Saint Petersburg to Triple Fines in Response to Surge in Fare Evasion
City responds to rising violations with tougher penalties to deter offenders
Fare evasion in St. Petersburg, Russia, has surged in recent years. Official statistics reveal a sharp rise in violations: from 3,800 recorded cases in 2021–2022 to 11,120 in 2023, and further up to 14,731 in 2024. To address the growing problem, a new bill submitted to the city’s Legislative Assembly proposes raising fines for...
Fare Evasion Reaches Record High in Switzerland: One Million Fare Evaders in 2024
Youth offenders, rising repeat violations, and a CHF 200 million loss challenge the future of public transport
Fare evasion on Swiss public transport has reached a record high, with over 1 million cases recorded in 2024—a nearly 10% increase from the previous year and part of a steady upward trend since 2019, when just over 411,000 cases were reported. This surge is partly attributed to a rise in ticket inspections,...
Poland’s Fare Evasion Crisis: 370 Million PLN (€81 Million) in Unpaid Fines
Poland is facing a significant problem with fare evasion in public transportation, with unpaid fines for riding without a ticket totaling nearly 370 million PLN (approximately €88 million). According to a recent report from the National Debt Register (KRD), over 293,000 individuals have failed to pay their penalties, accumulating an average debt of 1,300...
Seattle’s King County Metro Struggles with 34% Bus Fare Evasion
After Five Years, Metro Reintroduces Fare Inspections to Boost Compliance
Seattle’s King County Metro is resuming fare inspections on buses for the first time in nearly five years, starting March 31, to address fairness concerns as ridership recovers. Currently, an estimated 34% of passengers do not pay their fares. Metro emphasizes that this decision is mostly about fairness, ensuring all riders contribute to the...
Île-de-France Loses €700 Million Annually to Fare Evasion: New Measures Target 50% Reduction
Public Transport Cracks Down: Continuous Controls and 500 Agents to Combat Fare Evaders
Fare evasion in Paris and its suburbs costs the Île-de-France public transport network an estimated 700 million euros annually. To tackle this significant loss, Valérie Pécresse, President of Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM), announced the launch of “continuous control” operations starting Monday, February 17, targeting bus, tramway, metro, and RER lines most affected by fare evasion....
Auckland’s Fare Evasion Problem: A Growing Challenge for Public Transport
Fare Evasion on Key Auckland Bus Routes Raises Safety and Revenue Concerns
Fare evasion has become a significant issue on Auckland’s bus network, with recent estimates suggesting that nearly 3% of journeys—approximately one million instances—went unpaid over the past six months. While transport officers caught 12,700 fare evaders, only 4.8% received fines, and 2.4% were issued warnings, highlighting concerns about enforcement effectiveness. Key routes such as...
Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Loses $407,000 CAD to Fare Evasion in 2024
The City Hires Law Enforcement Officers to Deter Daily Fare Evasion Incidents
Greater Sudbury’s public transit system has suffered a significant revenue loss of $407,000 CAD in 2024 due to fare evasion on its public transit system, particularly on buses. In response, the city council has approved the hiring of two part-time municipal law enforcement officers (MLEOs) to monitor buses. These officers will focus on deterring...
Fare Evasion in Antwerp: New Access Controls to Tackle a Growing Problem
Up to Half of Antwerp Tram Riders Don't Pay, Prompting Flemish Government Action
Fare evasion is a significant issue in Antwerp’s premetro system, with estimates suggesting that up to 50% of riders do not pay for their tram journeys. The premetro—a light rail network that operates like a metro in city centers, with trams running through underground tunnels before transitioning to surface tracks in outer areas—plays a...
Summer Balance for Savona Public Transport: Fare Evasion at 13%
TPL Linea reinforces ticket inspections and increases services in Savona and Albenga
TPL Linea, the public transport operator for Savona, reported a 13% fare evasion rate during the summer period from June 24 to August 25, 2024, compared to a lower rate recorded in 2023. Over 44,000 passengers were inspected across 3,504 trips, leading to 5,724 fines, an increase from 4,294 in 2023. The inspections were...
MTA Faces Ongoing Challenges as 48% of NYC Bus Riders Skip Fare
With Nearly Half of Riders Not Paying, the MTA works on Comprehensive Solutions
The New York City bus system is dealing with an increase in fare evasion, with recent data revealing that 48% of bus riders fail to pay. In 2022 alone, this issue led to a $315 million loss for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Coupled with the cancellation of the congestion pricing program, the MTA...
Trainsfare is an initiative aimed to raise awareness about the global issue of fare evasion in public transport.
We publish articles regularly on the topics of fare evasion, ticketing, public transport finance, technology, and safety and security. Our articles are sourced from mass transit operators and from trusted news sources and publications.
Trainsfare is a project managed by Awaait, a Barcelona-based company developing AI Video Analytics software.