Budapest public transport company raises fines

Fines imposed on passengers using Budapest public transport company (BKV) vehicles without a valid ticket or pass were raised considerably on Friday, June 1, reports hirextra.hu. The fine to be paid by those who forget their passes at home and show them within eight days was raised the most, by more than threefold, from Ft 750 to Ft 2,500.

The on-the-spot fine was doubled to Ft 5,000, while those who pay the fine within 30 days have to pay Ft 10,000 rather than Ft 7,500. Those who fail to pay the fine within 30 days are to pay Ft 20,000, up from Ft 15,000 before Friday.

Meanwhile, BKV is stepping up its efforts to collect unpaid fines, which total currently total several billion forints. In some cases, it will claim the amount with the help of debt collection agencies. The largest amount of money owed by a single person is Ft 2.4 million (€9,600). The passenger has been fined 210 times over the course of five years.

Increased checks are also continuing. On the HÉV suburban railway, 80 to 100 more ticket inspectors will be employed from the end of summer to add to the additional 50 hired in March. The company has also hired additional security guards, taking the total number of staff checking tickets and passes to almost 600. Electronic gates at the entrances to stations are expected to be erected in 2009.

Ticket vending machines accepting banknotes and bank cards will also be installed in the coming months, while passengers will be able to purchase tickets from the driver of the vehicle on eight more lines.

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