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HATC SAMPLE EDITION:
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16th October, 2025
Uniform Ft 25,000 fine for fare dodgers
Starting October 16, the MÁV Group will impose a flat Ft 25,000 surcharge on passengers traveling without a valid ticket or pass, regardless of whether the fine is paid on the spot or later.
The new rule ends a one-year grace period during which MÁV conducted an extensive information campaign, posting notices at stations and stops and refraining from enforcing the higher fine.
The uniform penalty aligns MÁV’s policy with that of Budapest’s public transport and the HÉV suburban railway.
Passengers have been required to board MÁV trains in the greater Budapest area only with valid tickets or passes since last autumn.
Previously, passengers caught without tickets during on-board inspections paid a smaller fine if they paid immediately than those who paid later.
MÁV said this distinction is no longer justified, as self-service ticket machines and digital purchasing options are now widely available, providing ample opportunities to buy a ticket before boarding.
Fare evasion has become increasingly rare, involving just one in 200 passengers, but from October 16, anyone caught without a ticket will face the full Ft 25,000 penalty without exception.
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Sources regularly consulted, with abbreviations used in text: Népszabadság (N); Magyar Hírlap (MH); Világgazdaság (VG); Napi Gazdaság (NG); Magyar Nemzet (MN); Népszava (Nsz); Kossuth Rádió news (KR); nightly TV news (TV).
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