August 17, 2026, 12:43 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Fare evasion can mean revenue losses for Deutsche Bahn (DB). That’s why the company’s employees are keen to identify travelers without a valid ticket. They are now familiar with the tricks of passengers trying to dodge ticket checks. As a train stewardess told TRAVELBOOK, one tactic is particularly popular among fare dodgers–though it rarely succeeds anymore.
Fare evasion colloquially refers to traveling without a valid ticket; legally, it can constitute the offense of “obtaining services by deception” (§ 265a StGB). Nevertheless, people repeatedly attempt to reach their destination on public transport or Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance services without a valid ticket.
Fare Evasion Appears to Be Seen as a Minor Offense
It might seem that society often perceives fare evasion as a relatively minor offense. While theft is generally viewed unequivocally, traveling without a ticket often encounters a certain tolerance. Could frustration with public transport be behind this? Delayed trains, cancellations, and high fares seem to make it easier for some to justify breaking the rules.
According to the federal government, 144,348 cases of “obtaining services by deception” were recorded by police nationwide in 2024. Of these, 97.4 percent were related to fare evasion. However, there is no current comparable figure for how many passengers travel without a valid ticket on Deutsche Bahn alone. The last publicly available company-wide figures are from 2018: At that time, Deutsche Bahn issued 1,528,925 increased transport charges. These figures are not directly comparable, as they involve different data collections. But they do paint a certain picture.
DB Employee Shares Experiences with Fare Dodgers
TRAVELBOOK spoke with an employee from DB’s catering service. Ticket checks are not part of her job–yet she has often experienced fare dodgers trying to avoid them. And these individuals are hardly inventive.
“It regularly happens that passengers try to evade ticket checks,” reports the train stewardess. She admits that some fare dodgers probably succeed somehow. However, a relatively crude yet popular tactic no longer works.
Fare Dodgers No Longer Get Away with This Tactic
“Fare dodgers really believe they can hide in the restroom and avoid the check,” the insider says. But this tactic is now “old hat”: Hiding in the train restroom during ticket checks is no longer an unknown trick for train staff. Inspectors know the game and are not easily deterred.
If someone locks themselves in the train restroom and tries to sit out the check, trained staff quickly notice. And then? “We knock on the door and ask the person to come out,” says the insider. The next step is usually discussions where fare dodgers feign digestive issues. But aren’t such issues possible? “Certainly. We also wait a while. But especially if there are health problems, that can already be a reason to act.”
Staff Unlock Restroom Doors When Necessary
The employee explains that colleagues sometimes have to intervene if a passenger spends an unusually long time in the restroom. It’s not just about identifying a potential fare dodger: For safety reasons, train staff must also respond if there is suspicion that someone in the restroom needs medical help or has become unconscious.
Not only the train attendants responsible for ticket checks but also service staff in the dining car have special keys–usually standardized square keys–that can open locked train restrooms if necessary. As the train stewardess explains, these are used in emergencies, technical malfunctions, or maintenance work.
Hiding Is Usually Futile
Regardless of the fact that few people would find it particularly pleasant to spend an extended period unnecessarily in a cramped restroom stall, such a hiding attempt is also short-sighted. Ticket checks occur during the journey and can also be conducted randomly at a later time. More details are explained by DB here. Evading the check for the moment does not mean the tactic worked and the fare evasion was successful!
DB Employees Warn: “Many Passengers Are Very Reckless”
DB Employees Warn: “Many Passengers Are Very Reckless”
What Happens If You’re Caught Fare Dodging?
If a passenger cannot present a valid ticket, they are asked to provide their personal details. Depending on the situation, an increased transport charge may be levied. Additionally, the regular fare for the distance already traveled or for the continuation of the journey may be due.
Locking oneself in the restroom during the check looks particularly unfavorable. Ultimately, the extent of the consequences depends on whether the journey without a valid ticket was intentionally deceptive. After all, § 265a StGB specifically requires intentional deception to obtain transport services.
The insider reports exceptional cases where her colleagues show particular leniency. If a person was clearly in a predicament and genuinely couldn’t afford the journey, it has occasionally happened that they were merely asked to leave the train at the next station. Whether further consequences follow depends on the individual case.
Please Don’t Try Other Fare Evasion Tactics
In summary, fare evasion is not worth it. A missing ticket alone does not automatically make a journey a criminal offense. But just as you naturally pay for the bread rolls you buy at the bakery, transport services are not free. Anyone boarding an ICE train is using a service–and must generally pay for it.