Originally Posted by
amolkold
I spent probably 20 minutes online trying to figure out the fare from hotel to airport, and even got exact change in Euros. At the bus stop, I got on with two locals who promptly sat down – no payment, no validation of monthly pass, no nein nada. Does anyone here pay for transport??
Regarding public in Germany transport things can be very confusing (even for locals), because there are so many types of fares and tickets available and it is very hard to get the full picture re:which type of ticket you need. So don't worry, it even happens to me and I am German. Plus, depending on the type of ticket you don't necessarily need to validate it or show it to the driver - that's normal here. If someone passes the driver and sits down immediately it doesn't mean that this person does not have a valid ticket. To verify that we have on the spot ticket checks by transit personell and if they catch you without a valid ticket they fine you EUR40 I guess. If you are a repeat offender you will be charged and have to appear in court.
I hope this makes things a little bit more clear (at least from a local's perspective). Thanks for posting such an excellent trip report with so many phantastic pictures!