Hi all train commuters,

Has anyone else noticed that the SBB ticket inspector's screen turns green for most people, but orange for you, even when you have a valid ticket?

It happens to me all the time, and when I asked one of the conductors what it means they simply avoided to answer with some pleasantries. What could it mean? Something simple like "Halbtax needed", or maybe it turns orange for people who were caught without a valid ticket in the past?

To my wallet's demise, I've already been caught without a ticket on SBB trains multiple times. One time was particularly hairy when I got fined for purchasing a bike ticket 15 after planned departure, even though the train was late and I had both valid tickets going in. That made me read up in SBB's AGB and saw that I will be recorded as a "repeated offender" for 5 whole years. I suspect this might be why the inspector's screen turns orange for me but not for others. But maybe I'm a bit to paranoid… Only 2 more years until I'll know for sure… 🥲

Let me know what you know, and I'm also happy to hear any wild speculation you might have!

by fedj99

6 comments

  1. If the ticket is valid, it will turn green on the screen. If part of the ticket still needs to be shown (such as a half-fare card), it will turn orange, so the inspector knows they need to ask for something else. If there is no valid ticket, it will turn red on the screen. The device does not show how many times a person has traveled without a valid ticket. It is simply an aid for inspections, so as soon as the colors appear, the inspector immediately knows whether everything is correct.

  2. Orange is when you need to a show an extra proof:

    – discount card
    – ID/passport i.e. for Interrail/Eurail passes

  3. it also displays orange for e.g if you have a GA Night but it isn’t 7pm yet

  4. Orange stands for Bitcoin. That means you need to buy more.

  5. > One time was particularly hairy when I got fined for purchasing a *bike* ticket 15 after planned departure, even though the train was late and I had both valid tickets going in. That made me read up in SBB’s AGB

    That sucks. The AGBs do say that you only need to have a valid ticket at the actual time of departure. The exception is the GA Night, which is invalid on trains scheduled to depart before 7pm, independent of their delay.

  6. I think there can be multiple responses on their app, so it can return orange things an then green under it.

    I had it before that the guy coudn’t see the ticket I just showed when I had bike + halbtax + my ticket and had to scan it two or three times until he realized he had to scroll down and apologized.

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