankfurt (around half an hour away by train): Frankfurt is one of the most modern German cities, known for being the financial hub of Germany. From visiting various museums or the Palmengarten to strolling through the Altstadt or by the Main river, it’s a city that offers a wide range of activities.
• Wiesbaden (around an hour away by train): Wiesbaden is the capital city of Hessen, perfect for those who want a nice mix between a modern city and some historical architecture.
• Mainz (around half an hour away by train): Mainz is a beautiful riverside city with an Altstadt that looks like something straight out of a fairytale book. It’s also home to the famous Mainzer Dom along with other beautiful churches which are scattered around the city.
• Marburg (around two hours away by train): Marburg is a hidden gem near the edge of the ticket’s operational area. It’s a picturesque city located on a hill with a castle on top of it.

2. Visiting the Landesmuseum

While exploring Darmstadt’s city center, you might have already discovered the Landesmuseum. It’s one of the oldest public museums in Germany and has a wide variety of permanent exhibitions in it: beautiful marble statues, fossils of extinct animals, models of buildings from ancient Rome, paintings from the renaissance, beautiful geological rocks, they have it all! There is something for everyone here, also with the changing special exhibitions there is always new things to see. The best part is as students of TU Darmstadt, you don’t have to buy a ticket at the museum. You just have to have your student ID with you, so you can visit it as often as you want. You can find more information about their exhibitions and their opening times on the website of the Landesmuseum.

3. Enjoying a theatre performance

Are you a fan of theatre? If your answer is yes, you’ll be happy to know that students of TU Darmstadt can visit unlimited performances at the Staatstheater Darmstadt. You can book the tickets online three days before the performance, so long as there are still seats available. For a step by step guide on how to book your tickets online or what to do if you want to go to the theatre spontaneously, you can go to AStA’s website on the Staatstheater.

There’s a wide variety of shows you can watch; musicals, opera, plays, and more. You can find the Staatstheater’s schedule along with more information about the shows on their website. Please be aware that this offer is not valid for certain shows like special events, guest events, and shows for children. Alongside the printed online tickets, you have to of course remember to also bring your student ID.

The Staatstheater is not the only place where you can watch theatre performances, students can also watch shows in Theater Moller Haus Darmstadt. Similar to the Staatstheater, tickets are available three days before the event so long as there are still free seats. For more information on how to get these tickets visit AStA’s website on their cooperation with Theater Moller Haus.

Thanks to the many possibilities offered by the student ID, there’s never a dull moment if you’re studying at TU Darmstadt. Hopefully you’ve found new ideas to spend your free time with the help of this article. Take good care of your student ID and have fun!