Explanatory notes about Penalty Fares

The student must pay 60 Euros if, at the time of the ticket check, he or she

• is not registered at the university
• has been granted leave without paying the semester’s fees
• cannot produce any official photo ID during the ticket check (the inspector cannot know in this case that this is the student in question’s personal ticket)
• is travelling beyond the permitted area (please check the validity boundaries of the VRS and NRW SemesterTicket)
• is travelling with a bicycle (KVB-Rad) outside of the valid time
• is using the 1st class carriage
• has used unauthorised connections (IC, ICE)

The 60 Euro charge can be paid to the transport operator in question at the time of the inspection or can be transferred (you will find the bank account details on the EBE/FN slip).

If the student does not agree with the payment of the Penalty Fare, he or she must contact the transport operator that carried out the inspection directly. The online form can only be used in cases when the transport operator responsible for the inspection was the KVB.

In the following cases, if the student is able to subsequently prove that s/he had a valid semester ticket as a VDV barcode at the time of the check, instead of the increased fare, the receivable can either be reduced to an administrative fee or waived.

This can be paid on site at the transport company that carried out the check or by direct debit (the account details are provided on the EBE/FN receipt).

In the following cases, if the student is able to prove that s/he had a valid semester ticket on a chip card at the time of the check, instead of the increased fare, the receivable can either be reduced to an administrative fee or waived..

This can be paid on site at the transport company that carried out the check or by direct debit (the account details are provided on the EBE/FN receipt).

• At the time of the check, it was not possible for a valid semester ticket to be presented as a chip card because the ticket was not available on the chip card.
• At the time of the check, the chip card can be presented, but it is damaged and cannot be read. The student is responsible.
• At the time of the check, it was not possible for the chip card to be read.

In all three cases mentioned above, proceed as follows:

• The student contacts the inspecting transport company within the deadline (14 days or as stated on the EBE/FN receipt) and shows them their valid travel authorisation, including an official photo ID. A certificate of validity is also required here, which can be requested via the online form.

or

• The student fills in the online form for the increased transport charge in order to have the increased transport charge of 60 euros reduced to the processing fee due.
• KVB will then process the request or forward it to the transport company carrying out the inspection (unless a certificate of validity has been requested)

The student does not have to pay an increased fare if, for reasons beyond his/her control, he/she did not have a valid semester ticket as a VDV barcode at the time of the inspection. In cases of doubt, the burden of proof lies with the student.

The student does not have to pay an increased transport fee if, for reasons beyond his/her control, he/she did not have a valid semester ticket on a chip card at the time of the inspection. In cases of doubt, the burden of proof lies with the student.