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.
Your tickets are also valid beyond Frankfurt, to cities such as Mainz, Wiesbaden and Darmstadt as part of the greater Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund network.