A 40-year-old Hungarian man attempting to avoid paying for his train ticket boarded an ICE train without valid fare and ended up dangerously clinging to the outside of the train after he missed his stop. Upon making an unscheduled stop initiated by concerned witnesses, the man was unharmed but now faces various charges including benefit fraud.
Fare-Dodger's Daring Ride on German High-Speed Train Puts Safety in Question
Fare-Dodger's Daring Ride on German High-Speed Train Puts Safety in Question
A Hungarian man experienced a harrowing ordeal by clinging to the outside of a high-speed train after missing his stop while evading fare payment.
In a remarkable tale of both human perseverance and poor decision-making, a passenger aboard a high-speed ICE train in Germany clung precariously to the exterior while traveling at speeds of up to 175 mph (282 km/h). The incident began when the 40-year-old Hungarian national, without a valid ticket, originally boarded the train from Munich, hoping to enjoy a cigarette break at his next stop in Ingolstadt.
However, his smoking break extended beyond the permissible time, resulting in the automatic closure of the train's doors before he could reboard. Desperately trying to avoid being stranded, he jumped onto a bracket situated between two train carriages, grabbing hold of some cables as the cabin departed towards Nuremberg. Witnesses onboard quickly informed the authorities, prompting federal police to coordinate with the train to make an unscheduled halt approximately 30 kilometers from the station.
The intercity express train, embarked on a six-hour journey to Lübeck, suddenly stopped at Kinding in Upper Bavaria, where a police officer traveling on the train managed to locate the dauntless fare-dodger and assist him back inside safely. Surprisingly, despite the risk, he emerged from the escapade unscathed.
Now in custody, the man faces scrutiny for benefit fraud, as his actions were an attempt to evade fare payment while retaining his luggage on the train. Authorities may charge him for "an act disruptive to operations," categorized as a minor administrative violation. This incident raises questions about the safety measures in place on high-speed trains, particularly concerning the repercussions of attempted fare evasion and the potential hazards it poses to passengers and crew.
