German train fine help.

[LOU LOU DISNEY]

My son is just home from 3 days in Munich & was issued a fine on the train to the airport as his return ticket wasn’t validated. He says he wasn’t told to do this when he bought both train tickets & there were no signs up anywhere in central station. He was fined €60 & he didn’t have that extra money to spare to pay on the spot so the conductor took his passport details & give him a ticket type thing so he can pay at home. It’s all in German & we have no clue how to pay it, I thought you would be able to do it online? Does anyone know how this can be paid? I can’t believe this has happened as he had a ticket, I can understand it if he didn’t have a ticket & was trying to dodge not paying.

[Gill H]

In many European stations there is a little machine to punch to validate your ticket, but no barrier to stop you going to the platform. So you have to know to do this before going for the train.

There were probably signs up but it may not have been obvious if you don’t know the system.

Can’t help with how to pay, but have you tried Google translate?

[Mr Tom Morrow]

I know ignorance of the Law and other rules and regulations is no defence but I must say I wouldn't be rushing to pay it.

As you say if he didn't have a ticket that would have been a different matter.

[LOU LOU DISNEY]

Yes we’ve tried google translate so that’s a bit helpful. It seems it can only be done via a bank transfer as there is an Iban code on it, but still have no clue as I’ve never paid anything with an Iban before. I’ll neec to speak with the bank.

Tom a few people have said what you’ve said, but I’m a worrier & id be afraid of it flagging up if he were to return to Germany & he’s coming to the states with me in April & don’t want him to be sent home! ...unlikely I know but that would be something else for me to worry about!

[pad406]

I'd try and contact the rail company via their website, their must be some sort of email address or contact form. Explain that he had the ticket and was unaware of the need to validate it. If he still has it then you can send a photo also. Include the details of the fine, reference no etc and see where it goes.

[LOU LOU DISNEY]

Originally Posted by pad406

I'd try and contact the rail company via their website, their must be some sort of email address or contact form. Explain that he had the ticket and was unaware of the need to validate it. If he still has it then you can send a photo also. Include the details of the fine, reference no etc and see where it goes.

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Thanks we’ll give that a try. He only has 13 days to pay as he got home yesterday so hopefully they will get back to us quickly.
He still has both tickets.

[Gill H]

Do you have any sort of prepaid card with Euros or something like Halifax Clarity that you can pay in Euros with? You might be able to do that online.

Deutche Bahn has offices in the UK so maybe you could phone them?

[LOU LOU DISNEY]

Originally Posted by Gill H

Do you have any sort of prepaid card with Euros or something like Halifax Clarity that you can pay in Euros with? You might be able to do that online.

Deutche Bahn has offices in the UK so maybe you could phone them?

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No we don’t, but I’ll maybe look into phoning their UK office.
With a bit of google searching, it seems at this stage as he’s home now the only way to do it is by bank transfer which will cost I’d imagine. But the ticket is so complicated. I’ve googled to see if there’s the same ticket online but they’re all different in each city, & there doesn’t seem to be a yellow slip with his, what everyone is mentioning online?

[CarolynU]

Unfortunately validating the ticket is common in some countries. I saw the locals punching their tickets into a little machine in the ticket office in Sitges but if I hadn’t seen that I wouldn’t have known to do it either.

[scooby99]

As others have said, many European countries require you to validate your bus/train ticket prior to your journey & this is mentioned in travel/tourist guides etc.