Paying by chip card
In our canteens and cafeterias, you can pay quickly and easily with your chip card. Simply top up your student card or your staff card and off you go!
Who can use the chip card?
Students and university staff who have a student or staff card in the form of a chip card can use it as form of cash-free payment. Hochschule Esslingen uses a different card system; see below for further information. Guests, staff or students who do not have an ID card can get a guest card at our Info Points for just €15. This sum consists of a €10 deposit and a €5 credit balance. If you have any questions about the chip card, please feel free to contact our Info Points.
Notes
Loss
- Make a note of your card number when you receive the chip card!
- If you lose your card, report to one of the Info Points. Found cards will be kept in a safe place.
- If you don't have your card number or your card has not been handed in, your credit balance and deposit will, unfortunately, be lost.
Damage
- The Studierendenwerk Stuttgart is not liable for mechanical damage to the chip card. That is why you should store your card in a cover if possible. Do not bend it or keep it in your back trouser pocket.
- With chip cards of the Studierendenwerk Stuttgart, in the event of damage, the deposit will be forfeited.
- In the event of cards with technical defects, you will receive a new chip card free of charge and your credit will be transferred.
Expiration
- If a chip card has expired, it must be extended in good time:
- Students do this by extending their university's registration at the "Studiensekretariat" of their university. The chip card gets validated then once you pay with it.
- Employees of University of Stuttgart extend their card at the personnel department with the same process as the application for a card.
- If a chip card is invalid, we will charge you the guest price.
If there are any further problems with your chip card, please come to our Info-Points or contact karten@sw-stuttgart.de
AUTOLOAD
You can top up your chip card direct at the canteen checkout. The only prerequisites are a PayPal account (existing or newly created) and a one-off registration.

Topping up at the recharging terminal or Info Point
Topping up your card at the recharging terminal
You can top up the chip cards at recharging terminals with an EC-card and partly also with cash.
- The minimum top-up amount is €10 with an EC card or €5 with cash.
- If you top up your card with an EC card, a maximum of €30 is possible.
- Only take the card out of the recharging terminal after the new amount of credit on the card has been displayed (wait for the booking process to be completed).
- Do you have enough funds in your account? If the amount requested is returned to us by the bank (reason: an insufficient bank balance), we will pass on the fee to you.
- If your EC card does not work on the recharging terminals, please have your bank activate the ELV ("electronic direct debit") for terminals.
Topping up your card at the Info-Point
- At the Info Points, you can top up your chip card with cash, too.
- Topping up your card with cash can only be done in fixed amounts: €5, 10, 15 etc.