Bizarre interaction on ZSSK train - Interrail refused

[rg177]

Hello all,

Just had a bit of a strange encounter with a ZSSK guard (Slovakian Railways) on a train between Nove Mesto nad Vahom and Trnava. Its a "Rychlik" (fast) train - no compulsory reservations in Standard Class or the like.

She just flatly refused it as valid. Aggressively, too. It was in date, journey all filled in. But she wasn't having it - a passenger was translating for me as she didn't speak English and she was refusing to elaborate to him either.

It looked like her scanner's screen had something in red on it - so I don't know if it had taken a dislike to something.

In any case - I'm not aware of ZSSK deciding they don't feel like participating in the scheme anymore or if their staff aren't able to scan the tickets properly? I've used the mobile pass on their trains before without a problem.

In the end I just refused to back down and there was a bit of a stalemate before she wandered off.

Edit - its now just happened again on the next train and it took some extreme persuasion to get the conductor to accept it. The scanner is indeed loading up all of the correct information about my ticket then saying it isn't valid.

 

[rvdborgt]

This is not the first report I see about a pass being refused in Slovakia just because "computer says no". That's however not a valid reason to refuse a pass. If something like that happens, the staff is supposed to inspect the pass visually, since all the pass data is available in readable format in the app. I think there may be some problem in their scanning devices.
You didn't have to pay extra, but I still think it's a good idea to complain with Eurail here:

https://eurail.zendesk.com/hc/en-001/requests/new

Please provide as many details as possible: date, train, the stations between which this occurred etc. Eurail will normally contact the operator to set things straight.

 

[rg177]

This is not the first report I see about a pass being refused in Slovakia just because "computer says no". That's however not a valid reason to refuse a pass. If something like that happens, the staff is supposed to inspect the pass visually, since all the pass data is available in readable format in the app. I think there may be some problem in their scanning devices.
You didn't have to pay extra, but I still think it's a good idea to complain with Eurail here:

https://eurail.zendesk.com/hc/en-001/requests/new

Please provide as many details as possible: date, train, the stations between which this occurred etc. Eurail will normally contact the operator to set things straight.

It's seemingly happening on every train and making for one hell of an experience as staff are refusing to budge until I basically tell them to read the pass. Even then it's multiple "computer says no" before another passenger has mercifully intervened and told them they're wasting their time.

I've complained to Interrail regarding the initial interaction but in light of the fact that its still happening and I'm seemingly having to beg to use a valid ticket - doubtless I'll need to follow up with something stronger.

Mercifully just one more ZSSK domestic train today then I'm giving up with them - I can't keep doing this all day.

 

[rvdborgt]

It's seemingly happening on every train and making for one hell of an experience as staff are refusing to budge until I basically tell them to read the pass. Even then it's multiple "computer says no" before another passenger has mercifully intervened and told them they're wasting their time.

I think you indeed need to make it clear to Eurail that this is happening on each and every train and that ZSSK need to educate their staff about it.

 

[rg177]

I think you indeed need to make it clear to Eurail that this is happening on each and every train and that ZSSK need to educate their staff about it.

I've already had a reply so have followed up to that effect. Mercifully (?) the last local train I was going for (all of 10 mins) is a bus, where the driver doesn't want to talk to anyone, never mind check tickets.

Then I have a EuroCity Kuty-Bratislava but from experience the conductor on that train speaks English, so even if they're ZSSK staff with the same dodgy scanner there's a better chance of a reasonable conversation.

In the absence of that, I have a lovely paragraph ready in Google Translate...

I'm using only ÖBB and (briefly) ČD tomorrow so that can be the end of this weird saga - I certainly won't be back until this is straightened out. To be honest I was just more paranoid that there was a problem with the app - but that wouldn't make a lot of sense as I've had a series of very polite and diligent checks on ČD this morning.

 

[43096]

I've already had a reply so have followed up to that effect. Mercifully (?) the last local train I was going for (all of 10 mins) is a bus, where the driver doesn't want to talk to anyone, never mind check tickets.

Then I have a EuroCity Kuty-Bratislava but from experience the conductor on that train speaks English, so even if they're ZSSK staff with the same dodgy scanner there's a better chance of a reasonable conversation.

In the absence of that, I have a lovely paragraph ready in Google Translate...

I'm using only ÖBB and (briefly) ČD tomorrow so that can be the end of this weird saga - I certainly won't be back until this is straightened out. To be honest I was just more paranoid that there was a problem with the app - but that wouldn't make a lot of sense as I've had a series of very polite and diligent checks on ČD this morning.

Stick with paper Interrail would be my advice. Yes they charge a bit more, but there’s still far too many reports of dubious technology in both the app side and operator side for the app to be considered reliable enough.

