– During this year’s holidays, I especially notice complaints about “high prices” and passengers who avoid buying tickets – says Zuzanna Majewska, a ticket collector. In conversation, she also refers to “difficult passengers”.
Holiday train travel is certainly one of the most popular ways of travelling for Poles. This is proven by official PKP statistics from last year, according to which more than 20 million passengers used the carrier’s services from the beginning of June to the end of August 2023. As the data shows, this is 1.8 million more passengers than at the same time in 2022 and 7.9 million more than in 2021.
– The number of people using PKP services is increasing every year. Especially during the holiday season. We see a lot of interest. So big that train tickets sell out on the first day on sale. – Zuzanna Majewska, conductor, says in an interview with Wirtualna Polska.
The rest of the article is below the video.
Travelers complain of “exorbitant” prices.
Zuzanna Majecka loves her job. But he doesn’t hide the fact that there are moments when he experiences “crises”. This is mainly during the summer and holiday periods, when travelers are most interested in PKP’s services.
– I will not discover America here if I say that the situation is difficult then – for us as conductors and PKP employees, and for the travelers – he declares.
Her words about “difficult situation” at least mask some issues.
– During this year’s holiday, I especially notice complaints about the “high cost” and passengers avoiding buying tickets. It often happens that people who no longer get tickets at the ticket offices due to the lack of seats, including standing ones, get on the train anyway. Instead of immediately approaching the conductor or conductor, they wait. Most often, he adds, in the hope that they will avoid buying them.
When passengers encounter a passing captain or captain, they are surprised by much higher ticket prices.
– When you buy a ticket from a conductor, you will always pay more. Unfortunately, everyone still knows about it, which is why in such situations we often encounter resentment, quarrels or aggressive behavior. A ticket purchased from the conductor alone can cost up to 100 PLN. – Zuzanna Majewska notes.
“Such tricks never end in success.”
Zuzanna Majecka says there are more and more situations where passengers without tickets are hiding in train toilets to avoid buying them. Recently, a conductor spent almost an hour waiting for a passenger who had locked himself in the toilet and would not open the door.
– This is no longer a surprise to us, but it is uncomfortable. Really, No one travelling by train will be able to simply sneak in and make the journey without a ticket.In the past, some people might have succeeded in doing this, but today the number of collectors is so large, and we know all the tricks of the passengers so well that such tricks do not end in success, he says.
The results also indicate that she and her colleagues are more likely to be disrespected by the collectors: – It is noticeable that Passengers, who are unfortunately often men, have more respect for female conductors than for female conductors.There is still a common belief that one can tolerate more when talking to a conductor.
– I’m not just talking about flirting or compliments, but about indecent displays, which I no longer want to do. However, new conductors do not always know how to deal with them and are worried about certain words. In such situations, you can report it, for example, to the train conductor, who will politely warn you and usually does not bother anyone, he adds.
The toughest travelers
According to Zuzanna Majeska, the most difficult passengers are not – it seems – families with small children, but people under the influence of alcohol.
– The number of such people is higher than usual during the holiday months. Often, they are already under the influence of alcohol before boarding the train. But what is more striking are the situations where the person under the influence of drugs is a man, a father who takes care of his children in such a state, he points out.
Dagmara, an employee of a café at Warsaw’s central station, confirmed her words. The student frankly says that the people she meets at the station during the holidays are under the influence of alcohol and sometimes other substances.
– It is understandable that these are the holidays and people are having fun. However, for me – as a woman who finishes work late – it is not comfortable. When I finish my work, I literally run away from the station at a fast pace just to avoid being chased by a man. – Dagmara says.
Since she works in a place that sees throngs of travelers during the holiday season, she makes no secret that it’s also a much more difficult time for her.
– A few days ago I heard from an impatient customer, a man of about 50, the question: “Do I think with my head or my ass?” According to him, the reason for this was my questions about his order, which I admit I probably repeated several times. We had a terrible queue at that time and it was difficult for me to remember all the orders – explains Dagmara.
However, he stresses, such questions are fortunately rare. The station cafes are usually visited by friendly customers who see what it’s like to work there.
– What are they complaining about? The first thing that comes to my mind is the prices. I must admit that they are right, because coffee in the city now costs about 20 PLN, and sometimes more. For example, when a family of four, including two children, comes, they pay 200 PLN for coffee, tea, sandwiches and cakes at the station, before the flight, as the cafe employee points out.
What else bothers travelers? – Bad smells and heat. And I agree with them here too. The temperatures in Warsaw are terrible this holiday season. Not only is it 30 degrees Celsius almost every day, but people are also sweating. So, sometimes at 12 the whole station is already stinking. – He adds.
Aleksandra Lewandowska, journalist at Wirtualna Polska
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