Half of train tickets go unchecked

Train passengers in Belgium are more likely to not have their tickets checked by a conductor, according to a random check by public transport users' organisation TreinTramBus and its Walloon counterpart Navetteurs.be.

On 436 train rides, only 44% of the passengers were asked to show their tickets. The longer the passengers spent on the train, of course, the more likely they were to be checked. But even of those travelling on the train for more than an hour, only 57% had to show a ticket.

Passengers travelling to or from Brussels were checked only one out of three times.

Belgian rail company SNCB, however, wants “every ticket checked”, according to a spokesperson. "We are expanding this year's ticket inspection team from 50 to 70."

photo: www.maximaldesign.com