Originally Posted by
Aviatrix
The rule in Germany used to be that you could buy tickets on the train, without paying a surcharge, if your departure station was unmanned. I remember travelling on some rural lines where paying on board was the norm.
These days most stations have ticket machines so I don't know if that rule still exists.
Originally Posted by
stut
Yes, I remember this too, particularly around the Black Forest. The rule (similar to other European countries' rules) was that if your departure station was unmanned, you could buy a ticket on board, but that you had to approach the guard before he approached you.
Quite how this is enforced, I'm unsure.
It differs from state to state. The regional traffic is under control of the 16 states and there are no federal rules. In most states you have to have a ticket at least bought from the machines.