Purchasing and payment onboard the train
We strongly advise you to buy your ticket before boarding the train, as your ticket will cost € 9 more (contactless electronic payment only). You can easily buy a ticket through one of our different sales channels (website, SNCB app, ticket vending machine or at the ticket counter).
If you board the train without a valid ticket, or if you have a valid ticket but are unable to prove it, there are two options available to you:
- You buy a ticket at the On-board Fare (price of the ticket + €9) and continue on your journey (contactless electronic payment only).
- You do not buy a ticket at the On-board Fare for any reason. The train conductor will then have to issue a statement of irregularity C170 (cost: €90), and you will be able to continue your journey.
Avoid fines and travel with a valid ticket.
Sometimes it is possible to be reimbursed for a ticket purchased at the On board Fare or to cancel a statement of irregularity C170, depending on the case:
- If you didn’t have a valid ticket before boarding the train, you can contact the Customer Service if you think that you were prevented from buying an On-board Fare ticket for legitimate reasons, in view of getting a €90 statement of irregularity cancelled. You must then pay the amount of the On-board Fare ticket, as well as any administrative fees.
- If you had a valid ticket but were unable to present it at the ticket inspection, you will have 14 calendar days (from the inspection date) to present your ticket or season ticket, valid on the inspection date in question, at a ticket counter of your choice, along with the ticket bought at the On-board Fare or the statement of irregularity issued during the ticket inspection, to be refunded the cost of your ticket or have your €90 fine cancelled at no cost.
Please also be aware that the €9 On-board Fare supplement will not apply in the case of:
- products not available at a ticket vending machine;
- boarding the train at a stop without a ticket counter or vending machine;
- boarding the train at a stop where the conductor’s ticket machine indicates that the vending machine is out of order;
- Brussels Airport Supplement (Diabolo) for Brussels Airport – Zaventem;
- tickets departing from Maastricht, Maastricht Randwyck, Eijsden, Aachen and departing from or arriving at Lille and any Luxembourg stations.
The conductor’s ticket machine automatically recognises where this is the case. Should a supplement be applied regardless (e.g. in the event of an out-of-order vending machine not flagged by the conductor’s sales system), please contact the Customer Service via this contact form.
If you are travelling with the same type of ticket, you will only be given one ticket for both of you. Otherwise, you will get 2 tickets.
Example 1: If you are both travelling on a Senior Ticket, you will only get one ticket for the two of you.Example 2: If one of you is travelling on a Senior Ticket and the other on a Kids Ticket, you will be given 2 tickets.
There are several ways you can check the contents of your onboard ticket. You can either go to the Statement of irregularity and ticket bought onboard the train page and enter your ticket number, or scan the ticket at a ticket vending machine, or ask for more information at the ticket counter or from the train conductor.
You will then be able to access the contents of your ticket, but no personal information will appear.
Where applicable, the train conductors can also record any supporting documents or changes to your journey on your ticket, as well as any statements of irregularity or antisocial behaviour.
You should then get in touch with the Customer Service via this form.
