Germany - fine on the Metro in Frankfurt

So i was riding the metro in Frankfurt and did not know that after i purchased a ticket, i needed to get the ticket stamped prior to riding. Because of that, i was given a ticket for 40 Euro. Unfortunately, i now cant find the ticket i was given. I was told that i can pay the ticket online.

So my first question, does anyone happen to know the website where i can go to pay the ticket?

Will they eventually send me something in the mail? If for some reason i cant figure out a way to pay the ticket will my passport be revoked or might i be banned future entrance in Germany?

Thanks.

Have you tried contacting the agency that issued you the ticket? I'm sure they would be glad to help you pay up.

Have you tried contacting the agency that issued you the ticket? I'm sure they would be glad to help you pay up.

i lost the ticket so i dont know who to contact. i do know there was a website on the ticket. but without the ticket i dont know who to contact.

Here is perhaps the website you need: http://www.traffiq.de/1651.de.details_zum_rmv_tarif.html

If you look for "Fahren ohne Fahrkarte" (travelling without a ticket), this is the section about your situation. In the light blue column on the right you can see a telephone number and a mailing address. You could try to write to that address or calling that number.

I did not see a button for English, so you can try Google translate if you have trouble with the German.

BTW, validating tickets is very common in almost all European countries, even on the railroad. It is always a good idea to check.

Good luck.

Here is perhaps the website you need: http://www.traffiq.de/1651.de.details_zum_rmv_tarif.html

If you look for "Fahren ohne Fahrkarte" (travelling without a ticket), this is the section about your situation. In the light blue column on the right you can see a telephone number and a mailing address. You could try to write to that address or calling that number.

I did not see a button for English, so you can try Google translate if you have trouble with the German.

BTW, validating tickets is very common in almost all European countries, even on the railroad. It is always a good idea to check.

Good luck.

Thanks.

So i found the ticket, however, everything is in German.

It has a website: http://www.db-fahrpreisnacherhebung.de/

Can someone tell me if there is a way to pay this on that site? I tried using google translate but cant seem to find a place to pay the ticket.

ETA: i think i found the form: https://www.db-fahrpreisnacherhebung.de/emailservice/zahlungvereinbaren/index.html

Question. At one point they ask: An diese E-Mail-Adresse erhalten Sie eine Empfangsbestätigung mit einer Übersicht ihrer Angaben.

And there are a few choices. Anyone know what i should be choosing here?

You could also try to phone the central authority for fines issued on DB trains (which is located in Baden-Baden) - but be warned, they usually don't know what they are talking about (having worked with DB as someone who checks tickets for several years, I know what I'm talking about :( ). It is also important whether you were fined on a regular metro or u-bahn/tramway train (the authority responsible for fines issued there is the local transport authority) or in a DB train (RegionalExpress, RegionalBahn or S-Bahn). In the latter case, Baden-Baden might help you, otherwise you should try to contact the local transportation authority. I know that it's quite confusing, but in germany, the different local transport companies (and there's lots of them) are solely responsible for ticket checks and the collection of fines on their respective lines - collaboration is seldom happening.

And don't worry - your passport or anything like that won't be invalidated if you don't pay your fine - riding a means of public transport without a ticket is an "Ordnungswidrigkeit" (something like a "minor crime") and won't effect the validity of your visa or anything the like. However, there's the possibility that the transport company will file a suit for "Erschleichen von Dienstleistungen" which is indeed a crime. But that'll usually only happen if you get caught several times within a short period of time.

You were probably on an RMV transport. Here is a contact website in English:

http://www.rmv.de/en/Verschiedenes/Ihre_Ansprechpartner/Kontakt/

Click on the email form.

When I was studying abroad a group of my friends (I wasn't with them) had the same problem. They did get their addresses taken down though the guy did admit that they most likely weren't going to get fined.

You were probably on an RMV transport. Here is a contact website in English:

http://www.rmv.de/en/Verschiedenes/Ihre_Ansprechpartner/Kontakt/

Click on the email form.

Since he has found the "ticket" and it has the website from the DB printed on it, I assume he was riding on a train or some sort of transport provided by the DB.

Since this "ticket" has specifically the site for paying penalty for a non-valid ticket, I assume, this is what he was given by the ticket inspector.

If the OP still wants to pay, the DB has specific information for this:

"IFS/Service Center FN, 76518 Baden-Baden
Commerzbank Baden-Baden
BLZ 662 400 02
Konto-Nr. 115 507 600

Für Bezahlungen aus dem Ausland:

S.W.I.F.T.-BIC-Code: COBA DE FF
IBAN: DE02 6624 0002 0115 5076 00"

The last two lines include the codes you will need to pay from outside Germany. They also ask you include the "ticket" number.

If you have something like this (http://www.willizblog.de/blogpicts/fahrpreisnacherhebung.jpg) the "ticket" number is at the top and has the label: "FN-NR.:"

They also say you have only 14 days to pay before more penalties are added, but since you do not live in Europe, perhaps they will forget that.

