Changes

== General train styles and guidelines ==

Train hopping in Europe is generally easy as countries don't have a good system to track fines. This means that if you have for example a Spanish passport and got a fine in France, you won't get the fine ever, except if you move to France one day and get a job etc.

There are different approaches to train hopping but it's good to keep in mind that the ticket inspectors are aware of all tricks and games. You can try and stay in the toilet for the whole journey but in some countries and trains they can unlock the toilet if they suspect you don't have a ticket, especialy in central Europe (Czech, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary). There are toilets checked by controller often especially in long-journey trains (EC, IC, SC). You could leave the door unlocked to try and fool them but that means every passenger would open the door as well... You can run around the train as well, trying to avoid the ticket inspector which may or may not work. These techniques may get you into more trouble and are generally not pleasurable but are very important for people with no ID since if you get caught and the ticket inspector wants to write you a fine, they will ask for a passport and if you don't have one or refuse to give it it is very likely that they call the cops.

So for people with ID, who are foreigners in the country, in most cases it is OK simply to find a quite place on the train, wait for the ticket inspector and kindly explain to them your situation (imaginary or not). In a lot of countries the law says they are obliged to write you a fine (which you will never have to pay as long as you give a fake address or say you don't have one) but they may kick you off. They may also threaten to call the police. It depends on each person how they prefer to deal with this - whether to argue or not, whether to plea or not but just keep calm as if you get aggressive it is a valid reason to get the cops on you. In case that a ticket inspector actually calls the police without a valid reason (no ID, being aggressive) don't panic, the most that can happen is they search you and/or escort you off the train station.

Generally, when choosing which train to take, opt for express trains - those with fewest stops, as you are unlikely to get far with regional ones - and you may get stuck in a station where almost no trains stop. It's very useful to memorize (or write down) the timetable, so that you instantly know which is the best train to take after you get kicked out of the previous one.