I received a surcharge – what now?

Anyone caught travelling on the area served by ZVV without a valid ticket will receive a surcharge. It is not a fine, and there is no criminal record entry. Here you can find out how high the surcharge may be and what payment deadlines apply. If you do not agree with the surcharge, you can find out what options you have and what the next steps are here.

Do you have any questions about ticket inspections in the area served by ZVV? In the event that you receive a surcharge, please contact the relevant back office. The contact details for this can also be found on your inspection slip.

For general questions about public transport, please contact our ZVV Contact customer service team. In addition, the guidelines for the ZVV fare schedule and the Alliance SwissPass fare regulations are available online.

If you are caught travelling without a valid ticket, you will receive a surcharge on the spot. During inspections, ticket inspectors do not have the time or all the necessary information to make informed and fair decisions. However, a more detailed review of individual cases can always be requested from the relevant back office afterwards. Personal circumstances will then be taken into account.  In justified cases, the surcharge may be reduced or waived. There is no general entitlement to leniency.

The surcharge varies depending on the situation. You can find an overview here.

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Payment deadline and procedure

  1. Deadline for payment: within 30 days.
  2. If you do not agree with the surcharge, you can contact the relevant back office.
  3. The back office will review your individual case and decide whether a surcharge is appropriate and, if so, how high it should be. 
  4. If you do not agree with the decision, you can contact an independent ombudsman’s office.

Important: no fines, no criminal record entry

A surcharge on public transport is not a fine in the legal sense and is not punitive in nature. It is civil compensation for the costs incurred for the inspection. For this reason, a surcharge does not result in an entry in the criminal record. This is usually only the case in the event of repeated behaviour.

The surcharge is only recorded in SynServ. This is a non-public register operated on behalf of the industry organisation Alliance SwissPass. Its sole purpose is to enable detection of repeated infringements of the ticket requirement across different transport companies. It has no effect outside public transport. This means that neither public authorities nor private individuals have access to the system. Once two years pass without further incident, this entry is automatically deleted from the register. 

Here are some tips to ensure that you always travel with a valid ticket

  • Purchase e-tickets in advance or check in early, ideally before boarding and, for underground stops, above ground. This ensures that you have network coverage and your ticket is definitely valid.
  • Use app features such as reminders and auto check-out.
  • Find out about the right ticket types for you: day pass, multi-day pass, supersaver tickets, etc.
  • Keep an eye on your travelcard’s expiry date.