Price levels in the VRR

Price level A applies to journeys within a tariff area. One or more cities can belong to a tariff zone. 

The major cities of Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen and Wuppertal each consist of two tariff zones. Nevertheless, price level A is sufficient for inner-city journeys even in these cities. Trips within a city, e.g. B. within Oberhausen, are therefore always in price level A. Price level A also applies to trips in two neighboring cells of different tariff areas.

With price level B you can usually reach your neighboring cities - you can often get even further.

Monthly / subscription tickets: Set price level B yourself 
Anyone who buys their monthly or subscription ticket in price level B can choose the so-called central tariff area themselves (exception: company ticket). The ticket is then valid in the selected central tariff area and usually in all adjacent tariff areas.

For all other tickets (single ticket, 4-ticket, etc.), no central tariff area needs to be specified.

Two examples for price level B 
You live in Oberhausen (tariff zone 24) and work in Düsseldorf Mitte / Nord (tariff zone 43). You choose Duisburg Mitte / Süd (tariff area 33) as the central tariff area and have free travel in the following area: Moers (22), Duisburg Nord (23), Oberhausen (24), Krefeld (32), Duisburg Mitte / Süd (33), Mülheim Ruhr (34), Ratingen / Heiligenhaus (44), Düsseldorf center / north (43).

You live in Oberhausen, but work in Bochum (tariff zone 36). You choose Essen Mitte / Nord (tariff area 35) as the central tariff area and have free travel in the following area: Oberhausen (24), Bottrop / Gladbeck (25), Gelsenkirchen (26), Herne (27), Mülheim Ruhr (34), Essen Middle / North (35), Bochum (36), Essen South (45), Hattingen / Sprockhövel (46), Velbert (55)

Price level C applies throughout the entire tariff area.