Good luck.

IIRC RMV tickets don't need to get stamped unless something changed recently. Given the website that the OP gave, looks like the OP was on a regional DB train or on an S-Bahn train that was perhaps outside the RMV area?

I guess Frankfurt (or is it Germany as a whole?) is not one of the areas where the fine is payable on the spot?

btw, a little tip - when you're asked for your ticket, be careful if you keep it in the same pocket as your money. I'm not sure if the Berlin ticket inspector was more offended by the idea I might have been trying to bribe her, or by only offering €5. :o

I guess Frankfurt (or is it Germany as a whole?) is not one of the areas where the fine is payable on the spot?

btw, a little tip - when you're asked for your ticket, be careful if you keep it in the same pocket as your money. I'm not sure if the Berlin ticket inspector was more offended by the idea I might have been trying to bribe her, or by only offering €5. :o

I am not sure whether the ticket inspector was really offended.. especially in Berlin, humor is very subtle and sarcasitc, so they may just have been joking.

And no, most transport companies don't accept instant payment, to avoid just such a case where an inspector is bribed by the passenger (or even keeps the money for himself). Also, most transport network operators offer the possibility to reduce the fine by showing a (forgotten) monthly or weekly subscription ar the office - obviously this wouln't work if the people had to pay their fines instantly.

I am not sure whether the ticket inspector was really offended.. especially in Berlin, humor is very subtle and sarcasitc, so they may just have been joking.

And I was mostly joking, too. The inspector's reaction, if any, was mostly a brief raised eyebrow.

And no, most transport companies don't accept instant payment

I know I've been somewhere in Europe recently where the fine is payable on the spot. If you don't have the money, you'll be escorted to an ATM. If you still can't pay, you'll be arrested.

i wish i could have paid it then!

So, i found out one of my friends speaks german. And she was able to find out how to pay it. Basically i have to do an international bank transfer.

Thanks for the assistance!

To be honest, no one is going to know or care whether you pay or not. I'm not suggesting that you don't pay, but there are no consequences.

The people checking your S-Bahn tickets have no way or mechanism to have any impact at all on your passport.

To be honest, no one is going to know or care whether you pay or not. I'm not suggesting that you don't pay, but there are no consequences.

The people checking your S-Bahn tickets have no way or mechanism to have any impact at all on your passport.

I was thinking exactly the same... but did not want to write it... :D

If they really want your money, they will find you. ;)

I guess I shouldn't tell you about the stack of speeding fines accumulated across various countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium over the last ten years.

Whilst anecdotal, no one has ever pursued me.

If they really want your money, they will find you. ;)

Never underestimate a government desperate for revenue.

I was recently chased down by a U.S. state for a fine I don't owe (it was their mistake) 10 years after I moved 2500 miles away.

This is more of an American thing...in Europe most people don't give much of a sh!t chasing senseless fines in order to make a point.

This is more of an American thing...in Europe most people don't give much of a sh!t chasing senseless fines in order to make a point.

I am pretty confident this will change and boy racers like you will fuel the economy. The EU is at least preparing to deal with you guys (Taken from the BBC):


No escape from EU traffic fines

Offenders escape fines because there is no contact with police

Drivers caught speeding outside their home countries will no longer avoid prosecution, under EU proposals.

At the moment only a small percentage of Europe's drivers who commit traffic offences abroad have to pay a penalty.

But EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot says cracking down on four offences will change road safety.

He says drink-driving, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and failing to stop at a red light are the main causes of deaths on the roads.

Some countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium have agreements to prosecute drivers who commit such offences while outside their home country. But the commission argues that across the EU, most people captured by roadside cameras escape fines because there is no direct contact with police. It says the proportion of non-resident drivers caught speeding can be as high as 30% in some EU countries.

Cameras are also used for catching people who drive through a red light or fail to wear a seatbelt.

"The impunity of these non-resident drivers creates a feeling of injustice," Mr Barrot said.

He is calling for an electronic network which would identify the owner of the vehicle and enable penalty notices to be sent to home addresses outside the country where the offence was committed.

Also never ever think of not paying any kind of fine in the Netherlands. Customs (at least in AMS) do routinely check for any outstanding fines under your name and make you pay on the spot. They actually installed payment terminals there for just that reason.

Also never ever think of not paying any kind of fine in the Netherlands. Customs (at least in AMS) do routinely check for any outstanding fines under your name and make you pay on the spot. They actually installed payment terminals there for just that reason.

And traffic fines for parking are collected in an even easier way if it comes to Germans: Several Dutch cities close to the borders file claims with the German small claims courts. These cities have been creative and invented a "contract theory": By using a parking space in these cities you agree to the T&C of their parking regulations and these foresee a heafty contractual penalty if you fail to buy a parking ticket.