Pensioner in despair

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Pensioner Anna G. is desperate.

(Bild: Franz Hödl)

A pensioner from Floridsdorf was threatened with a fine of almost 250 euros because of a false address. How it came about

Because a fare dodger caught by Wiener Linien inspectors was unable to pay the fine immediately and gave a fictitious home address when his personal details were recorded, a pensioner living at the "fake" address in Floridsdorf is now facing letters of demand and, most recently, even a debt collection agency based in Hamburg - the now increased fine: 243.71 euros.

3.3 million

In 2023, a total of over 3.3 million passengers were checked in Vienna. Of these, 96.8 percent had a valid ticket in Vienna.

Pensioner Anna G. is desperate: "I first went to the registration office to make sure that someone hadn't registered at my apartment by mistake and then returned the letter of demand addressed to the person I didn't know by name, but with my home address, to Wiener Linien with explanatory notes. Nevertheless, I have now found another letter in my letterbox, this time from a debt collection agency based in Hamburg. Although I also sent this letter back to the debt collection agency with an explanation of the facts, who's to say that the bailiff won't suddenly turn up at my door?" the sprightly pensioner told "Krone".

Pensioner Anna G. never takes the subway and yet she has now become a "fare dodger".

(Bild: Franz Hödl)

"Why are the ticket inspectors only satisfied with the presentation of an ID card, but accept the residential address verbally without checking it?" says former district councillor Hans Jörg Schimanek, who is standing up for the lady.

Wiener Linien said: "In this case, we can confirm that an additional charge was issued to the gentleman in question during an inspection. During the check, the name and address were given and a valid ID document was presented. As is often the case in social interaction, Wiener Linien must be trusted here, as registration office inquiries are not possible on site." Good news: Following an inquiry by "Krone", the case has now been canceled by Wiener Linien.

In any case, in an international comparison, Viennese passengers are more honest when using public transport compared to other cities, according to Wiener Linien. In Berlin, the proportion of passengers without a valid ticket is around 3 percent, in Hamburg and Frankfurt around 5 percent and in Paris around 10 percent.