autopatrolled, Check users
3,448
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
m
[[File:HitchingICE.jpg|thumb|220px|right|[[User:Halt, Stop! Reudnitz kommt.|Craig]] hitching ICE near [[Leipzig]]]]
no edit summary
: Much to their own annoyance, '''Belgian railway staff do not have any legal right to ask for your ID''', so under no circumstances show it when they ask for it! [[User:Prino|Prino]] 09:58, 3 May 2011 (CEST)
== [[Czech Republic]] and [[Slovakia]] ==
There are many types of train in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This two countries are very similar about free riding in trains.
The local trains (OS) have many stops, distances between stops are usually 3-10 km. These trains have only few carriages and one conductor. But there are often small amount of people in this type of train. Faster local train is (SP - spesny vlak). This type is similar to local train (OS) but average distance between stops is about 10 mm. Local trains have many stops and relative short journey usually less than 100 km. The interval to next train is usually 1 to 2 hour.
The R-trains (and some ex trains) have stop usually once a 10-35 km, about 5-8 carriages and usually two conductors or only one conductor. The interval between trains s 1 or 2 hours but in the most frequent area (Prague-Olomouc) is the interval between trains 30-60 min.
The long-journey trains EC, IC, Ex (often international trains) have about 7-11 wagons, restaurant wagon and first class wagon .This type of train have large number of passengers and two conductors. The distance between stops is 40-70 km (25-50 km for EX trains) and especially in overcrowded trains conductor check tickets and the time interval to next control is long (30-60 min and more). But if you are captured, you will bee challenged to pay penalty or the conductor ask for your ID card. The time to next stop is long and conductor have enough time to write the penalty.
In Czech is the ticket price equal for all trains belongs CD (Ceske drahy). The speed train EX, EC, IC and R have the same price like OS.
You have to buy seat reservation only in SC/Pendolino - [[User:PeterOB|PeterOB]] does not recommend it. But some EC/IC trains (Black Leo Express and yellow Regiojet, this trains belongs private company) have another special tickets and this trains are very difficult. In Slovakia R-trains are little bit more expensive than OS-trains and EC,IC trains are more expensive (difference is about Eur 2-4). Regiojet have yellow OS train in Slovakia and this type is OK.
'''Important:''' Do not use the speed long-journey train SC (Pendolino). It is expensive a you have to buy seat reservation. There are small number of passengers and big probability for get penalty. Be careful on the journey between Prague and Ostrava. The most of trains in Czech and Slovakia belongs to state company and trains that belongs CD are OK. But some IC trains (yellow Regiojet and black Leo Express) belongs private companies. Problems is that you have to seat reservation and the conductor have all reserved seats in computer and conductor do not ask for tickets. But if you are on the seat and the conductor's computer signalize free seat, but you are on the seat - this is problem. This is reason that you can use short-journey ticket trick or similar tricks. And black IC "Leo Express" is worst - you have to show ticket before boarding.
Regiojet have some local trains in Slovakia. In yellow local trains is all OK. You can use the short distance ticket trick (see bellow). Unfortunately many stops and small amount of passengers is reason that travel complete free is very difficult.
'''Important:''' Conducter is in the train always except some local trains, '''but''' the inspector (reviser) randomly enter in trains, check the tickets (like in public transport), but he check too conductor's work and if the inspector find some person without ticket, he can give a penalty for conductor. The inspector check all - passengers, toilets, conductor's work. Some Person travelled from Prague to Ostrava and had ticked only for short distance (to Pardubice). But the ticket inspector came and gave them penalty for every stop (6 stops without ticket = 6 fines), the passenger showed the short distance ticket which end far away. Fortunately, the inspector in train is quite rare, once a 10 000 km. [[User:PeterOB|PeterOB]] has travelled more than 70 000 km and meet inspector 5 times and paid only one penalty. The inspectors do not wear a uniform, conductors usually wear a uniform (blue suit, pink in region and black in Leo express). You can detect conductor relative easily.
Generally -there are few trick how to travel in train without ticket. I travel in Czech Republic in trains during years 2009-2014 more than 70 000 km and this contains 50 000 km without ticket. Because his appearance is not average, [[User:PeterOB|PeterOB]] does not travel without ticket complete, but usually uses short journey ticket trick. He paid penalty CZK 400 (USD 20) only once a time (the inspector came) but he had to leave the train about 10-15 times and had to buy ticket about 15 times (more expensive ticket, difference is CZK 40 CZK about USD 2, in Slovakia about Eur 2). He has met a train inspector 5 times.
