Changes

For Germans it is usually that the first fines don 't matter and they usually make you a trial after 3 or more unpaid fines. But thats just how it goes usually. It is no rule. It is unclear how it goes for foreign citizens. But what is important is that if it is cops giving you the fine and not just the conducter the likelyhood of getting a courtcase is much higher even if it is your first fine. So always avoid the cops if you can.

'''Geting arrested'''

If they catch you and you present ID they have no reason to call cops. If you don't give ID or if the conducter is especially asshole they might call the cops. In that case cops will be waiting for you on a platform. IT might be that after the conducter called cops they walk away from you and come back to you before the station. In that case use the chance and in the meantime go to other part of train and hide from the conducter. Change your appearence (scarve over your head, different clothes...) and get the fuck out without the cops or conducter noticing you.

Other times the conducter stays with you and you have no chance to get away. In that case the cops will take you with to a police station. If you present a fake identity they might believe you or they might not and in that case they might search your stuff, take finger prints, keep you bit longer and so on. IF you present your ID card they will write you a fine and let you go. The whole process is maybe 30 minutes. IT is not a big deal. If you are no german citizen nor residennt they might want you to sign a paper that you agree with having an adress for this case on a local court. Try to not sign this paper. If they force you to sign it (they might treaten you with keeping you longer if you dont sign) your adress is then on a local court and it is your resposibility to go there and check if there are letters for you. YOu will of course not go to a random courthouse every two weeks and then it is very possible that they make a court trial with you without you knowing about it and the next time german cops check your ID you will either need to pay certain amount of money or you go to prison(probably for about a week or two. If you got fined more times it could be even few weeks or months). So if this is the case that they caught you, cops wrote you the fine and you did not pay it is recomandable to carry always some money in cash with you (maybe 300 euros) when you go to germany so in case they control you that you can pay yourself out.