Travelers stung by counterfeit train tickets

The number of counterfeit international train tickets and passes is increasing in the whole of Europe, especially among InterRail passes, which entitle a passenger to an unlimited number of trips within a specified time frame. According to gazdasagiradio.hu, Hungary's MÁV-Start Zrt seizes 40% to 50% of all counterfeit InterRail passes, totaling several hundred each year.

European railway companies lose millions of euros each year as a result of counterfeit tickets and other methods of avoiding payment.

Many passengers are unaware that they are offered counterfeit InterRail passes at various websites and at universities, said Réka Pákozdi, coordinator of international ticket sales at MÁV-Start Zrt. She added passengers should suspect that something is out of the ordinary if the passes are offered for especially low prices and recommends that they buy them from official ticket vendors.

MÁV-Start Zrt has started developing a client service network in order to improve both domestic and international information services. A Client Office (Ügyfélszolgálati Iroda) was first opened at Budapest's Eastern Railway Station (Keleti), which will be followed by others at the Western (Nyugati) and Southern (Déli) stations and at other major cities from the end of the year, said Gábor Kovács, passenger information coordinator with MÁV-Start Zrt.

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