 

[rg177]

Stick with paper Interrail would be my advice. Yes they charge a bit more, but there’s still far too many reports of dubious technology in both the app side and operator side for the app to be considered reliable enough.

When the mobile app first came out it was great in fairness - it was fairly quick and eliminated many of the "what is that" issues. Many staff in some countries had absolutely no idea what I was giving them - a global pass for a longer period also turns into a massive wedge of paper. Now you just wave a barcode and in most cases (except ZSSK) it works.

Also easier to chop and change plans compared to a paper one, where I've literally had one snatched out of my hand and received a Penalty Fare because I didn't write the details in on the (completely exposed) platform in the pouring rain.

Unfortunately it has slowed down in recent months and gotten glitchier - which has resulted in guards appearing out of nowhere and the pass taking ca. 30 seconds to load.

I couldn't resist a short hop on one of the new Stadler KISS trains that have entered service in the past week - just my luck I was gripped on the four min trip to Bratislava Vinohrady but the guard was either fine with what she was reading or simply didn't care.

I've sent a lengthy response to Interrail now I'm not in a rotten mood from arguing - hopefully the right brief is sent out and staff pack it in.

In any case, I'm taking the bus to Wolfsthal in the morning, so no more interactions with the staff that make the "MÁVia", (Hungarian rail staff, for the initiated) look like saints.

 

[rvdborgt]

When the mobile app first came out it was great in fairness - it was fairly quick and eliminated many of the "what is that" issues. Many staff in some countries had absolutely no idea what I was giving them - a global pass for a longer period also turns into a massive wedge of paper. Now you just wave a barcode and in most cases (except ZSSK) it works.

Also easier to chop and change plans compared to a paper one, where I've literally had one snatched out of my hand and received a Penalty Fare because I didn't write the details in on the (completely exposed) platform in the pouring rain.

Unfortunately it has slowed down in recent months and gotten glitchier - which has resulted in guards appearing out of nowhere and the pass taking ca. 30 seconds to load.

I've used mobile passes ever since they became available (autumn 2020). My experience is that the app was quite glitchy at times in the first 2 years. IMO it was still in beta test and any new build that was released could introduce serious new bugs, like make your valid pass disappear in thin air (that happened on a few occasions - a fix was then often released within a day fortunately).

Since then however it has grown a bit more mature. It takes longer now to load My Trip but I assume that's because all my trips and passes since 2020 are still in the app (all 12 of them).

Loading the pass, when I tap on Show Ticket, does take a few seconds, but if it's longer than 5 seconds, it's usually due to bad internet; if you then turn on airplane mode, it will load instantly (on the condition that you've generated the barcode previously with internet available). The app now also takes a bit longer to start, but it certainly doesn't show any of the earlier glitches anymore as far as I can see.

 

[duesselmartin]

Sounds like a valid reason not to take a train in Slovakia. Hopefully they get their act together. It only damages their own tourist industry.

 

[306024]

Last year I took quite a few Slovak trains with a mobile phone interrail pass. No issues. Wonderful country, excellent dining cars, website has printed timetables, nothing not to like. So this is a bit concerning unless you are a fluent Slovak speaker. Hopefully sorted before I go again in June, but I'll prepare just in case. Thanks for the advice.

 

[rg177]

I think it depends on how much the staff are invested in checking. Some will just use the MK1 eyeball as they scan and move on (the guard from Vrbovce to Myjava and Myjava to Nove Mesto nad Vahom wasn't bothered) - unfortunately two members of traincrew today viciously scrutinised their mobile device and took it as fact.

It's also not necessarily just the fact that there's a bug - but the staff attitude. I had to argue for quite a while and locals had to intervene for me to travel unimpeded. I would not have wanted to have been thrown off at some random halt. The first guard growled like a dog, rolled her eyes and barked "neplatny!' at me over and over like I was a misbehaving child. When I said I didn't understand, I was English (in the best Slovak I could muster) that just made her angrier.

The second member of staff was an older bloke relied on the device all the same but I was at least prepared and had a civil conversation in broken Slovak before I let Google Translate take over. We still went round and round and round as the argument was "but my device says this". He wasn't nasty and was polite enough to show me what it said but clearly the training is along the lines of the computer always being right.

I was a little confused as the message on the device was something like "doklad neplatný" which suggested that it didn't like the ID number attached - but the young lass who came over to assist said it was definitely the ticket.

This is my fifth or sixth time in Slovakia now and it's a shame as I love the country - I just won't be Interrailing in it anytime soon.

 

[30907]

Great shame. As a senior I have a pass so don't need IR there, and I wonder whether it's actually good value for younger persons anyway (haven't checked!).