The very successful method in not complete free but very cheap travel. [[User:PeterOB|PeterOB]] used it for more than 70 000 km in last 5 years. For extreme case - he travelled 346 km and paid only CZK 26 / EUR 1. Important is that the conductor check only new passengers in the next control, usually ask who is new (Pristoupili?) You buy ticket only to short journey, conductor check you and you do not leave train in stop, where your ticket end, and continue the journey. Conductor do not remember terminal stations on passenger's tickets and look for new passengers. You can look out of window, "sleep" or read a book. If the conductor remember your terminal station, you tell that you do not know where is or tell that you asleep. Importrant is that the conducter must come before terminal station, which is written on the ticket. [[User:PeterOB|PeterOB]] usually looks where the conductor is and the direction of inspection and goes near him. The optional distance is 10-20 km or 3-5 stops in local train OS (SP is similar), 1-2 stops or 20-40 km in R train and 1-2 stops or 50-80 km in speed long-journey train with restaurant (EX, EI, IC). The long-distance trains with restaurants have many carriages and two conductors. Because there are many passengers and you do not know the direction of ticket control, the situation is sometimes difficult. If you travel long journey, especially though big city - you can be surprised with conductors change. New conductor check ticket in all passengers (NOT only new passengers). You must have second ticket from the city where conductors changed to near stop.
The next tactic is for travel complete without ticket. [[User:PeterOB|PeterOB]] has told that conductor check only new passengers and he ask, who is new (Pristoupili?) and you are new but do not respond. If the train have a lot of passengers, the conductor do not remember who is new (but if your appearance is not usual, there is big chance that conductor ask you for ticket). But many of local trains and sometimes too R-trains have small amount of passengers, especially in the night. In the long-journey trains with restaurant (EX,IC, EC) is this method very successful because there are a lot of carriages and passengers and too long time intervals between ticket inspection. Problem is starting the journey in first stop or conductor change. All passengers have to show ticket during first control (or new conductor). You can try go around conductor during ticket inspection and stay in area, where tickets have been already checked. You can go into this already checked area in a stop (get of board an boarding into optional area).
In local trains near big city is too a lot of passengers and you can there use another trick. The train with name City Elephant have two floors. If the conductor walk though first floor through carriage, you can go though second floor and get behind the conductor in the zone where tickets were checked. You have to look when conductor is coming into your carriage. You can use similar in one floor long local train with many passengers near big city. Look which part of train is occupied with conductor and you can get off and boarding into opposite part of train in the stop. For example conductor is near first carriage and you go near last carriage.
If you are captured, you can buy the ticket (for short journey of course) in the train. This ticket is often more expensive (difference is CZK 40 or about USD 2, in Slovakia Eur 2), but if you remember the stations without ticket selling - the ticket that you buy in train is for the same price like in station. But if you are captured that you have been hidden and try travel without ticket, you will be kicked out of train in the most cases (in OS or R train) or you have to buy the ticket. [[User:PeterOB|PeterOB]] recommends to look for interval to next train or time of last train before travelling (for example web page www.idos.cz - choose trains (Vlaky)). The local trains have often long interval and the last train arrive quite early. The R-trains, EE, EC, IC is usually more often (1 hour) and last train is just during night.
Sometimes, you can get fine (penalty). The fine is CZK 400 or USD 20 (and CZK 1000 or USD 50 if you pay the fine it later than 14 days after you have been captured). You can get the fine especially in the long-distance train with restaurant. In OS or SP and usually R-train you are often only kicked out of the train.
[[User:PeterOB|PeterOB]] does not recommend hiding in toilet, it is very wrong tactic in Czech Republic and Slovakia. Conductor has to check the toilet (it is rule for a conductor) and conductor have special key to open locked door. If you do not lock the door, the conductor sometimes check toilet too and look into toilet. You can try choose relative invisible position in toilet (and other passengers can open the door and see you). Hidden in the toilet is worst in long-journey trains - conductor usually check toilets there. But it is very bad in all type of train.
You can try walk around the conductor during ticket inspection and go in the area where tickets have been checked. It is much better than stay in the toilet. It is good especially in long-journey EC,IC,EX trains with many carriages and too in local train near city.
== [[France]] ==
== [[Germany]] ==
Germany is great for riding the trains for free. ICE and IC are the best trains (with fewest stops). There's always two conductors on them. They are pretty pedantic about checking tickets, so it's pretty unavoidable to get caught. Once you're caught, however, you'll simply have to get off at the next stop. Sometimes they'll ask you to show your passport or remind you that you can buy a ticket on the train. They'll never call the police or give you any fines. The regional trains are not that bad too, they are lightly checked. The trains go all night (unless you're somehow stuck in a very bad station), so they're a great option when it's too late to hitchhike. Taking the very small train from Aachen to Liege (Belgium) is a very big mistake, you will get kicked off in a small village far from any main road and you will have problems getting out of there.
