On 31/01/2012 12:09, Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
Ron wrote:

Most passengers seem to insert a card into a machine, no one checked
tickets. I asked several folks how do I pay, they just shrugged, so it
seems travel between stops wasn't worth collecting fares for. The whole
system is remarkably cheap.

If it is anything like the system they just opened in Jerusalem, you can't.

With the Jerusalem system you can buy a ticket on a bus, you can buy a
ticket at the central bus station and you can buy a ticket at most stops
from a vending machine.

Once you are on the train there is no way to buy a ticket. There is a $50
fine if you are caught without one and some of the inspectors have been
fining people who had tickets that were supposed to be, but were not valid
due to an unadvertised change, when the ads all said there wasn't any.

If you go to one of the places they issue cards, you can get one with
your picture on it, which will reduce the price if you are a senior citizen,
student or disabled and you can buy a reduced price multi-trip ticket
or monthly pass which is recorded on the card.

I expect it is the same there too because the company which operates the
rail lines is either the same one or their competition.

Geoff.


There are no ticket vending machines at most stops. There are terminus
stations where you can pay your fair and probably some kind of 'rover'
ticket, but between stations there are just halts.
Belgium and Holland are pretty laid back places.

On the buses you just pay the driver or wave your pass, just like here
in good old Blighty.

Ron