There are a few ways to get around Mannheim. They are:
1. Buses: There are many different lines to get around depending on where you're going. If you live in Ulmenweg/Hafenstraße/G7, you'll probably become familiar with the 60 bus which stops at all of those places. Keep in mind that if you live in Ulmenweg your commute to/from school is around 20 minutes, if you start around the Schloss. Getting on the bus is pretty straightforward. You either have a valid ticket, or you buy one from the bus driver which is around €2.40. The bus driver will most likely ask where your final stop is, so make sure you know where you're going. Also if it's after 8pm, the bus driver will stop opening the other doors, so the only way to enter the bus is through the front door. During school hours, the buses can be crowded, but if you're on at an unusual time, you'll be able to get a seat. Keep in mind that the schedule changes depending on the day. For example, if it's Monday-Friday before 7pm, they'll come at the "normal" scheduled time (every 20 minutes). However, on weekends and after 7pm, the schedule changes to every 30 minutes, so make sure you know when your bus comes! If you have an iPhone, I'd recommend getting the rnv/vrn ticket app because it shows the bus schedule. Keep in mind that sometimes the bus drivers will stop for you if they see you running to the bus, and in that case make sure to thank them for doing so.
2. Trams: Trams run more frequently, meaning every 10 minutes during normal hours. If you are out later, the trams begin to run once every hours so keep that in mind if you're planning on staying in the quadrat later than the last bus/tram runs. However, the trams are easy to find, and the stops are rather close together, so if you just miss one, you might be able to make the next stop if you run. There are ticket machines next to almost every tram stop, so if you need to get a ticket those are easy to buy before the tram comes, and make sure to validate them on the tram (the boxes that are present near every door on the tram are the places to validate the tickets). In most cases, you can get to most places easier with a tram. However, if you live in Ulmenweg, you won't have a tram line that goes directly to Ulmenweg (unless they finally finish construction on the tram line that's been under construction for around 2 years). If you need to take the tram, and live in Ulmenweg, the best stop to get off at is Exerzierplatz (which is a stop on the 4 and 5 tram), and then a 10 minute walk to Ulmenweg. It's not ideal, but if the buses aren't running when you want to get back, it's worth it.
3. Trains: Now the trains I'm talking about are the DB trains that you can catch at the Hauptbahnhof (main train station/HBF). Those trains won't get you around Mannheim, but they certainly will get you out of Mannheim. You can use those trains as ways to travel, if you need to catch a train to Berlin/Munich/wherever you might want to travel. This train will also be your first experience with getting to Mannheim, for you'll most likely grab the ICE train from the Frankfurt airport (if that's the airport you fly into) to Mannheim. You're also a quick train ride away from Heidelberg, which is very pretty, so it's definitely worth it to go. There are different types of trains that you can take from the Mannheim HBF. There are ICE/CE/IC trains, which are usually faster than the other options but the tickets are also more expensive. There's also S/RE trains which are the regional ones, which are the cheaper options but sometimes you have to switch trains multiple times, and takes a significant amount of time. However at the ticket machines at the HBF, there's usually ticket deals, so you and a couple friends can get Baden-Württemberg ticket, which allows you to travel around Baden-Württemberg on regional trains for cheaper than everyone buying an individual ticket. Also near the main train station is the Busbahnhof, which is where you'll catch buses to Frankfurt Hahn, or any meinfernbus/flixbus.
Depending on where you're living, you'll probably end up buying a semester ticket. While it is €150, which definitely will put a bit of a dent in your first week expenses, it'll be worth it. With the semester ticket, you'll be able to use the transportation systems all around Mannheim/Heidelberg/anywhere with a RNV/VRN system. You can also go in a 50 kilometer radius around Mannheim with the DB trains, which is great fi you want to explore the little towns around the area. Semester tickets usually start on the first of the month in which the semester officially starts, which is not ideal for those arriving early for IWA/ISA. While I've heard of some friends who got their semester tickets to start immediately, a majority of people I know didn't. So what you'll need to do is ask for an month long ticket that'll let you get around Mannheim for the month before your semester ticket starts. It'll be around another €50ish-60 euros, but you'll want to have it since it'll be better than buying €2.40 tickets every time you want to ride anywhere. It seems like a lot of costs upfront but it's worth it if you're here for 5 months. If you're studying in Mannheim for a year, don't buy a semester ticket. You'll get one for free at K7 when you register, so don't waste unnecessary funds if you don't have to.
If you think that you'll be able to get around Mannheim without ever buying a ticket, you're completely wrong. And I do NOT advise you do it. You will get caught. It's called Schwarzfahren and it's not okay. Bus drivers make you show them the ticket, and you'll get a surprise ticket checker on the trams every once and a while. If you're caught without a ticket, you will be cornered by people asking you why, and you'll be fined €40. So in reality, it's very much worth it because with every time you're checked for a ticket it could be a €40 fine instead, so the amount you save by not being fined adds up. This also goes for having the right tickets. Make sure if you're riding on an ICE/CE/IC train, you have the appropriate tickets, which are different than regional trains. If the ticket checkers notice that you got on the wrong train, they will fine you. Make sure you're polite to them because they are only doing their job. So if you're planning a trip with some switch overs, make sure that you know what train you're supposed to go on.
It's super important that you know how to get around Mannheim, as well as making sure you're not breaking any laws, and receiving any unnecessary fines that could have been avoided.
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