Ticket bought and the payment is delayed (and vice versa). Public transport problems still alive
Cities systematically develop their ticket sales systems, putting emphasis on non -cash payments and virtual rides, without the need to print them. Practice, unfortunately, shows that residents often have problems buying tickets for a tram or bus, which they expose themselves to penalties during inspection.
In theory, the ticket sales system should work flawlessly: the passenger chooses the appropriate option in the ticket machine, pays the card to the reader and does not have to worry about deleting the ticket, because it is assigned to the card. The reality is not so perfect, because it happens that the payment fails or is settled only after a few days, and the card is blocked in the ticket operator system. Can these problems be avoided? And what does UOKiK say?
Ticket machines instead of kiosks, the cards replace cash
Only a dozen or so years ago, public transport tickets could be bought at kiosks, small stores, and ultimately from drivers. However, the world went forward and the city gradually introduced ticket vending machines not only at stops, but also on buses and trams. Depending on the city, paper tickets still remain in circulation, but the emphasis is now placed on the digital versions saved on the payment card. For this reason, in public transport vehicles we will usually no longer pay in cash, and passengers remain by card, proximity blik or telephone or other device (watch, wedding ring, band). Residents less “scribed” can still buy a paper ticket at stationary devices at stops, but if someone is in a hurry to the tram, and there is no payment card in the portfolio, in the case of control he has a penalty like in a bank.
The famous example of Urbancard
Wrocław was one of the first cities in Poland that enabled residents to buy tickets only. System Urbancard He allowed the use of one -time and periodic tickets, which after transactions in the ticket machine were saved on the payment card. At the beginning of the system's operation Residents have massively complained about errors in the operation of the devicese.g. lack of recording the ticket on the card, blocking the card in the system, payments booked with a delay (which we will come back to in a moment) or closed co -shocks. Passengers during the inspection could not prove that they had a valid ticket because The ticket machine was not confirmedand in addition, the card could only be unlocked at the customer service point. In the case, UOKiK intervened, which obliged the Wrocław Mint (Urbancard operator), city and MPK to change the questioned practices, as a result of which the system operation was improved and the card was unlocked by the website.
The Tri -City “wave” floods the inhabitants
What once harassed the inhabitants of Wrocław is currently affecting passengers in the Tri -City. Wave systemused for sale and service of tickets, in subsequent cities it was implemented gradually, but periodic tickets could also be bought in external applications (e.g. Skycash, likedojade). On August 4, 2025, this possibility was excluded, and passengers were forced to buy waves in wave devices.
There were numerous complaints about the system: residents reported No tickets after purchasedelays in posting payments and login problems. According to the Trójmiasto.pl portal, one of the passengers during the inspection could not show a valid ticket, although she had acquired it correctly before, but the controller allowed her to buy a new ticket from her. Payment for the first ticket was collected the next day, but the wave operator did not intend to return the passenger money.
The problems of the inhabitants of the Tri -City did not escape the Office for Competition and Consumer Control. The information provided to us shows that Complaints about the operation of the Fala system reach UOKiK (one was submitted by the application operator Jakdojada in connection with the exclusion of the purchase of tickets by external systems), so it is not excluded that appropriate measures will be taken to protect passenger rights.
Deferred key payment to solve the puzzle
Both in Wrocław and the Tri -City, downloading fees for tickets in the validators takes place in a specific way. We are talking here deferred payment mechanism that allows system operators and banks to settle transactions with delay. When payments in stores, the purchase amount is immediately blocked, which reduces the balance of available funds, but this does not apply to public transport tickets. In their case, at the end of each day, the operator adds up all transactions and transfers a collective statement to banks, which have several consecutive days to settle payments. As a result, the passenger will see in the history of the operation the total amount paid for all tickets of the day, not a few separate items. Unfortunately, this way of charging fees is not always clearly communicated to customers who, seeing a collective payment charged to the account after a time, suspect fraud.
UOKiK points out that the mechanism is not strange, but the operator must convey these rules to passengers:
The postponement in the appearance of a load on the passenger's bank account may result from the functionality of a given ticket sales system. Ticket transactions from a given day can be added and transmitted collectively. If the passenger bought several tickets, he will receive a settlement in the form of the sum of all purchased tickets at a later date. Information on these rules should be provided to consumers in the service regulations. – explains Kamila Guzowska from the UOKiK Communication Department.
UOKiK advises a complaint at the system operator
If we have any problem with the operation of the ticket sales system, e.g. a payment was collected, and we do not have a ticket, which means we received a ticket, you should immediately submit a complaint to the operator:
The purchased ticket should be saved on the card immediately so that the consumer can use communication. If any problems arise, e.g. with a ticket entry, loss of internet communication, blocking the card – travelers should first submit a complaint to the system operator. – UOKiK press services correspond.
The payment confirmation itself is unfortunately not a ticket and will not be recognized during the inspection, but it will be evidence in the complaint process. However, problems may arise with delayed payments, especially when we maintain a small balance on the account. It is worth remembering in this situation that transactions are delayed and despite their lack in the history of surgery, leave a more appropriate amount. Otherwise, an attempt to delay the bill may end in a prohibited debit and card lock in the ticket operator system.
