SNCF increases fines for ticket dodgers

SNCF loses €500 million every year through people trying to cheat the ticket system, reported French channel Europe 1.  

 

It an attempt to lessen the blow, the company announced that from Monday March 2nd it is increasing some of the passenger fines by as much as twofold.

 

The company already started to take similar measures in September by limiting the expiration date of non pre-booked train tickets from 61 to seven days.

 

The new plan will see any passengers penalized according to the length of their journey. Those caught on board without a ticket on a journey longer than 150 kilometres will have to pay a €50 fine as well as the regular price of ticket. Those preferring not to pay upfront will be issued an €88 fine as well as the regular price of the ticket.

 

Passengers buying tickets on board (without having paid the extra booking charge) will now have to pay €7 if the journey is shorter than 150 kilometres – up from €4 previously. If the journey is longer than 150 kilometres, they will have to cough up an additional €15 fee compared to the previous fee of €7.