 

[rg177]

Great shame. As a senior I have a pass so don't need IR there, and I wonder whether it's actually good value for younger persons anyway (haven't checked!).

For me yes as I've covered a lot of ground in more "expensive" countries (it's a Global pass). I started off in Brno this morning and did a couple of Czech lines first as well.

Solely for Slovakia - if you're doing what I was doing and plodding around on backwater lines mostly, highly unlikely!

Forgot to add - if you're on the EC train Prague - Budapest that goes through Slovakia, no such issues. The conductor had a different scanner - not sure who he was employed by but he was already on the train at Kúty and had a badge showing that he spoke about five languages!

 

[Struner]

Sounds like a valid reason not to take a train in Slovakia. Hopefully they get their act together.

Sounds like a valid reason not to use interrail to take a train in Slovakia

 

[HST43257]

My friends and I are travelling through Slovakia later this year. Leaving Budapest in the morning on the EC, spending the day in Bratislava and getting the EN (the section that waits at Breclav for several hours) to Prague.

They will be on Interrail (reservations on sleeper) and I will be on FIP. Are there likely to be any issues with either of these?

 

[rg177]

My friends and I are travelling through Slovakia later this year. Leaving Budapest in the morning on the EC, spending the day in Bratislava and getting the EN (the section that waits at Breclav for several hours) to Prague.

They will be on Interrail (reservations on sleeper) and I will be on FIP. Are there likely to be any issues with either of these?

As stated above, this shouldn't present an issue as it seems to be different traincrew and equipment on the EC. Plus staff on both these trains should speak some level of English.

This just applies to domestic ZSSK trains (IC/Ex/R/REX/Os) and so on.

 

[reb0118]

.....so no more interactions with the staff that make the "MÁVia", (Hungarian rail staff, for the initiated) look like saints.

My run in with the MÁVia included two staff members having a stand up fight in the corridor over the validity of my ticket. Unfortunately, my champion was the smaller of the two......fortunately, he had more fight in him.

I never really got to the bottom of it but I suspect I was being accused of being an Austrian rail worker attempting to reuse an ÖBB issued MÁV FIP coupon after crossing the Austro-Hungarian border.

My recent Slovakian trip went well with regards to staff interactions - we only discovered upon our return that one colleague actually travelled on a Slovenian pass. He is now known as George Dubya the Second.

 

[mad_rich]

I assume if you’re forced to buy a new ticket or pay a penalty, Eurail well reimburse you?

Shouldn’t have to, of course

 

[rg177]

I assume if you’re forced to buy a new ticket or pay a penalty, Eurail well reimburse you?

Shouldn’t have to, of course

In their correspondence with me they told me to send over any such things - so I would have assumed so.

 

[rvdborgt]

I assume if you’re forced to buy a new ticket or pay a penalty, Eurail well reimburse you?

That's indeed the case. Also see the mobile pass FAQ:

What should I do if I receive a fine even though my mobile Pass is valid?
There is a small possibility of receiving a fine despite having a valid mobile Pass. In the unfortunate event that this does occur, we ask that you note down all details from the specific journey and train, make screenshots of your ticket, fine, and reservation (if applicable), and get in touch with our Customer Service team as soon as possible. They will be able to assist you further.

 

[kkong]

Just had a bit of a strange encounter with a ZSSK guard (Slovakian Railways) on a train between Nove Mesto nad Vahom and Trnava. Its a "Rychlik" (fast) train - no compulsory reservations in Standard Class or the like.

She just flatly refused it as valid. Aggressively, too. It was in date, journey all filled in. But she wasn't having it - a passenger was translating for me as she didn't speak English and she was refusing to elaborate to him either.

I used two one country Interrail mobile passes in Slovakia (3 days in 1 month) in Mar 2023 and Nov 2023.

They were successfully scanned (as were separate reservations codes) on ZSSK (several times), CD, Leo Express, and RegioJet without issues.

ZSSK staff were, without exception, friendly.

it sounds like something has changed recently with either Interrail's or ZSSK's technology.

Edit: Both passes were 1st class, in the unlikely event that makes any difference.

 

[Planesandtrain]

Odd to hear this about ZSSK staff, usually a very friendly bunch. Once had an odd one between Marchegg and Bratislava who claimed I needed a reservation to use the REX, it is not even possible to reserve on those services. He wanted 30 euros but I argued back in German and he soon buggered off. Also had an odd encounter with an Interrail pass in the UK, one agency worker flat out refused access to the platform at Waterloo because she had never seen one before so therefore it wasn't valid, her face when another gateline person let me through was priceless. But most interactions with UK staff are good.