Checked on the U-Bahn after getting lost

So I want to ride the UBahn from Giselastrasse to Messenstadt Ost this afternoon. I decide to take a U3/U6 to Sendlinger Tor then transfer to the U2.

While there, I transfer trains but by mistake I get on the U1 instead of the U2. I do not realize my mistake for another 4 stops, where the U1 ends at Mangfallplatz. Fortunately, it was not that far. I wait for about 5 or 10 minutes then get on the U1 back to Kolumbusplatz (two stops closer than Sendlinger Tor) so that I can transfer to the U2 out to Messenstadt Ost.

Second stop on the U1 going back to Kolumbusplatz, ticket checkers!!! I have a Streifenkarte marked at Giselastrasse. Why am I on a train going towards the center of town? Well, I never intended to be on this train and never intended to go to Mangfallplatz. I want to go from Giselastrasse to Messenstadt Ost, for which I have legally paid. Yes, but a Streifenkarte validated at Giselastrasse is not valid for a U1 train going from Mangfallplatz to Kolumbusplatz. EUR 40 fine...

Are you kidding me?!?!?!

What would you do in this situation? Is there any way to appeal the ticket? It is not like I ever left the UBahn station and all stops were within the two stripe fare...

Either way, the story probably worth it...

From what I understand of the UBahn police, you don't have any hope of escaping that fine. I'm probably wrong, but you would be better off just paying the fine and better familiarising yourself with the UBahn system. If you intend to use the underground often, maybe you should get a weekly ticket that covers a certain area, so you're never caught out again.

your one chance is the time on the ticket... as you stamped it at Giselastr the time is there, it could prove that you really didn't have time to go there, do something and come back on the same ticket- if the time is on the ticket you got from the checkers.
You could take it into the offices at Poccistr and try to fight it.
They might believe you, they might reduce it, who knows. But its worth the try, as they do keep records in their computer system of repeat offenders.

I did that once, years ago, went to Poccistrasse and they reduced the fine to 5 DM (at the time it was a 40 DM fine).

Just go and be calm and explain what happened.

Thanks for the insight everyone. The ticket has a timestamp of 29 minutes after the stamp at Giselastrasse. I'd imagine that it is a decent case.

Any idea if I can do this in English or should I bring my best German (and maybe a translator...)?

do your best in german, if you cannot speak a word of it, then try to bring a german speaking friend.

And English, too
Something similar happened to me on a bus once, my friend and I were surface traveling to the zoo. The ticket checker scolded us roundly for not changing to the U-Bahn at Implerstrasse and asked for ID. I handed her my US passport mentioning that I am not a local (I lived in Regensburg at the time). She huffed and puffed, took my strip card and repunched, no fine, no paperwork.
I would fight this one, definitely. Anyone can make a legitimate mistake and the MVV people are not ogres, they listen to common sense.

Just be polite, smile, be honest and not flustered. When I did it, I was intentionally doubling back from Marienplatz to Sendlingertor (I started in Sendling) to get to the U1 - I was doing an "umweg" to drop something off on my way to Giesing or something, not even a mistake, and she just waived it. The 5 DM was the "processing fee".

It's bad when they hassle folks who actually have a stamped ticket. Why would you use 2 stripes to do nothing?

Good luck!

ff

Because those are the rules and we live in Germany...

In all honesty though, has anybody not ever got on the U-Bahn and gone in the wrong direction and needed to double back at some point?

The rules will be there to stop people using two stripes to go somewhere, do something and then go back on the same two stripes. It's pretty well impossible to prove one way or the other.

you're SOL. they'll tell you to pay better attention next time.

a "law" is a law, regardless how stupid it is *cough*tightwadsdon'tevenallowweedhere*cough*

Worth a try you never know but better to do it in German

Definitely go and explain and point out this was a genuine mistake. I once got on a train without a ticket because the only ticket machine on the platform kept spitting out my money and I gave up in disgust. Of course this is exactly when you are going to get checked. Law of sod and all that. Anyway, I went to the little office at Hauptbahnhof, did my indignant bit and got the fine reduced to 10 Euro. They did check I was not already on their records though so this is obviously not going to work for Stammkunden...

I've oft wondered what happens in this case. It's not unusual for the machines to not accept the larger notes. I've certainly had it from Aying. I guess the onus is on you to prove it but would you really not get on a train because the machine won't sell you a ticket?

If it's the only machine, most transit agencies say you are supposed to record the machine number and time when you tried to use it.

A long time ago I went from the Osbahnhof past Starnberg & mis-calculated the amount I needed to punch (believe I was one short). Inspectors got on & pointed this out & did their duty. They said if I wanted to contest this to do so at Hauptbanhof, which is also where i would have to pay it. Brought a German speaking friend along who explained my mistake & I got the nominal €5 processing fine. Seemed fair enough to me as I had mis-calculated. Anyhow, good luck

Since I live in this city, I should expose myself to new things, whether I need to or not. I will go to the office on Poccistrasse sometime this week and report back.

Thank you all for your helpful hints.

First time?
They used to give a discount. You have to say you have read it somewhere or that someone told you,because they dont tell you ...GOOD LUCK

And the event comes to an end.

I went in and explained, bringing a colleague with me who speaks better German than I. I also brought a schedule of the trains that I did take, showing that I had spent approximately five minutes at Mangfallplatz. We both had a ridiculous time talking with the attendant, as German was clearly not his native language as well, but I digress.

The message we ended up with is that since he has no way of knowing whether I had an intentional reason to go to Mangfallplatz (for five minutes...), he would have to charge me but could reduce the fine to EUR 25. I considered myself lucky and happily paid it, promising my colleague EUR 15 off our next drink outing.

I wish I had enough time and energy to fight a fine:

• Time to write a post (turn on the computer, connect to the internet, type in T-O-Y-T-O-W-N-M-U-N-I-C-H-.-c-o-m into your browser*) : 10 minutes
• Time to check replies here and give more information and get sympathy : 20 minutes
• Time to go to Hauptbahnhof and plead your stupidity : 30 mins (x2 if you are taking a German speaking side kick)

So between 1 hour and 1,5 hours of your life will be wasted on this. Move on! Pay the fine.

* Top time saving tip, T-O-Y-T-O-W-N-M-U-N-I-C-H-.-c-o-m is shorter than T-O-Y-T-O-W-N-G-E-R-M-A-N-Y-.-c-o-m save electrons and time and money!

I'd fight it on principle (If i could be arsed, which i probably wouldn't be) cos MVG shouldn't be dishing out fines for something like this.

Exactly, it's the principle of the matter..